^^^^ Isabella's Coffee ^^^^

Isabella's POV:

It was nearly time for Esmerelda's therapy session. To be honest I don't really fancy her. My life was fine when she wasn't there. Plies being her stepmother only makes the situation worse. I sound like a mean person right now but it is the truth. Both parties are uncomfortable. I saw on her documentation before I and Alberto became her guardians that she never really had a mother. Her biological mother died without even holding her daughter and after that, there were no adoptive mothers or godmothers. It was just her and an uncle or father-like figure. On top of that we are a dangerous Famiglia, us Romanos. Not to mention we are very close to the Russo's. We are basically in-laws after my eldest married their don. How are we going to mention why we go to certain Rendez-vous or balls. We are not prepared to have such an innocent, cute little girl in our dangerous and risky family. She already has been through a lot because of abuse now if we add the burden of the mafia, her frail body, heart, and soul won't be able to handle it. I have seen her during her nightmares and panic attacks. She is so fragile. I head downstairs to call her and ask her if she is ready. As I head downstairs I hear a lot of unwanted noise. What are the boys up to now? Is it Giovanni and Francesco? Can't they be on a mission with Dante and Emiliano right now? Vincenzo and Valentino. They are usually calm. Must be Sergio, the young ones always cause trouble. When will they grow up? Hasn't their father taught them anything? As I am on the stairs I get a better view of what is happening in my beautiful living room. There I saw many of my sons having a pillow fight. There are feathers everywhere. The vase on the tables are knocked off. The carpet is ruined. Oh My God. They have made a mess. I was about to scream at my son's but something catches my eye. It just makes me laugh at how much fun my sons are having after a long time. Not only my sons. My husband. Yes, the person I thought had some maturity left in his skull is having a pillow fight in the living room with Esmerelda on his back. Lorenzo isn't taking part in all of this but he is recording it. Wow, this famiglia. Who is going to clean all of this up? Obviously the maids and I.

"What is all of this," I say frighteningly loud. All my sons' heads turn this way. Even my husband and Esmeralda looked my way. I could see I scared the sh*t out of them. I am internally furious and laughing. Let the scary Mama and Wife come in. My heels excruciatingly slowly clatter the tiles.

"What is the meaning of this," I say furiously once again. I heard one of my sons take a big gulp of air.

"What no noises. There was so much noise before when you guys were creating all the mess no!" I ask. It was pin-drop silence. I love the effect I bring into these rooms. I am so powerful it is honestly insane.

"If you guys have nothing to say then let me speak of how wrong you guys are!" I say loudly. Now for the plot twist. I grab the largest pillow and smack it in my husband's torso just enough for him to fall and not hurt himself. He tips over and falls with Esmerelda on top of him.

"This is how you do it!" I say. Everybody in the famiglia looks at each other and erupts in large fits of laughter. They start fighting once again. Matteo was specifically targeting Alberto. Vincenzo and Valentino were hitting each other. So much for the twin spirit and for working together. Sergio. Sergio was hitting Dante. Lorenzo was still sitting on the side. Oh My Gosh, when will he ever learn to have fun? I get behind him and with my Mama strength, I push him into the mix. The whole family starts hitting him. Ah, poor Lorenzo. Mio Figlio. Esmerelda looks at me with a questioning look. I started heading to my office, hoping Esmerelda got the message that she is meant to follow me. I enter my office and sit on the rolling chair behind my desk. A few seconds later I hear a small knock.

"Come in," I say loud enough for the person behind the door to hear. The door opens with a creak. I have got to fix that door later. Little Esmerelda came in quietly looking down. She is so shy.

"Please take a seat, little one," I say as nicely and softly as possible. She scooted onto one of the chairs in front of me. I dialed the phone that was placed on my desk that called straight to the kitchen.

"Could you please bring some hot coffee and a glass of warm milk please, thank you," I say and end the dial. A minute later coffee and milk were brought to us. The milk was set in front of Esmerelda along with two packets of sugar. For me, a nice coffee was placed. I didn't need any extra sugar or condensed milk because the people here knew exactly how I like my coffee. After taking a sip of the hot substance I spoke.

"Now darling tells me, how are you today." I started with a very simple question.

"Ummm I'm fine, I guess." She mumbled I guess. Everybody goes with the classic 'I'm fine' answer.

"Are you really. What was the first thing you thought this morning?" I asked her a more detailed question so she would know what to answer.

"Well This morning when I woke up, I was a little frightened, scared, worried, nervous, anxious, and vulnerable." She listed out the feelings she thought she felt this morning.

"Do you know what caused these emotions?" I asked her sweetly. She took a sip of her warm milk.

"Umm, I had an um nig-ht-ma nightmare-re." She stuttered at the end. Vincenzo and Valentino told me she had a lot of nightmares and has insomnia. My poor girl. Did I just refer to her as MY girl? Oh My God, what is happening to me? She isn't even my child. Even if she is Alberto's, she isn't mine. Let me tell you some say that you shouldn't discriminate within your children but I will since I don't fancy her much and I haven't gotten to know her much. I don't even know why I am doing this therapeutic session with her. This is my psychological degree going to waste. I sigh in my head.

"Can you tell me what your nightmare was about?" I said keeping a cool voice even if my thoughts were damaging.

"Umm It was about- I'm sorry I can't," She tells me. I inwardly roll my eyes.

"Try. Breathe in and out, calmly. Nothing will happen to you. Just tell me and I will help you, I promise. I never break promises." I convinced her. She took two deep breaths and calmed her palpating heart down. She closed her eyes and I could see tears dribble down her face.

"It was my foster father. He held me by the neck. Tightly making me choke. It had left a terrible bruise. He had knives. Blades. He took his time. He took his time to carve each word into my sensitive skin. He would take pictures of what he called 'his lovely masterpiece'. He would carve until I was bathing in my own blood. He would take pictures. He even sent them to all his other friends. His other friends would hurt me too. They would r-a-a-pe me. I would cry and plead with them to stop but all they would say is 'doesn't she look cute when she cries' and do it all OVER AGAIN." Her breathing was very heavy. She was balling her eyes out. Crying hysterically. The words she spoke were nearly too much for me to handle. The real question was why was I getting angry. I don't care what happens to this little girl. I thought that was enough for today. She has already spoken a lot. I don't want there to be too much heavy dense pressure between us when we speak. She was still crying and I don't know what happened. I think it was mother's extinct but I went and hugged her 7-year-old body and rocked her back and forth. I rubbed soft circles on her back and kissed the crown of her head. Soon her breathing calmed down and her eyelids were looking heavy. Right before she shut her swollen eyes I heard her mumble.

"Thank you, Mama." I heard her mumble and my heart melted by the strange little girl in my arms.

Author's Note:

Thank you all so much, I ranked #1 in the selfharmawareness category. Please, read, comment, like, share, vote, and follow my little Shadies! 

-SLIMSHADY OUT! ✌✌✌😎😎😎