CARDIA: The Mafia's Heart✓

eight

Everything seemed to stop as I stood face to face with a huge man in front of the door of the house Chelsea had directed me to. She had pulled some strings and got me the address. She and Emma encouraged me to go on a friday.

Now that Friday has arrived I chose an after school time because after school, I can go home to Jade's and I can spend a long time with my father. Hopefully. The past few week had been full of excitement for me especially with my roommates. I was starting to get used to the new life and here I am facing my biggest concern.

The man frowned down at me, he didn't look friendly at all with his tattoos and piercings. "Cat's got your tongue kid?" He barked and I started to stutter. "I-I-I am s-so sorry" I said. "Come on Jim, you can't just bark at the little kid that way" someone said from behind him and pushed him out of the way.

This new man was tall and had tattoos too, he would have looked very much intimidating if he wasn't smiling at me. His dirty blond curls were down his shoulder and he held out his hand to shake me. "I'm Oliver Pavaga, what's your name?" He asked me and I put my hand in his own hand shakily. "C-Cardia, my name is Cardia" I said.

"What's a sweet kid like you doing here?" Oliver asked and led me into the house. "I'm looking for my father" I said and opened my bag to bring out Mama's diary that had a cut out of his picture in it. "This man, Alexander Sterling" I said and showed the man.

Oliver collected the book and swore. He looked from the book to me and back at the book. "Jim come look at this" he showed Oliver the book. "You don't need DNA test for this one" Jim mumbled and I gulped. "I-I need to see him" I said and he nodded. "Well I won't be the one to lead her to her death door" Jim held up his hand.

"You've got two choices, turn and run like you just saw a ghost or become a ghost. Either which way, the door's that way and the stairs is the other way" Oliver said and pointed to the stairs. "What next after the stairs?" I asked Oliver to show him that I didn't come to joke. "Just follow me" Jim sighed and led me up the stairs.

For the first time I was able to look around the house. It was large from up the stairs. The house was painted grey and the designs were simple but gorgeous. As I followed Jim down the hall, I noticed paintings along the wall. They were brute paintings of bloody scenes, storms, naked women, weapons and in the middle, a painting of Christ's passion.

I stopped and stared at the picture wondering, "is my father a believer too?" I asked out loud and Jim groaned as if I was asking too much from him. "Boss is just an art lover, it's just a painting" he said and started to walk away. He only stopped when he didn't hear my footsteps.

I just couldn't take my eyes off the painting. It was like it was speaking to me. "I'm Jim and I've got lots of other important things to do" Jim said, sounding very much annoyed. "I'm sorry" I said and moved with him.

We got to a door where I heard sound of gunshots and I froze. "Still wanna go in there?" Jim asked with a cruel grin on his face. "A-are you coming with me?" I asked and he laughed quietly, "I still want to live a good long life" he said and turned to leave. "Enjoy" he said and walked away.

I stood in front of the door for ten more minutes, still hearing sounds of gunshots. I took a deep breath and knocked on the door. I waited for a reply but got none. The gunshots continued and I knocked again. "Who's there?" A male voice yelled from inside the room. I wanted to reply but my voice disappeared.

The gunshots resumed. I stood for a minute, contemplating to just go back to school but I knocked on the door again. "Who the hell is messing with me?" The man inside the room yelled and without warning, the door was yanked open and I saw him.

He stood towering above me with angry eyes. No one had to tell me who he was. He looked exactly like in the picture but he looked older with his beard. Looking at him was like looking at a full grown, full bearded male version of myself. He was very handsome, his long black hair was pulled back into a small ponytail.

"Who are you?" He asked, still radiating anger. "Cardia Colson" I said automatically, "I'll count five" he said, "one, two..." He asked to count and I opened Mama's diary shakily, in my shakings, I couldn't find the page I needed. "I'm your daughter" I blurted out and he stopped counting at four.

He looked me over and tilted his head to the side, "so?" He asked me. Lost of words I stared up at him, opening and closing my mouth like a fish. "I-" I didn't know what else to say. This was not what I imagined would happen when I see my father. "Can I come into your room?" I asked and he frowned at me like I was crazy. "Get lost, you're starting to bother me and I can kill you here and now" he said.

I finally found the page I was looking for and showed him. "Here's you and here's Mama" I said softly. "I don't remember her" he said and my eyes instantly filled with tears. "Her name was Natalia Colson, she was a junior and you were a senior. She had long dark hair..." I started to blab, trying to get him to remember my mother by all means.

"I remember her now" he said and I stopped talking. I was beginning to hyperventilate now, "What about her?" He asked in a harsh tone. I was shaking badly at this point. "Mama died with this question on her mind..." I started to talk and he groaned, signifying that his patience was running thin.

"Did you love my Mama?" I asked and without even thinking he gave me his reply. "No" he said and it felt like I was hit in the stomach as he released the word 'No'. I automatically turned around and made my way out of the house.

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Hi lovies!.

What do you think of Alexander Sterling? Too much?

Please comment!