Lani

Sometimes I hate the fact that my family is close. I find myself hating my family when I have to wake up at 6 every Sunday morning, meaning I only get an hour of sleep that morning, to take the train back home to Connecticut. I always felt that I should be exempt from Sunday night dinners considering the fact that I work late ‘nights’ on Saturday but my dad doesn’t have sympathy. And besides, if its dinner I don’t really understand why I have to be home by 9 at the latest, but its tradition that the family spends all day Sunday together (if you ask me traditions are made to be broken).

Somehow Sunday always comes faster than the rest of the days during the week and again I found myself trudging zombie-like up to Grand Central to hop on a peak hour train home, have I mentioned that I hate crowded train cars? I was fumbling with the keys on my Sidekick as I tried to balance my coffee and my Puma duffle bag when I ran into someone’s hard body nearly knocking my steaming hot coffee all over me.

“Well, if it isn’t beautiful Lani.” Ugh.

“Ugh, you again.” Sometimes my brain takes over my body and I say things that I’m thinking; I didn’t mean to ugh him, I swear.

“Damn, good morning to you too. Going somewhere?” He looked down at my duffle bag and then checked me out, way to be obvious about it.

“Home. I’m in a rush. Bye”

“It was nice seeing you again.” He yelled after me as I walked away from him. What the hell was he doing, following me?

“Bye Justin.” I picked my hand up and waved at him.

“Ciao Bella.” How did he know I’m Italian? Seriously did this guy go to stalker school? Not even my uncles could find…well I’ll hold that thought to myself…

“So I told him, don’t fuck with me O’Brien, and then Tony blew his fucking brains out.” I was getting really tired of the monotony of my family’s dinner conversation. For God’s sake I was eating and didn’t want to hear about how my Uncle Sal did in some guy who owed my family a few G’s.

“So Gianni, how’s school going?” I asked my little brother trying to change the topic of discussion until I’ve managed to successfully keep down my antipasto.

“It’s going, two more weeks and its summer, thank god. I’ve got a ton of shit to do this summer to get my portfolio together for applying to art school in the fall. You know Lan; you should really consider going back to school. You’re way too smart to bartend the rest of your life.” I don’t know why I always ask my brother how school is, I’m always getting the college lecture from someone in my family and I never expected my 17 year old brother would be the one dishing it out this week.

“Ugh guys, I’m thinking about taking some business courses at Hunter College during the fall just to get my foot in the door, but it’s only a thought right now so don’t get your hopes up.” My Uncle Tony put down his glass of wine and turned towards me.

“Melania, are you sure you don’t need any extra cash principessa? I really don’t see how you’re making it down in New York working just two days during the week.”

“She sells her goodies on the street late at night. Dad didn’t tell you guys? Those businessmen pay really good money for a good blow job, and from what I’ve heard from people around here, Lani is the best. Fucking whore.”

“Che cazzo stai dicendo? {What the hell are you talking about}” Before I could say anything back to my brother my dad’s booming voice came flooding into the dining room.

“Nothing Daddy, Gianni is being a dickhead as usual. Everything okay? You’re kinda late coming in the house so we started without you.” I stood up and hugged him as he went to take his seat at the head of the table next to me.

“I’ve just been dealing with shit all day long from everyone. Your mother’s lawyer called today and said she’s asking for more money in the settlement and this bastardo Timberlake fucked with the wrong person. I’ve been getting calls all day from people down in the City and in Jersey.” He didn’t need to say anymore, and I’m pretty sure he knew that by the look on my face, I hated hearing about my dad’s business.

“Gio, you should just let me and Tony go down there and handle him like we handled Raul the other day. No body misses that sorry ass motherfucker, Randy won’t be missed either.”

“Calm down Sal, there will be no offing of Randy Timberlake. He’s got a lot of explaining to do before anything drastic happens.”

I didn’t really need to hear much more of their conversation, I knew where it was going, and it always went there. I don’t exactly agree with the “club business” my father is in and it was better to remain in the dark about everything so if the time ever came I wouldn’t be able to supply any info to the FEDS when they came knocking. Everyone growing up always asked me what it was my dad did and all I could say what that he owned clubs, even if from the time I was 7 I knew my dad was in some dirty shit. But what person wants everyone to know their father is a mob boss?

