Silence And Submission (Editing)

In Which She's Shaken (Part Two)

She rubbed my back as I lay in my bed.

"Irène, tell me everything that happened at the mall."

I sighed. I didn't want to talk about it.

"I don't want to talk about it, mama," I said.

Her hands stilled in their movements.

"I'll be in the kitchen monitoring dinner," she said and quickly left the room.
I groaned loudly. She was upset. Mama disliked being told no.
Still, I couldn't bring myself to care. She didn't need to know everything.

My hands shook lightly as I rolled onto my back.
Maybe I should have humoured her; told her everything as usual and allowed her to make decisions concerning my life.

Coming back home was the worst mistake I had made. It only brought me pain. I should have moved on to Carthage like I'd planned.
I shook my head.

Ignorance is bliss, they said. It was true in most cases. But in my world however, it got you killed.

Still it was a risk I'd rather take. I'd rather listen to recordings of my father's voice and believe the lies my mother made up everytime I asked of papa's whereabouts than live with the knowledge that he was dead.

I never had to face my problems on my own. De Laurentis did it for me.
Maybe, that was why I still clung to the skirts of mama.

My door slamed open and uncle Vincentè walked in fuming like an angered tiger.

"You spoke to that damned Antonio," he growled, pointing his fingers at me.

I sat up in my bed.

"What are you talking about, uncle Vincentè?"

"Vincentè, brother, you are over reacting," Uncle Paulo said as he tried to pull his angry brother out of my room. "You are creating a scene."

"She's a fucking brat who goes squealing to everyone about everything," he shouted.

I bit my lip.

What was the cause of his anger? I never did anything to him.

Silva stood directly outside my room. No one but family and maids could walk into the rooms in the family wing of the house. Grand papa's rule.

"I only said they spoke," he said.

"What is going on?" I asked.

"The man you spoke to at the mall. What did you tell him?" Uncle Paulo asked.

"Nothing. I told him nothing. Silva and Luca were there with me. You can asked them if you doubt me. I only bumped into him," I said.

"She's right, boss," Luca said. I hadn't noticed when he joined our little gathering but his support felt good.

Uncle Paulo dragged his brother out the room and Silva followed behind them. Luca waited, staring intently at me.

"Are you alright?" He finally asked.
I nodded.

"Are you?" I asked, pointing at his heavily bandaged shoulder.

"I'll live," he said and turned to leave.

"Thank you," I whispered as he walked away.

I refused to join the family for dinner that night. Rosario brought it to me along with my favorite fruits, apples and grapes. I did not want to risk angering uncle Vincentè again. Especially now that I knew what he thought of me. A squealing fucking brat.