Okay next instalment I know it's been a while coming but. well here it is.
Thanks soooooo much to Lani for the inspiration for Ele and to
GreenGlowChassis for all the excellent beta-reading you did and for the
Spanish help. as you probably guessed Spanish isn't my strongest suit. or
even my weakest it falls below all suits hehe. Not my fault they teach us
Chinese over here!! (. Thanks sooo very much I totally appreciated the
help! Thanks to Kryssie and Jess for their interest and there help to.
Short intro, not going to reply to all my reviewers today but thanks to you
all it was the review's that motivated me to write again! I was backreading
them and getting the warm and fuzzies!
Ohh the Spanish translations are foot-noted at the bottom of the story each number for each translation!
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Chapter 5
I ran my hand over my bald head nervously, looking around at the spray of purple flowers on the windowsill, the baby's breath and lilies in the garden, the roses on either side of the stoop, and the large elegantly painted rose on the doorway.
I contemplated knocking. thinking maybe I should just leave it for another time, when things weren't so hot.......when I wasn't so hot under the collar. I'd had a restless night's sleep where all I could think about was Letty's shocked face, and Mia's tears.
I had to make it up to them, if to no one else.
I raised my hand, but stopped, just before the door was flung open and a beautiful dark face stared up at me with shocked brown eyes, and my heart lurched with relief as her eyes widened and delight spread from ear to ear.
"Dommi!" Ele Williams stated slowly, her face blooming, her age of 40. at least that's what we were told, seemed to belie her appearance that grew younger and younger the wider she smiled. She was a truly gorgeous one, petite. no. downright tiny, beautiful dark brown skin that glowed healthily, wide Letty eyes with a few years seniority on her daughter, and an expressive face that had eluded Letty, a face that expressed joy at my visit.
At least someone still loved me.
Her grip was tighter then I thought a five foot three, about 50 pound woman should possess as she hugged me tightly, and comfortingly, something like my mama had used to. before she'd left. Ele Williams had always been like my second mama. She fussed and coddled me. always tried to feed me, told me I ate too little, and invited me over for dinner time and time again.
"You come in. I make breakfast for you!" Ele said, her accent still as thick as the day she arrived in America although she'd been here for over 20 years. "You don't come see me since you back from jail. You bad boy." Ele chided me with affection and adoration that always made me feel safe, and humble.
"You grow so very big. It is good. You too skinny." She approved, slapping one of my now bulging forearms with her slender hand, making me want to buff up, to strike a pose so she could see me flexed and she could adore me that much more.
"Skinny little boy left and you brought me back a big man. A big, good man. Like your papi. He be proud Dominic." She purred, in an absolutely unthreatening way, unlike others that said it, and made the pressure of measuring up to a great man like papi overwhelming. She made it sound like a compliment, without pressure, just reward.
I did as I was ordered, mildly afraid of the repercussions if I didn't do exactly as the little woman wished. I'd seen that sharp tongue at work on her only child. It was enough of a warning for me never to cross her. Ever.
I drank orange juice, freshly squeezed, that she placed in front of me, as she busied herself making bacon and eggs, sausages and steak, English muffins, warm up, apple-cinnamon croissants, serving me with all of this excess of food, then sitting across from me and lighting a lady menthol cigarette. She puffed away quietly, patiently waiting for me to finish all that was in front of me.
Shaking my head, over a gulp of juice I muttered, in my birth mother and Ele's own native language, "1Usted me hará a muchacho gordo si usted guarda el alimentar de mí como este mama."
She, but smiled knowingly and gestured to the food, "Nonsense, you eat you big boy, eat a big meal! I know you Dominic. Toretto. work, work, work all of the day. No eat. too skinny! Just like your 2hermana" I frowned at that observation, mostly because I hadn't noticed a lack of appetite as far as Mia was concerned.
We spoke of most things, how she was doing, how I was doing. She had a heart murmur, I had. just gotten out of jail, I was still adjusting. or so I told her. She had finished working, and was on a war widow's pension. of sorts. because her husband had been a military man for 28 years before he had passed away.
