Post by silent.lullaby on Nov 10, 2010 19:18:27 GMT -5
//We Run This Town//Chapter 034// Lighten Up
He kissed her lightly on her temple as they laid side by side, his shirt was on the ground, hers was still on, but unbuttoned all the way to her bellybutton which he tickled and she giggled and pushed back his dark hair. “You okay Max, you seem distracted.” He just looked at Faith and she sighed, “I know you’ve been sick with worry over Serge, and now Lili, but... lighten up a bit.”
“Lighten up?” He questioned and she could already tell her words had sparked his anger. “My sister was shot.”
“And...” She checked her watch, “Cesario will be watching over her for the rest of the night, the doctors say she’ll be stable, she’s going to come out of this, you can’t just be miserable every time someone gets hurt.” Unspoken was that it happened a lot in this line of business. “You’re next in line for the Mafia throne, you can’t be weak.”
“I’m not,” he shot back angrily sitting up on his bed. “Sorry for giving a shit that both of my siblings nearly died in less than two months.”
“I know you care, but you can’t just... let things show through like this. It’s a weakness.”
“Get out.”
“Excuse me?” Faith responded hotly.
“Get the fuck out of my room!” Max shouted jumping off the bed and opening the door for her, she quickly fumbled with the buttons on her shirt, grabbed her purse and flipped him off as she exited. He slammed the door behind her. He was sure that word would quickly spread about what he had done. Faith would tell Blaire and Adam, Blaire would tell the girls, Adam the boys and Charlie would surely hear it from his daughter, who would tell the adults, and ultimately his father who would then have a talk with him. Max flopped backwards on to his bed, exhausted though he’d only been up four hours. “Bitch,” he muttered before grabbing his ipod and blaring music into his ears to drown out his thoughts.
***
“Coffee?”
Ceasario turned around and smiled, “Jess, yes, thanks.” He took the Styrofoam cup he was handed. She smiled at him. “How did you know I was here?”
Jessica smiled, “I have my ways... who is she to you?”
“Cousin,” he responded since saying it was his bosses daughter would be a little weird. “Our family is real close.”
“I’m sorry,” she responded leaning her back against the plexiglass as she sipped on her coffee. “But from what I heard, she’ll make a full recovery.”
Ceasario nodded, “I hope so.”
He watched as she studied him, “you need some rest.”
“Adam will be here soon.”
“I don’t really understand why there is someone always guarding the doors of the Lombardi children.” He stared at her momentarily, “Lilianna, Sergio... I’m a nurse don’t look at me that way, of course I know who most of the patients in my ward are.” They fell into a calm silence while they both sipped on the steaming hot coffee. “Come on, I want to show you something,” she said spontaneously grabbing his hand.
“I can’t, I got to wait for Adam.”
“You said he’d be here soon.” She said putting both hands on her hips, “come on.”
Ceasario checked his watch, it would only be five minutes before Adam would get there... she’d be find alone for that long. He took her hand, “alright, lets go.”
***
Kaper sat with October in the park between their house they’d always meet at as children, and now still did out of habit. “So... how’s Riley?”
October smiled dreamily, “good, he’s such a sweetheart! He brought me this bouquet of lollypops, it was the sweetest most thoughtful thing ever!” October laid back on the grass, the weather was getting colder and she was glad she had layered up. “And you and Gavin?”
Kaper shrugged her shoulders and picked at the grass, “I don’t know, since the dance... we haven’t really hung out.”
“Like at all?”
Kaper shook her head, her long brunette locks swinging and October could see tears shining in her best friends eyes. “Come on,” October jumped to her feet and held out her hands to Kaper, “we’re going to buy you something sexy, and you’re going to call him up and ask him on a date.”
Kaper took October’s hands but shook her head, “I couldn’t do that... I’d be to nervous.”
October looked at her friend seriously and Kaper swallowed hard. “You’re going to do it, I’ll be right there with you, now come on, we need to get you something smoking hot for your date!” Kaper wasn’t sure why, maybe it was the butterflies that danced in her stomach at the thought of Gavin that made the decision for her. Soon enough they were at the lamp post and waiting for the crosstown bus.
