Post by silent.lullaby on Sept 29, 2010 20:00:26 GMT -5
//We Run This Town//Chapter 033// Preston
When Gavin walked in he seen Preston, he was easy to distinguish from the other mafia members, real tall and the mass of thick blonde hair. Preston didn’t turn around, “hello Gavin.”
It was a little creepy and Gavin had to ask, “how did you know it was me?”
He heard a little chuckle and Preston tapped on the glass he was standing in front of, “reflection.”
Gavin felt a little dumb as he came to stand beside Preston. Through the glass he could see Lilianna, the lights were off, but enough light was given off from the monitors of her life support. “You two close?”
Preston nodded, “yeah,” he chucked at something in his head before saying, “I use to babysit her.”
“Really?” Gavin gave a little smile.
“Yeah, she was around six which would make Sergio seven and Maximo eight.” He rubbed his temples, “that makes me feel so old. I was nineteen, and babysitting. I didn’t realize at the time what an honour Mr Lombardi was giving me.” Preston smiled, “I thought he was patronizing me.”
“An honour? Taking care of screaming children?”
Preston shook his head, “Antonio and Contessa entrusted me with the three things they cherished the most. And the Lombardi kids weren’t screamers. They were stealthy, and a team. Max and Serge would both get down on their hands and knees and Lil would climb up on them and steal the cookie jar. Not just some cookies, the whole damned jar. Run off to their room, and they’d eat the entire thing before I ever found out. Contessa was pretty pissed, they were all off the wall hyper when she’d get home.” Preston shook his head, “but she didn’t fire me, which is surprising.”
“Why?”
“Well... the cookie jar incidents could be forgiven but there was once when I was watching them when an intruder got in. It was right after my twentieth birthday. Some guy came in the back door, I’d left it open after I’d taken the kids outside to play. He was high or drunk... maybe both.” Preston paused and Gavin watched his expression become pained and he turned away from Lilianna’s room. “Lilianna was playing in the kitchen, the boys had wanted to play with their cars and wouldn’t let her play... I’d gone to get her a juice box and I heard her scream. I ran to her... the guy had her by the hair, had her mouth covered up, his eyes all wild and unfocussed.”
Preston paused for over a minute, his gaze at the ground. “What happened?” Gavin wanted to know.
“I didn’t have any weapons, sure in classic Lombardi style they were hidden all over the house, but I didn’t know where. I had to reason with him.”
“How?”
“Offered up my watch,” Preston gave a laugh, “at the time it was a knock off Rolex, but I played it off like the real deal.”
“Did he take it?” Preston nodded. “So you got rid of him? Why would that be reason to fire you?”
“Got rid of...” Preston shook his head, “I wouldn’t use that terminology with one of us,” Preston advised. “It doesn’t mean the same to you as it does to me.”
“You...” Gavin looked around before whispering, “killed him?”
“No... Lilianna did.”
“What?”
“He took my fake Rolex but decided he wanted more, punched me in the face, I punched him back but... he must have been on like PCP or something cause he knocked me back and started beating me... Lilianna grabs a gun that was hidden under the kitchen table and shot him three times in the back.” Preston rubbed the back of his neck. “She didn’t blink... she just... did it.”
“She’d gotten the gun.” Gavin said, “when we were in the warehouse with Jack. She’d gotten it, but she hesitated, she didn’t shoot him but she had the gun, and she had a clear shot. If she could kill a man when she was seven, why couldn’t she do it now?”
Preston shrugged, “children are desensitized... you know what she said to me? After she shot the man?” Gavin shook his head and Preston continued, “are you perfect now?” Gavin looked confused, “I would always ask her how she was when I got there, and she’d always reply ‘perfect.’ The kid didn’t complain I’ll give her that. She’ll do anything to protect people.”
“She didn’t shoot Jack,” Gavin muttered angrily.
“No... then again, she’d once been in love with Jack.”
“Really?”
Preston laughed, “yeah, but that is a completely different story. She was young, and didn’t know that he was her sworn enemy.”
Gavin laughed dryly, “I thought I was.”
Preston shook his head, “naw, you are all just kids who are together due to circumstance.”
“How did you come together with them? Circumstance?”
Preston’s back went up when a door opened, and Ceasario walked in, “here to relieve you.”
“And here I was thinking you were just here to see that hot nurse, what’s her name? Jessie? Jacqui?”
