chapter Fourteen
Answers
Victoria
We waited all night, until my father came home. Aunt Joann came to pick Angie up after Maria realized what was going on. This wasn’t something Angie needed to or should be involved in. She’d already heard too much.
Lorenzo kept calling my phone from the time I hung up. I refused to answer him. I just wanted him to leave me alone.
Maria tried to explain as much as she could without crossing the line. Besides, she didn’t know all the details. The women never do.
We were supposed to do as the family asked and nothing more. Most of the young women, went along with it because the lifestyle that the men provided was more than adequate. They never wanted for anything.
Maria’s voice was small as she spoke. “It always starts with the first daughter of the oldest son, in the first family. If that son has no daughter, then it would be the next son. The first daughter is promised to marry the oldest son of the family with the next strongest name.
“If there’s no son, then another heir to the name is to be chosen. In the following generation, it would be the chosen son, a La Marcello male heir. He would marry the promised daughter of the family that bares the second strongest name.
“It just keeps going on and on. The cycle repeats and continues generation after generation. Your father had been the chosen son. His family thought he would handle it best.
“He took the most pride in the La Marcello name. Your Uncle Frankie doesn’t believe in the arrangements and your grandfather didn’t trust him to continue the tradition. At least, that’s what I was told,” Maria shrugs.
“I’m still trying to understand,” I say with wrinkled brows.
“I was the first born in my family. I was promised from birth to the La Marcello family. I had no idea. Not until my nineteenth birthday, when I was introduced to your father,” Maria says and wipes at a tear.
“Oh, my God, are you serious?”
“Yes,” Maria nodded. “I was in love with someone else. Much like your father, but I had to let that go for the families. We had to keep the tradition safe. The right families had to remain strong. It was what must be done,” she shrugged, but I could see the sense of pride as she went on.
“It was my greatest sacrifice,” Maria said with a distant look in her eyes. I could see she’d disappeared to somewhere far away. Something changed in that moment. I paid attention to the change.
“We found out after the marriage that I couldn’t have one of our own,” Maria continue, not coming back from wherever her thoughts had taken her.
I had the sense that there was something more that Maria wasn’t saying. I leaned in to listen closely to her words. I wanted to understand her.
“I was stunned to find out I couldn’t have his children. It must have been me. You’re proof. Something went wrong after…,” Maria fell silent.
I realized Maria had secrets of her own. Her pain in all of this went deeper than not having my father’s children, the promise, Toni, or me. She spoke as if she had lost a great deal.
I wondered what happened to the man she loved. Did he just let her walk away? I decided to ask.
“Maria, whatever happened to the man you were in love with,” I asked curiously.
The faraway look deepened in her eyes. “We were never meant to be together anyway. Our family had too many secrets and then we started to have our own,” she chuckled, “but look, I marry into a bunch of secrets anyway.
“I knew your father was in love with your mom. I just thought that the love for his family wouldn’t only make him follow the tradition, but it would make him love me too. I know he loves me, but it’s not the same.”
My heart broke to hear her words. I thought about Lorenzo. I did love him. I didn’t know how to explain it.
He made me feel like everything was perfect in the world. I felt safe with him and I knew he loved me. That was a lot different from Maria and my father’s story.
Lorenzo and I were in love. I would marry him if he asked. I can’t describe it. But I knew it for sure. I just don’t want him like this. It bothered me that he knew and didn’t tell me. It felt wrong that they were making the choice for me.
“I don’t know why yous are being introduced so early,” Maria mused.
My father walked in just as Maria spoke.
The sight of him made me furious. Maria and I both jumped to our feet. We had been sitting on the floor in the foyer, in the center of the large tiled L crest design.
My father looked surprised to see us sitting there. His eyes bounced between us both, as his brows knitted together. We didn’t give him time to figure it out.
Maria and I spoke simultaneously. “How could you?”
“What did I do now?” he laughed.
“Lorenzo, Daddy. I know what you’re up to. I know about this…this promise,” I shuddered.
The laughter died on his lips and the smile faded from his face. Rage and anger replaced it. He looked at Maria as if he were ready to spit nails.
“What have you done?”
“This isn’t on me, Venncesso,” Maria scoffed.
“What kind of idiot do you think I am? I figured it out on my own. You had me prepped, you asked me to be nice to him, and his father wants to meet me,” I hollered, “Lorenzo wouldn’t tell, but that in itself was enough to make me wonder. If he is promised, as Sharon put it and I’m to meet him, then I wonder who he’s promised to?” I cried with sarcasm.
