Chapter One!
Blow Out The Candles, Make A Wish
29th of May 1998- The Italian Ministry
Life carried on has normal at the Italian Ministry, the work days began and ended. Albany still remained at her Father's unholy church, she had extended her visit for another five weeks. She was undecided about returning to California. She had watched the video tape more than once, she had analysed everything single part of the camera footage in case she had made a mistake. The letter was hidden in a shoe box with the video tape, she had kept the contents of the parcel to herself. She couldn't stop thinking about Copia, he would be wondering where she was since she was meant to have returned back to the Ministry over a month ago. She hadn't been in touch with anyone in Los Angeles, but her Father had informed her Brothers about her extended visit.
Albany was sitting at the kitchen table, it had just turned 4pm. She was nursing a cup of coffee and reading one of the books from Primo's private collection by candlelight, her legs were pulled to her chest. Her chin resting on her knee her gaze remained on the book, she took a sip of her coffee. She was dressed in an oversized black jumper which she had stolen from Terzo's room, she felt cosy and comfortable. She was trying to keep herself occupied, she had been spending most of her days alone. Her Father had been supporting her as best as he could between his Papa duties, he was a busy man. He was unaware of her love situation back in Los Angeles, his support only went so far. Turning a page in the book Albany continued to read it, she was reading The Juniper Tree. It was one of the Brothers Grimm fairy tales, the story was gory and full of revenge. Her thoughts were soon disturbed by footsteps entering the kitchen. Looking over at the doorway her gaze was greeted by two familiar faces, it was her Father and his favourite ghoul. The ghoul had a cake and a vase of flowers in his hands, his green eyes looked bright and happy. Her Father's voice soon broke the silence of the room, his speaking tone was cheerful and loud.
" Happy Birthday!"
Albany stared blankly at her Father and the ghoul, she had been too wrapped up in her own problems to think about her birthday. Nihil clicked his fingers, his favourite ghoul immediately approached the table and placed the vase of lavender flowers on the table top. He took the book from in front of her and replaced it with a cake on a stand. He backed away from the table and stood silently, his Papa approached his youngest child. She turned her attention towards the cake before her, it looked delicious. There was three layers of chocolate sponge and vanilla mascarpone spread between them. Maraschino cherries and dark chocolate curls topped the dessert, cherry syrup was drizzled down it's sides. It was a dark chocolate genoise. It seemed like the ghouls had been busy preparing her a birthday cake, they were skilled in the catering department. She returned her gaze towards her Father, there was a smile on his face.
" Are you not going to blow out the candles?" He asked.
" There's no candles on the cake, Papa." She replied.
" Honestly, the ghouls had one job!" He grumbled.
" It's fine, I'm getting too old for birthday candles anyway." She said.
" Nonsense, you're only... only." He said.
" I'm twenty-three." She said.
" I knew that, but still!" He said.
" I'll blow out one of the table candles if it makes you happy." She said.
" Good idea, remember to make a wish." He said.
Deeply sighing to herself Albany turned her attention towards the candles, she wasn't in the mood for cakes and birthday wishes. But the ghouls had worked hard on the cake, the flowers she had been given were delightful. Getting up from her seat she leaned over the cake, she paused for a moment before she blew out the table candle. An airy laugh escaped her lips when she heard her Father and his ghoul applauding her, but her smile soon faded when the scent of smoke drifted beneath her nose. The scent was familiar, she recalled her last birthday celebrations in Los Angeles. The dark spire, chocolate cake and coffee. Thick blankets and two bean bag chairs, the bright lights of the city. The warmth of Copia's arms wrapped around her, the scent of his cologne. She had fallen asleep in his arms that night, she had been so happy within his company.
Sitting back down on the chair a tear rolled down her cheek, the memories of her last birthday were still fresh in her memory. Albany covered up her mouth when a low sob escaped her lips, the chair moving next to to her caught her attention. She soon felt her Father's hand on her shoulder, their gaze met. His features were soft, his mismatched eyes were sympathetic. He gestured for his ghoul to leave the kitchen, the ghoul obeyed his Papa's order. The kitchen fell silent, the atmosphere was sullen. The room remained quiet until another unexpected sob escaped Albany's lips, she couldn't hold back her emotions any longer. She soon heard her Father's voice, he sounded concerned. His hand caressing her shoulder he tried his best to comfort his youngest child.
" Albany, little one..." He said.
" It's okay, Papa." She said, she wiped her tears away with her hands. " I'm just being stupid again, ignore me. This is a wonderful surprise, the dark chocolate genoise looks delicious. I can't wait to try it."
