Any traitor is despised, of course, but a rat, someone who opens their mouth to the cops or Feds, that’s the lowest of the low in our world. Though Don Vicini and his sons never had any direct business dealings with Da and, therefore, were untouchable, Big Mike, the Boss of Boston, was brought down by my father and his big mouth. And Beppe, that sweet old blind man I adored, died behind bars awaiting trial, while the ripples of Donnelly’s betrayal were felt throughout the East Coast Trio.
My mother became a shell of her former self; avoiding gatherings, hiding behind her older brothers and so very meek it physically hurts my heart to see. She’s not the woman I grew up knowing at all, and it’s all because of Da.
I have to escape. Somehow. Though I’ll miss the girls, I know I’ll suffocate if I’m left in Reno to an indifferent future with Uncle Enzo’s son, my perverted cousin Rocco, forever haunting my steps.
“I was wondering where you’d gone, little cousin,” Rocco says, his elevator eyes roaming up and down my body.
“We flew here together not an hour ago. I’m on my way up to visit the girls. Did your father need me?” Mom and I live on my uncles’ charity, so I always strive to be attentive to them. Rocco, on the other hand…
“Maybe I need you with the way you’re filling out that dress these days.”
“You need lots of things, Rocco. A brain transplant for starters,” I say before turning away.
In the name of family teasing, I can get away with that, and it gives me a fleeting, petty satisfaction to rebuff his gross come-ons with insults. I would never dare say such things to a man like Carlo Vicini now. Someday, I won’t be able to get away with that with Rocco either, a depressing future if I remain in this life.
My father is probably living as Billy Davis in Terre Haute these days or something like that. I’ll never know unless he’s stupid enough to come back for the family he left to suffer in his wake. He won’t. He chose himself and no one else. I didn’t want to live in Terre Haute anyway.
But the worst part is my brother Ronan hasn’t been seen since Da left. I know what the Trio did with the son of a rat. My father got my brother killed while I, his daughter, am reminded every day of my father’s sins and how I’m less because of them. Not even those I’mclosest to seem to be able to separate me completely from what Da did.
“I didn’t think Uncle Enzo would bring Frankie to the betrothal dinner after she wasn’t permitted to attend mine. What if the Morellis are offended by her presence, Gia?” my cousin Sofia asks her older sister as I’m about to walk into her bedroom.
To her credit, Sofia’s face turns bright red when their little brother Valdo spies me. “Frankie!” He rushes forward for a hug, promising he won’t be offended by my 'presents.'
“Presence,”I gently correct the seven-year-old.
“Frankie, I’m sorry,” Sofia whispers, hugging me.
“It’s alright,” I assure her. Though we're both sixteen, she’s still sheltered in ways I no longer am. Sometimes, I find her vain and stuck-up, but that’s her mother’s influence, and I’m glad Sofia will never be the outsider looking in at her own family like me. “Maybe me being here will get Alessio out of this marriage he doesn’t want.”
“Fat chance at that,” Gia says, hugging me next.
Tall, buff and brunette, Gia is two years older and, while I think she’s beautiful, Sofia’s golden radiance overshadows every girl in her vicinity, and their wretched mother never lets anyone forget it. I’m not surprised to see Gia's eyes are red-rimmed. Mine would be too if Uncle Silvio had promised me to some awful old man from Chicago as part of the marriage pacts meant to end the Trio’s year-long civil war. That’s one thing I won’t have to worry about at least. No one who matters will want me as their bride.
My cousin Alessio is their half-brother and my Uncle Silvio’s heir. He’s supposed to marry Caterina Morelli from Chicago’s Trio after her older brother killed Alessio’s. He tolerates me because we’refamily but, even if it wasn’t part of his job as Enforcer, I think torture would be my cousin’s favorite past time. At least he’s never been creepy toward me like Rocco.
Sofia was chosen by Carlo Vicini to be his wife once she turns eighteen in a couple of years. She’s beside herself with excitement over it, envisioning a love match. The Golden Girl of Las Vegas and the handsome future Don of New York with his dark good looks, what a picture-perfect couple they’ll make. I am not jealous. I have bigger plans than being some pampered mafia wife with a faithless husband.
While we're busy chatting, Alessio barges in without knocking. He’s shirtless and dressed in sweatpants with his hands coated with dried blood from whatever violence he’s been up to. “Welcome to the nursery,” he says to whoever trails behind him. “You’ll fit right in.”
Trying not to laugh at his description, I note a lovely girl my age, scantily dressed and absolutely miserable. She has long black hair, but it looks like she gave herself bangs recently, poor thing. Scissors can be our worst enemy when we’re thinking of making a change. She must be Caterina Morelli, his bride-to-be.
“Alessio, only you would meet your fiancée looking like that,” Sofia huffs.
“Meet your future half-sisters and brother-in-law,” he tells the girl in a bored tone. “And cousin-in-law,” he adds. I’m stupidly pleased not to be forgotten.
Once Alessio leaves, Gia speaks. “Have you figured out what you’re in for yet, Morelli?”
Cringing at Gia’s rudeness and knowing what it’s like to feel unwanted, I decide to make the first real effort. “Hi, I’m Francesca Donnelly, Alessio’s shamed cousin. Call me Frankie. I live in Renowith my mother under my Uncle Enzo’s protection. Oh, and with Cousin Rocco who everyone would rather forget exists.”
She flushes and awkwardly shakes my hand as Gia remembers her manners. “Frankie only means she’s shamed because of her father. He’s Irish and turned Fed Witness to save his own hide. But Frankie’s done nothing wrong. She’s pure.”
Purity and the progeny of rats are hardly ever mentioned in the same sentence, but the introductions go on, and we discuss all the upcoming marriages before turning to topics teenage girls and a boy of seven actually care about - popular music and video games.
It’s not long before I’ve decided I like Alessio’s future bride quite well. Hopefully, he won’t torture the poor girl on their wedding night as expected. Not more than necessary to consummate the marriage anyway.
4
Carlo