“Jess, Jessica.” Ceasario responded agitated.
“And yesterday you said you weren’t seeing anyone.”
“I’m not.”
Preston smiled knowingly, “yeah, sure, not seeing anyone, but you know that Nurse Jessica works Mondays.”
“Coincidence,” Ceasario muttered back, “are you going, or do you want to stay?”
“Just do your job,” Preston responded grabbing his jacket from a bench before looking to Gavin, “need a ride home?” Gavin nodded and they walked out together and got in Preston’s spacey BMW.
“Are you going to answer? How you got involved?”
“Curious one aren’t you?” Preston asked. “You better figure out how far you want to go into this. You keep asking questions, and if you keep getting answers, you’ll be stuck with us, or dead. You understand that, don’t you?”
Gavin froze. No, he hadn’t. Usually when you meet someone knew you ask them about their past. Asking Mafia members though was like signing a contract. Gavin rubbed his palms against his jeans before breathing out shakily, “aren’t I already in? Don’t I already know too much? My dad’s in... and I guess the moment I became friends with Lilianna I was too.”
Preston waited a moment before nodding. “I was thirteen and I was living on the street. Contessa was pregnant with Lilianna, Sergio was an infant and Maximo was walking around clumsily. I was a free runner, I specialized in parkor, I delivered drugs, guns, anything to anyone, no questions asked as long as I was paid. I had a nest egg, but I couldn’t buy much since... hello thirteen, can’t get a car, can’t get a house.”
“Social services?”
Preston shook his head, “I was a run away, I didn’t want to go home.”
“Why?”
“You’re not going to get my entire life story kid, you want to know how I got involved or not?” Gavin shut up and looked back out the windshield. “Sorry... when things start happening with the family I get a little... moody.”
“It’s okay.”
“Do you have siblings?” Gavin shook his head. “Me either... not by blood. I would do anything for the Lombardi, DeLuca or Walker families. Anything.” Preston waited for that to sink in. “They became family the second they took me in... I started working for Antonio, he needed to get a shipment of drugs to the Montoya Cartel before Four-Fingers Montoya decided to demo his house.” Gavin looked confused and Preston laughed. “Four-Fingers was an explosives expert, blew off one of his fingers when he was in high school.’
“Anyways, Antonio sees me practising my parkor at a park where he was taking Max, the kids were really entertained and Max despite his young age was actually watching. Antonio calls me over, and I’m freaking out. I was short and a hell of a lot scrawnier back then and here is this big guy who looks tough as hell who’s calling me over. I would have ran if he hadn’t just picked up Max and started over to a bench. With that kid in his arms... I knew he wouldn’t do anything, so I followed.’
“He tells me he can use someone with my skills,” Preston laughed, “then he smelt me, asked me where I was living. And he was just...” Preston shrugged, “easy to talk to, before I know it he has my life story and Max is asleep in his father’s arms. That changes you, seeing a mafia boss with his infant son asleep in his arms. Humanizes those ‘bad people’ they aren’t bad. They aren’t. Good upstanding citizens would pass me every day, sometimes I had to beg for money, and even pity wouldn’t get them to help a thirteen year old out. Here was some guy who just... helped me. I lived with them, I got all the pregnant craving foods for Contessa when she wanted it, no matter what time. I did anything Antonio asked, even babysitting... It took a while, but when he didn’t fire me after the shooting incident I knew I was there for life. Above even Enzo I know what’s going on... the only one who might know more is Contessa, and even in some cases I know things she doesn’t.’
“You might not respect this business Gavin, and honestly, from your background, I wouldn’t even blame you. But you have to respect the people. Take the business away from the equation, they are good.”
“Being good, being bad, those are things decided by what you do.”
“Antonio watches over his family. Enzo protects Zarah and Gemma from anything. Despite Lucia isn’t suited for this, and she isn’t forced into it, Enrico lets her know nothing of what goes on, and she lives blissfully because of that. Charlie is in the business, and it was Adam’s choice to join, but Jane isn’t involved. They are family, they protect each other, they make each other happy. They are good, your vision is messed up by past experience.... let me ask you this, when Lilianna found out you were in trouble, did she not go to save you?”
Gavin absorbed what he was told and sat in silence, “which house?” Preston asked.
“The next one on the right.”
Preston pulled in to see the front light on and suitcases out side. “Someone moving?”
