A Family Reunion.

Marie's POV

In about an hour I arrived in my house and shifted about excitedly as the gates to my house opened, the intricate designs and artistry of the gate still left me stunned as it had years ago.

The driver drove up to the entrance of the house where the steps lead up to the door, at the door stood an old man with a towering height, the man smiled deeply as he saw the car pull up to where he stood and gently walked down, immediately the car stopped I jumped out from it and ran towards my father hugging him as tightly as possible.

"Hey now, I am an old man Marie" her father said back as he embraced his daughter, they stood there locked in each other's hands for a little more than a moment.

"I missed you so much Daddy" I said to him whilst I wiped the tears from my face, he chuckled as he held me, his voice sounded deep and reassuring, making me feel even more at peace.

He held me at arms length then turned me around in a circle, "You've grown so much" because holding my arms tightly "You look just like your mother" he added looking a bit nostalgic, I sniffed before hitting him in the chest.

"Of course I'm a fully grown woman" I said back at him, he laughed then gestured me inside, "I don't see Dante around, where is he?" I asked looking around for my younger brother

"Ooh him, he's around, you'll see him soon enough" my father responded, we walked into the house, looking around I saw that the house remained just as it had been, not a single change, I smiled to myself happily.

"Good afternoon sis" I heard a voice behind me saying, I turned around in a blur hoping to see Dante, rather stay I saw was a man just as tall as my father, it was Dante but at the same time it wasn't him, it wasn't my little brother anymore

"Dante?" I asked just to be sure

"Yeah sis, it's been a while" he said coming to hug me, I still stood frozen in surprise, nothing had prepared me for this, it's like he had eaten some growth hormones or something because this was way too much

Still I hugged him with every once of strength I had, he hugged me back but not with as much passion, he has always been like that, nonchalant and unbothered that's why I had always tried my best to reach out to him no matter what

"What have you been eating?" I said in a laughing tone, he blushed a bit before looking away, but I continued knowing that he wasn't good with compliments.

"You've gotten so big and tall, you even have a beard" I said touching the hair on his chin that seemed to have started coming out not too long ago, he pushed past me trying to avoid the embarrassment 

"I got something for you" he said pulling out a box from his pocket, I looked at him a bit surprised, he was never the type to buy gifts for people no matter what and yet here he was offering me a gift

"Thank you so much Dante" I said gratefully as I took the gift from him, it was a small black box, feeling excited I opened the lid and saw a delicate neck chain embedded with emerald, it was absolutely stunning, i looked at it for longer than necessary before he took it from me and told me to try it on.

I lifted my hair and turned around, the jewelry was just perfect, it blended properly with my skin tone and almost had the same color as my eyes, I turned back at him and hugged him once more, he patted my head in response.

"Take you hands of my head" I slapped them away playfully, "It's beautiful Dante, thank you so much" I said to him, "Don't sweat it, you deserve at least this much" he replied before turning around and leaving, I watched him go knowing that I would go disturb him in his room later in the day or maybe at night.

I turned back to my father who had been watching the both of us from the beginning smiled at me "It really matches your eyes" he said to me, then he began walking to the stairs up to his room "Come Marie, let's have a discussion upstairs" he said.

I tensed up a bit seeing as he just immediately becomes serious all of a sudden, his steps weren't smooth as though he limped, his forehead was covered in beads of sweat, he wasn't okay so I followed after him.

As we got into the room he sat on the bed comfortably and seemed to relax, as if it was painful enough for him to walk.

"Dad are you okay?" I asked looking bothered, he saw the expression on my face and smiled at me "It's nothing Marie, I just have Arthritis in my legs, makes in difficulty to walk around" he said

I went over to the bed and took of his footwear, then I noticed that the joints where swollen or inflated, I touched them a bit and saw my father's face twitch in pain, I looked around the room and found some oil then began rubbing it over his legs.

