Post by Leonardo on Jan 5, 2014 21:16:09 GMT -6
"Me 'n Al' 'ave been "kiggin' ase'," Vinny said in a mock Bronx accent. Sofia and Matilde laughed at him. "Don't say dat girls."
"Oh c'mon, Vinny," Matilde giggled, "After living with dad and mom, we've been exposed to our fair share of cuss words."
"Yea!" Sofia piped in. "Shit!"
"Ay!"
The girls giggled and ran off, abandoning the table and scurrying out of the building.
"Little badasses. Just like their fatha. But yeh, me an' Al' made a lil' deal wit Dino, an' he decided to move. Jus' like dat. We're biz'ness naturals, he an' I. Maybe we'll let you uh...tag along, huh? Maybe you'll learn somethin'."
************
Leo was pretty shocked to hear Sofia say the 's' word so boldly, but he tried to take his mind off of it. "Ah yes, everythin' you see heyah comes from Santino's Deli. I 'ave a contact theah dat we do great business with. Even I don't eat like dis everyday. We truly are blessed. An' it's great dat we 'ave so many friends to share dis blessin' with...wouldn't you agree, Adeline? Can I cawl you Adeline?"
************
Rosa ran and ran until she came into a dead end. She gasped and hit the wall in frustration. Behind her, she could hear her father come up to her. She was winded, but he didn't seem shaken at all. It was amazing that his physical condition was better than hers, and she considered him an old man.
"Stay away from me!"
Frankie frowned. "Rosa, baby, what's wrong with you?"
"You are a liar!"
The big tom's eyes widened. "You need to tell me what the hell's goin' on. What the hell were you doowin' in theah?"
"I heard everything!" Rosa's voice was like a knife, and her eyes were watering. "You're no businessman! You're just a gangster! A lying, cheating gangster!"
"You dunno what you're talkin' about--"
"Don't I? You and Leonardo are both bullies that push people out of business when they are deemed 'inconvenient'! Is that what happened with mom? Was she inconvenient? Is that when you abandoned her?"
Frankie stepped closer, angrier. "Hold up! You dunno anythin--" Rosa slapped him. He looked down, quiet.
"How does it feel, Dad?" She spoke through clenched teeth. "Does it feel like you're being pushed aside? Does it feel like you're worthless? I bet that's how mom felt when you slapped her. How long did you think it would be until she found out--wait....she found out, didn't she? That's why you guys had the argument? Wasn't it?"
Frankie looked away, and then walked past her, turning his back to her.
"So it was, wasn't it? And so you put all of our lives in danger from the beginning, and whenever mom finds out, she has to be silenced? Right? Like the guys outside of your precious little business ring."
"That's not how it was...I'm sorry."
"Mom died because of your neglect dad! You did not love her like we did. While you were off doing your precious quote on quote work, we were actually showing her love and affection! Can't you see she was angry with you for putting our lives in danger? Ugh, you are so flippin' selfish! And now you won't give up the very thing that drove you guys apart because you worship this big dog? Your pathetic! You...you..." she looked at him. His shoulders were moving up and down, and his head hung low. For the first time ever, he looked beaten. He was also whispering.
"I'm...I'm s-sorry..." He spoke between sobs. "I'm so...so sorry." He placed his paws to the ground and knelt, placing his forehead on the ground. "Lisa, please...please forgive me!"
Rosa was quiet. She stared in shock at the scene. Her heart suddenly sunk low, and she felt the utmost shame. She had caused this. Regret ate away at her, nearly forcing her to break into tears. Instead, one long stream leaked from her face. She could hear her sisters coming up to them.
"Rosa? Papi!? Papi!" Matilde ran full speed to her father, followed closely by Sofia. The two of them tried to comfort him, but he simply would not stop crying. Matilde looked at Rosa as if to say 'what have you done?'
"What have I done...?"
She ran. She ran and ran and ran.
"Rosa!" Matilde screamed after her. "Stop! Come back here! Rosa?! Rosaaaaa!!"
"Oh c'mon, Vinny," Matilde giggled, "After living with dad and mom, we've been exposed to our fair share of cuss words."
"Yea!" Sofia piped in. "Shit!"
"Ay!"
The girls giggled and ran off, abandoning the table and scurrying out of the building.
"Little badasses. Just like their fatha. But yeh, me an' Al' made a lil' deal wit Dino, an' he decided to move. Jus' like dat. We're biz'ness naturals, he an' I. Maybe we'll let you uh...tag along, huh? Maybe you'll learn somethin'."
************
Leo was pretty shocked to hear Sofia say the 's' word so boldly, but he tried to take his mind off of it. "Ah yes, everythin' you see heyah comes from Santino's Deli. I 'ave a contact theah dat we do great business with. Even I don't eat like dis everyday. We truly are blessed. An' it's great dat we 'ave so many friends to share dis blessin' with...wouldn't you agree, Adeline? Can I cawl you Adeline?"
************
Rosa ran and ran until she came into a dead end. She gasped and hit the wall in frustration. Behind her, she could hear her father come up to her. She was winded, but he didn't seem shaken at all. It was amazing that his physical condition was better than hers, and she considered him an old man.
"Stay away from me!"
Frankie frowned. "Rosa, baby, what's wrong with you?"
"You are a liar!"
The big tom's eyes widened. "You need to tell me what the hell's goin' on. What the hell were you doowin' in theah?"
"I heard everything!" Rosa's voice was like a knife, and her eyes were watering. "You're no businessman! You're just a gangster! A lying, cheating gangster!"
"You dunno what you're talkin' about--"
"Don't I? You and Leonardo are both bullies that push people out of business when they are deemed 'inconvenient'! Is that what happened with mom? Was she inconvenient? Is that when you abandoned her?"
Frankie stepped closer, angrier. "Hold up! You dunno anythin--" Rosa slapped him. He looked down, quiet.
"How does it feel, Dad?" She spoke through clenched teeth. "Does it feel like you're being pushed aside? Does it feel like you're worthless? I bet that's how mom felt when you slapped her. How long did you think it would be until she found out--wait....she found out, didn't she? That's why you guys had the argument? Wasn't it?"
Frankie looked away, and then walked past her, turning his back to her.
"So it was, wasn't it? And so you put all of our lives in danger from the beginning, and whenever mom finds out, she has to be silenced? Right? Like the guys outside of your precious little business ring."
"That's not how it was...I'm sorry."
"Mom died because of your neglect dad! You did not love her like we did. While you were off doing your precious quote on quote work, we were actually showing her love and affection! Can't you see she was angry with you for putting our lives in danger? Ugh, you are so flippin' selfish! And now you won't give up the very thing that drove you guys apart because you worship this big dog? Your pathetic! You...you..." she looked at him. His shoulders were moving up and down, and his head hung low. For the first time ever, he looked beaten. He was also whispering.
"I'm...I'm s-sorry..." He spoke between sobs. "I'm so...so sorry." He placed his paws to the ground and knelt, placing his forehead on the ground. "Lisa, please...please forgive me!"
Rosa was quiet. She stared in shock at the scene. Her heart suddenly sunk low, and she felt the utmost shame. She had caused this. Regret ate away at her, nearly forcing her to break into tears. Instead, one long stream leaked from her face. She could hear her sisters coming up to them.
"Rosa? Papi!? Papi!" Matilde ran full speed to her father, followed closely by Sofia. The two of them tried to comfort him, but he simply would not stop crying. Matilde looked at Rosa as if to say 'what have you done?'
"What have I done...?"
She ran. She ran and ran and ran.
"Rosa!" Matilde screamed after her. "Stop! Come back here! Rosa?! Rosaaaaa!!"