The Choices We Made (A Mafia Romance)

Chapter One- Coralie

I expected the day to be gloomy and dull and perhaps, even rainy as it was the day when my parents would be lowered six feet into the ground. Such weather was befitting for such a momentous occasion. But instead, the sun shone brightly, casting its cruel golden light on the emptiness of the moment.

The sun beat down on my head, it's heat penetrating through the black hat that I had on. I adjusted my dark shades as I stared at the preacher, barely listening to what he was saying. As the service dragged on, I longed for it to end. I wanted to put this whole ordeal behind me. After giving my speech, which I specifically composed to be deeply emotional, I listened to other people give their speeches for about half an hour. I walked over to their coffins to pay respects for the last time. My eyes stung with unshed tears as I stared at my mom's pale lifeless body. She used to be so bright and filled with life. Then my dad, his face still maintained that grumpy look even in death. After their coffins were closed , we proceeded to the graveyard with the annoying clicking sound of cameras at our heels.

I watched as their coffins were being lowered into the freshly dug ground. Sobs erupted from different people behind me while I stood there, not shedding a single tear. Instead of feeling sad, I felt empty and angry. Though, it seemed like most people expected me to be bawling out my eyes. But how was I supposed to mourn them with the level of anger I felt? I felt so angry that entertaining a feeling of sadness was impossible for me.

Different people that I have never met came forward to give their heartfelt condolences while I just stood there, dreading everything that would happen after this burial. And by that, I mean my meeting with my lawyer.

"Coralie!" A familiar voice called out to me from behind me. Turning around, I saw three figures walking towards me. As they drew closer, I recognized them as my parents' siblings.

I barely spoke to these people so I felt awkward while waiting for them to reach me.

"Hi," I greeted, trying to be polite.

I was caught off guard as they pulled me into a group hug, which made me feel weird because they never striked me as the affectionate type but then again, I barely knew these people so I should not judge a book by its cover.

For the next couple of minutes, they expressed their condolences, telling me how sorry they were that I had to deal with the loss of my parents at this time in my life. Again, I was caught off guard by the sincerity in their voices. They sounded sincerely concerned.

"You know, you can come and stay with us for as long as you need." My aunt, Beverly said.

Then my other aunt, Grace, chimed in.

"We just want to make sure that you are okay. We know this is a difficult time for you and that you need time to heal,"

"Just know that we are here for you," My uncle, Gavin, added.

They all exchanged looks of concern and honestly, I was a bit overwhelmed by their kindness. They obviously did not have the best relationship with my parents but they were still looking out for me.

I expressed my gratitude towards them and politely turned down their offers. They all lived at least three hours away from here. I had a lot to do here and I could not leave my sister.

After the funeral service, I climbed into the car with the driver and my mom's personal assistant, Keira, who drove me to the hospital where my sister still lay in a coma. As we drove, I watched the tall buildings in the city streets fly by through the window as my mind raced with thoughts of my sister as well as the meeting with the lawyer tomorrow. I could not help but think about what the future might hold. I did not realize that we had gotten to the hospital until Keira tapped me. I got down and made my way to my sister's room, sitting down by her bedside.

I could not help the feeling of hopelessness and sadness that overwhelmed me the moment that I set my eyes on her unconscious form. She looked so pale and lifeless. Her cheeks that used to be filled with color were now pale and hollow. The doctors said she had experienced extreme shock during the accident which led to her passing out. The injuries she had sustained were some burns on her back and some scratches here and there. It was all just so overwhelming and I did not know what to do.

A tear drop escaped from my eyelid as I struggled with the different negative emotions coursing through me. I quickly wiped it away and held her hand gently. I was told that I could speak to her since hearing a familiar voice might help stimulate the brain and encourage healing so I took a deep breath and started to speak.

"Hey, Natalie. It's me, your sister, Cora."

I sniffled and chuckled slightly.

I told her about how my day went, the funeral and all, describing everything in as much detail as I could remember.

"I know that you're in there somewhere. You're just not able to respond right now. But I'm here for you, I always will be. I'm going to come here everyday, I'll speak to you and tell you about everything that has been going on. I'm not going to give up on you, Natalie."

"I remember I used to hate being called Cora when we were younger. I'd call you Nattie in return, just to piss you off and you would go bunkers on me," I chuckled again, reminiscing about the short time we spent together as little kids.

"Nattie, things are so different now. It's now you and I against the world. I can't do this alone, I need you here with me."

As I said these words, I could not help but sob. I did not have the best relationship with my parents but Natalie had always the closest person to me, despite the arguments and all. I could not lose her too. Then I would be all alone in this cruel world.

I spent a few more hours with her, reminding her of the fun time we spent together as kids and how we could do much more when she woke up. Then I spoke to the doctors. Their words were not encouraging, they said Natalie's chances were getting slimmer. But I still had hope.

I returned back to my parents' vacation house, which was now my home. The other house that had been damaged in the fire was currently undergoing repairs. The house was empty as I had asked the few people that worked here to take a break.

As I stepped through the door, the weight of today's events hit me like a ton of bricks. I had tried to ignore the pain I felt but it was overwhelming. All I could think about was how I had lost my family. They were gone, just like that.

As I walked into my room, I was met with the mess that I had left behind in the morning. Clothes were strewn across the floor and my bed was unmade. The sight of the jumble added to my exhaustion.

I took off my clothes and stepped into the bathroom, turning on the shower. As the water cascaded down my back, I tried to relax and silence my thoughts. But it was impossible.

Since the night of the fire, I have been finding it difficult to take long showers because of the thoughts that often drift through my mind. I rushed through the process of washing my body and hair and stepped out of the shower, eager to get out of the bathroom and away from the bad memories of the events of that day.

I put on comfortable clothes and climbed into bed, hoping to fall asleep soon since I was exhausted. But I could not sleep. My mind kept racing, circling back to the events of the day over and over again. I tossed and turned, the sheets felt suffocating.

Finally, I gave up on trying to fall asleep and decided to head downstairs to the bar. I poured myself a glass of wine and carried it into the living room, where I settled into a comfortable chair close to the window. I watched the shadows play across the room in the dim light of the moon. The only sound was the ticking of the clock that was hung up on the wall, interrupting the stillness.

Meanwhile, my mind kept returning to the events of several nights ago. To think that I was getting laid while my parents and sister were fighting for their lives in a fire. The pungent smell of smoke was etched into my memory permanently and I could still hear the crackling of the flames. But the most vivid memory of that night was the panic that I had felt when I returned home to meet that disaster. I kept wondering if there was something I could have done differently, if I could have saved them if I had not snuck out or if I would have been in a casket too or in a coma. My heart ached at the thought of what they must have gone through in those gruesome final moments.

As I looked out of the window at the dark night sky, I kept delving deeper and deeper into my thoughts until the wine began to take effect. My eyelids got heavier and I found myself drifting to sleep on the couch.

I was going to meet with the lawyer in a couple of hours and he was going to read my parents' will. The will reading would reveal my parents' wishes. It would be a first step into a future that I desperately tried to avoid. But that was the future that my parents wanted for me but I did not know if I could live up to their expectations. I was not ready.