Taboo

Chapter Three

     When they got into their apartment, their fater wasn't home yet. That was good. "Kids?" Their mother, Gabriella, called from the living room. "Hey Mama." Elena called, leaving her shoes by the front door. "Where's Salvatore?" Gabriella asked as she gave Elena a hug as Alessa kicked off her shoes. "He went with Romano." Alessa answered as Gabriella hugged her. Gabriella pulled back when she heard the name of her eldest son, as if it was a stab to her chest. "Oh." Gabriella said quietly. "What's for dinner, Mama?" Elena asked, hoping to distract her mother. "I'm not sure yet. Hurry up and get the table ready for dinner." Gabriella muttered distractedly. She turned away from her daughters, walking almost in a trance-like state into the kitchen. 

     "I hate what Sal does to Mama." Alessa muttered as she removed her coat and tie, hanging them up in the hall closet. "They don't do anything. They're being themselves and expressing themselves, that ain't bad." Elena replied, doing the same. She removed her coat faster and hastier, handing a wire hanger to her sister. "Yes, it is. Sal's only seventeen, he doesn't need to be drinking and smoking. Roma's eighteen, he doesn't need to be drinking and owning a gang like Aces so young. Or at all. That's bad business." Alessa said as she hung her coat up. "Just stay out of their way. I trust Roma and Sal, they know what they're doing." Elena answered, closing the hall closet door. 

     "I hope you're right." Alessa muttered as they made their way to the tiny dining room attached to the kitchen. Alessa went to collecting the silverware and placing them at the different seats of the table as Elena went to setting up the napkins and the placemats. They'd save the drinks and the plates for last. "Elena, clean the living room. Alessa, start vacuuming." Gabriella said softly, mashing potatoes at the kitchen counter. Never one to mouth off to family, the girls went to work cleaning and tidying up the apartment, and by four-thirty, Lucio Marino made his way through the door, tossing his coat and briefcase onto the chair by the front door.

     Elena bit her tongue, trying to keep from mouthing off to her father. Staying quiet and impressing herself and Alessa, Elena went and hung up her father's coat and put his briefcase in his office before returning to the living room. Lucio didn't bother saying hello to anyone - he just went straight to the kitchen and got a whiskey bottle before relaxing back into his chair by the window. Alessa and Elena sat together on the floor, doing their homework on the coffee table as they listened to the radio, trying to remain as calm and inconspicuous as they could. "Dinner's ready!" Gabriella called, in a too-fake happy voice. Standing, Elena helped her sister up, and together they set the rest of the table.

    Elena sat on the opposite end of her father, with Alessa on her right and her mother on her father's left, side by side. "Where are your brothers?" Lucio asked, directing the question at Elena. Elena looked up at her father and frowned. "Do I look psychic to you?" Elena asked. Lucio clenched the knife in his hand roughly, chucking it at Elena with horrible aim, missing her by inches. Elena ducked anyway, just to be safe. "What?!" Lucio yelled, gripping the table as if ready to stand. "I don't know where they are!" Elena yelled, before catching herself and talking quieter and calmer. "I don't know where they are." She repeated.

     As if on cue, the front door opened, and Alessa and Gabriella winced collectively and simultaneously. They heard the cool, honey-smooth laughter of Romano Marino, and then the quiet muttering of Salvatore as they both walked into the dining room. "Oh, sorry. Are we late?" Romano asked, stumbling only a little, barely noticeable. But too noticeable. "Are you drunk?" Gabriella whispered, a mixture of sadness and disappointment in her voice. "I dunno." Romano said, shrugging. Salvatore stood rigidly by his brother's side, unsure of what to do. His fedora was tilted a bit. The smell of liquor and cigarette smoke was heavy in the air. "Have you been fucking drinking? And who's been smoking?" Lucio asked, staggering to his feet. Elena sat up in her chair while Alessa shrunk down further. "I have." Salvatore said, stunning everyone in the room.

     Lucio walked over to his youngest son, getting in his face and growling savagely. "What?" Lucio hissed, as if testing Salvatore to repeat himself. "I smoked. And I drank a bit." Salvatore said, his voice wavering only slightly. It happened so quickly. Lucio swung at Salvatore, hitting his nose hard, a sickening crunch sounding in the air. Alessa and Gabriella both squeaked in surprise and horror. Elena's eyes widened and fury boiled deep in her, but fear overwhelmed her rage. "Are you fucking retarded?" Lucio yelled, grabbing Salvatore's shoulder in one hand, the other hand delivering a rough punch to Salvatore's stomach. Salvatore cried out as he doubled over, coughing and wheezing. Gabriella screamed, distracting Lucio. He reared his fist back, but Alessa's scream distracted him. "Salvatore!" Alessa screamed.

     Salvatore had risen to his feet and was already staggering out of the apartment, holding his stomach as he made his way out of the brownstone. Lucio turned and grabbed his empty whiskey bottle, hurling it at Salvatore with everything he had. "Go on! Get out of here, you fucking waste of space!" Lucio screamed. "Sal!" Romano yelled, chasing after his brother and slamming the door behind him. "Fuck it all." Lucio growled, kicking the wall with his boot before storming off to his study, slamming the door behind him. Gabriella, Elena, and Alessa all sat at the table for a few more moments, not sure of what to do. Elena sat upright in her chair, her fists balled up in anger and rage, tears threatening to pour out of her eyes. Alessa sat in her chair with posture she would normally hate, looking down at her half-eaten food, no longer hungry. Gabriella rose and went to the kitchen, crying softly.

     "I'm tired of this, Ale." Elena whispered, reaching for her sister's hand and squeezing it softly. Alessa squeezed her sister's hand back in an attempt to comfort her.

"I know. I am, too."