MAFIA POSSESSION ( Completed)

MOTHER TERESA

My mother’s shade of green eyes studied me carefully, she was so focused. Dressed in a little yellow cocktail dress and elegant gold heels, she was hunched over sitting on one of the chairs outside the dresser where I stood for her viewing. Her right elbow was resting into her thigh, and her chin was resting into her right hand. The fingers from her left hand tapped into the chair’s armrest as she made a low ‘hmm’ sound in her throat. She had on that look she always got right before she made a decision she deemed to be important.

I was utterly appalled at the pile of outfits she had already made me try on today. I just wanted to go home and rest, this week was already nerve-wrecking. To make it worse, I could feel the beginnings of a headache coming on soon and my mother seemed to be taking her sweet time.

It was expected though, she was in her zone, and this is what she did best. My mother threw the best parties, she decorated with the best taste, and she was nothing if not OCD.  She aimed to please…but mostly she aimed to please my father.

That was my problem.

“You could be a nun with that outfit.  It’s ugly. ” Eliza said.

The outfit was so diplomatic and mannerly. Eliza was right— it would have been delightful to catholic priests. The blouse was white with long sleeves, and almost no neck exposure. The material was too thick and felt horrible against my skin. The buttons maybe would have looked better had they been smaller but they were way too big and black. The skirt was black with vertical creases and so long that it might as well have been floor length. My mother matched it with black tights underneath to allow absolutely no skin exposure to my legs and a horrible pair of black little girl shoes.

My father must be trying to kill me of by way of embarrassment.

“…This could do. With the necklace Anthony got you for Valentine’s… Day paired up with some elegant diamond studs…” her look was intense. “Yes. This will do just fine.”

My jaw dropped in disbelief. “You’re joking? I look like the Popes vomit.”

Her eyebrow arched and her lips tightened. She always thought my way of expression was unrefined. But this was seriously going over-board, even for her.  Of course I knew where this was all coming from. My father was still pissed at me for my little escape to the pool party.  Two months had passed since the incident but he was still embarrassed that his men had completely lost me and only found me thanks to Marcello.

“Your father wants Anthony to know that we are doing everything we can to protect your virtue.” My mother said in a simple matter-of-fact tone.

I scoffed. “What about my pride? Mom, please.” I begged.

“She’s right mom, he might not even want to marry her if he sees her in that thing.” Eliza said, over barely contained laughter.

I shot my litter sister a glare before turning back to my mother who looked completely unaffected. “Mom this outfit is embarrassing. Please don’t make me go out in public wearing this.” I whined.

“Well you should have thought of that before you pulled that little stunt of yours. Your father made it clear that he wants you looking like a little saint. One that even Mary, mother of Christ, can’t touch.” Her words sounded so final. I was fucking doomed.

“I’d say this,” she waved her little finger at my figure, “is right on point.”

“Ughhhh, why are you trying to ruin my life?” I cried, then walked back into the dresser and shut the door louder than necessary. “Anthony is going to break the contract at the sight of me.”

“I thought that’s what you wanted,” My mother said sarcastically. There was no changing her mind.

                My mother waited in line to purchase the frightful outfit as Eliza and I exited the store to find our guards. Tomorrow was the big date with Anthony Romero and already it was horrible. Making matters worse, from the moment I awoke today, my mother had dragged me all over the city in an effort to prepare me for my date.  Today I had gotten a facial, a manicure, a pedicure, a haircut and hair mask. She had taken me to get my arms and leg’s waxed— though that was absurd since I wasn’t even allowed to show any skin! All this was making me want to pull out my own hair. Why was it so damn time consuming and difficult to just be a girl?

Marcello was sitting on a bench, looking rather bored outside of the department store. He stood up when he saw us coming towards him. Ever since that night when he had to drag me away from the party and back home, he didn’t bother to stay in the shadows anymore. My father had removed Allesandro from our detail arguing that it was pointless having so many men following me around. That was one thing we could both agree on.

“We’ll wait for mother in the car.” I spoke to him with my usual coldness. Something about him just rubbed me the wrong way.

When we arrived at the family estate I immediately made my way to my room. Hopefully everyone would just take a hint and leave me the hell alone for the rest of the evening. I wanted nothing more than to take a long bubble bath and drown out the feelings of nasty trepidation that made a habit of enveloping me as of late.

I felt so helpless about everything happening around me. My father’s opinion was incapable of being altered and his word was law. It got to the point that I was just so exhausted and feeling bleak that all I wanted now was for this stupid date to be over with. The sooner, the better. Running a hot shower with lots of bubbles would be my only comfort tonight.