It’s an unknown rule within the ‘industry’ that you don’t snitch, even on your worst enemy. Outing your enemies, or anyone else for that matter, gets you killed and left in a ditch where no one will be able to find you; my father and uncles made that clear to Gianni and I early in the game, we were told never to tell anyone the truth about what my family does for a living. It was hard at first thinking about the type of trouble my dad gets into on a daily basis, but by the time middle school came around I had someone to confide it because they were in the same situation as I am.

My roommate and best friend, Larissa Sanchez, knew the type of shit that is on the line because her father and my father are in cahoots with each other. Our families didn’t really get along at first but her father, Uncle Diego as I call him, saved my dad’s ass one time (I don’t really know the details) and our two families have been close ever since. Rae is the only person that I know, other than Gianni, who understands the shit I go through on a daily basis to keep the real Melania Violano hidden because everyday she struggles to do the same thing.

Leaving the dinner table, clearly upset, I went outside and took a walk around the grounds of my dad’s house. After walking around and playing with a few of the dogs that we have, I say a few because we have 8 Dobermans, I started to make my way back up towards inside because by then the talk of killing people would probably be over. As I got closer to the front of the property and onto the motor court I heard the iron gates about a ½ mile down the driveway creak open, which only meant one thing; we had company.

I crouched down behind my brother’s $30,000 Altima Coupe (spoiled brat), another thing my dad taught me was that whenever those gates opened up at night be on guard if we were around because there’s no telling who is coming up that driveway. Usually I can recognize the cars that people who my father is associated with drive, but the black SUV that was creeping its way up my driveway I had never seen before. Still crouching behind the cars, I crept over to my dad’s Mercedes McLaren and reached underneath the back bumper for the Glock 17 that’s kept there when it’s not in use.

Even though I never got involved with my dad’s business, I’m still pretty bad ass when it comes to shooting a gun, and just by looking at me you definitely wouldn’t be able to tell that I’m fierce. I’ve shot a ton of different guns growing up, but only at target practice that Gianni and I were forced to partake in on Sundays when everyone in ‘the family’ was home. My dad obviously wanted us to stay far away from the family business, but he also wanted us to be ready to throw down incase we were around when shit popped off.

Still crouching low I crept my way over to the bushes to get a closer look at who was making their way, quite suspect, up my front steps. My heart was practically pounding out of my chest; I was scared that someone was about to wack my family that was sitting inside, probably fighting over whose better, the Sox or the Yankees, and I was outside to be left unharmed.

“Does Giovanni know we’re coming?” Russians, I think?

“Yes, that bastard knows we’re supposed to be coming. Timberlake fucked us all over, not just him. Something has got to be done about this fucker.” Now that I knew that my father expected those barbarians I tucked the Glock in my pants, clearly visible, and walked back around the cars making it seem like I just came up from the lake down at the edge of the property.

“Can I help you gentlemen?” One of the burly men turned around as he was about to ring the doorbell and drew his gun at me.

“Relax Victor, it’s just Gio’s little girl.” Both of their gazes fell on the piece that was sticking out of my jeans.

“Gio’s little girl is packing some serious shit right now Vaughn.” I looked down with a smirk on my face and patted the gun a few times.

“Can never be too sure when you step out of the house this late. We live on 10 acres of land out here, I’m sure if someone really has in it for Daddy they’ll find their way around the dogs, although I’m not quite sure how. Anyways, I’ll let you gentlemen in, it’s getting chilly outside and you know how the Violanos get down when it comes to being on time,” It’s true, my Dad hates when people are late to meetings, or anything for that matter; he sees it as the ultimate form of disrespect, and I have to admit that he’s rubbed off on me, a lot.

“Daddy you have company.” I yelled throughout the house, not really sure of where the men in my family were at the moment. Uncle Tony, Uncle Sal, Daddy, and Gianni made their way into the foyer to greet the Russians almost as if they were trying to intimidate them (not that Gianni’s scrawny 17 year old ass is intimidating to a Russian Mafioso).

“Grazie Principessa. Gianni, Melania, go find something else to do while the grown ups talk.” Gianni grabbed his car keys off of the hook by the door and waved bye to everyone, leaving all eyes stuck on me.

“God, don’t be so obvious that you guys want me gone. I’m gonna take the M6 and head over to Dominic’s or something. I’ve got my phone if you need me.” I kissed my Dad and Uncles on their cheeks and grabbed his keys for that particular car from his hand and followed my brother out of the front door. Before I could close it I heard my name being called.

“Melania!” I poked my head back inside the half closed door to see my father’s stern look.

