For the Empire - Inganno

Chapter 32

I wake up feeling warm, too warm.

I yawn, stretching my arms over my head, and notice I can't really move my legs. I look down over me and see that not only do I have a blanket on me, but Zeus is lying on top of my legs.

He lifts his head to look at me, tilting his head to the side the funny way dogs do when I move up on my elbows. I glance down and see Ares is lying in front of me, on the terrace floor.

I reach down, and he licks my hand as I try to scratch his head. Zeus whines, wanting the same attention, so I sit up more and rub his head with both hands and kiss the top of his big head.

"You spoil them too much. They'll soon forget what they are trained to do." My Uncles distinctive voice grabs my attention. He is leaning against the doorway of the terrace, watching me with his hands in his pockets.

He pushes himself away from the door and walks over to me. He sits on the chair next to the couch where I'm sitting. He sighs deeply, leaning forward. "Charmaine, I think we need to talk about you seeing someone."

I move my legs over the side of the couch slowly. Uncle Timo watches me, his face etched with worry lines.

"What do you mean?"

Zeus repositions himself, so he's lying next to me with his head on my lap.

"I mean, I feel like you need to meet with someone that can help you talk through what you are feeling, what you are thinking, about what keeps you up at night." He rests his elbows on his knees and then looks directly at me.

"I'm fine, Uncle." I absentmindedly scratch Zeus's ears and down his thick neck.

"No, Charmaine, you're not, and that's okay. It's not a bad thing to get help, either. I don't want you not to be able to heal and move forward because of what happened. You're young and still have so much to experience and live for."

"I said I'm fine, Uncle." I clench my jaw in anger. Ares whines, nudging my leg with his head from the ground. "I'm sorry if I'm not moving on from this as quickly as you'd like me to. I can't just shut off my emotions like you. I've started exercising again and did some training the other day." My voice has risen as I defend myself.

I can't believe he wants me to talk to someone. I'm doing the best I can, and it's not good enough for him. I start folding the blanket to give my hands something to do as I feel the fire of anger and hurt surge through me. Zeus and Ares move to sit in front of me, now.

"Charmaine. I'm not asking you to get over it. I'm only saying it wouldn't hurt to see someone. You are allowed to mourn and grieve, but you won't talk to anyone, not even JP, Annalisa, or Carmela. I'm sorry if it came across as trying to have you move on quickly; that's not my intention." He sighs, running a hand through his hair, and leans back on the chair.

An idea comes to my mind. "Fine. Let's talk."

"What?" He looks up at me, confused.

I pull out one of the chairs from the table and place it directly in front of him and sit. "I want to talk about what I'm feeling and what's going through my mind."

Uncle Timo leans back slightly with a wary look on his face. "Okay...what are you feeling?" He asks cautiously.

"I feel frustrated. You always avoid talking to me regarding things about me, like the attack, who's behind it. You always say you'll talk to me later or soon, but the "later" or "soon" never happen. And you're not around when I need you. So, here we are." I lean back, folding my arms. "I deserve to know why my dad was killed and who did it."

It's clear he's uncomfortable and knows he set himself up, and he even looks angry as I see the muscle in his jaw ticking. He looks down at his feet and interlaces his hands before looking back up. "Giovanni Dante. He is behind what happened to Dominic."