Chapter 24

*Chapter 24
12 August 2012
965 Limestone Road, Clear View Point
Tatiana's POV*

**"Mom I'm home!"** I shouted from downstairs.

I heard a shuffle of feet from down the hallway to where my parent's room was. I heard a bang against the door causing me to jump in fright. I walked closer to inspect what was going on.

"Please Richard, don't leave Tatia and me! Was it something I did?" I heard my mom beg my father. Why was he home from work so early and what was my mom going on about him leaving us?? Was he leaving us, I wondered?

I know my mom and dad have been fighting a lot more the last few weeks then they usually did! But it was nothing serious. Nothing that would make my dad want to leave us.

"Love it's not you. It's me! I'm in trouble!" I heard my mom's soft cries at my father's reply. He continued "If they find out about you... they'll come after you and Tatia. I can't let that happen. I care and love you guys too much to put you in any more danger!"

I didn't want my father to go! Maybe we can do something to help him. "Rich? What is the problem? If it's money we have a bit saved!" I heard my father sighed.

"Anne its 14 Million dollars. They want it in the next month! We don't have that type of money!" It was silent for a few seconds before I heard a sob. "Rich, what have you done?" I heard nothing from my father. Then I heard my parent's room door bang against the wall.

"Dad?" He looked shocked to see me. I could see the dark bags under his eyes. It looked like he hadn't had a wink of sleep for a few days. "Sweetheart!" He walked closer to me and dropped his bags on the ground next to him.

"I love you, Tatiana!" I could feel the tears in my eyes. I didn't want my father to leave. He was my role model. I have always been a daddy's girl. "Are you leaving?" I asked sadly. I hope I heard wrong and said that he was just going away for a while.

"Sweetheart! It's for you and your mom's protection! I don't want to leave but they will only hurt you if I don't go." I started to cry. I clung to my dad. He picked me up and I wrapped my legs around his waist. I could smell his aftershave and his body spray. My father was still young at the age of 35 so he easily picked me up. He was 21 and my mom was 20 when they had me.

"Don't go" I sobbed. "Please, I got $200 dollars! Please, daddy, don't go." I cried into his shoulder. I felt him hug me tightly. "I'm sorry my baby girl but I have to." He put me down but I didn't let go. I wasn't going to let my father leave without a fight. I didn't want him to go.

I clung to his legs... he tried to pry me off of him but I didn't let go. I heard my mom walk down the stairs and she called me sternly "Tatiana. Let your father go!" I shook my head wildly. My eyes grow big.
"I don't want him to go, mommy!!" I hiccupped. She glared at me and walked down the rest of the steps. She pulled me from my father and said: "He needs to go, let him!" My father looked at my mother sadly before walking to us. He kissed my mom on the mouth and placed a soft kiss on my forehead. "I love you. You 2 are my world."

I looked away not wanting to see how my father walks out of my mother and I's life. I heard the door shut. I shout at my mom, "I hate you! Why didn't you let me go with him." My mom lets me go and I run up the stairs and slammed my bedroom door. I fell down on my pillow and screamed into it. I knew my mother was probably still in the hallway in front of the door or in her room. There was no way she could hear me.

*26 November 2012
Some alley somewhere unknown*

It's been 3 months and 14 days since my father left. I haven't heard from him at all and all my mother does is go to work from 5 am to 9 pm then cry in her room till morning. I had to be the mature one in the house.

My mom would give me money to go buy the groceries since she didn't leave the house unless it was for work. I had to walk to school and back home. Make food and make sure my mom eats.

It went on like that for about 3 months but for the last 2 weeks, I didn't want to go home. It just reminded me of what I had and don't have anymore.

I had a normal family with a mom and dad that loved me but now all I have is a sulking mother that does nothing and a Missing In Action father. I started staying out late only going home after 8 at night. My mother was too busy crying, sleeping or even not at home to notice that I don't come home when I should.

I started hanging out with the bad group at school and smoked pot for the first time in my life today. I kind of enjoyed it. It made me feel free and I forgot all about my broken family at home.

