RUSSO - unedited

36

Kendall Ranley

Lorenzo
6:30, my place

I shut my phone off with a heavy sigh and made my way to my car. Today was the 4th of July and this is the first interaction I've had with Lorenzo since our argument. How are we supposed to go through a dinner with his parents if we're pissed off at each other.

I drove home quickly and took a shower to hopefully relax the stress that ingested my body. I settled with a simple black dress and basic makeup with a touch of winged liner. I stood satisfied in the mirror and slipped on a pair of red heels and made my way towards Lorenzo's house.

I sat in his driveway in my car for a solid 10 minutes. I grabbed my purse and opened up my mirror and applied a deep red lipstick. It gave me loads more confidence for what I was walking into.

I knocked on the door and came face to face with an emotionless Lorenzo. "They aren't here yet, get in." He says rudely and I walk in and roll my eyes when he's out of sight.

"Kendall, thank God." I see Frankie walking towards me and he yanks my arm and pulls me away out of hearing range. "What the fuck happened between you two. I breathe the wrong way around Lorenzo and he bits my fucking head off."

"We just had an argument." I say and be furrows his eyebrows at me.

"What you haven't made up yet?" He asks in disbelief and I shake my head. "Might want to fix that before our lovely parents get here." He warns before the front door opens and a sound of heels click their way through. "Too late."

"Shit." I whisper to myself.

"Kendall you look wonderful darling." Maria compliment me and runs her fingers through my hair.

"It's lovely to see you Mr. and Mrs. Russo." I say in the most respectful way possible. This dinner will be spent walking on thin ice, with everyone. I thanked God that Marco skipped out.

"Oh please, call me Maria. You call Stanler 'Mr.Russo' and you'll make him feel old." She winks and I let out in accidentally awkward laugh.

"Let's eat!" Stanler announce and I turn and look at Lorenzo who's shooting daggers at me. Dear God.

I take a seat between Lorenzo and Frankie and his parents sit across form us. "So Kendall, tell us a bit about you." Maria smiles and Stanler scoffs.

"Let the stranger in." He mumbles but I quickly bounce back from his rude comment and brush it off.

"I'm a surgeon at Lenox Hill Hospital, I dedicated most of my life into the medical field. I'm pretty boring if I'm honest." I laugh and Maria keeps her smile on me.

"A surgeon huh?" Stanler cuts in before Maria can say anything. "You haven't quit yet?"

My face drops and my fist begins to clench around the fork in my hand. Like father like son huh. "I'm sorry?" I ask sarcastically in an offended tone. "Why would I quit?"

"Lorenzo's a Mafia boss, he dedicates his life to this. If you have to be around, you must do the same." He demands and I scoff before erupting into laughter.

"Oh you've got to be shitting me. I'm a surgeon, I dedicate my life to surgery. Shouldn't he do the same?" I fire back and Stanler's face turns red. I've been dating Lorenzo for just two months and I'm already on everyone's bad side.

Silence fills the table and I'm shocked Lorenzo didn't say anything. I put down my utensils, push out my chair and walk upstairs to get out of the horrid situation. I sat on the edge of Lorenzo's bed and take a deep breath before a knock sounds at the door.

"It's just me darling." Maria's elegant voice says through the door and I stand to open it. Her red lips smile at me and she walks in and takes a sit at the chair near a wide window.

"I like you." She says. "I like you a lot. You're good for Lorenzo, you'll give that boy a run for his money." She compliments and a grin appears on my face.

"How could such a powerful women like you be with such a man like that?" I asks in disbelief and she begins to laugh. I have no idea what Stanler did to deserve such a character like Maria.

"I was young and I was down right stupid. We had children very early, it was too late to back out. If I were to leave Stanler I would never see my boys again. I do it for them, not for me." She admits and my heart breaks for her. Being stuck in such a toxic and degrading marriage must be exhausting. I pray that I'd never get trapped in that situation.

"Don't pity me darling, I drown in riches. What more could a girl want?" She snickers and I smile at her enthusiasm. "You know you worth, keep knowing your worth. Don't let some phoney man take that away from you, promise me." She demands and I nod at her powerfully to which she smiles.

She stands up from her seat and something falls off of the chair, we didn't even notice before. "Oh Kendall you must've left your bra here." She says and throws the pink lace bra at me.

I hold it in my hands and my heart drops into my stomach, I can feel my face freeze white. "What's wrong." Maria asks and I look up to her in disbelief.

"I'm not a damn A cup."

//
Y'all are NOT ready for what's about to happen.

Any conspiracies???