Gavin’s heart started pounding in his chest as he got out of the car, and his mother walked outside.
When Gavin walked in he seen Preston, he was easy to distinguish from the other mafia members, real tall and the mass of thick blonde hair. Preston didn’t turn around, “hello Gavin.”
It was a little creepy and Gavin had to ask, “how did you know it was me?”
He heard a little chuckle and Preston tapped on the glass he was standing in front of, “reflection.”
Gavin felt a little dumb as he came to stand beside Preston. Through the glass he could see Lilianna, the lights were off, but enough light was given off from the monitors of her life support. “You two close?”
Preston nodded, “yeah,” he chucked at something in his head before saying, “I use to babysit her.”
“Really?” Gavin gave a little smile.
“Yeah, she was around six which would make Sergio seven and Maximo eight.” He rubbed his temples, “that makes me feel so old. I was nineteen, and babysitting. I didn’t realize at the time what an honour Mr Lombardi was giving me.” Preston smiled, “I thought he was patronizing me.”
“An honour? Taking care of screaming children?”
Preston shook his head, “Antonio and Contessa entrusted me with the three things they cherished the most. And the Lombardi kids weren’t screamers. They were stealthy, and a team. Max and Serge would both get down on their hands and knees and Lil would climb up on them and steal the cookie jar. Not just some cookies, the whole damned jar. Run off to their room, and they’d eat the entire thing before I ever found out. Contessa was pretty pissed, they were all off the wall hyper when she’d get home.” Preston shook his head, “but she didn’t fire me, which is surprising.”
“Why?”
“Well... the cookie jar incidents could be forgiven but there was once when I was watching them when an intruder got in. It was right after my twentieth birthday. Some guy came in the back door, I’d left it open after I’d taken the kids outside to play. He was high or drunk... maybe both.” Preston paused and Gavin watched his expression become pained and he turned away from Lilianna’s room. “Lilianna was playing in the kitchen, the boys had wanted to play with their cars and wouldn’t let her play... I’d gone to get her a juice box and I heard her scream. I ran to her... the guy had her by the hair, had her mouth covered up, his eyes all wild and unfocussed.”
Preston paused for over a minute, his gaze at the ground. “What happened?” Gavin wanted to know.
“I didn’t have any weapons, sure in classic Lombardi style they were hidden all over the house, but I didn’t know where. I had to reason with him.”
“How?”
“Offered up my watch,” Preston gave a laugh, “at the time it was a knock off Rolex, but I played it off like the real deal.”
“Did he take it?” Preston nodded. “So you got rid of him? Why would that be reason to fire you?”
“Got rid of...” Preston shook his head, “I wouldn’t use that terminology with one of us,” Preston advised. “It doesn’t mean the same to you as it does to me.”
“You...” Gavin looked around before whispering, “killed him?”
“No... Lilianna did.”
“What?”
“He took my fake Rolex but decided he wanted more, punched me in the face, I punched him back but... he must have been on like PCP or something cause he knocked me back and started beating me... Lilianna grabs a gun that was hidden under the kitchen table and shot him three times in the back.” Preston rubbed the back of his neck. “She didn’t blink... she just... did it.”
“She’d gotten the gun.” Gavin said, “when we were in the warehouse with Jack. She’d gotten it, but she hesitated, she didn’t shoot him but she had the gun, and she had a clear shot. If she could kill a man when she was seven, why couldn’t she do it now?”
Preston shrugged, “children are desensitized... you know what she said to me? After she shot the man?” Gavin shook his head and Preston continued, “are you perfect now?” Gavin looked confused, “I would always ask her how she was when I got there, and she’d always reply ‘perfect.’ The kid didn’t complain I’ll give her that. She’ll do anything to protect people.”
“She didn’t shoot Jack,” Gavin muttered angrily.
“No... then again, she’d once been in love with Jack.”
“Really?”
Preston laughed, “yeah, but that is a completely different story. She was young, and didn’t know that he was her sworn enemy.”
Gavin laughed dryly, “I thought I was.”
Preston shook his head, “naw, you are all just kids who are together due to circumstance.”
“How did you come together with them? Circumstance?”
Preston’s back went up when a door opened, and Ceasario walked in, “here to relieve you.”
“And here I was thinking you were just here to see that hot nurse, what’s her name? Jessie? Jacqui?”
“Jess, Jessica.” Ceasario responded agitated.