“Si?”

“Give me that gun. What the hell are you doing with that anyway?” I grabbed the gun from the top of my jeans and placed it in my dad’s open palm.

“Just keeping safe while I took a walk down to the lake. I didn’t know where the dogs are and I didn’t want to risk anything with all that’s going on.”

“Alright. I’ll see you later Bella, and you be safe at Dominic’s; you know how I feel about that boy and you being alone.” I rolled my eyes at him and walked out of the door and saw that Gianni was still sitting in his car on the motor court.

“Hey vacca {bitch}. What are you still doing here?” I walked up to the BMW I was taking out and got in then rolled down the windows so I could talk to Gianni.

“You ever wonder what life would be life if Mom stayed and you and Dom stayed together? Do you think you’d be living in the city the way you do? I’d probably have nieces and nephews right?”

“I don’t know about the nieces and nephews Gianni. But where are you coming from with this?”

“We were talking about it after you left the table. Dad was saying how he wishes you would settle down since you’re getting older; he was saying how he was your age when him and Mom married. What if all that shit with them never went down, do you think that Dad wouldn’t be so wrapped up in all this illegal shit?”

“I don’t know Spence.” Immediately after I said that I winced and got out of the car.

“You know how I feel about that name, don’t call me that shit.” I leaned into his window and ran my hand, well attempted to at least, through his unruly curly hair.

“Sorry. Look Gianni, don’t sit back and ask all these ‘what ifs’. Go out and enjoy your life and leave the drama up to Daddy. Fuck Mom okay? We never needed her before, don’t start wondering about her now. And as far as how I’m living, don’t worry. I’m safer where I am and I’m gonna get you out of here too. You know you can always come and stay with me when you get too overwhelmed, and you know Dominic is always willing to let you stay with him at the house. He and I are better off in the relationship we’re in now, I’m happier this way.” I had never seen my brother look that vulnerable and I was really starting to think that the way we lived was starting to get to him, hell it got to me around the same age as well.

“I get it. I’m gonna head into town, I’m meeting a few people at the movies. You wanna come with me?” I glanced down the road at the lake and looked back at him, like I really wanted to hang out with a bunch of 17 year olds. Yeah right.

“Nah, I’m gonna call Dom and see if he wants to just hang out. It’s about time for one of those nights.”

“Yeah just go easy on him Lani, I don’t think he can really handle all that ass you have back there. Remember he’s a white boy.”

“Vacagare {piss off}. Be safe driving okay boy?” I bent down and kissed my brother on the cheek and got into my dad’s black BMW and peeled out of its spot by the front door and sped down the driveway with my brother in tow. What can I say? We Violanos like to make grand entrances, as well as exits. As I turned out of the gates and down the street towards Dominic’s house my Sidekick started to ring “The Jump-off” by Lil Kim and immediately I knew who it was.

“Sorry Daddy!”

“That better have not been my brand new fucking car Melania Renee Violano.” I know my dad meant business when he uses my full name. I don't get why he's so picky about his cars (maybe that's because I don't have one).

“That was Gianni, you know me better than that.”

“Bullshit, that boy loves that car more than he loves photography. Be safe in my car please, I don’t know what I’d do if my baby got hurt at such a young age.”

“I promise I won’t fuck around anymore Dad.”

“Good because that car is brand new and expensive to fix.”

“Wow Giovanni. Goodbye, don’t wait up because I'm not coming home after that comment.”

“Wear a condom Lani, I don’t need to be taking care of another child.” I laughed and hung up on my dad, he knew me too well. As soon as I hung up on my dad I dialed a phone number I’ve called practically a million times.

“You home cutie?” God damn that boy always had a way to make me melt just by speaking.

“Yeah, I’m on my way over to your house now. Or are you busy?”

“No I just got home from being at the restaurant. I’m just gonna get in the shower but my sister stopped by to grab the last of my mom's stuff, so she'll let you in. Make yourself comfortable down and I’ll see when you I get out.”

“Alright, see you soon Dommy.”

“What’d I tell you about that Melania?”

“That it turns you on when I call you that in bed.”

“I thought we were going to forget I said that.” He laughed, there he goes again making me melt.

“No, you said to forget it. You know I don't forget things."

"You're such a bullshitter..." I cut him off before he could call me out on a lot of things I've forgotten.

"Ciao Dom.” Throwing my phone in the passenger's seat I turned up the radio and sped off down the backroads to begin an interesting night.