Straight Mobbing

Stassie-Branding Party

               I walked into the Russian Embassy and Connor took me to a room I had never been in. A long table was set with lavish decorations and flowers. At the far side was a stage and three chairs. Two equal in size and one a little smaller, all covered with the family crest, the double-headed eagle. A symbol that means power and dominion. I stood there looking at everything in disbelief. I jumped when I heard someone speak.  "There is no victory without pain." I turned around and there sat my older brother.

"What?" He stood up from his chair.

"There is no victory without pain." He cranked his arm back and punched me right in the eye. My self-defense kicked in and within seconds I was on top of him waling punches down.

"THAT IS ENOUGH!" (Imagine that this was yelled in Russian) 

            We both turned at the sound of a familiar, deep voice. A voice that I escaped from almost three months ago. There stood my parents in full formal decoration, my younger siblings some of their spouses and my extended family.

I stood up, stepping away from my traitor of a brother. "Sorry father." I said while curtsying. My parents walked over to me.

"Happy Birthday Ana." They both said to me as I hugged each of them.

"Come with me." My mother said.

I did as I was told and followed her to the bathroom. She made quick work of fixing my hair and makeup. "You're going to have a black eye." I nodded. "Figures." Moments had past before I asked.

"Why is he here?" My mother ignored me before I grabbed her arm. "Mother."

"Your father asked him to come. I think Nicky is trying to get on your father's good graces." I let out a pathetic laugh.

"Fucking leaves me to do his dirty work then comes back the golden boy. How fucking original." I state.

"I wanted to kill each of your brothers for doing this to you and Eve. Leaving everything on you poor girls. Then I wanted to kill your father for shunning your sister for...for what happened to you." Tears started to form in my eyes.

"I wish they married Russian girls so I could have lived my life." My mother pats my back.

"How do you think I felt when your uncle took over the operation for me when I had you five." I shrugged.

"Relieved? But you're still head of the family."

"Inion. Delegate and you can remain living the life you have."

"Yeah and then at some point I'm gonna have to go back to Russia and be the fucking Queen of everything." My mother grabbed my hand pulling me out of the bathroom and into her secret office.

"Inion. What if I could get you out of all this?" I narrowed my eyes at her. 

"How?"

            My mother had devised a plan for me. 

-Get my father to trust me

-Let me go ahead with the marriage plan to expand our business 

-When he least expects it get Nicky back in the line of succession

My mother had let me know that his wife Pollyanne had just been baptized into the Orthodox church. That alone put him back on top, but my father would still have to approve of everything, he'd also have to legitimize Nicky kids.

I sat down to eat dinner in between my parents. My father wouldn't talk to me and my mother wouldn't stop talking to me, especially in Gaelic so my father couldn't understand.

My brothers and sister sat in front of me all equally staring at me awkwardly and uncomfortably for my liking. They knew what was coming and so did I.

I could feel it deep down in my bones.

             Today wasn't the day I got my freedom but today was the day I was shackled to this life for forever. I felt the excitement I had back in my room at the Los Santos house fading away quickly. With a quick nod from one of my uncles, Nicky came around the table and held me down on the ground. I knew what came next.

"Cuirimid muirear ort inar soal." Connor said pressing a Catholic cross in my arm. (We charge you with our lives.)-Connor

"My obvinyayem vas v nashey smerti." Ira said pressing an Orthodox cross in my arm. (We charge you with our deaths.)-Ira

"Go mbeidh trocair ag Dia ad d'anam." Evie said kissing my cheek with tears falling from her eyes.

"Pust' Bog pomiluyet tvoyu dushu." Nicky said releasing me from his grip.

(May God have mercy on your soul in first Gaelic then Russian)-Evie then Nicky.

Together everyone at the table stood and said together. "May God have mercy on your soul." While I still sat on the ground.

I let a tear fall while standing up. 

I replied to everyone, "Pust' Bog doveryayet mne tvoye. Go bhfeadfainn Dia muinin a thabhairt domsa."

(May God trust me with yours in first Russian then Gaelic)-Stassie

              My father wanted to do a real investment ceremony. I knelt as he placed a ring on my hand. He took my once pretty blue sash and replaced it with a harsh red one. He took my tiara and replaced that with a crown just like the one he wore. I read from the Bible and was given my rights as a new member of the Orthodox Church. 

             My mother then gave me the regalia of the Irish mob. A claddagh ring-heart facing out, a diamond pin to keep my sash in place, another red sash and a fur coat to alway keep me warm during hard times. I read from the Bible again and was then given my rights as a new member of the Catholic Church.

I sat besides my father on his left. In that little chair. I was fucked.

When everything was said and done for. I sat for my formal state photos with my parents. 

               Evie finally got me calmed down from my panic attack and took off all my new regalia for me stashing it in a bag. 

"Get rid of this dress." She released me from my pretty pink gown and handed me sweatpants. 

"I thought you were supposed to be in Massachusetts."

"Some things are more important than hiding Anastasia." I started to cry again. 

"Evangeline are we gonna have to go there?" She nodded her head. "Soon. But not yet. Let's get you back with Los Santos before they come looking for you." 

I just stood following her out of the Embassy. I was a lost puppy in this big ol' world now.

          Evie wanted to drop me off and go back before I protested and demanded that she slept over like when we were growing up.

"They didn't even notice we walked in the house."

"Yeah they can be dumb sometimes." Evie nodded. 

"Wanna get fucked up?" I asked pulling out all the contraband that I collected before leaving this evenings festivities.

          We sat up listening to Spooky and everyone talking about their hookups and what they planned to do to the house. I prayed that they did this after I left. I couldn't live here during that. Evie fell asleep first and I followed shortly behind.

Spooky woke me up to check on me and honestly I wasn't prepared to tell him anything. I sat watching the ceiling fan rotate in my room before grabbing all my weed and vodka and walked out back. I sat in the 'King's' seat and scoffed. 

King's seat.

This bitch was about to be a Queen's throne.