Maria

Chapter 9

"Mom?" I muttered under my breath.

"Maria, I need to tell you something" she exhaled.

She looks down onto her lap and runs her hands through her thighs. I walk slowly to my bed and wearing this tight dress I took a seat next to her and sat stiff. She then looks up at me with her big chocolate watery eyes, tears threatening to spill.

"It's about your dad, well it's more than that" she begins. I nod my head, I lift my hand and begin rub her back gently, comforting her.

"There's some things that you don't know" she says, her voice was shaky.

"I know some things" I declared.

Her sniffling stopped and she looked at me intensely.

"Wait, What?" She exclaimed quietly.

"Earlier, when Angela was over today, she told me some things that uh you didn't." I stumbled with my words. I didn't know how to exactly word what I was going to say without it triggering her.

She nodded, giving me permission to explain what I know.

"Well I know that Papa Giovanni is in the mafia and has been doing business with the government and the people for years. And so is Luca's grandpa Marino. And that they've been in the mafia for decades." I begin to elaborate, with my mom's eyes widening with shock and her forehead creating lines.

"And that the Alessandro family and the Scaletta family were like all time rivals and they wanted to beat each other at everything. Like getting money, gaining power, or establishing trust and respect within the communities. And that they both had a son to try and take over their place as Don in their family in hopes to be more influential, but it didn't turn out that way because dad and Mikey became best friends. And after like a big fight, some treaty was signed creating peace between the two." I tried to remember what bits and pieces of what Angela had told me and summarized it to the best of my abilities.

She shook her head and a single tear fell down her cheek.

"There's more" she choked.

"Mikey wanted to be in the Mob as long as I can remember and your dad didn't. Johnny, I mean your dad didn't want to be part of that lifestyle. He grew up in a household where there was always a constant threat to their lives up until the treaty was signed. But even then, there's still some other families in New Jersey that remain a threat like the Montella's and the Paluzzi's and just so much more. So then Mikey and Johnny uh got into this huge fight after our high school graduation about it. And that's when your father had enough, me and him decided to move to New York for college and start a new life there and I guess have a reset button." She sniffles.

I lift my hand steadily and wipe away her tears as she tucks her hair behind her ears.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked.

"Because your father never wanted you to know! After we left, he promised himself that he didn't want to be part of any of that and avoided any type of conversation about it. That's why I stopped you earlier, I don't think your father would've been proud or matter of fact he probably wouldn't speak to you for a weeks after what you just pulled." She declares while dissolving in tears.

I hated seeing my mom cry, it was a gut wrenching feeling because I couldn't help and it saddened me but I've seen her cry so many times as of lately it's just become one of the the many things I've grown used to.

Yet I was shocked, I sat there not knowing how to feel or what my next move was going to be. I could feel my mouth gaping.

And what exactly am I supposed to do with this new information? I thought to myself, well at least I'm more educated on the situation but this doesn't help my confusion.

Is there a possibility that any of the mob families could be responsible for my dads death? Or is there a chance that Mikey could have been responsible? Perhaps since my dad messed up the plans for everyone by leaving, it could've angered the businesses that the families have worked with? Or it could've angered the politicians that the mob has worked with because as Papa Giovanni gets older the more vulnerable the family is in making agreements and maybe that's why they haven't found a suspect yet. Maybe they're stalling until the next Don takes Papa's place to proceed. Who's going to be the next Don for the Scaletta family when Papa dies?

My mind went wild with ideas about the new revelations about my dad's life, I desperately tried to find a solution or a suspect. The new information I received today equally gave me clarity yet granted me with uncertainty. There's nothing but more possible outcomes than I fathomed.

"I don't want you hanging out with that boy" she states whilst putting her hand on my shoulder. I jumped up quickly off the bed, shaking her hand off me.

"What?" I exclaimed. I furrowed my eyebrows together and my jaw was dropped. I feel heat rising to my head.

"I'm being serious, I don't want you to get any more involved with that family than we already are. It's not safe and it doesn't look good" she insisted. She wasn't crying anymore, her doe eyes were filled with solemn and she put her lips in a fine line but she was still sniffling.

"It doesn't look good,"I yell. "You've got to be kidding me" I shook my head no and angrily put my hands on the my hips.

"Maria, please. Just do this one thing for me" she begged.

"I can't just, end things. I like him Mom" I yelled.

"It's not safe" she repeats.

"Whatever, fine. I will" I lied blankly to her face knowing god damn well that I was going to call him in a couple days once this whole thing blows over. I'd hoped she'd get off my back if I falsely just gave in to her demand.

"Thank you baby," She uncrosses her legs and stands up near me, her chest inches away from mine. She kisses my forehead softly and envelopes me in a warm hug. "Dad would be happy." she whispers as she digs her head into my neck.

I couldn't help but feel guilty. By the way mom was explaining dad's hatred for any type of affiliation with the mafia, he would be disappointed in me. But I can't help it, if my mom told me this sooner I would've been more cautious with my actions but now it's too late.
I'm already involved, I can't imagine ending it now. Things are going so smoothly. But then I remembered that I was planning on talking to Luca about it on our date but I had forgotten, I mentally face palmed myself.

After a few minutes, mom left my room and closed her door behind her with a wide smile.

I unbuckled my pumps and unzipped my dress. It felt like bliss not being gripped tightly by the so-called dress.

I slid into my bed and underneath my sheets. I got comfortable and laid on my right side so I can gaze out my window and into the night sky.

I couldn't believe all of this. It still hasn't hit me yet that my family is part of a mob. The mafia for Christ sake. And that my dad was going to be apart of it, the leader of it in fact. I begin to wonder how my life would've been if he was. All the lavish parties I would get to go to, all the shopping I could've done, or all the opportunities that could've been easily given to me. But it didn't happen because my dad didn't want it.

What could've possibly made him not want that type of lifestyle for himself?

I've noticed that in almost every chapter, I end it off with a question. I promise I don't mean to do that intentionally it's just sometimes in some parts there is no other way than have it be concluded with a question. Yanno what I'm sayin lol. Vote and comment!

SONGS FOR THE CHAPTER
Intro- G-eazy
W.D.Y.W.F.M by The Neighborhood