Blood splashed viciously as Joana back-kicked the man, whatever his name was. It didn’t matter to Joanna. He was the fourth one this week. She almost got used to the idea of defeating fifteen men just to avoid one fight with Julian. After their last encounter she felt the she triggered something deep inside him, and he wasn’t going to let it go that easily. Hell, he hadn’t spoken to her since. And for some reason, she felt he was preparing for a big bomb.
“You are a little monster, aren’t you.” Uncle Sam stood up from his plastic chair and beamed at her. She ignored him and walked past him between the roaring crowds.
“Hey, let me see that. Are you alright?” Hank ran after her. She dismissed him, and wiped the blood out of the corner of her mouth. “Am fine, Hank.” She said. She was too pissed of at the world right now, and she had to look at every corner just to make sure she wasn’t being attacked.
“Look at you, Slinky. Taking care of your boyfriend!” a stupid guy called after them, and despite the cold freezing weather, Joanna felt her blood boil.
“What the hell did you just say, punk?” he wasn’t a punk at all. He sure was way taller than her. But comparing to the four-no, five- men she fought with, he was no bigger. Not even close!
“I’ll deal with him, little monster.” Uncle Sam called from behind the man, whose face went pale at the sound of the old man. And Joanna couldn’t help but feel sorry for him by the time he was surrounded by a few men.
“Just don’t kill him.” She said before she turned around and headed for the diner hall. The buzz alarm came closely after.
“You don’t have to jump up in and stand up for me every time someone throw their venom at me.” Hank told her, sounding a bit annoyed.
“It’s nothing.” She said. She was too tired to give a crap.
“I mean it! You have too many problems to deal with. I’ve been handling things here for four years now, you know.”
Joanna looked at the empty plate in front of Hank. It’d been almost five minutes since they sat down and he downed all the food. Yeah, that how he managed living for four years, Joanna thought sarcastically.
“And..” Hank said cautiously. “Specially with.. Julian.” He said, looking down at his plate.
There it was!
Joanna shook her head in annoyance. Yes, that name made her feel like that.
“He saw it coming.” She said. “Am sorry if it bothered you, man, but I just couldn’t stand him talking like that. Especially after I knew everything.”
“Yeah.” Hank started slowly, “But.. It was sort of harsh of you.”
“Oh, I was harsh?” Joanna bellowed sarcastically. “I suppose you can’t hear what he says anymore, can you?” she said to Hank.
Hank looked at her, his eyes pained, and she felt sorry for him. All she could think of was that that jerk didn’t deserve an ounce of Hank’s loyalty.
Julian was staring at his food blankly.
“Would you get over it.” Isaac yelled at his pouting friend.
“That exactly what she said.” Julian said blankly, still staring at his food.
“HE! He is not a she!” Isaac said, whispering the last word. Julian snapped his head up to look at Isaac. “No, he is a she, and I’ll prove it!” he said determined. He was acting so childish.
“So he pointed out the truth. You shouldn’t be so hang up over it.” Isaac said, taking a gulp from his juice before he beamed at him. This amused Isaac, Julian noticed.
“You are having fun, aren’t you?” Julian asked, looking up at Isaac murderously.
“Very.” Isaac laughed, resting his back on the chair’s back. “You know that was coming at you sooner or later. You never treated Hank fairly.”
Julian knew that. He knew, but he never wanted to admit it. And Hank’s attitude toward him made it easy. He needed someone to blame for his ruined life. Sixteen years. He was sentenced for sixteen fucking years. He was outrageous that day.
“It was all that bitch’s work.” Isaac said, reminding Julian of the dark past.
Julian knew it wasn’t hank’s fault. But if he could put his hands on that never-call-her-by-her-fucking-name woman’s nick, then everything will be settled.
“You have pride, I get it. But you’ve punished Hank for too long now, don’t you think?” Isaac said as he threw one bite of his mashed potatoes in his mouth.
“So what do I do? Go there and make piece? No way.” Julian said and sat up straight.
“You are too stubborn.” Isaac said. “But I’m glad, you know. Cage gave me a chance to open this topic with you. It was so easy for him too.” He said and chuckled.
Julian snorted loudly. “Yeah, you must be ecstatic.” He said to him, folding his arms against his chest and pouting childishly. He knew deep down that he hated treating Hank like this, but every time he opened his mouth near him he had to insult him.
He grabbed his head between his hands and shook it slowly. When he looked up he saw Hank sitting down with Joan, but that wasn’t really what caught his attention. What did though, was the old Mafia leader, Big Aldo, who was walking straight to their table.
