Date – Thursday, October 31st, 2013
Time – 9:04pm
Location – Queens, NYC; Pagliarelli Compound
Setting – The Pagliarelli household is not a happy household. Angiluzza's brothers are staying over for the weekend to spend time with and comfort her, knowing she needs it despite her strong poker face. Don DeAngelo is understandably the most upset of the family and has yet to leave his office since he entered earlier in the morning. Two days has passed since the feud ended and Angiluzza has been unofficially engaged to Patrick Stark.
“Ciao, papà. Volevi vedermi?”Angiluzza's timid voice pierced the silence that lingered in her father's office, the young woman peeking around the corner of the door to see her father sitting in his favorite velvet couch with a glass of wine in his hand. She knew that he, of all people, was about as far from happy as the earth was from the sun. She could see bags under his eyes, likely from his lack of sleep the past few days. It had been only two days ago when he had learned that his father had married off his only daughter and most beloved treasure to a man that neither of them had ever met. That young man also happened to be the son of the man who started the war between their families by cutting up their family members and friends and mailing the boxes to their family wrapped like Christmas presents.
DeAngelo had come to the conclusion that his father was simply old, tired, and not willing to shed any more blood of his family. He had only done what was best for his family, knowing that his granddaughter would do anything to end the feud. DeAngelo himself was a rather traditional man, but it was no surprise that he was willing to break tradition to save his daughter's happiness. She deserved to marry a man that she loved and knew would treat her well. She didn't deserve this.
“Sì, l'ho fatto. Vieni qui, principessa.” He gave her a weak smile, motioning her to join him. She had given him a nod and closed the door behind her, tugging on the rope of her green robe. She was wearing a full set of long pajamas underneath it, but she always wore her mother's clothes when she was upset. She had been lounging around in Divinia Pagliarelli's robe since she had returned home after spending a few hours in Zane's arms.
She returned her father's smile with a faint one of her own, taking a seat next to him. The silence returned, leaving a bit of awkwardness between them until he set down his wine and turned to face her.
“Angel... Why did you do it? Why didn't you fight for another way?” Her lack of a fight had confused him and as much as he didn't want to, he suspected that perhaps she had met the Stark boy before and taken a shine to him. Though, that couldn't be any further from the truth. At least the part about her liking him.
“Because – ”, she started.
“ – you and I both know that nonno is old school and he's not going to change his mind... And I'm tired of everyone dying. I don't want you or Uncle Enzu or Gelo or Zo or anyone else to be next.” She looked down for a moment before looking back up and giving her father a grin.
“Besides – We can just pray that we get lucky and he ends up dead within the first few months. Our jobs are hazardous after all.” Her last words made her father smile and wrap his arms around her, giving her a tight hug.
“That's my girl.” They held each other for some time longer, letting themselves enjoy the silence before Angel was interrupted by a text message inviting her to a Halloween costume party. The Sicilian debated for a few moments before discreetly sending her beloved (Zane) a text message to invite him as well, informing him that she would go if he would go. She had been determined to spend as much time with him as possible until her marriage, unwilling to become an adulteress even if she would dream every night of slitting the throat of the man sleeping next to her. She would not dishonor her family, nor her God on such a level.
Date – Thursday, October 31st, 2013
Time – 9:13pm
Location – Staten Island, NYC; Home of Alexander Stark
Setting – Nothing has really changed around the Stark home since the big news. Patrick has been showing off photos of Angiluzza to anyone who will look, though his bragging isn't exactly the flattering kind. Alexander seems much more at ease and his brother William is doing well with his recovery. Patrick still has yet to visit his uncle in the hospital.
“Deal me in.” Patrick walked into the family room where his brothers Jonathan and Harrison were playing poker with his cousins Zane and Murphy. Jeremiah looked up from his book with a raised brow before shaking his head and returning to
Of Mice and Men, a book he considered elementary but still a riveting and touching read every time. Murphy gave a nod from behind his cigar before putting it in the ashtray, shuffling the cards and dealing everyone five, letting the others deal their own chips. There was a bit of silence and it did not go unnoticed by Patrick who gave a laugh before lighting up a cigarette and taking a few drags.
“Cat got your tongues? What's the matter with you lot?” He had his usual smug smile on his face, his fingers seeming to constantly be running through his hair. The bearded older man didn't mind him adjusting his hair though – It was one of his tells and generally how he robbed his younger cousin blind in every poker game.
“How could you possibly find joy in marrying a woman who'd probably much rather see your head on a pike on her fence as a warning to any other fool who thinks to have her without wooing her first?” Murphy was the first to pipe up as the game started, though as soon as he spoke it seemed like he and Patrick were the only ones able to concentrate on the game.
“Raise three large. And she didn't seem to mind at all. Not exactly the most enthusiastic bride, but she did accept willingly. Like Don Antonio said? Who are we to taint their silly honor?” He gave mocking laughter, caring little for his fiancee's family or their traditions, honestly finding it all to be boring and trivial.
Murphy cut Zane a glance before pushing forward chips as Patrick had.
“Raise seven. And it's their silly honor that has kept us all alive for so long. Had they none, they would have contacted their allies immediately rather than have prevented them from stepping in to clean us all out. Don't be stupid, kid.” Patrick didn't reply, obviously irritated with Murphy already. He never really did hide his disdain for Zane's brothers. The two of them were older and wiser and they weren't afraid to put Patrick in his place. His own father never spoke to him that way unless he was angry. Murphy was the one he didn't like the most, mostly because Murphy wasn't afraid to get physical. While Murphy wasn't as brawny as his baby brother, he was still more muscular than Patrick.
He simply bit the inside of his cheek before laying down his cards.
“Flush.” His gaze turned upwards towards Murphy's, the two of them holding their gazes, smug against stern. A light smirk grace Murphy's face as he laid out his own cards.
“Straight flush.”