***
Kara felt unnerved as she prepared lunch for herself. Since it was Saturday, she had no school, but the thought of walking to school on Monday sent a shiver down her spine. She’d have to pick a different route to school, maybe go really early. She didn’t want to talk to him, she didn’t want to be anywhere near that man! She poured Italian dressing on her salad and sat down by herself at the kitchen table.
“Kara, good, I caught you.”
She shuddered but the memory persisted.
“Your mom has been wondering why you haven’t been coming around as much, she misses you.” Kara had simply nodded, hoping if she said the right things her mother’s current sleaze bag boyfriend would stay away. He had gotten out of the car, stood with her on the sidewalk, he’d brushed her hair behind her ear, “you’ll be over on the weekend?” She’d nodded and he’d smiled and said, “see you then.”
The memory made her shudder and she pushed away her untouched salad. She wouldn’t go over this weekend, or any day till her mother got rid of that awful man!
***
His mother hadn’t spoken to him when Preston had dropped him off. She’d just jumped in her car and left. He’d watched in shock, in horror. Preston’s arm came around his shoulder and had guided him to the house, he might have stood there forever had he not been moved. Preston had sat him down, made him some tea, asked a few questions, made a hushed phone call, and had snuck away once his father (whom he assumed Preston had phoned).
Saturday was a miserable day, but at least he could be miserable at home.
That was until Kaper had come over, dressed very unlike herself. “Hey,” she’d said shyly.
He opened his mouth to say ‘this isn’t a good time’ when it just got worse. Lexie had pulled in, and he was fairly sure she only had a learner’s permit. She’d stepped out, Kaper had looked at her and a blush had come upon her face. Lexie had come over dressed mutely in comparison to her usual statement wardrobe.
The two girls had looked at each other. Kaper had said hello, while Lexie had just smirked, “I have to talk to Gavin,” Lexie said smugly. “In private.”
Gavin felt his temper rising, as Kaper took steps to leave, he grabbed her hand. “Lex, piss off. I need to talk to Kaper. Privately.” He pulled her inside and slammed the door in Lexie’s face. “Sorry about her.”
“It’s okay.”
“No it isn’t.”
“Are you with her?” She asked her big eyes brimming with tears.
“Oh God no.” He sighed, “but... look...” how did he break up with the sweetest girl he’d ever met? He took the current tragidy in his life and decided it would help let her down easy. “Look... my mom... she just left... like... I think for good.” Kaper looked shocked, her hand flying to her open mouth. “My mind is... everywhere, and I need to figure my life and myself out right now... and you’re great but...I just can’t maintain a relationship with everything that is going on.”
Kaper nodded tears falling freely down her face, “it’s okay... I understand.”
“I’m so sorry,” he said as she turned and went out the door in a hurry. On the bright side when he watched her leave, he also noticed Lexie had driven away.
***
“No,” Adam responded.
“He’ll kill me,” Ceasario plead.
“You left her alone! Unguarded!” Adam argued angrily as he thrust a hand through his currently, and uncharacteristically ungroomed hair. “All you had to do is watch over and intervene if anyone tried to harm her! The time was not meant to be spent with your current squeeze!”
“Don’t call her that.”
“Oh Jesus, you’re in love with her aren’t you?”
Ceasario let out a huff of air, “no, you know me better than that.”
“So you left Lilianna unguarded in her current state while we’re potentially at war with the Valentino family to go off with a woman to whom you’re not even in love with.”
Ceasario grabbed Adam’s arm and stopped them as they walked down the streets, and nearly spilt Adam’s coffee. Adam stopped, looked at his Starbucks mug and then glared at Ceasario who let him go. “Maybe I love her, but she’s a nurse, she tries to save people Adam, I kill them, or at least put them under her care for a while.”
“Break it off,” when Ceasario looked ready to argue Adam put up his hand to head it off. “I’m serious, break it off, be at your station at all times, you EVER do something like this again, if you don’t break up with her, I swear to GOD I will tell Antonio, or hell, I’ll tell Contessa and you’ll feel the damn wrath of God.”