"My Letty." Ele said, about 40 minutes into my second breakfast, although Ele's was much more appealing then the burnt toast I'd made myself. Ele was tsking. "She came home in such a temper yesterday."
Ele disparaged in her own language, "3¿Cómo ella espera encontrar a un buen hombre para hacer su mami feliz con si ella demuestra tal genio?" Ele sighed, obviously distraught, at her daughter's behaviour, "First with the cars. Always so greasy, and the boys clothes. Never she wear a skirt to make her mami happy! And such a temper. She take after her father too much. She love that man. Me think to much. She a girl, no?" Ele demanded swiftly.
If Letty's temper, and she had a truly fierce one when you crossed her, came from either of her parents, it was most certainly her mother. They were both as fierce as mother bobcats and twice as hard to calm down. I thanked my stars neither of those tempers had been directed at me.
Well. I guess until yesterday. I wasn't top of my class at school but it didn't take much to know why Letty was in a temper and with who.
"She already has a good man, mami Ele." It came out before I could stop it. Vince was neither a man nor good. Okay. maybe he was a good man. after all Mia had told me last night. and the confrontation between Vince and I . I had spent the night coming to the conclusion that I owed Vince a lot. He was a good man. Just not a good friend. That was my issue. He. just wasn't. I left it at that.
"Ahh yes. Vincent. Vincent is a very good man. But he is not for my Letty. They have no passion. My girl needs passion, she needs to fight and love passionately. Just like her mami." Ele said proudly.
I decided not to remark on the fact that what I'd seen of Vince and Letty's relationship it was very passionate. It was lusty and hot, and so desperate were they to be around each other that they couldn't even wait until they were out of the garage before they tried to grope each other.
"He is a good man. But you fucking forgot that when you were being a little. you forgot it yesterday." Ele and I both spun sharply at Letty's voice. Her arms were crossed tightly over her chest, her eyes expressionless, her face emotionless to those that didn't have the experience at reading it, as Ele and I both did.
Her jaw was clenched so much it looked as if it must hurt. She was swallowing fast, so as to keep her breathing sound normally paced. Her eyebrows were raised like a cat on high alert. She was tense; she was mad; and she was defensive. She was afraid.
"Scarlet Mariella Williams! 4¡Usted no habla como ése en mi hogar! Usted no está a viejo para que asuma el control a mi muchacha de la rodilla. ¡Su padre rodaría sobre en su sepulcro en tal lengua!" Ele breathed in furious Spanish. "I no condone your temper young lady! In front of guests!" Ele said in broken English.
Letty scowled fiercely at me, "5Cualquier persona que me llama una cusca no es ninguna huésped en esta casa Mami. Él es un traidor. Él es un bastardo. Él maneja sus problemas con las llaves." Then she spat at my feet and turned on her heel, marching out the door and slamming it, although it was irrelevant to both Ele and my stunned faces.
My mouth gapped open and shut, I hadn't even got a chance to apologize. that's what I'd come for. but she wouldn't let me speak. Logically I couldn't blame her. but I had been far from logically these past weeks.
"6Usted llama mi Letty que...... usted habla a mi hija de tal manera... ¡Le tendré neutralizado y castrado y lo haré mismo usted... usted... tonto!" Ele swung on me before I had a chance to say a word. I stuttered twice trying to calm her. but she simply swept to the front door opening it and pointing to it with a scowl.
"You say sorry. You go find my girl and beg for forgiveness. Or you lose her. she is too stupid to see, but I see and you are a fool also. Chase her. explain to her. Vincent will understand. go now! Do not return unless it is with my Letty!" Ele ordered fiercely and a cringed at the thought of disobeying, scampering from Ele's wrath like a puppy with it's tail between it's legs.
1 - You will make me a fat boy if you keep feeding me like this mama
2 - sister
3 - How does she expect to find a good man to make her mami happy with if she shows such a temper?
4 - You do not speak like that in my home! You are not to old for me to take over my knee girl. Your father would roll over in his grave at such language!
