Bound By Our Past

Chapter 2

Staring at the grave in front of me all I felt was relief and happiness. Had this happened 16 years ago maybe I would've felt sad and heartbroken but the man lying here in this grave wasn't my best friend.

The man lying in this grave was the man who ruined my life sure my family had a handle on it but he put the final nail in my coffin.

"l am sorry for your loss bambino" Uncle Luciano said and I laughed internally because they knew I hated the man. They had helped him ruin my life and they thought l would grieve his death. Typical mafiaso men.

"l guess it just goes to show you that death is inevitable considering that a Made Men died in his sleep." l said in a taunting manner.

l may have regretted the words as soon as l said them but it sure as hell felt good to say that. l knew they suspected foul play in his death but even so they would never find the evidence.

"That is no way to talk to the Don and moreover your uncle Aria" my dad said looking at me with a cold but guarded expression. There was a time when l listened and followed everything he said but now l hated him and everything he stood for.

He was right though. Uncle Luciano was a monster and someone not to cross.

"l apologize Don Gambino but l hope you understand that we just buried my husband and l just feel overwhelmed and heartbroken "l said looking at Luciano who was trying to read me.

"Sì Aria "he said leaving me with my father.

I hated being near my father, I hated the memories it brought.

" papa please don't "

"Papa no"

"Please don't take her away from me"

"You're crying "he said and I wiped the tear that had unintentionally slipped from my eyes. l hated showing weakness and especially to the men in my life. The men l had come to hate.

"l thought you hated him, so l figured you'd be happy that this happened "he said regarding me with a wary look and l fumed.

"l would never shed a tear for him or you either but it's just common decency and we wouldn't want people thinking that you sold your daughter right?" l said to him and he flinched. Good.

"Will you ever forgive me" he said softly at me and l smiled pulling him in a hug as l saw Elena and Savio approaching us.

"Never" l whispered with venom and l felt him swallow harshly. Back then l thrived to see him happy but now l was determined on making him as miserable as l felt. He pulled back a bit roughly and left me standing.

l pulled my kids in a hug as soon as they stood in front of me. l knew they were just as exhausted as l was about these people passing their condolences. We weren't hurt by his death rather we were just happy he was gone.

All these people were saying how much of a good man he was but not even one of the mentioned how he abused and tormented his wife and children. They didn't mention how much of a despicable human he was. He was a soldato for gods sake, l don't understand what good they saw in him.

l wanted to strangle everyone who told me that l wasn't alone. Where were they when he beat me black and blue or when he touched me, where were they when he kicked and starved my children for days. Where were they when we needed them the most and now they are claiming that am not alone. Bullshit.

"He's finally gone, right mom" my daughter said looking at me and l couldn't help but notice that her green eyes had a certain kind of glow today.

"We are finally rid of him" Savio told his sister and my heart cracked a bit. l didn't want my kids to ever fear or hate their father to such an extent. l wish they had known the young Milo l knew and not the Made men he grew into.

Milo Gambino

A loving father and doting husband.

Gone but never forgotten.

The only thing true about the words written on his tombstone was that he was never going to be forgotten. The reminders he left weren't my children but they were the scars in my body. The scars in Savio and Elena's bodies.

After the funeral l took the kids straight home. l didn't care if there was still a service in the Gambino mansion. l was done with that family.

The Gambino family may have not hurt me but they stood in the sidelines and watched. They did nothing. Uncle Luciano whom l had once loved and respected now meant nothing to me and his 3 sons who had become my brothers were now people l considered my enemies.

l understand that l wasn't blood to them but Elena and Savio are. Why didn't they stand up for them while their father humiliated them on a daily basis.

Milo didn't have as much power as they did despite the fact that he was to be my father's successor. They all gave him free reign to hurt us as much as he could.

It was hard getting the twins to sleep and when they finally did l went to the bar in our house and grabbed a whole bottle of whiskey. l wasn't much of an alcohol person but l needed it today.

l slid down against the wall and sobbed. l sobbed for my poor children who didn't know what it was like to have a father or a family at that. l cried because Milo's death didn't mean the nightmare was over but rather that a new one was about to come.

l was only 34 and according to the mafia l was still eligible to be married of to another. l hated this life with everything but leaving was impossible. The only way out of the mafia was death and l couldn't put my children through that.

My children were just 14 and they had their whole lives ahead of them but they would never reach their true potential in this place.

Once Savio was 16 then he would be inducted into the mafia and made a Made Men and at 18 Elena would be married off.

All the alternatives meant hell for my children and it broke my heart. There was nothing l could do for them even if l tried.

God Please send me a miracle.