Chapter 6: Her Vulnerability
"Get in. Excuse the mess," Marcella smiled awkwardly placing the shoes she wore the previous day in the shoe rack.
She looked at her congested living room. She couldn’t afford a bigger place as she valued safety over comfort. This is a safe neighborhood for her. No one knew who she was here.
She picked up the fashion magazine that was sprawled on the couch. "Make yourself at home," she smiled at Tony and gestured for him to sit. "I’ll put the kettle on for you," she said walking to the kitchen.
He has helped her a lot in the past. This was the first time Tony was in her house and she wanted to give at least something back to him.
"You’re a lot like..."
"Like?" Marcella paused and turned to look at him. He was standing with his hands inside his trouser pocket. As she met his eyes, he scratched the tip of his nose.
"Don DeAngelo used to prioritize others over him too," Tony sighed. He placed the plastic bag on the small table to the side. "Come sit on the couch. Let me look at your wound."
Marcella gulped. Her throat felt sore as she tried to hold back the emotion that rose from the bottom of her heart. She rarely hears anyone talking good things about her father. Her father was not all bad.
"My tea can wait," Tony added, bringing her out of her reverie.
"Yeah, one moment," she wetted her lips. He was about to speak but she interjected him. "I’ll have to check on Mellissa."
She needed to check on her sister first. It could be a coordinated effort to take them both. Tony nodded understandingly.
Marcella walked to the hanging landline phone on the wall. She picked up the headset. Her slender finger rotated the dial out of muscle memory. Her sister is the only person she calls often. She even pays for the phone connection just for talking to her sister. Even after their father forbade her sister to talk to her, Mellissa never stopped talking to her.