With that Adam turned on his heal and left Ceasario with the migraine of the century.
He kissed her lightly on her temple as they laid side by side, his shirt was on the ground, hers was still on, but unbuttoned all the way to her bellybutton which he tickled and she giggled and pushed back his dark hair. “You okay Max, you seem distracted.” He just looked at Faith and she sighed, “I know you’ve been sick with worry over Serge, and now Lili, but... lighten up a bit.”
“Lighten up?” He questioned and she could already tell her words had sparked his anger. “My sister was shot.”
“And...” She checked her watch, “Cesario will be watching over her for the rest of the night, the doctors say she’ll be stable, she’s going to come out of this, you can’t just be miserable every time someone gets hurt.” Unspoken was that it happened a lot in this line of business. “You’re next in line for the Mafia throne, you can’t be weak.”
“I’m not,” he shot back angrily sitting up on his bed. “Sorry for giving a shit that both of my siblings nearly died in less than two months.”
“I know you care, but you can’t just... let things show through like this. It’s a weakness.”
“Get out.”
“Excuse me?” Faith responded hotly.
“Get the fuck out of my room!” Max shouted jumping off the bed and opening the door for her, she quickly fumbled with the buttons on her shirt, grabbed her purse and flipped him off as she exited. He slammed the door behind her. He was sure that word would quickly spread about what he had done. Faith would tell Blaire and Adam, Blaire would tell the girls, Adam the boys and Charlie would surely hear it from his daughter, who would tell the adults, and ultimately his father who would then have a talk with him. Max flopped backwards on to his bed, exhausted though he’d only been up four hours. “Bitch,” he muttered before grabbing his ipod and blaring music into his ears to drown out his thoughts.
***
“Coffee?”
Ceasario turned around and smiled, “Jess, yes, thanks.” He took the Styrofoam cup he was handed. She smiled at him. “How did you know I was here?”
Jessica smiled, “I have my ways... who is she to you?”
“Cousin,” he responded since saying it was his bosses daughter would be a little weird. “Our family is real close.”
“I’m sorry,” she responded leaning her back against the plexiglass as she sipped on her coffee. “But from what I heard, she’ll make a full recovery.”
Ceasario nodded, “I hope so.”
He watched as she studied him, “you need some rest.”
“Adam will be here soon.”
“I don’t really understand why there is someone always guarding the doors of the Lombardi children.” He stared at her momentarily, “Lilianna, Sergio... I’m a nurse don’t look at me that way, of course I know who most of the patients in my ward are.” They fell into a calm silence while they both sipped on the steaming hot coffee. “Come on, I want to show you something,” she said spontaneously grabbing his hand.
“I can’t, I got to wait for Adam.”
“You said he’d be here soon.” She said putting both hands on her hips, “come on.”
Ceasario checked his watch, it would only be five minutes before Adam would get there... she’d be find alone for that long. He took her hand, “alright, lets go.”
***
Kaper sat with October in the park between their house they’d always meet at as children, and now still did out of habit. “So... how’s Riley?”
October smiled dreamily, “good, he’s such a sweetheart! He brought me this bouquet of lollypops, it was the sweetest most thoughtful thing ever!” October laid back on the grass, the weather was getting colder and she was glad she had layered up. “And you and Gavin?”
Kaper shrugged her shoulders and picked at the grass, “I don’t know, since the dance... we haven’t really hung out.”
“Like at all?”
Kaper shook her head, her long brunette locks swinging and October could see tears shining in her best friends eyes. “Come on,” October jumped to her feet and held out her hands to Kaper, “we’re going to buy you something sexy, and you’re going to call him up and ask him on a date.”
Kaper took October’s hands but shook her head, “I couldn’t do that... I’d be to nervous.”
October looked at her friend seriously and Kaper swallowed hard. “You’re going to do it, I’ll be right there with you, now come on, we need to get you something smoking hot for your date!” Kaper wasn’t sure why, maybe it was the butterflies that danced in her stomach at the thought of Gavin that made the decision for her. Soon enough they were at the lamp post and waiting for the crosstown bus.