My father looked at me puzzled. Suddenly, his expression changed to complete fury. It was enough to almost cause me to step back.
“Have you been talking to Lorenzo? I want the truth, Victoria,” he bellowed.
“Yes. What difference does that make if you’re trying to marry me off to him?” I quizzed. Sounding more irritated by the minute. “He was my boyfriend until I found out he’s a liar like you.” I throw in while I was at it.
I could see I had gone way too far. My father took a step toward me, but Maria threw herself between us. My father went to shove past her.
“Venncesso!” she screamed. “We all need to calm down. You don’t want to do something you’ll regret in the morning.”
My dad stopped and reached into his pocket. I watched him pull out his cell from his suit jacket. He dialed a number and waited.
“Hello, Alfonzo. I want to talk to your boy,” he shouted. He paused to listen, as he stared in my direction. “It seems he and my daughter have been talking a lot more than we thought.
“She says he was her boyfriend until she found out he was a liar like me. She also knows more than she should about them meeting,” he hissed. “I want to know who the real liar is around here.”
He paused again as he listened, but this time the voice on the other end was roaring back. My father shook off his blazer and threw it over a hook in the foyer, before he began pacing. I nearly started to pace with him.
“Ask him how long has he been her boyfriend? I am very interested in that,” he grunted at the phone. He stopped pacing to look at me. I felt terrible. I was getting Lorenzo in trouble, but part of me thought he deserved it.
My father’s mouth dropped open. “What! They’ve been talking on the phone since when? I thought he understood she wasn’t to know,” he bellowed.
He listened. “Yes, I know she is smart, Lorenzo. That’s why you were to wait until you were introduced.”
He was talking to Lorenzo. I was furious all over again. I felt like they were treating me like some object that could just be passed along. My father listened for a long time, nodding his head.
“I understand that, Kid, but being in love with her isn’t helping you now, is it? I don’t care if you’re against this whole thing. She sees you in the same boat as the rest of us. As I recall she just referred to you as a lying ex-boyfriend,” my father said smugly.
“No, you cannot speak to her. You two have done enough of that for now,” he yelled after a quick pause.
Another pause and my father started to pace again. “No, Alfonzo, we’ll meet just as planned tomorrow, at six. Victoria will do as she’s told. If she’s bold enough to date behind my back, then she’ll be bold enough to honor the family,” he demanded, before another pause.
“No, it’s okay, Alfonzo. I believe she figured it out on her own. That’s Victoria. I can understand him not being able to stay away from her. I wish he had tried, but I don’t blame him. We should’ve been more careful. I’ll see you tomorrow, Al. I need to deal with this,” my father sighed.
My dad hung up and turned to glare at me. He loosened his tie and unfastened his top buttons. He pressed his lips and raised an eyebrow.
“This isn’t something I wanted you to find out this way,” he shrugged, “but now you know. Lorenzo’s an eager young man that has cost us all something. However, this isn’t up for discussion.”
“Oh, no, I’m not going to be some family trade off. I don’t care to who. Lorenzo or not, I will not do it,” I blurted out.
“Victoria, you’ve no idea what you’re talking about. This is bigger than some trade off, as you call it. You should be so lucky to have it be to someone you already care for,” he demanded then looked at Maria with a pained expression. I could tell he didn’t mean to hurt her with his words.
“Why do I have to do this?” I questioned.
“Because you’re a La Marcello,” he barked.
“What does that mean? That’s not an answer. I’m tired of being treated like a child. What’s the big deal if I don’t follow this tradition,” I griped.
“You don’t want to be treated like a child? Oh, really,” my father stepped in my direction. “Fine, you’ll do this because the family depends on it. Because if you don’t, life as you know it will cease to exist. It’s your duty to protect your family. You will marry Lorenzo and honor your heritage.”
“Oh, no, I won’t,” I said stiffly.
“Yes, you will! You listen and listen well. I’ve raised you to do for your family and have pride in your name. All of that has been for now. Remember who you are. Without our name, we have nothing. If I’ve taught you nothing else, I’ve taught you this. You will not embarrass this family or me, Victoria. Do I make myself clear?”
The look on his face told me that my debate was over. I would do as he said and that was final. I knew what I had been taught about my name and my family. To a La Marcello the name was power. I had no idea the price for that power. Even as I stood there, that fact wasn’t clear.
“Yes, Papa,” I answered letting him know how fully I did understand.