5 - Anyone that calls me a slut is no guest in this house Mami. He is a traitor. He is a bastard. He handles his problems with wrenchs.
6 - You call my Letty a... a... you speak to my daughter in such a way... I will have you neutered and castrated and I will do it myself you... you... fool!fool!
Ohh the Spanish translations are foot-noted at the bottom of the story each number for each translation!
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Chapter 5
I ran my hand over my bald head nervously, looking around at the spray of purple flowers on the windowsill, the baby's breath and lilies in the garden, the roses on either side of the stoop, and the large elegantly painted rose on the doorway.
I contemplated knocking. thinking maybe I should just leave it for another time, when things weren't so hot.......when I wasn't so hot under the collar. I'd had a restless night's sleep where all I could think about was Letty's shocked face, and Mia's tears.
I had to make it up to them, if to no one else.
I raised my hand, but stopped, just before the door was flung open and a beautiful dark face stared up at me with shocked brown eyes, and my heart lurched with relief as her eyes widened and delight spread from ear to ear.
"Dommi!" Ele Williams stated slowly, her face blooming, her age of 40. at least that's what we were told, seemed to belie her appearance that grew younger and younger the wider she smiled. She was a truly gorgeous one, petite. no. downright tiny, beautiful dark brown skin that glowed healthily, wide Letty eyes with a few years seniority on her daughter, and an expressive face that had eluded Letty, a face that expressed joy at my visit.
At least someone still loved me.
Her grip was tighter then I thought a five foot three, about 50 pound woman should possess as she hugged me tightly, and comfortingly, something like my mama had used to. before she'd left. Ele Williams had always been like my second mama. She fussed and coddled me. always tried to feed me, told me I ate too little, and invited me over for dinner time and time again.
"You come in. I make breakfast for you!" Ele said, her accent still as thick as the day she arrived in America although she'd been here for over 20 years. "You don't come see me since you back from jail. You bad boy." Ele chided me with affection and adoration that always made me feel safe, and humble.
"You grow so very big. It is good. You too skinny." She approved, slapping one of my now bulging forearms with her slender hand, making me want to buff up, to strike a pose so she could see me flexed and she could adore me that much more.
"Skinny little boy left and you brought me back a big man. A big, good man. Like your papi. He be proud Dominic." She purred, in an absolutely unthreatening way, unlike others that said it, and made the pressure of measuring up to a great man like papi overwhelming. She made it sound like a compliment, without pressure, just reward.
I did as I was ordered, mildly afraid of the repercussions if I didn't do exactly as the little woman wished. I'd seen that sharp tongue at work on her only child. It was enough of a warning for me never to cross her. Ever.
I drank orange juice, freshly squeezed, that she placed in front of me, as she busied herself making bacon and eggs, sausages and steak, English muffins, warm up, apple-cinnamon croissants, serving me with all of this excess of food, then sitting across from me and lighting a lady menthol cigarette. She puffed away quietly, patiently waiting for me to finish all that was in front of me.
Shaking my head, over a gulp of juice I muttered, in my birth mother and Ele's own native language, "1Usted me hará a muchacho gordo si usted guarda el alimentar de mí como este mama."
She, but smiled knowingly and gestured to the food, "Nonsense, you eat you big boy, eat a big meal! I know you Dominic. Toretto. work, work, work all of the day. No eat. too skinny! Just like your 2hermana" I frowned at that observation, mostly because I hadn't noticed a lack of appetite as far as Mia was concerned.
We spoke of most things, how she was doing, how I was doing. She had a heart murmur, I had. just gotten out of jail, I was still adjusting. or so I told her. She had finished working, and was on a war widow's pension. of sorts. because her husband had been a military man for 28 years before he had passed away.
"My Letty." Ele said, about 40 minutes into my second breakfast, although Ele's was much more appealing then the burnt toast I'd made myself. Ele was tsking. "She came home in such a temper yesterday."
