Judie and I have always shared a room. Even after she got married, the space still feels like ours, like no time has passed. I've missed this. She's only been back for a few days, since her husband is away on a buisness trip. Having her here feels...familiar. Comforting even. There's something about her presence that takes the edge of the tension that always lingers in this house.
She sits on the edge of her old bed, flipping through a magazine. But I can tell, she's not really reading it. Her face is too tight, her lips pressed together as if she's thinking of something heavier than fashion or gossip columns.
I'm laying on my bed looking up at the ceiling, trying not to think too much about tonights dinner. I've been feeling off all day, like something bad is coming.
Then Judie finally looks up from her magazine, her eyes meeting mine. "You know something's up, right?" She says.
I sit up leaning against the headboard, and nod. "Yeah. Mom has been weird all day, and dad...he's too quiet. He hasn't yelled at anyone." I say.
Judie let's out a laugh. "Yeah that's how you know. When he's quiet, it's worse."
The air feels thick, and I feel a knot of dread tighten in my stomach. "What do you think it is?" I ask not really wanting the answer.
She bites her lip, then looks away. Her voice is quieter now. "Scarlett when was the last time we all sat down for a family dinner?" She asks already knowing the answer but wanting to remind me.
I pause thinking. It's been months, no it has to be more, two years maybe. Dads always doing business, and mom is locked away in her room pretending not to exist.
Family dinners doesn't happen unless somethings up. And then...it clicks.
"Last time we had dinner together was because he had arranged a marriage with me and Pablo Conti." Judie says. I don't know what to say.
She walks towards me and takes my hands in hers. Holding them tight.
"I was nineteen, just like you." She adds.
My breath catches. Pablo Conti...he was almost forty at the time, and rich, with ties to god knows how many powerful
men.
"I didn't have a say in this, and neither do you Scarlett. I need my sister alive. So please if I am right about tonight... please just do as he says." She says begging me.
Our father is capable of a lot and we both know it. He doesn't care about either of us, and I know he would kill us with pleasure, if he didn't need us.
There's a tightness in my throat, and I can't seem to find the right words. I've always known this is how my family works, but hearing her say it out loud...it's different. More real.
"Judie..." I start but she cuts me off. She knows I would rather die than to agree to this.
"I can't loose you too Scarlett." She says, eyes watering.
"So please whatever happens tonight, don't fight him. Don't argue." She says her grip tightening.
I know that if she could, she would take my place. She has always protected me. And now she won't be able to, that's what's scaring her.
A knock on the door interrupts us, and I hear moms voice from the hallway. "Girls dinner is ready." She says.
I stand up and make my way towards the door. As I open it I take a deep breath and prepare myself for what's about to happen.
Whatever it is I know it's going to change everything.
***
The clinking of silverware is loud in the silence of the dining room. I keep my eyes on my plate, pushing food around without much appetite. Mom sits stiffly across from me.
Marco Rodriguez, my father, sits at the head of the table. His presence is heavy, as always, dominating the room without a word. I've learned to avoid his gaze unless absolutely necessary. His anger is unpredictable, a storm that could hit at any moment. I feel his eyes on me now. I pretend not to notice, focusing instead on the cold pasta in front of me.
"You've barley touched your food Scarlett." Dads voice cuts through the silence, rough and commanding.
I freeze for a second before lifting my fork, bringing a bite to my mouth, even though the taste turns to ash on my tongue.
"I'm not very hungry." I murmur, knowing full well he doesn't care about my appetite. It's never about food, it's about control.
Dad sets down his glass, and the sound feels like a warning. "You'll eat what's in front of you. Don't waste what's been provided." He says.
I nod quickly. Forcing myself to chew and swallow. After everyone's finished their food father breaks the silence.
"We need to discuss something important." He says calmly. The air in the room tightens, and I can feel the shift in
everyone's posture.
I glance at mom, but she is staring down at her plate, as if avoiding the conversation entirely.
"Scarlett." Dad's voice sharpens. "You have been
summoned."
Summoned? I blink, confused.
"What do you mean?" I asks.
He leans forward, narrowing his eyes on me.
"Rowan Marino is to choose a wife within a week. 5 girls have been selected, and you're one of them." He says.
For a second, I don't process his words. Then the meaning slams into me, and I feel the blood drain from my face. Rowan Marino. The Marino family. The weight of that name crashes into me and I can barely breathe. They are one of the biggest mafias out there.
"No..." the word slips out before I can stop it.
His eyes harden and I know that was the wrong thing to say. "This is not a choice, you will do as you're told."
I am about to protest when Judie shifts uncomfortably beside me. She's seen what happens when someone disobeys him. We both have.
"You'll go, and you'll do whatever it takes to ensure you're
chosen." He snaps.
I try to swallow the panic rising in my throat. "What if he doesn't choose me?" I ask scared of the answer.
A slow, cruel smile spreads across his face. "Then you've
failed us, and you'll get what you deserve." He says.
I stare at him, my heart pounding in my chest, the world closing in. There is no way out of this. No escape.
I'm trapped.