No Way Out

I stand in my father’s office, arms crossed over my chest. I want nothing to do with what he is proposing.

“Please, Serena, hear me out,” my father Gerald says. He leans back in his chair with an exasperated look on his face.

My father is the number two guy for the largest Mafia in this city, the Mancini Clan. “This is a good opportunity for you. I’ve told you; I don’t want you held down by my position in the Mafia. You deserve better than to be stuck in this life. You have a brilliant mind, and this is a good University. Why are you so hesitant?”

This is the third time we have had this conversation, and it seems his mind is made up. I’m about to turn twenty-one and my longtime boyfriend is returning from college soon. Damian Mancini. Yes, the Don’s son.

I can’t help but protest. “I don’t want to go away to university. I finished my online degree because you did not want me to go to the local colleges and Damian will be coming home next winter.”

I was forced to do an online degree because my father was worried that something would happen to me if I went to one of the local Universities. He said they would not be able to offer me security without it being obvious, which would draw more attention to me.

I always thought I’d stay here and work for the Don. My degree is in finance. They have no issues with my younger brother Elijah staying here, and my mother does not try to stop my father from making these choices for me.

“The arrangements are made. You will be at school with Amanda, she’s going to be there too. It will be good for you to catch up with her, it’s been years.” Amanda is my cousin who I haven’t seen since we were kids. She lives in another part of the country, her family not involved in the Mafia. Her father is my mother’s brother.

“It doesn’t matter that I don’t want to go?” I ask, hoping one last plea will get me somewhere.

“No, it does not. And you are late to your training, so run along,” he waves me off dismissively.

I know he feels bad about sending me away and in his heart, he feels like this is what’s best for me. He never cared much for Damian anyway, Mancini or not. Mr. Mancini thought it would be great if I married his son, but he wasn’t going to argue with my father about it.

I turn on my heel and head towards the door. “Fine, since I have no choice.” I open the door and slam it behind me. He needs to know how angry I am.

I storm down the hall just as my mother comes around the corner. She grabs my elbow. “Where are you off to so angry?”

I pause, pushing my long blond hair behind my ears. I look so much like my mother, tall, blonde, bright blue eyes. She was a black belt in Jiu Jitsu and now she has me training like I’m an MMA fighter. She says it’s so I can protect myself if a rival mafia were to come after me. That’s probably her greatest fear, and just another reason why they want to send me away.

“I’m not in the mood, Trina.” She calls her mother by her first name because she’s upset that her mother hasn’t done anything to stop this plan of her father’s.

Trina takes a step back. “Excuse me, I am your mother. Show some respect.” My fiery temperament is something I got from my mother too. Trina looks ready to drag her outside and show her who’s boss.

Trina sighs and takes a deep breath. “It’s going to be fine. Your father wants what’s best for you and so do I. The mafia life is not for everyone, and we really want you to have a normal life, like I did. I only came into this because of my love for your father.”

“I would be fine. I am a fighter now, I haven’t lost a cage match yet.” I puffs her my chest, taking advantage of my 5’9” height as I stand taller than my mother.

“I spoke to your Uncle Milo. Amanda will arrive the same day as you. We managed to secure you a small bungalow off campus, so you two will have your own house. I expect you to make this work Serena, don’t disappoint me.”

With that, Trina walks down the hall to Gerald’s office.

“Can you believe my father won’t even hear me out,” I complain to my best friend Angelica. I'm so mad that unshed tears glisten in her eyes. “He doesn’t care that I don’t want to leave.”

Angelica shakes her head and laughs. “Serena, it can’t be that bad. At least you have an out, I am stuck here forever. My father wants me to marry into the family so that I’m always taken care of.”

“Don’t you think it will be good to spend time with your cousin, maybe meet some hot guys at that college. You’re going to have your own place even,” Angelica points out.

I’m still not sure and I hate that I must leave my town. This is my home, I’ve never left Brookville. “I really love it here though, and I hear that Pinecraft has mafia clans there too, so how does he figure he’s pulling me out of this?”

“Just look at this as an opportunity to see some other parts of the country,” Angelica says.

