Rule #2: The family business is everything. Protect the legacy at all costs.
Ava Centofanti knows the ins and outs of the Mafia like the back of her hand - after all, she is nicknamed the "Mafia Princess" for a reason. Next in line to inherit the Ca...
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The steady patter of rain against the window lulled me out of the trance, threatening to engulf me whole; blinking slowly, I tilted my head back to face the woman sitting across from me. Her eyes watched me curiously, a look of pure understanding stretching into her features as she scribbled something down on the legal pad propped against her leg.
"Where did you go just now?" She asked, her eyes glancing up to read my face before returning to her notes.
"I..." my voice trailed off as I tore my gaze away from her, back to the ceiling above me.
"Ava, you've been coming to see me for the last five years at the request of your uncle. We've talked about everything and anything under the sun. This is what I'm here for. This is why your family encouraged you to see me, and still encourages you to keep seeing me."
She has a point, the voice in my head agreed. I sighed in defeat, closing my eyes to steady my beating heart. Of course, she was right. At Grandma Clara's insistence, Uncle Leo had hired the best psychologist in town: Dr. Alexandra Hamilton.
"It's the same nightmare," I said quietly, not looking at her; I fought the urge to pick at the skin around my nails as I pushed myself to answer Dr. Hamilton. "Only, it's not a nightmare. It's the day I was kidnapped when I was four years old. I try so hard to block out that day, but it keeps attempting to push its way to the front of my mind. Like it's telling me I need to remember something important."
"Do you think there's something important you need to remember?" Dr. Hamilton asked me, pausing from writing down her latest note.
"That's just it, I don't know." I groaned. "I was four years old! My memory is a little fuzzy now, it's been twenty-two years."
"Are you open to the idea of wanting to remember that day? It may not only be you need to remember something important but also to face your demons."
"I guess so... I see your point there."
Dr. Hamilton smiled warmly at me, nodding her head thoughtfully. She glanced at the diamond-encrusted watch on her wrist and wrote down another note before speaking.
"Our time's up for this session, but I want to give you an assignment that might be helpful. Since I'm going on vacation starting next week, I won't see you in person for a month; however, if you absolutely need to, you can call me." Dr. Hamilton waited until I nodded in acknowledgment. "While I'm gone, I want you to do a couple of things. One, I want you to meditate for a minimum of 30 minutes every day. Find a quiet place, away from your family, and just breathe. Don't overthink, clear your mind, and relax."
"What's the second thing?" I asked curiously as I sat up from the chaise I was lounging on.
"The second thing is to write down everything in a journal for the next month. Don't pressure yourself into writing, though; just let it come out, wild and free, no strings attached. Bring it with you to our next session, and we'll discuss your emotions versus thought process. Okay?"
