Page 2 of Ribbons and Roses

“Luc... Lucius…” slurs Stefania. “I’m… celebrating… don’t you want to… hic… join me?”

There’s a big crash and Lucius swears.

“FUCKING HELL! Florina! Get your ass in here and clean up after this bitch!”

I’ve made it from the den to the front hall, darting toward the sprawling staircase and starting my way up.

Some people would be concerned about their mother drinking to the point she can’t see straight. But it’s just another evening at the Mancino residence. Just another holiday season that’s no different than any of the others.

It won’t be long before she passes out somewhere. Last Christmas morning we found her snoring in the rose bushes outside.

She’s no concern of mine when I’m no concern of hers.

Stefania’s my mother by birth only. Otherwise, we’re practically strangers.

I’m only a couple steps up the stairs when the mood in the air darkens. I sense it before I see him. Before I glance down and realize he’s stopped at the foot of the stairs.

He’s wandered out into the hall, knowing I was around somewhere.

“And where the hell do you think you’re going,scarafaggio?” he rumbles. “You think you can just run off like the sorry sack of shit you are? Get your ass down here and turn off that music!”

It’s still blasting through the house. Stefania turned it on and then leftit on full volume.

Tension lances through me, making every move of mine stiff and unnatural.

Lucius watches me take slow steps down the stairs with unmistakable loathing clenched on his pudgy face. He’s a bull liable to charge at any second the closer I get.

When I’m reaching the bottom stair and he can easily snatch me up, it’s like the air’s sucked out of the room. It’s like there’s no room for anything else to exist but his loathing. His pure hatred for me.

I pass himin one piece, still on edge even as I make it to the stereo to turn off the music. My fingers curl around the volume dial and I turn it all the way down ’til Burl Ives’s festive baritone can’t be heard anymore.

I’m turning around to make it back to the stairs when a fist collides with my face. I’m knocked off my feet and sent crashing into the Christmas tree in the corner. Pain radiates through different parts of me. My nose burns and my eyes water. Baubles crack and slice into my arms and the back of my neck. Pine needles do the same as I collapse backwards into the large tree and then struggle wrestling my way out of it.

My breaths sputter out of me at a frantic pace, heart pounding.

Lucius stands like normal, watching me struggle. My blood’s smeared on his knuckles but otherwise you’d never know he just got done decking his son in the nose.

“Don’t give me that look, you little fucker,” he grunts. “You want to act up, then you get what you get. You think I don’t sense your attitude? That you hate my fucking guts? Guess what,scarafaggio? I hate your fucking guts too. Get out of my sight! Now… before I give you a black eye next!”

I’m tripping over myself to rush out of the room. Get far away from him.

I reach the bottom of the staircase again and then zip up, skipping several steps at a time.

It’s not until I’m slamming shut the door to my bedroom that I stop to draw a breath and try to process what’s happened.

The damn song still rings in my ears. I can still feel the pricks of the baubles and see the twinkling Christmas lights.

Tomorrow morning I’ll have to go back downstairs and pretend it never happened. And if I don’t pretend well enough, then there’ll be more hell to pay.

I wipe more blood from my nose and collapse on my bed.

Just another Christmas in the Mancino household…

1

delphine

present…

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