“You have some points, but what about Damian? He’s going to be returning from Harvard and we are supposed to be together, he promised he’d marry me when he got back.”

“What if it does not work out with him though? It has been three years since he went off to college and he barely even calls. Just take this chance, if Damian loves you then he will wait for you to finish school just like you have waited for him,” Angelica points out.

I throw Angelica a look, of course he loves me. Shaking my head, I pull her into one of the boutiques I’ve been wanting to go to. If my father is sending me off to school then I’m getting new clothes, on his dime.

As we enter, the chimes on the door ring and a woman comes out from the back. “Hello ladies, can I help you find anything?”

“Serena here is going off to University in a few days and she’s going to need some new outfits,” Angelica tells the woman. “Oh Serena, this is my Aunt Faye. She owns the boutique.”

“I never knew that,” I say. “I figure if my dad is forcing me to go, I should get some new clothes. Show me what you have, that is the latest fashions. Oh and I’m going to need a cocktail dress, you know in case I want to attend a charity event or something.”

I wink at Angelica. We are always going to these charity events with our parents. The mafia has to put on a good show, as if they are great citizens of the town. There is a whole wing at the hospital, Enzo Mancini paid for and is named after the Mancini family.

After a few hours of trying on clothes, I walk out with five shopping bags and a dress that is slung over my arm in a garment bag. I called one of the guys to come pick us up so we wouldn’t have to carry all of this or pay for a cab. As we walk out, a black sedan rolls up in front of the store and one of the Mancini soldiers steps from the car and opens the back door.

Hector, I think is his name, I don’t pay much attention because I’m supposed to marry Damian. Hector is cute though, with a bright smile as he pulls his shades down. “Ladies,” He nods at us as we climb in the car and then we drive off.

“He’s cute,” Angelica whispers. “Is he new?” I shrug. I honestly don’t have any idea, there are so many of these guys and they all dress basically the same. “Ask him his name.” She nudges my shoulder.

I roll my eyes and clear my throat. “Um, excuse me, Hector right?” He turns in his seat, smiling.

“That’s me.”

“Great. We’d like to grab lunch; can you take us to the diner?” He nods in return and turns back around. When we say the diner, there’s only one we can go to, and it’s owned by my father. It’s simply called Gerald’s Diner, but everyone who knows anyone in the mafioso, knows it’s his.

When we arrive at the diner, Hector steps from the car and opens the door for us. “I will be right outside the door, ladies.” Always, with the security. I roll my eyes and drag Angelica into the diner.

We take a seat in a back corner booth. Our server comes up to the table, she recognizes me right away. “Oh, hi Serena! What can I get you?”

“Hey Margie, can we just get two burgers and a couple of strawberry shakes? I’m eating my sadness away.” Margie jots down the order and tucks her pad into her apron.

“What’s up? Why are you sad?” Margie asks, leaning her hands on the table. Margie has worked at this diner since I was a kid, she will die here. I mean that only because she is very loyal to my father, ever since he helped her escape an abusive marriage. My parents gave her an apartment and a job, helped get her kids into the best school in the area and then took care of the asshole husband. Whatever that means.

Angelica giggles, she’s always been a giggler. “Serena has to go away for college. Her parents are making her. They don’t want her in the ‘Life,’” she says with quotations.

“Oh, I can understand that. I’m planning to keep my boys away from it. Don’t get me wrong, your dad did a lot for us, but I want them to go to college and make their own way in life. Somewhere else. Where are they sending you?” she asks.

“Pinecraft. To the big University there.”

“Oh,” she bites her lip. “You know that there is a big mafia presence there? I’ve heard that the Don, his last name is De Luca, he’s young and handsome. Ruthless too.” She shrugs. “Just be careful, don’t tell anyone who you really are.” She gives us a smile and walks back to the kitchen.

Angelica looks at me, eyebrows raised. “See, didn’t I tell you? Hot men.” She winks.

“Don’t even go there! I do not care about running into any mafia lords.” Angelica just smiles and leans back in her seat as we wait for our food.