Café Rouge

Chapter 18: An Ambush on One

"Lunch will be ready shortly, boys," she tells them in Italian, strutting in her heels to the kitchen to supervise the staff.

When with family, his mother insists on speaking only Italian. If they don't, she pretends she hasn't heard them and while childish it certainly has worked.

With that, his father leads them into the large lounge, pouring his 'boys' a drink from his prized liqueur cabinet. Carlos takes a seat on the couch, unbuttoning his suit jacket as he's handed a tumbler of classic American Bourbon whiskey. Whiskey never been something he's enjoyed, preferring gin to it, but he certainly isn't going to comment on one of his father's prized possessions.

Marco is handed a similar one, and sharing a grimace with his brother behind their father's back, they both take a swig of the drink only to wince in unison.

"So father, did you speak to Moretti?" questions Carlos casually wondering if he should start wearing his Kevlar vest around everywhere now.
"Hmm...yes. We...had an interesting discussion."

Carlos waits; wondering if he's going to elaborate and when he doesn't Carlos quips, "And?"
" 'And' you will be told if and when I decide," snaps back his Father coolly.

Carlos isn't too fazed by it. He knows by now his father has a temper, one that his brother seems to have inherited and Carlos is used to it at this point.
"Now...I don't like that 'Gerald' man as the manager of the new strip club. Get rid of him Marco and bring in someone a little more...respectful."

And just like that they're onto a new topic.

With Alberto conversation does not flow too far from work. It's the strongest of the few ties he has with his sons and so it is exploited to the point where Alberto simply cannot distinguish his work from his family. In fact, he considers both the same. Carlos was exactly the same, until...
"Lunch is ready, darlings!"
Caterina's voice cuts over Alberto's causing the conversation to halt as they all file into the dining room.

The ostentatious table is far too much for just the four of them but his mother as always refuses to accept it. Even when it's just her, he knows that she eats at that long table in honour of tradition. They sit so that Alberto is at the head, his wife to his right and his sons to his left. The staff of course, serves them, despite the food being within arms reach.
"Marco, grace please," commands Caterina bowing her head.
Marco scowls but does as he's told.
With a quiet murmur they then dig into the appetisers. It's light conversation, kept up mostly by Caterina who chatters on. Therefore Carlos can hardly be blamed for zoning out and murmuring at the right moments to his mother's gossip. But when the word 'marriage' and 'Carlos' falls from her lips, he almost spits out the food in his mouth right then and there.
"What?!" he cries gulping a mouthful of water.

"You're getting old Carlos. It's time you started settling down, getting serious about the business and producing your own children," firmly states Caterina, not missing a single beat.

"Mother...I-I..." Carlos glances sideways to his brother for help.

His brother however is just as shocked by the statement as him. So it seems like Marco didn't know about this too. But the smug asshole just sits there smirking at Carlos's ambush.

"Er-I don't know, mom. I mean, after Valentina-"
He stops short as his mother rolls her eyes and dabs a napkin at her mouth.
"Come now, Carlos. We both know that girl was not going to cut in our world. Surely, you have grieved enough."

 He should be offended by his mother's complete lack of sensitivity to his feelings about 'that girl' but it's not exactly the first time Caterina Castellano has expressed her discontent of Valentina. The only redeeming quality in Caterina's eyes about the model was her Italian heritage. Carlos has no idea what she would even think about Lola-if he ever dared to introduce her. But he doesn't plan on doing that. Not because he's ashamed of Lola but rather because his family is toxic, as proven with Valentina, and he doesn't need another innocent girl's life on his hands.