Chapter 38:Unspoken

Letty watched from the front windows of the house as Vince and Amira made their quick getaway. "They're back to their old tricks," she whispered to Dom, who was currently nursing a beer on the couch. He shook his head, never removing his eyes from the action movie that was currently on. "Just let them be. They'll figure things out," he mumbled, raising the volume on the television.

She shook her head and could hear Sam cursing up a storm downstairs. She let the curtain fall and made her way to the basement. As she started her descent she could hear Dom telling her to mind her own business. Letty knew she couldn't stand aside and see it all fall apart in front of her eyes. This was her family. Her best friends and the girl she helped raised.

"You know, I never pictured myself the motherly type. I always told Dom I wouldn't be having any kids until my racing days were far behind me. But you came into our lives and we worked hard as shit to make sure you never needed anything. To make sure that you grew up without a care in the world, and this is how you repay us," Letty said, as Sam shoved clothes into a duffel bag.

Sam threw the duffel bag on the floor and sighed loudly. "How is this fault? I asked a simple question! She abandoned me, didn't look back, just walked away as if I was never hers," she replied, her hands flying wildly in front of her. Letty shook her head, trying to come up with the correct words to make her understand.

"She made the decision she thought was best at the moment! You haven't been in love yet! You haven't lived! You think it was easy on her, on any of us? She could've turned us all in, but instead she sent you to us, she completed our family!" At this point, Letty was yelling at the top of her lungs. Her voice echoed off of the small basement. She figured if she yelled loud enough, hopefully, the message would get through.

"OH MY GOD! Stop being such a bitch! You are not my mother, Letty. Why is everyone on my case about this?" Sam yelled back, grabbing her bag off the floor. Those words felt like a slap on her face. Tear immediately sprung to her eyes and she couldn't help her face from turning bright red. She could feel her lips start to quiver as her heart broke.

"I'm not your mother? I may not have birthed you, but I've been there every step of the way. Me, Mia and Liz have been there through every fever, every tantrum, every important moment of your life," she yelled, her voice cracking.

The girls looked back at the stairs, as they could hear Dom's heavy footsteps making their way towards them. "We're on your case because it seems like you regret everything. Like you wish you would've never joined our lives." At this point, Letty was sobbing. She never thought her heart would break so hard because of Sam.

Dom stepped between them, holding his hands up. "Letty, let's go upstairs," he said, sternly, placing one hand on her shoulder and turning her towards the stairs. She opened her mouth to say something but he quieted her, pushing her harder towards the stairs. Before he followed her up the stairs, he glanced back at Sam and glared at her.

Sam watched as they disappeared upstairs, before plopping down on her bed. She kept hearing Letty's words over and over again in her head, eventually starting to cry herself. She pulled a pack of cigarettes from her bag and lit one up. As she smoked her cigarette, she glanced around the room, wondering how she got here.

The walls held memories of her entire life. Graphics designed by the uncle she never met, Jesse. Pictures of her and her aunts as she grew up throughout the years. Her first Christmas with the gang. The first time her dad took her driving. Her first broken bone. She sighed, realizing everyone was right. She had gone off the rails.

Amira settled into the passenger seat, kicking her shoes off and putting her feet up on the dashboard. She rested her head against the window, watching the world rush past her. She didn't know how to feel in this situation. She wanted to cry, because her heart was tearing into a million pieces. Her daughter didn't love her. Vince probably hated her too for sticking him with a kid. For the past 10 years, she learned to swallow all of her emotions. The fear, the sadness, she pushed them to the back of her mind as if nothing... but this time, she couldn't even get a full breath of air without wanting to scream.

"I"m sorry, she's not normally like that," Vince said, changing lanes. He shook his head, not sure what to think of everything that just transpired. He didn't know who he was madder at- Sam for being a brat, or Amira, for trying to think she can skip out on everything and everyone. "I'll take your word for it," she replied, trying to figure out where they were going.

"Do you want to stop and get food?" V asked, motioning to the highway sign signaling upcoming fast food restaurants. Her eyebrow arched, reading the interstate signs around them. "Where are we going?" She whispered, sitting up in her seat. "Why are you constantly whispering?" He asked, wondering why she wasn't full of life anymore.

She shrugged and sat back into her seat again. "I'm just used to it, I guess. Didn't do a lot of talking in the pen. Stuck to myself and did my time," she replied.

"We're going to the summer house. We'll grab some food and some drinks and then head on over there," V said. Amira flipped her head around and glared at him. "Why are you taking me there, Vince? I just need some peace and quiet. I just want to be alone."

"You've been alone for the past 10 years. You denied us visits, you returned letters. Enough is enough," he barked at her. Out of nowhere, Vince felt his body fill with rage. Years of sleepless nights, lonely one-night stands and crazy dreams, all because she wouldn't address him or the team. Not even their daughter. He shook his head, fighting the urge to yell at the top of his lungs at her. He gripped the steering tightly, his knuckles turning white. He clamped his jaw shut and pressed down harder on the gas pedal.

Amira rolled her eyes and sighed softly. She figured eventually they would come to blows, she was just glad that they were alone and no one was around to see what was about to ensue. She closed her eyes and fought back the tears that were trying to escape. "I'm not ready for this," she whispered, her voice cracking.

"What are you not ready for? What are you afraid of?" He replied, weaving in and out of traffic before exiting the highway. She shook her head, realizing that he wouldn't understand. The guilt she was riddled with. The regret that kept her up at night. The what ifs that made her hate everyone and everything.