Mafia's Daughter

Edvige

after i had put her clothes in the wash i went to Grandfather.

"she can't even tell time." i told him.

"who?" he asked.

"Taylor, she's never been to school." i told him

"one thing at a time my boy." he said before giving me a pat on the shoulder before we all got back to work. 

once lunch time rolled around i went to go get Taylor, just to make sure she wasn't late. once there i saw that she had a torn up note book in her hands and the very nub of a pencil. 

"Taylor?" i asked, knocking on the door.

"yeah?" she asked, looking up.

"lunch." i told her.

"kay." she said before carefully closing her book. 

"we can get you a new one of those if you like?" i offered.

"nah, i've been saving up, i'll be able to get a new one in about a week." she said. 

i didn't say anything, and just led her down to the dinning room. 

once we got into the dinning room and sat down i saw Grandfather reading the newspaper.

"some gang called the Snake's Third Eye has been captured by the police."

"Yes..." Taylor muttered. 

"i'm sorry?" asked Grandfather.

"their a bunch of idiots always did me more harm than good." she said with a shrug before biting into her sandwich.

"do you know Loyd?" asked Frank.

"yes and no." she said in between bites.

"what does that mean?" he asked a bit harsher.

"i mean i sold some stuff to him, in return he let me sleep on his couch for a few weeks and gave me a case of water." she said with a shrug.

"that guys trying to take over our spots. do you know where he lives?" demanded Frank, almost angrily causing her to flinch. 

i put a hand on his shoulder and shot him a warning look.

"we've been fighting them off for years, the nasty buggers. if you knew where he lived then we could end this." said Grandfather.

"I've only stayed at motels with him, i don''t know where he lives, sorry." she said with a sigh.

"it's fine, but... what exactly did you sell him?" i asked, not sure of the answer.

"that's confidential." she told me with pleading eyes.

"okay, well would you like the comic strip?" Grandfather asked her.

"thanks, but i can't read." she said. 

once again she caused everyone at the table to turn and look at her.

"you don't?" asked Conaldo 

"i learned what the streets taught me, nothing else." she said, wiping her face of any residue of her food. 

"stay here after lunch, you and i are gonna have a lesson on English." i told her.

"um... okay?" she said, a bit unsure. it'll be good for her though.

__________three hours later______________

"how does that make a fuh sound!" she shouted, burying her hands in her hair. i was trying to teach her about how PH together made an F sound. 

"hey, it's okay, we'll keep working on it." i told her, giving her a pat on the back

"take this with you to your room and keep trying it." i told her, handing her the sheet. 

she had gotten down the sounds, now it was just about putting them together.

"kay." she said before taking the laminated piece of paper that had all the letters and simple words on it to her room. only when i turned to leave myself did i see everyone waiting for me.

"how'd it go 'Dad'?" asked Carlos in a mocking tone.

"good." i said, ignoring his comment.

her and i had spent the remainder of today teacher her the ABC's. a few hours after our lesson it was time for dinner. 

when i went up to get Taylor i saw she was dressed in her old clothes, bed neatly made, and my clothes i loaned her folded. 

"where are you going?" i asked. 

"i got some stuff to take care of with some friends." she said, avoiding my gaze. 

"what kinda stuff?" i asked.

"deal making." she said simply.

"thanks for everything." she said before going up and giving me a hug. i was a bit shocked by it but hugged her back all the same. i's six foot five and her being under five foot made her reach my waist.

"be back by midnight?" i asked, hoping to guilt her into staying.

"nah, i, uh, i can't stay in one place too long. other wise Child Services will be notified." she said rolling her eyes.

"how old are you?" i asked.

"thirteen." she said. 

"Taylor, you can't be out on the streets at thirteen." i told her in a very dad like tone.

"I've grown up on the streets. their my home." she said with a shrug.

"really? starving half to death and sleeping on the ground is home to you?" i asked her unconvinced.

"the only one i know." she said with an emotionless expression, before walking past me. 

"Taylor, wait!" i said going after her. 

some of the guys showed up to see what was going on.

"i need to go! they have tight deadlines." she said before running off.

"you can't even tell time!" i shouted after her.

in moments she was gone... Grandfathers not gonna be happy about this, he liked her, and he only likes family.