23. Christina
Christina
23
“Christina.”
“Christina, are you listening to me?”
“Christina! Answer me right now!”
I startle and blink, looking around me. I’m standing in the center of the grand foyer, the late afternoon sunlight shining in on me. My mother is standing to my right and she looks extremely pissed off.
“How many times do I have to call your name to get a response? Being disrespectful like that isn’t like you.” She snaps, frowning at me.
I wince. “Sorry. I was lost in thought, and I didn’t hear you.”
“Fine. Follow me.”
I raise an eyebrow but do as she says, following her up the stairs two at a time.
“Mom, is everything okay?” I ask, carefully. She’s acting really weird.
We arrive at the door to my room, and she holds out her phone. I take it cautiously and look down.
She has it open to a picture of a beautiful pink dress with silver rhinestone beading on it.
“Wow, this is gorgeous,” I say, handing it back to her.
“I thought you might want to have it,” she says softly.
I look up at her in surprise. “Why do I need a dress like that?” I ask.
She smiles at me. Her previous irritation forgotten.
“I know how badly you want things to feel normal and I can’t give you that but, Albert and I have tickets to go to the big movie premier coming up. Red carpet and everything. It’s a romantic comedy starring that hunky Irish actor you like. The Midnight Alchemist. I thought you’d want to go.”
I stare at her blankly.
“One of the women at work has a daughter your age, and she was talking about it. I just assumed you’d want to go.” She looks up at me.
Go to a movie premiere? Really?! I can’t believe it. I thought for sure I’d be banned.
“Of course, I do. Thanks Mom!” I exclaim, wrapping my arms around her in a big hug. Her arms circle me, holding me tight for a brief moment.
Her hug reminds me of when our lives were simpler and I get a jolt of sadness. I don’t remember the last time my mom hugged me like this.
“I love you, Mom,” I whisper fiercely.
She tightens her arms around me. “I love you too, Darling. You’ll understand it all one day. I promise.”
When we part, I reach for the phone and stare down at the dress. It really is beautiful.
“Before you start making plans, know that we still need to talk to Albert first about the logistics,” she reminds me.
I pull back. “Why? I don’t need his permission to go.”
She shakes her head. “We’re married and we make decisions as a team. I’m telling you, we’re going to talk to Albert first.”
I scowl at her.
“And what if I want to take a date? Are you really going to let him cancel it if I invite someone to go with me?”
She eyes me curiously.
“Who is your date?”
I open my mouth to answer and Nico steps into the room. I screech and take a step back. I never even heard him come back into the house.
“Where the hell did you come from?!”
“Christina, language!” Mom admonishes.
“Please, Christina, tell us all more about your date.” Nico says. His dark eyes are boring into mine and I feel very, very nervous.
“I’m just saying, I could get asked and I should have the freedom to say yes or no, That’s all.”
“Who asked you?” Nico says through gritted teeth.
I sigh. I knew I shouldn’t have mentioned it.
“Jimmy.”
He exhales slowly and then steps into the room and grabs my elbow. I feel the weight of his stare like a hundred-pound brick on my heart.
“Let’s go,” he says, pulling me towards the stairs. I don’t resist. It would be useless to try. He pulls me all the way down to Albert’s office.
With a sharp knock on the door, we both enter. Albert is sitting at his desk studying a stack of paper.
“What is it?” He snaps.
Nico pushes me a little, crossing his arms against his chest. “Go ahead, Christina. Tell him what you just told me.”
I glare at him. “Where do you get off ordering me around like that?” I hiss.
Albert makes a rude noise. “If you’re going to act like children, do it elsewhere. I’m busy.”
I shoot Nico a withering glance.
“Albert, I would like to go to the movie premiere.” I say, confidently.
Nico scoffs but I do my best to ignore him.
Albert considers me, not responding right away.
I’m annoyed on so many levels. No one else my age has to ask permission to go places like this.
This life is absurd.
“Did someone ask you?” Albert asks.
I tense. I can feel the anger radiating off Nico.
“Yes. Jimmy Cosa. I haven't answered him yet.”
“I see.”
Albert looks to Nico.
Nico scowls. “He wants to fuck her during the afterparty, not take her and show her off.” He says, matter-of-factly.
I hate the way he says that. It sounds so brutal. I shift back and forth, uncomfortable.
Albert’s lips curve into a sneer.
“No,” he says, firmly.
I hear Nico huff a quiet laugh and I want to slap him.
Little does Albert realize; Nico has the exact same motivations as Jimmy. And so does Enzo.
My cheeks heat.
Nico is playing to his father’s old-fashioned tendencies and using them to control my social life. Meanwhile, he does far worse when no one is looking.
“Please,” I say, trying to think of a reason that’ll convince him to reconsider.
“Are you going?” Albert turns to Nico.
Nico shrugs. “I hadn’t thought about it. Seems like a waste of time.”
“You can go if they go,” Albert says.
I groan.
“If she can’t go without us, she might as well be our date. That way we can keep an eye on her all night.” Nico muses.
Albert considers us, scratching his chin.
“Fine. Now get out. Both of you.”
Nico nods and grabs my elbow, leading me out of the office almost as quickly as he led me in here.
“You’re not going anywhere with Jimmy, Angel,” he snarls once we’re out of earshot. “What part of ours did you not fully understand? There are no other men for you. It’s just us.”
I want to protest – to tell him that Jimmy has been nothing but friendly and kind to me. But I know it will fall on deaf ears. So, I keep my mouth shut.
I don’t mind going with the guys. If anything, it’s kind of the dream scenario. But it would have been nice if they had asked instead of just commanded that I go with them.
Sometimes the illusion of choice is enough to make everything feel just a little better.