*20 December 2012 - 21:34*

"Tatiana... Welcome." I laughed at Greg. I could see he was stoned and drunk as hell. I've been hanging out with the stoners from our school for a while now and they make me feel free and welcomed. I haven't been home in 5 days and I don't know how it's going with my mom and at the moment I really don't care.

If she wanted to waste her live crying about a man that didn't love us enough to fight for us then it was her problem. I wasn't going to try and be there for her anymore. I might sound selfish but she hasn't talked to me or anything since my father left. Don't get me wrong, I love her but sometimes it just gets too much.

*3 February 2013 - 01:24am
Some alley somewhere unknown*

I stumble into a brick wall, on the sideway, on my way home. I was wasted, stoned and just came from the hangout where I met up with Greg and Stacie. I heard something down one of the many allies in Clear View Point and like the curious person I am, I went to see what it was.

It was a group of men in the alley. I crept slowly closer and then crunched down behind one of the alley dumpsters. I heard the men the alley laugh and joke. I jumped up startled when a rat ran passed me.

I place my hand over my mouth, hoping I didn't make a sound. In the distance, I heard a gruff voice ask "Did you guys here that?" I stayed silent breathing almost not at all.

Why was I such a curious cat? I know the saying curiosity killed the cat and that might just be proved tonight. "Andate a controllare (Go check it out)" I heard a voice order in another language. It sounded like Italian. Why didn't I take Italian at school? It could have helped me so much right now. In the distance, I heard footsteps. They were slow and agonizing. It was today that I was going to die!

"Sbrigati! (Hurry Up)" The leader of the group ordered again. Suddenly I was grabbed by my red hair and pulled upright into a chest. Quite roughly might I add. "Guardaquello she hotrovato (Look what I found)" I was pulled by my hair down the alley. I don't want to get hurt so I complied and made it easy for myself by just doing what they wanted.

The leader of the group turned and glared at me. He looked to be around 26 and had a few tattoos. Well, a few of what I can see. The men looked like they were in a gang of some sort. "Spiare (Spy)?" The man pulling me said and the boss looked at me or more like killing me with his eyes.

"Sei una spia? (Are you a spy)" He growled at me when I didn't answer because I didn't understand what he was saying. He sighed in frustration and repeated his words but in English this time.

"Are you a spy?" I looked at him and shook my head "I'm not a spy. I don't even understand what you just said" The man glared at me again.

"What is a young girl doing in this part of town at this hour?" He asked. I looked around a little frightened. "I heard something on my way home." He chuckled. It didn't sound threatening but it definitely didn't sound friendly

"Ever heard of curiosity killed the cat" I looked him in the eyes and replied honestly "Yes but I've never been afraid of death."

He sighed and pointed a gun at my head. Acting like it was nothing big. "Afraid now?" He asked mockingly. For a second fear crept up slowly from my stomach. But then I thought of all the things going on in my life. Was I really afraid of death? There was nothing in my life to live of anymore. It was not like someone would miss me. My mother probably wouldn't even realize I was missing until they found my body.

"Not when there is nothing to live for." He looked at me curiously. He turned to the man and shot him in his head right in front of me. I jumped startled at first and then took a deep breath.

"See you've seen too much! So now I have 3 options. 1- I kill you, 2- I let you go and be followed for the rest of your life wasting my people's time or 3- I can take you and make you one of us." I didn't like the first 2 but the 3rd sounded appealing.

Aren't gangs like family? I'd have people caring about me. "I'd like option 3 please?" The man looked at me strangely. "I never pegged you for someone that would be able to handle death." I chuckled nervously.

"My name is Silva... how 'bout you?" He asked after the man behind me let go of my hair. I looked around; all of them looked calm and relaxed.
"I'm Tatiana" He nodded at the man behind me and before I could turn around I felt a pinch in my neck. I gasped and looked at the man in front of me.

"Welcome to the Mafia little girl," The blurry image said in front of me "Hopefully you can handle this." He sighed before everything in front of me went dark.

**Copyright © 2018 by Grace Write**