" You being upset is not stupid, please tell me what's wrong?" He asked, his voice was soothing and calm. " Talk to me, I promise I will not lose my temper this time. I will listen, I won't talk back unless you give me permission."
" I can't tell you, Papa. It's complicated..." She said.
" Come now, tell me what's going on inside of your head." He said before he wiped some of her tears away with his papal robe's sleeve. " I've been in situations myself that have been complicated, more so than your own."
" Do you promise not to get mad if I tell you?" She asked.
" I swear on the lives of your Brothers." He replied.
Albany wasn't too impressed that he had swore on the lives of his own Sons, but she needed some advice even if it was from her Father. Wiping her tears away from her eyes with her jumper's sleeve she sniffled, her gaze meeting with his own she began to pour her heart out to him. She couldn't bottle up her emotions any longer, she needed to tell someone about her situation before it drove her into madness. She told him about finding love and getting her heart broken, she told him that she had been happy in Los Angeles until recently. She told him that she unsure if she wanted to return to her clerk position at the Ministry, she was thinking about remaining in Italy for the foreseeable future. She kept Copia's name out of the conversation, also the attack would still be known has an accident. She had told him half of the truth, but she could see the rage in his piercing mismatched eyes.
The corner of Nihil's mouth had twitched a couple of times and his jaw had clicked, his grip on her shoulder had become tense. But he had kept his word, he remained silent and listened to his child's woes. Albany could tell he was furious, his nostrils were flaring. His arm soon slipped around her when she began to cry again, she leaned into him while he rested his chin on the top of her head. She wiped more of her tears away with the sleeves of her jumper, she felt a little better since she had finally had spoken about her situation. The room fell silent once again, she played with the sleeve of her jumper until she spoke with her Father.
" Are you mad at me, Papa?" She asked.
" No, little one." He replied while he brushed some of her hair over her ear. " I'm grateful you told me why you have been upset lately, I needed to know want was making you unhappy. But if you give me the name of this man and the department he works for at the Los Angeles Ministry I will have him dealt with immediately! I will not have anyone deceiving my Daughter, I will have the ghouls to dispose of him. No traces will be left behind, I can make him disappear."
" Papa, no!" She said.
" You don't want him dead?" He asked.
" Of course not! Making people disappear doesn't solve problems!" She replied, she pulled herself away from him. " Please don't do anything reckless, this is my decision and not yours! Don't get involved, this has nothing to do with you or my Brothers. I just need your support right now!"
" Okay, okay!" He said before he took her hands in his own. " Listen, listen. They say tis better to have loved and lost. Than never to have loved at all. I have made many stupid mistakes in the past, I have loved and lost too. I have many regrets, but if I hadn't let go I would have never had you. I found getting my leg over more bearable after I moved away from her. My life improved, it got better. Now I'm happy living in Italy, I don't understand what people see in Los Angeles! It's bright lights may seem glamorous and exciting, the temptation of all those beautiful women... it's nothing but trouble!"
" Her?" She asked.
" It doesn't matter, she's not important!" He said, he cleared his throat. " I would have been moping and pining for the one who got away if I didn't move back to this Ministry, it was the best decision I ever made!"
" I thought the Clergy had banned you from the Los Angeles Ministry..." She said.
" That's not my point!" He said with a deep sigh. " I'm trying to give you some advise, listen to your old Papa. If you have been wronged then don't fall for their charms, they are not right for you if they have hurt you. I think you are worth more than them. Also you are still young, there is plenty of time for you to find love again. Do you understand what I'm trying to say?"
" I think I understand." She said
" Good, very good. I'm happy we have had this conversation, little one." He said with a smile. " Now then, let me cut you a slice of cake. The vanilla mascarpone is starting melt, it's warm in this kitchen. Would you like a big slice or small slice of cake?"
" A medium slice, just in the middle." She replied.
" Extra maraschino cherries, they were always your favourite when you were a child." He said.
" Thank you, Papa." She said.
Albany slightly smiled at her Father, he squeezed her hands before he got up from his seat. She watched him walking towards a cupboard, but her gaze soon returned to the birthday cake the ghouls had made for her. She often wondered if he knew that she already knew about her adoption. He wasn't her biological Father, but he always treated her like this own since she was a child. Most of what he had said made some sense, but she had a feeling that he was thinking of his own past mistakes with his long lost love who still resided in Los Angeles. Her Father soon returned with a plate and a knife, he began to cut her a slice of cake. She sighed deeply to herself while she watched one of the cherries roll from the cake, she still had many decisions to make about her future yet.