Chapter 55 Do It, Baby Sister!
Dante's POV
It wasn't what I had imagined one bit.
Asides the walls that surrounded everywhere, something I noticed in particular about this place, there was nothing much about it.
The place looked really crammed up and barely enough to take one person.
“So, are we just going to walk over and knock on the door?” Nico asked from behind.
“I guess so,” Maria replied.
I turned in my seat to face Serena. She had a frightened look in her eyes and had folded herself into her seat while still staring outside.
“Are you ready?” I asked her.
She simply nodded but didn't look it one bit.
“You know, you could stay in here while we go handle things out there,” I said.
She shook her head fervently. “No, I want to see her. Let's go,” I nodded and turned to Maria, giving her a nod and she nodded back in response.
“Let's go then,” I said and turned to push the door open.
I stepped out, followed by Serena, then Nico. Maria was the last to step out.
She dragged herself round the car and stood by Serena's side.
From the corner of my eye, I watched her whisper something to Serena's ears before stretching out a hand which Serena took and they both walked hand in hand towards the door.
I marched ahead of them all and stood at the front of the door. I took one more glance back before turning back and knocking at the door.
No response came immediately, so I knocked again. Then again. Then just as I was about knocking again, I heard the sound of locks opening.
“You naughty scandals wanna be my door down!” Someone yelled from the other side before the door swung open.
Serena's POV
Her voice had barely changed over the years. It still had the same ring I very well knew, just slightly harder.
I peeped over from behind Nico and Maria to see the face of the woman I once called my world.
Her face, from what I could see from under the hoodie had changed greatly. She had lost that warm smile I used to love and looked like a product of turmoils.
Her voice too must have gone through the same changing process.
“Who are you?” She asked in Dante's direction.
She must not have looked up as I believe she would instantly recognize Maria.
“I am Dante Russo,” Dante announced proudly.
“Dante Russo? Like ‘the Russo family’? Like the head of the Russo family?” She asked with shock evident in her voice.
Bingo. It was getting together.
“Yes,” Dante replied and she immediately tried to close the door in Dante's face but he was quick enough to put his foot down, stopping the door.
“What do you want for me? Is my husband owing you too?” She asked, visibly shaking.
Dad. A wave of pain washed over me, I wish he was here. He must have gone through a lot to have entered into debt.
“No, to the best of my knowledge, he isn't,” Dante replied with a quirky remark.
“Then what do you want? And who are there—”
The words hung in my mother's throat as she looked away from Dante's eyes and came face to face with Aunt Maria.
“Oh my fucking gawd,” mom muttered aloud.
“Hi, Vanessa,” Aunt Maria remarked with a smile and a wave of her hand.
“I didn't think I would see the day you show up at my doorstep,” mom muttered slowly.
“Didn't think so too,” Aunt Maria replied with a shrug.
“How long has it been?” Mom asked, leaning towards the door stamp.
“Maybe twenty years, can't tell,” Aunt Maria replied with another slow shrug.
“Good thing I came prepared!” Mom yelled and pulled out a long gun from behind the door, pointing it at Aunt Maria.
Nico and Dante immediately stepped between Aunt Maria and the gun. “It would be wise if you lower the gun,” Dante warned in a hard voice.
“Give me one good reason!” She yelled, pushing the gun forward.
“We didn't come here for this,” Dante replied.
“Oh, you think you can just walk to my doorstep anytime you fucking want and I'll accept you back with my two hands stretched out?!” She yelled in Aunt Maria's direction.
“No. Honestly, I didn't think so,” Aunt Maria replied, not looking fazed one bit.
“You've got so much nerve to show your face here after abandoning me for more than two decades!” She yelled, slightly tearing up.
“Vanessa—”
“Don't fucking Vanessa me!” Mom yelled, cutting Aunt Maria off. “You are no longer my elder sister, you are no longer my sister!” She yelled.
“Vanessa, I understand your anger. But you need to understand that it was never in my power to—”
“Don't fucking tell me that!” Mom yelled, pushing the gun at Nico who just remained stiff. “You abandoned you fucking kid sister who had been pushed into a marriage at such a young age and you want to fucking tell me you had no power. Fuck that!” She yelled.
“Vanessa, put the gun down. We have a lot to talk about,” Dante cut in.
“Mr. Russo, with all due respect, this is a family matter. Stay the fuck away from it,” she spat out.
Dante's jaw locked, sending glares over to mom like he could easily reach out and snap her neck.
“Now, Maria or whatever the fuck you go about now, get the fuck off my property or I'll ensure it's the last fucking place you ever step your damn feet on!” She warned, and didn't look to be kidding one bit.
I tugged at Aunt Maria's shirt, signaling that she doesn't have to do this, that we could come around some other time.
It would sting if she died because of me and in the hands of my own mother. But Aunt Maria wasn't having any of that.
Instead, like my tug reminded her of my presence. She pushed past Dante and Nico, coming face to face with the gun.
“Listen here younger sister!” She yelled. “I've been through hell, nearly died twice and actually died once. I've seen blood and I've brought blood with my fucking bare hands. You don't know who the fuck you are talking to!” She yelled back.
“Fuck off my property,” mom simply replied, still keeping the gun up.
“You can go ahead, baby sister. Shoot me, fucking shoot me!” She yelled.
Dante tried to pull her back but he shrugged him off.
“Shoot me!” She yelled again.
Mom looked to be contemplating it for a long moment as her finger hovered over the trigger.
I closed my eyes as I feared she would do it, but she never did. She lowered the gun after another minute. “Just leave,” she replied and turned away.
Aunt Maria spun her around immediately. “No. I made that mistake once and I won't do it again. Fuck this Nessa, we are blood, we are one,” she explained.
“No, we aren't, at least not any longer,” mom said with a shake of her head and left.
“No Nessa. You don't get to walk away from me,” Aunty said.
“Really smooth coming from you,” mom shot back. “Just leave, I don't want to see you.”
“Where's your daughter, Nessa?” Aunt Maria shot back and I gulped.
Mom's eyes went wide for a second before she covered it. “None of your fucking business,” she answered.
“Oh really? You abandoned your daughter in the hands of a monster that treated her like shit for years and now you stand before me to judge me when you did the exact same shit?!” Aunt Maria yelled.
“Fuck you, and how do you know all of these?” Mom asked as her eyes softened.
Aunt Maria simply smiled and stepped aside. “Guess who brought along.”