That couldn’t be good.
“Hey, kid.” The deep voice that made Joanna flinch every time said to her back. She turned around slowly to see big Aldo and Fernando behind her. his wrinkled eyes were deep green and had a weird look in them.
She didn’t respond to his odd greeting. She just stared up at him.
“Walk with us!” he said. No, he ordered. That tone wasn’t a request.
“Walk with you where?” Joanna spoke now, looking around the food hall. There were a lot of tables and chairs; the food court was at the head of the hall. There wasn’t really any place for them to ‘walk’.
Fernando grabbed her arm and nudged her to stand up. It wasn’t forceful but she felt like she had to comply. When she looked at hank, his eyes were wide with horror.
“w.. wait!” he began to say.
“Don’t!” Joanna ordered Hank. For some reason, she felt that he could get slaughtered if he tried to help her. This was the Mafia, after all. And she might be saying goodbye to the world.
She shrugged her arms away from the tall guy. “Where to?” she said to Aldo with courage. If she was going to die, she might as well do it proudly.
Aldo nodded and Fernando pushed her forward by the small of her back. She walked between them through the tables and chairs. No one was really paying attention to them, but a few people looked and muttered.
She noticed a small door by the food buffet. She never saw it before. Aldo was heading toward that door, and she followed him. They passed by a few guards, but no one stopped them.
Fernando opened the door slowly and motioned for Joanna to go in first, Aldo went after and the door closed behind him. So the lap dog wasn’t coming in with his master, Joanna mused.
She turned around to face the old man. He was probably in his mid sixties. But he showed no sign of liability. He stood straight, maybe six foot six. His features weren’t bad either, for an old man that is. And speaking of his features, it wasn’t of a man ready to kill her; it was a very, very odd look.
But who knew? that might be the murderous face for this man.
Seconds were passing like hours as Joanna studied Aldo’s face. She thought about her strategy. She could take him, she thought, but then what? His bodyguard was standing right outside of that door.
She turned her face, looking around the small hidden room. It was a storage room, she noticed. So her last minute will be spent in room filled with food. Great!
“I need to speak to you.” Suddenly, the big man talked.
“Yeah, I figured.” Joanna muttered.
“Look at me.” Aldo ordered. And Joanna turned her face toward him slowly.
“I.. I am pretty surprised that we both end up meeting at this place.” He started, and Joanna was shocked at the way he did. He was nervous. What the hell was going on?
“Your mom, I am really sorry for Maria.”
Joanna’s body froze at the mention of her mother’s maiden name.
“Did you.. Know my mother?” she asked blankly before she realized she did.
Big Aldo laughed. But it wasn’t a humor laugh; it was a very sad one. “Yeah, I knew her.” he finaly said.
“How?” she wanted to storm out of the room, this conversation about her mother was making her skin creep.
Suddenly, Aldo’s hand touched her cheek cautiously, like he was afraid she’d jump away. She would have, but she was too shaken to move her body.
“You look so much like her.”
Well, that did it. Joanna jerked away from him and rubbed her cheek with the knuckle of her hand. “I am nothing like her.” she all but growled the words at him.
Aldo’s eyes expanded in surprise, his hand that was on her cheek still extended. He didn’t anticipate this it seemed. She didn’t blame him, who would react this way at the mention of their moms? Well, she did.
“Who the hell are you?” Joanna yelled, pointing a finger viciously at him. He recovered from the previous shock and returned his hand to his pocket before he cleared his throat. And Joanna felt that what’s coming next was going to be big.
“Am Maria’s father.” He said proudly. “I am your grandfather.”
The door of the food storage room opened with a bang as Joanna bolted out of it. All the while shaking her head. That couldn’t be. That was like the bomb of her being.
Fernando didn’t try to stop her. She was grateful for the dinner finishing buzz that bellowed and rushed toward the main hall gate.
This was big.
“What do you think happened in there?” Isaac asked curiously.
“I have no idea. But I am sure it’s major.” Julian said, a devil smile forming his lips and sparkles shining in his eyes. “It’s time to break her.” he chuckled and Isaac rolled his eyes.
P.S. to readers:
Hello. How’re you all? This chapter is a bit short, I know. But I had to put something because I’ll be quit busy this week. So the next chapter will be a bit late. Also, I couldn’t hang the secret of Big Aldo for so long.
So given that, what did you think of it? Did you anticipate it? Share your comments and thoughts cuz I’d love to see them. And if you like this, don’t forget to click on the small square that says “vote” *wink & kisses*
Red