No Hesitation: Book of Gio

Chapter 9: Guilty

Parish sat in her thinking chair in the living room, twirling her knife between her fingers. Waiting for something. To hear from someone about the whereabouts of her mother and sister since her father left. Even when she was relaxing one part of her body was training. Fidgeting.

Daniel walked into the home now, he had only been around for a couple of weeks but apparently, everyone felt comfortable with him. He was greeted by the twins first, and then the boys. He didn't see much of his other three sisters, one was missing, the other one seemed out of it, and one looked too menacing.

They were the only ones close to this age though, and from what he could tell, Francesco had been a great father to them. And here he was ruining the image.

"It's not your fault you know," Parish said reading him. "Not your fault that you are here."

"She speaks," Daniel said looking her way.

"You had a look on your face," Parish said. "It's the same face our father makes when he feels guilty about something."

"That obvious, huh?" Daniel asked.

"If I'm going to be the head of this family, I gotta be good mentally and physically," Parish said pointing to her head.

"Are you in college?"

"I graduated when I was seventeen," Parish said. "afterward, is when I got really serious about the whole "Head of the Family" title. I'm sure you had a pretty normal life though, you're in college right now, aren't you?"

"Yea,

"You look like a frat, are you?"

"God no."

"Any Clubs?"

"Not my thing,"

"But you are in the Poetry Club," Parish said.

"How do you know that?" Daniel asked in confusion.

"I. Do. My. Research." Parish said. Then she darted her eyes at him. "I have an obligation to uphold here, my family, it's under my protection. Even if you are family, I gotta make sure the grass is cut don't want no snakes."

"You are a scary one."

"So, you like Poetry Club or you in it just to be versatile on your resume?" Parish asked him. He was about to say something but she noticed him blushing red. "Or is there someone in the club?"

"N-N-No it's not like that."

"Ohh, stuttering, you're melting Daniel," Parish said poking a little fun at him, showing him her nice face but playful. "Let's hear some poetry then, how about some haiku?"

"It was long ago, It was a day just like this" Daniel started. "The moon touched your skin, It shined like diamonds, Borrowed from your melanin, Just to shine again."

"That's pretty, pretty words," Parish stood impressed at the haiku. "So, the person you like is black?"

His stutter got worse.

"H-H-H-How'd yo-you guess?"

"It's all in your stutter, and your face was red," Parish said. "My brother has a crush."

"You are just probing to me!" He exclaimed.

"Aw, don't get so upset," Parish said smiling playfully. "Who am I gonna tell? It's not like I go to college with you." Parish said and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You'll be okay. You came on curiosity though."

"Seems like this place is pulling me in more in more."

"Don't get sucked in, you still have a chance to stay green," Parish said. "I was born into it, modeled and shaped to be a cold-blooded assassin."

"Was he a really good father,"