Ele disparaged in her own language, "3¿Cómo ella espera encontrar a un buen hombre para hacer su mami feliz con si ella demuestra tal genio?" Ele sighed, obviously distraught, at her daughter's behaviour, "First with the cars. Always so greasy, and the boys clothes. Never she wear a skirt to make her mami happy! And such a temper. She take after her father too much. She love that man. Me think to much. She a girl, no?" Ele demanded swiftly.
If Letty's temper, and she had a truly fierce one when you crossed her, came from either of her parents, it was most certainly her mother. They were both as fierce as mother bobcats and twice as hard to calm down. I thanked my stars neither of those tempers had been directed at me.
Well. I guess until yesterday. I wasn't top of my class at school but it didn't take much to know why Letty was in a temper and with who.
"She already has a good man, mami Ele." It came out before I could stop it. Vince was neither a man nor good. Okay. maybe he was a good man. after all Mia had told me last night. and the confrontation between Vince and I . I had spent the night coming to the conclusion that I owed Vince a lot. He was a good man. Just not a good friend. That was my issue. He. just wasn't. I left it at that.
"Ahh yes. Vincent. Vincent is a very good man. But he is not for my Letty. They have no passion. My girl needs passion, she needs to fight and love passionately. Just like her mami." Ele said proudly.
I decided not to remark on the fact that what I'd seen of Vince and Letty's relationship it was very passionate. It was lusty and hot, and so desperate were they to be around each other that they couldn't even wait until they were out of the garage before they tried to grope each other.
"He is a good man. But you fucking forgot that when you were being a little. you forgot it yesterday." Ele and I both spun sharply at Letty's voice. Her arms were crossed tightly over her chest, her eyes expressionless, her face emotionless to those that didn't have the experience at reading it, as Ele and I both did.
Her jaw was clenched so much it looked as if it must hurt. She was swallowing fast, so as to keep her breathing sound normally paced. Her eyebrows were raised like a cat on high alert. She was tense; she was mad; and she was defensive. She was afraid.
"Scarlet Mariella Williams! 4¡Usted no habla como ése en mi hogar! Usted no está a viejo para que asuma el control a mi muchacha de la rodilla. ¡Su padre rodaría sobre en su sepulcro en tal lengua!" Ele breathed in furious Spanish. "I no condone your temper young lady! In front of guests!" Ele said in broken English.
Letty scowled fiercely at me, "5Cualquier persona que me llama una cusca no es ninguna huésped en esta casa Mami. Él es un traidor. Él es un bastardo. Él maneja sus problemas con las llaves." Then she spat at my feet and turned on her heel, marching out the door and slamming it, although it was irrelevant to both Ele and my stunned faces.
My mouth gapped open and shut, I hadn't even got a chance to apologize. that's what I'd come for. but she wouldn't let me speak. Logically I couldn't blame her. but I had been far from logically these past weeks.
"6Usted llama mi Letty que...... usted habla a mi hija de tal manera... ¡Le tendré neutralizado y castrado y lo haré mismo usted... usted... tonto!" Ele swung on me before I had a chance to say a word. I stuttered twice trying to calm her. but she simply swept to the front door opening it and pointing to it with a scowl.
"You say sorry. You go find my girl and beg for forgiveness. Or you lose her. she is too stupid to see, but I see and you are a fool also. Chase her. explain to her. Vincent will understand. go now! Do not return unless it is with my Letty!" Ele ordered fiercely and a cringed at the thought of disobeying, scampering from Ele's wrath like a puppy with it's tail between it's legs.
1 - You will make me a fat boy if you keep feeding me like this mama
2 - sister
3 - How does she expect to find a good man to make her mami happy with if she shows such a temper?
4 - You do not speak like that in my home! You are not to old for me to take over my knee girl. Your father would roll over in his grave at such language!
5 - Anyone that calls me a slut is no guest in this house Mami. He is a traitor. He is a bastard. He handles his problems with wrenchs.
6 - You call my Letty a... a... you speak to my daughter in such a way... I will have you neutered and castrated and I will do it myself you... you... fool!fool!
