Daughter of a Don

New Beginnings

            Things continued on as they had been, and Jenna’s father seemed to be happier and more settled than she had ever seen him before. He seemed to be truly content and Jenna, Vinny, and Ms. Kessler were in return. He seemed like the father that Jenna used to know. The one who had been fun and fun loving, and carefree. It was good to have him back. Jenna wondered why that had ever changed. She wondered if he would tell her if she asked. But on the other hand, she didn’t know if she dared ask such a bold question. After all, she didn’t want her father to think that she had any ill will towards him or give any inclination that he had not been a good father because that was not true. He had always had her best interest in mind, and he had always taken care of her and made sure she had what she needed, and usually what she wanted, as well as kept her safe. And he had done the same with Vinny thus far. He was a good father regardless of his other not so favorable life choices, such as how he had lived his life and how he had generated his income. But Jenna figured she was no one to judge, especially since she didn’t know any of the back story. She figured that Ms. Kessler may even know but she didn’t think she would divulge anything about it, as she never discussed things about Jenna’s father without his permission, or without having talked to him about first. Ms. Kessler had always respected Jenna’s father. And with her it never seemed to be out of fear. They always seemed to have a mutual respect for one another. But Jenna didn’t know where that stemmed from either. There had always seemed to be more between them than an employee and employer relationship. She never remembered a time that Ms. Kessler hadn’t been around or hadn’t been there for her. She had even come to her school events.

                Jenna drew a little courage and asked Ms. Kessler about her father and what had happened to change him like that, but as she suspected Ms. Kessler told her that would be something that they would need to discuss with her father. Jenna wondered if Ms. Kessler would tell her father that she had asked about it, and then she immediately regretted asking about it. But she really wanted to know. Maybe Ms. Kessler wouldn’t say anything about it to him. Who knew? But if she did Jenna figured her father would address it with her, as he always did. But that didn’t mean that she would get a straight answer it just meant that he would let her know she had been curious. That was how it always worked. He sometimes didn’t answer the question at all. He had a way of sugarcoating things, or dancing around the answer if he thought it was something she shouldn’t know for some reason, or something he didn’t think was appropriate to share with her. And since she didn’t know the origin of the answer to this question she didn’t know if he would answer at all. Jenna would just have to impatiently and nervously wait and see what happened.

                The answer came quicker than Jenna would have thought. That night after dinner they sat out on the patio around the pool while Vinny played. Ms. Kessler was present as well, which was somewhat unusual because her father usually addressed her on his own for these talks. He explained to Jenna that he knew she had been curious about things and that he thought she was old enough to understand. He also said that he had asked Ms. Kessler to join them. He started by saying that a lot had transpired but he would give it his best shot to explain it all rationally and in a way that she would understand, but that he would try to make it a shorter version and gave a light hearted laugh. And at that Ms. Kessler smiled at him. He explained that he had met Jenna’s mother when they were quite young. They had been in high school. Back then things had been very different for him. He said that he had never thought in a million years that he would have ended up on the path that he did. He explained that his father had been in the position that he had been in over the past several years. His father had expressed to him several times that he wanted him to take over “the family business”, but he had always refused. He didn’t want any part of that kind of life. Jenna wanted to ask what had changed because he had clearly at some point changed his mind. But she waited, she figured he would get to that if she waited long enough. She tried to listen without interrupting. He told her that his plan had been to get married to her mother, raise a family and have a normal life far away from that life. But he never got the chance. He explained that her mother had been his whole world and when he lost her everything changed. He had become obsessed with revenge and making the man who was responsible pay. Jenna was confused then, she didn’t know what that had to do with anything, and what did he mean the man responsible? She knew her mother had died when she was young, but she never knew the circumstances to which it had happened. She had been told it was in a car accident. He must have seen the questioning on her face because he said I know that probably is confusing, but I will clear that confusion up for you. He went on…. “you see Jenna your mother did die in a car accident, but that car accident had been caused by Jonas Russo and his men. It was to get my father’s attention. They had been fighting a turf war back and forth and my father, your grandfather refused to lose. He had done things, things that caused Russo to want to make him pay. And the way he chose to do that was to take your mothers life. But what he didn’t understand was that my father didn’t care anything about that. He hadn’t hurt him. But he had me, and losing her awakened something inside me that was hell bent on making them pay, but over time I have seen that the I never really accomplished anything more than making my self even more unhappy, miserable in fact, and I lost sight of the most important things. I never should’ve taken that position, I should have stayed true to my heart and raised you as I had wanted to, even thought it was without your mother. I am sorry it took me so long to realize it. But as soon as I did I found the first way out I could”.  Jenna didn’t know what to say. She was at a loss for words. So, she waited to see if he would say anything else. Jenna looked to Ms. Kessler and she just smiled at Jenna. She had known all of this. She must have been with her father through it, but how? She thought that she had been hired on later. Her father cleared his throat, and he said “Jenna, this next part may come as a bit of a surprise. You see Ms. Kessler, isn’t just our housekeeper. In fact, she isn’t the housekeeper at all she just has always assumed that role. So, I put her on staff so that she could be kept close, and to always be with you and watch you grow as your mother would have wanted. You see Ms. Kessler is your Grandmother. She was your mother’s mother. She hasn’t always been like family. She has always been family”. Jenna was so overwhelmed with emotion. She wasn’t sure how to respond and since she lost all hope of forming audible words, she just leaped into Ms. Kessler’s arms and hugged her as she had so many times before. Ms. Kessler had always been there for her. Jenna had always thought of her as family, and the closest thing she had ever had to a mother, but she had been wrong. Ms. Kessler wasn’t the closest thing to a mother she had. She was her grandmother. It made perfect sense. Jenna wondered how she hadn’t known. Jenna’s mother had even resembled Ms. Kessler. Jenna could clearly see that. This was hear warming, and game changing. Jenna’s heart was so full.

                After learning the truth Jenna felt as though she had been given a fresh start with the family she had always wanted. She continued to go to school online and graduated with high honors. She still kept in touch with her friends, and even went to see them from time to time. Of course, she couldn’t reveal that her father was still alive, but that was okay. She was so thankful for everything that she had been given. She was so happy that her father had chosen to take this new path. She was so happy to have him back. She knew in her heart that her mother was smiling down on them and that she would be so happy and proud of them all. Jenna wished that she could be there to share it all with them, but at least she had her grandmother. That made Jenna feel as thought she had part of her mother, or at least part of her past, and what had made her who she had been. Jenna’s father said that her grandmother was a lot like her mother, and Jenna was a lot like both of them. He always told her how proud it made him because he knew that they were good people.

                Jenna had never gone back to New York and she was just fine with that. She didn’t ever really have anything there that was more than material things, which had been burned to the ground. She had nothing to go back for. She was happy right down to the ground with where she was. However, the physical address didn’t mean much, sure it was beautiful and peaceful, but in her heart, she knew that home would always be where her family was.