***
Kara felt unnerved as she prepared lunch for herself. Since it was Saturday, she had no school, but the thought of walking to school on Monday sent a shiver down her spine. She’d have to pick a different route to school, maybe go really early. She didn’t want to talk to him, she didn’t want to be anywhere near that man! She poured Italian dressing on her salad and sat down by herself at the kitchen table.
“Kara, good, I caught you.”
She shuddered but the memory persisted.
“Your mom has been wondering why you haven’t been coming around as much, she misses you.” Kara had simply nodded, hoping if she said the right things her mother’s current sleaze bag boyfriend would stay away. He had gotten out of the car, stood with her on the sidewalk, he’d brushed her hair behind her ear, “you’ll be over on the weekend?” She’d nodded and he’d smiled and said, “see you then.”
The memory made her shudder and she pushed away her untouched salad. She wouldn’t go over this weekend, or any day till her mother got rid of that awful man!
***
His mother hadn’t spoken to him when Preston had dropped him off. She’d just jumped in her car and left. He’d watched in shock, in horror. Preston’s arm came around his shoulder and had guided him to the house, he might have stood there forever had he not been moved. Preston had sat him down, made him some tea, asked a few questions, made a hushed phone call, and had snuck away once his father (whom he assumed Preston had phoned).
Saturday was a miserable day, but at least he could be miserable at home.
That was until Kaper had come over, dressed very unlike herself. “Hey,” she’d said shyly.
He opened his mouth to say ‘this isn’t a good time’ when it just got worse. Lexie had pulled in, and he was fairly sure she only had a learner’s permit. She’d stepped out, Kaper had looked at her and a blush had come upon her face. Lexie had come over dressed mutely in comparison to her usual statement wardrobe.
The two girls had looked at each other. Kaper had said hello, while Lexie had just smirked, “I have to talk to Gavin,” Lexie said smugly. “In private.”
Gavin felt his temper rising, as Kaper took steps to leave, he grabbed her hand. “Lex, piss off. I need to talk to Kaper. Privately.” He pulled her inside and slammed the door in Lexie’s face. “Sorry about her.”
“It’s okay.”
“No it isn’t.”
“Are you with her?” She asked her big eyes brimming with tears.
“Oh God no.” He sighed, “but... look...” how did he break up with the sweetest girl he’d ever met? He took the current tragidy in his life and decided it would help let her down easy. “Look... my mom... she just left... like... I think for good.” Kaper looked shocked, her hand flying to her open mouth. “My mind is... everywhere, and I need to figure my life and myself out right now... and you’re great but...I just can’t maintain a relationship with everything that is going on.”
Kaper nodded tears falling freely down her face, “it’s okay... I understand.”
“I’m so sorry,” he said as she turned and went out the door in a hurry. On the bright side when he watched her leave, he also noticed Lexie had driven away.
***
“No,” Adam responded.
“He’ll kill me,” Ceasario plead.
“You left her alone! Unguarded!” Adam argued angrily as he thrust a hand through his currently, and uncharacteristically ungroomed hair. “All you had to do is watch over and intervene if anyone tried to harm her! The time was not meant to be spent with your current squeeze!”
“Don’t call her that.”
“Oh Jesus, you’re in love with her aren’t you?”
Ceasario let out a huff of air, “no, you know me better than that.”
“So you left Lilianna unguarded in her current state while we’re potentially at war with the Valentino family to go off with a woman to whom you’re not even in love with.”
Ceasario grabbed Adam’s arm and stopped them as they walked down the streets, and nearly spilt Adam’s coffee. Adam stopped, looked at his Starbucks mug and then glared at Ceasario who let him go. “Maybe I love her, but she’s a nurse, she tries to save people Adam, I kill them, or at least put them under her care for a while.”
“Break it off,” when Ceasario looked ready to argue Adam put up his hand to head it off. “I’m serious, break it off, be at your station at all times, you EVER do something like this again, if you don’t break up with her, I swear to GOD I will tell Antonio, or hell, I’ll tell Contessa and you’ll feel the damn wrath of God.”
With that Adam turned on his heal and left Ceasario with the migraine of the century.