“And yesterday you said you weren’t seeing anyone.”
“I’m not.”
Preston smiled knowingly, “yeah, sure, not seeing anyone, but you know that Nurse Jessica works Mondays.”
“Coincidence,” Ceasario muttered back, “are you going, or do you want to stay?”
“Just do your job,” Preston responded grabbing his jacket from a bench before looking to Gavin, “need a ride home?” Gavin nodded and they walked out together and got in Preston’s spacey BMW.
“Are you going to answer? How you got involved?”
“Curious one aren’t you?” Preston asked. “You better figure out how far you want to go into this. You keep asking questions, and if you keep getting answers, you’ll be stuck with us, or dead. You understand that, don’t you?”
Gavin froze. No, he hadn’t. Usually when you meet someone knew you ask them about their past. Asking Mafia members though was like signing a contract. Gavin rubbed his palms against his jeans before breathing out shakily, “aren’t I already in? Don’t I already know too much? My dad’s in... and I guess the moment I became friends with Lilianna I was too.”
Preston waited a moment before nodding. “I was thirteen and I was living on the street. Contessa was pregnant with Lilianna, Sergio was an infant and Maximo was walking around clumsily. I was a free runner, I specialized in parkor, I delivered drugs, guns, anything to anyone, no questions asked as long as I was paid. I had a nest egg, but I couldn’t buy much since... hello thirteen, can’t get a car, can’t get a house.”
“Social services?”
Preston shook his head, “I was a run away, I didn’t want to go home.”
“Why?”
“You’re not going to get my entire life story kid, you want to know how I got involved or not?” Gavin shut up and looked back out the windshield. “Sorry... when things start happening with the family I get a little... moody.”
“It’s okay.”
“Do you have siblings?” Gavin shook his head. “Me either... not by blood. I would do anything for the Lombardi, DeLuca or Walker families. Anything.” Preston waited for that to sink in. “They became family the second they took me in... I started working for Antonio, he needed to get a shipment of drugs to the Montoya Cartel before Four-Fingers Montoya decided to demo his house.” Gavin looked confused and Preston laughed. “Four-Fingers was an explosives expert, blew off one of his fingers when he was in high school.’
“Anyways, Antonio sees me practising my parkor at a park where he was taking Max, the kids were really entertained and Max despite his young age was actually watching. Antonio calls me over, and I’m freaking out. I was short and a hell of a lot scrawnier back then and here is this big guy who looks tough as hell who’s calling me over. I would have ran if he hadn’t just picked up Max and started over to a bench. With that kid in his arms... I knew he wouldn’t do anything, so I followed.’
“He tells me he can use someone with my skills,” Preston laughed, “then he smelt me, asked me where I was living. And he was just...” Preston shrugged, “easy to talk to, before I know it he has my life story and Max is asleep in his father’s arms. That changes you, seeing a mafia boss with his infant son asleep in his arms. Humanizes those ‘bad people’ they aren’t bad. They aren’t. Good upstanding citizens would pass me every day, sometimes I had to beg for money, and even pity wouldn’t get them to help a thirteen year old out. Here was some guy who just... helped me. I lived with them, I got all the pregnant craving foods for Contessa when she wanted it, no matter what time. I did anything Antonio asked, even babysitting... It took a while, but when he didn’t fire me after the shooting incident I knew I was there for life. Above even Enzo I know what’s going on... the only one who might know more is Contessa, and even in some cases I know things she doesn’t.’
“You might not respect this business Gavin, and honestly, from your background, I wouldn’t even blame you. But you have to respect the people. Take the business away from the equation, they are good.”
“Being good, being bad, those are things decided by what you do.”
“Antonio watches over his family. Enzo protects Zarah and Gemma from anything. Despite Lucia isn’t suited for this, and she isn’t forced into it, Enrico lets her know nothing of what goes on, and she lives blissfully because of that. Charlie is in the business, and it was Adam’s choice to join, but Jane isn’t involved. They are family, they protect each other, they make each other happy. They are good, your vision is messed up by past experience.... let me ask you this, when Lilianna found out you were in trouble, did she not go to save you?”
Gavin absorbed what he was told and sat in silence, “which house?” Preston asked.
“The next one on the right.”
Preston pulled in to see the front light on and suitcases out side. “Someone moving?”
Gavin’s heart started pounding in his chest as he got out of the car, and his mother walked outside.