"You just came back Marie, you really don't have too, I'll be fine after I take some drugs" my father said to me but it fell on deaf ears, he gave up after trying to convince.e otherwise a few more times

I slowly began massaging the oil into his feet, I stroked it gently, careful not to hurt him, he was already in enough pain as it is, after a few minutes had passed he seemed more composed and more at ease

"So what do you want to talk about?" I asked him after washing my hands on the bathroom, he sat up and looked at me with a different expression on his face, he looked a but sad

"Come Marie, what do you still think about the family?" He asked expectantly, I knew what he was getting at but there was no harm is answering he question.

"Well, I still feel that the family could be better, I feel we don't have to get things through maiming, killing or oppressing others for it, I believe that there is more than one way to settle things amicably without the use of violence, we don't have to be like the other Mafia families, we could be different and unique, special" I said pouring out my heart to my father.

"Do you really think a Mafia family can stay in top without the use of violence and bloodshed, we are the Mafia, we force fear into the hearts of those who disrespect us, we show no mercy to those that abuse us, do you really think there could be another way?" He asked me

I nodded, "I truly believe it father, I trust we can still be the Mafia without resorting to violence, we could help others, the needy and those that seek our help, we mustn't necessaryily be greedy and always wanting to take from anyone just because they don't accept us" I said

My father sighed in distress and covered his face, he took in deep breaths and looked at me "You know You're the first born child, Dante isn't of age yet and he doesn't seek to be interested in taking over the family so that just leaves you" he said then continued

"Do you really want to take over the family with this kind of mentality?" He asked me

"What's your with my mentality?" I asked feeling a bit slighted

"Marie, you aren't supposed to be in this world of Mafia and violence, you're caught a kind hearted soul, caring and loving, affectionate, I feel bothered about having to push this responsibility on you" he said to me

I smiled at him understanding what he meant, "I won't be alone father and besides you're not going anywhere right now, Dante is going to be there if I need advice or help or matters like this, we are together, we are a family" I said

My father looked at me with hesitation, there was something in his eyes that he didn't want to admit, I watched him closer and for a brief moment he looked scared of maybe I was just imagining it, but he doesn't look happy or relieved.

"You're right, we aren't going anywhere anytime soon" he smiled at me hiding the concerned expression he has earlier on his face, he held my hands tightly and kisses them. I smiled back at him seeing as he felt relieved then I decided to ask him the question that had been on my mind for quite some time.

"Father, at the airport the driver said you had a guest that was coming and you needed to take care of him "

A trouble expression quickly covered his face, he looked beyond bothered as though the person that was coming has enough trouble to break the family apart, it made me concerned that someone could make my father feel so troubled.

"It's a member of the branch house of the Lucchese family, he wants to come pay me a visit but as for the purpose of thr visit i am not sure" he said to me

I paused for a bit trying to understand what he just said, a person from the Lucchese family was coming here? For what? Why? The great families were known in their own lands and didn't try to cross over to each other's territory so if one of them was coming here then it meant nothing but trouble.

"Father are you sure you have no idea about why he's coming here?" I asked, my father gently shook his head

"I don't have a clue as to why he would want to come here but I was on good terms with his parents so maybe he doesn't have any bad intentions towards us" my father said hopefully

I nodded my head hoping he was right, I couldn't imagine the problems that would occur if a great family took interest in them, but thankfully father was on good terms with them so it was a good thing right?

A knock came from the door distracting both me and my father from our discussions

"The guest is here Boss" a voice called out from the door, no doubt one of the men that worked under my father, his face immediately grew tense as though he hadn't been expecting the guest so soon.

He got up and wore his shoes, "My legs feel much better Marie, thank you" he said, I smiled at him then opened the door, "Come, let's go see who the hell is making you so tense"

We walked downstairs in a hurry, standing at the entrance of the door stood a man standing even taller than my father, his build was immaculate and masculine, with thick locs of black hair falling down across his face, his jawline was impeccable as if chiseled by the gods themselves and his eyes, they were so blue, so deep, they had insurmountable depth to them abd those same eyes were looking at me.

I forced myself out of the trance and looked at my father, I stood back while my father stepped forward and shook hands with him.

"Roberto, it's been too long, I've missed you" the man said back, his voice was a deep baritone and pleasing to the ears, he held a blue document in hand before he turned to look at me then winked.

"Good e...even

ing" I said, my voice caught on my throat, I gazed at the beauty of this man unwilling to look away.