Linda changed from her clothes she had been wearing since yesterday into her warm, loose pajamas she kept at her Nonna's. She pulled her hair out of the braid she had done for sleeping, kind of wishing she was at school. She wished she had a normal life; she wished she didn't have to scar her skin in order to feel like a normal person.
She pulled a sweatshirt from her closet and pressed it against her nose. This was Danny's sweatshirt she never gave back. She didn't think she would ever give it back; it was too warm and too comfy to give back.
She turned to the door when there was a soft knock. "Linda?"
"Nonna."
"Can I talk to you?" She walked in and sat on the bed. Linda followed suit.
"Sure thing, Nonna. What's up?" She was trying to be happy. She was sick of being sad and crying, and all the sinus headaches that came afterwards.
"We need to talk about your father."
"My father?"
"Yes. I know he's my only son, and you know I'd do absolutely everything for that man. But I can't just sit by and watch while he abuses my favorite nipotina."
"I'm your favorite?" She knew that already, but it made her feel loved to hear it.
"Don't tell your siblings." She grasped Linda's hand, "now tell me. Why don't you want the Reagans and me to help you?"
She sighed, thinking of her reasoning. "The first time I told Danny what Tony was doing, Tony found out I told. He... spanked me. On the bare, to the point where I was bruised." Her bottom hurt just thinking about that. "I'm... scared... he's going to go further than that."
"Further?"
"He threw glass at me, Nonna! He hit me with a glass bottle! A whiskey bottle. I don't- he's..."
"Mental. That's what he is. Miele, when my first husband- Tony's father- when he took his life, Tony took it hard. Tony was only fifteen, a little younger than you. He started making friends with the wrong kind of people, then he met your mother, and got her pregnant."
"With Wendy?" Linda didn't know this.
Rosita nodded, "it was before a woman or young lady could get an abortion legally. Your mother was married at seventeen, and had Wendy two weeks later."
"Wow... and what about Jimmy?"
"He's the product of an affair. Your mother knows. Jimmy's biological mother was deemed unfit to raise a son, so he went to Tony. After Jimmy was born, I remarried. Tony hated that."
"You never mentioned you were married a second time."
"A month after I was married, a driver crashed into my husband. The driver wasn't charged, because it was my husband's fault. The name of the drunk driver-"
"Oh my word, is it Papa?"
"Yes."
"That's horrible!"
"He wasn't happy about Jean- my new husband- but I know Tony would never kill on purpose." Rosita did not want to tell Linda the next part, but she had to. She needed to for Linda to understand. "He only ran into Jean because he was distracted by his baby girl in the backseat."
Linda's heart dropped to her stomach, "me?"
Rosita nodded, "for a while, Tony was facing jail time. But the court deemed him innocent. His license was suspended for a little while though. He wrongfully believed it was his baby's fault."
But that doesn't explain why he's awful to me, Linda thought as she looked down at her hands.
"I'm not excusing his behavior in any way. I'm just trying to get you to understand why he's the way he is."
She nodded, no where near knowing what to say.
"I'm so sorry, Miele. I never wanted this for my nipotina."
She only hugged Rosita, having no idea what the older woman had gone through. "Ti voglio bene, Nonna."
"Anch'io ti amo." She kissed Linda's forehead, "would you like breakfast?"
"Mrs. Reagan fed me." She smiled, "she insisted I couldn't tackle the day without a proper breakfast. Meanwhile, my boyfriend ate a cookie and corn pops for breakfast."
Rosita chuckled, "I have some errands to run later today, and I want you coming with me. But for now, just rest."
"Okay, Nonna."
"Linda," Rosita stood at the doorway, "I'd like you to come with me on my errands."
She looked up from the book she was reading. "Okay, where are we going?"
Linda did not want to talk to Frank. She had already talked to him! What more was there to say?
Frank looked at Linda sitting next to Rosita at the table. "I thought it was just going to be you and me," he whispered.
"I can't leave her alone while she's like this."
Rosita meant well, but that felt like a stab in the heart to Linda. Her own grandmother didn't trust her alone in the house. What else could do wrong?
Her eyes blurred as she stared at her coffee mug. Her ears were ringing, making it hard to understand what the adults were saying. She didn't really care, not anymore. She wasn't sure how long passed until she and Rosita were in the car again.
"Nonna, this isn't the way home," Linda frowned, looking at where they were.
"There's someone that Frank wants you to talk with."
"Who?"
As soon as she saw the man in front of her, she protested. "No!"
"What's she doing here?"
"No!" Linda turned to Frank. "I'm not talking to him."
"You might want to hear what he has to say."
"Why? So I can break down crying and end up hating myself? No thank you."
"Linda, talk to your Dad."
"I'm not talking to her," Tony said. "She's been spreading lies about me."
"He's not my Dad," Linda frowned, crossing her arms.
"He's just been cautioned for drunk driving. His license is suspended."
"So I had a little to drink at lunch! So what?" Tony grumbled.
"He's now enrolled in alcoholics anonymous. As we speak, child services is looking into his home."
Linda's expression was hard to read. "You said you wouldn't do anything."
"I never promised or said anything of the sort."
She stomped to the door and stormed out. She didn't want to ever see Tony ever again. She didn't want to see Frank at the moment either.
She opened the car door where Rosita was waiting for her.
"So how'd it go?"
She slammed the door shut, "take me home. Please."
She frowned, "what happened?"
She groaned, her tone sarcastic. "He promised not to do it again. Which means absolutely shit."
Rosita was going to have to have a talk with her son, but right now, her granddaughter needed her most.
She was leaning against the wall, her hands shoved deep in her pockets. She hardly acknowledged her boyfriend when he showed up and copied her pose.
Danny didn't say anything. He just studied her, trying to figure out what she was thinking. Usually it was a piece of cake to know what she was thinking, but not today.
"So Tony is now in Alcoholics Anonymous, and has a severe warning over his head. His license is suspended until further notice."
He paused, "you mean he's not in jail?"
She shook her head.
"Well why the f*** not?!"
"There wasn't any evidence. Child services came into his home, deemed it suitable for children."
"And Marni's home?"
"Same story."
"So that's- that's it? Just a forced therapy session and a slap on the wrist?"
"He promised your Dad it wouldn't happen again." She smiled in a sad way, "like that means anything." She slid down the wall she was leaning against and pulled her knees to her chest.
Danny followed her movements again, continuing to clock her reactions.
"Everyone breaks their promises. Everyone's just... they're all just a bunch of assholes." Linda looked to Danny, "and this is coming from a girl that believes people are genuinely good!"
"I won't break my promises to you," he promised. "But when I become a cop, some promises are gonna be broken. Like broken dates and things."
"Shouldn't there be an if we're together in there somewhere?"
"No. But even if we break up, I'll keep my promises to you. Because you're the best friend I've ever had, and I don't want to loose that."
Linda felt like crying as she threw her arms around her boyfriend. "You're my best friend too."
He kissed her cheek, "are you up for ice cream?"
She pulled back, "oh always."
Tony O'Shea would never learn his lesson, but he would eventually be arrested for assault. Linda never visited him in jail, and she never saw him again after his release. A few people suggested reconciliation, but she turned them down. She'd forgiven Tony, but that didn't mean she wanted him back in her life. If she never saw him again, it'd be too soon.