Act I
Chapter 3
One Week
Week 24 - Day 2
"What is this nonsense about going to the United States?" Alessia's grandfather asked, his voice loud and stern. Her grandmother wore a worried expression as she took in the site of Alessia's room. Eventually Alessia's grandmother's eyes came to rest on Alessia's suitcase that lay at Alessia's feet, filled with clothes.
"Black Raven is being disbanded," Alessia said, "so I'm going back."
"Alessia, you're still recovering," her grandmother said, "and you shouldn't be dealing with such stressful things right now."
"So what," Alessia asked, standing up, "you want me to do nothing, knowing that my team needs me?"
"Your grandmother is right. All this nonsense will do is hamper your recovery." her grandfather said.
"But being flaunted around a bunch of strangers I don't like will do wonders for my health?" Alessia asked sarcastically.
"This is different, Alessia." her grandmother said.
"Is that what this is about? You not wanting to attend the party?" her grandfather asked.
Alessia shook her head in disappointment and started back packing clothes in her suitcase. "No," she answered, "This isn't about me not wanting to go to your stupid party. It just so happens that it isn't about making money or making other people happy to raise my social status. Don't expect you to understand that though..."
"Alessia Ciara St. Claire," her grandfather's voice thundered, "You're not going to America. End of discussion."
Alessia's grandfather began to leave the room, opening the door but stopped when he heard Alessia speak. "What're you gonna do to stop me?" Alessia had asked, still packing her suitcase. Her grandfather turned back to face Alessia who had gotten another suitcase and was packing it with items.
"Excuse me?" her grandfather said in a silent outrage. Alessia's grandmother was at a loss for words as she witnessed the conflict between her husband and granddaughter.
"You're so use to people doing what you say but I'm not those people. I'm going back to America, regardless of what you say or do. So unless you're going to get Mr. Brigham and his military buddies to lock me up, you can't stop me."
The room had become silent and the guests had become silent. They had heard Alessia through the now open door. Alessia faced her grandfather and looked him in the eye. The three of them stood quiet and the tension that hadn't been there before was now dying down in the silence. The guests had began whispering and some were leaving. The party had come to an abrupt end.
"I think it would be best if we discussed this in the morning..." Alessia's grandmother said. Alessia and her grandfather agreed. Her grandparents left the room and Alessia lay on her bed on top of her clothes. After some time had passed and she felt that all of the guests had departed, Alessia got up to assist Rita with cleaning. Alessia's grandparents had already gone to bed when Alessia began helping Rita and neither of them spoke while they worked, just cleaned. When they had finished they went to their rooms where they stayed for the rest of the night.
When morning came and her alarm clock rang, Alessia got out of bed. She headed downstairs to the kitchen where her grandparents were waiting, seated at kitchen table. There was no food on the table, no dishes were in the sink, and there were no scents of a breakfast at all. Alessia walked over to the dishwasher and got a clean glass that she filled with water from the tap and drank it at the sink. Alessia's grandfather sighed but Alessia ignored the sigh, continuing to drink her water at the sink.
"Alessia..." her grandmother called. Alessia drank the rest of her water and placed the empty glass in the sink. She turned to face her grandparents and waited for them to say what they were going to say. Her grandfather motioned for her to have a seat at the table but Alessia replied with a quick, "I'll stand,".
"We..." Alessia's grandfather began, pausing to find the words, "talked it over last night, your grandmother and I..."
"And...?" Alessia asked, matter-of-factly.
"We haven't decided... yet," her grandmother said. Alessia scoffed at the answer and was started to leave the kitchen. Alessia's grandmother jumped up and stood between Alessia and the doorway. "A week. Just wait a week," Alessia's grandmother pleaded. Alessia ignored her grandmother's plea and was about to go around her when her grandfather spoke.
"Just what do you intend to do, child?" he asked. The question made Alessia pause. "You leave today, then what? How will that help your team?"
Alessia started to answer but stopped. She did not know how to answer her grandfather's question. She had been trying to come up with a plan but she knew nothing about how teams operated outside of being a pilot. "How will staying here help my team?" she asked her grandfather.
"All you know about the situation is that your team is being disbanded. You rushing off in your condition won't change that."
"You're not going to convince me to just sit around while my team needs me."
"I'm not asking you to, Alessia. We're asking that you stay for a week and in that time we can decide on a course of action which is something that may actually help your team. We want to help you, Alessia."
Alessia took a moment to think about what her grandfather was saying. She looked at her grandmother, then her grandfather and began trying to think of the consequences of staying with her grandparents for another week. Eventually she realized that her grandfather was right and that even if she left she had no clues as to how she could help the team.
"One week?" Alessia asked, hesitantly.
"One week." her grandfather said, reassuring her.