CH.7
One week passed since that day. It was afternoon and the Toretto's store was full of people. Mia and Annie ran here and there to serve all the clients. Annie had kept little changes to the store and now people came. "I still can't believe to al this" said Mia watching, in a brief moment of relax, at her bar finally livened.
"Yeah, it's great" Annie agreed with her friend: "it wasn't too difficult. Little changes like, some music and some advertisings", she was satisfied of what she was seeing.
"It's a pity that Dom cannot appreciate all that, he's such a stubborn!" said Mia.
"When he'll see the profits, he won't reply" said Annie. Because this was her plan, her big surprise for Dom. Gain a lot and then, tell him about all that. He surely would have been happy, she thought. It hadn't been difficult to keep the secret; he worked all the day at the garage and Mia and Annie joined the team directly at home, at evening. She risked nothing, thought Annie. But, she was wrong.
She was preparing a sandwich, when someone came in approaching to the counter. She just gave him a sideway look. "I'm here to you in a while" she said gently not lifting her head up. Once she ended: "Yes, shall I help . . . you" she ended her last words in a whisper, speechless because of what she's seen.
"Definitely yes" said Dom looking tough to Annie. She gulped.
"Dom please, we have-" tried to say Mia.
"Please." he stopped her sister: "who got the idea of all that?" he asked gesturing at the bar.
"Listen, Dom-" tried again to say Mia. "No, Mia please" said Annie stopping her. "I did all. I'm the unique responsible" said Annie staring courageously at his eyes.
He looked at her severe, almost angry. "Why this doesn't surprise me at all" he said snorting tilting his head on one side. "Come to my office" he paused "Now" in a tone that didn't admit reply.
"Annie,-" said Mia worried for her friend, knowing Dom very well.
"It's gonna be all right. He cannot eat me" said Annie trying to smile reluctantly, as to calm down Mia, but she wasn't too sure of that. She knew she'd gone against Dom decisions and now she wasn't no more sure that he would have understood all her work. She sighed, straightening up her shoulders and joined Dom in his office.
What he called "office" was a table with a bench, protected by an iron grating, but it was secluded on one side. She joined him and closed the "door". He was seated, looking at the store thoughtfully. She was a little bit afraid of his possible reaction. "Sit down" he ordered her. And she did it silently.
"I don't know if you're more brave or stupid" he said toughly lifting his head up and finally meeting her gaze.
She didn't reply just wait. "Thought I've been clear: No changes" he continued serious.
She throw an envelope on the table. He furrowed his eyebrows and looked at her questioning. "Open it" she simply said. He looked at the envelope and opened it. There was a quiet good amount of money.
"They are 1000$. It's the profit of this last three days" she explained him.
He looked at the notes. "You hadn't to do it" he told her.
She rolled her eyes. "Please!" she tried to say.
He gave her a warning look. "Where did you take the money for all this?" he asked .
"I used my money. I anticipated 100$ and before you ask me: Yes, I had the idea. Mia isn't responsible. She says you're impossible and I'm starting to think she's right"
"Watch your mouth" he grunted "Don't think I'm a stupid. You spent more. Where have you found all this?" he asked her.
"The music is from Mia's radio. The blue light you see, we've taken from Mia's car and adapted for the store. I prepare the food. At the beginning I used some food from your kitchen, then with the first money we bought it. There you can find enough money to pay back all the things I took." She paused "I made some advertisings. I've been on an internet point and created some advertising leaflets and put them here and there. And.this is the result" she ended in one go waiting nervous for his reaction. "Count'em they are all. You can verify" she added.
He looked at the notes again and made them rustle in his hands thoughtfully. "You've still broke my rules" he insisted but this time more calmly.
"Is it possible that you're so stubborn?" she suddenly said loosing her patience. "Look around you! It works and people do like it!" she said in a louder tone.
"Low your voice" he told her motioning with his hand. Some people had turned their head and looked curious toward them.
He looked thoughtfully at her. "Why you did it?" he insisted shacking his head.
"For Mia. She's been very kind with me" explained Annie.
"So, I haven't been kind with you"
"I didn't say that"
"But you think" he insisted, with a small irony in his tone.
"Well, . . . let's say that, she treats me better than you do" she admitted with a grin.
"So I treat you badly" he said. It wasn't a question but an observation.
The situation had changed now. He looked at her in a strange way, she didn't know, but she felt something to her stomach. She slowly nodded and swallowed. He was mesmerizing. Then suddenly he changed. He shook his head gaining again that coldness, that distance which usually was between them.
"I'll give you a chance" he said " One month. You'll have to gain at least 8000$. If you're able to do everything and gain the amount, you'll can go on like this" he ended. "Oh, obviously Mia will have to continue her study meanwhile" he added.
"Nothing else" she asked sarcastic.
"I'm serious" he warned her.
Annie looked at him for a long moment. "Otherwise?" she wanted to know.
"This will stop"
"Are you proposing me a deal?"
He nodded. "Is it enough reasonable?"
"It's a fair amount" she made him notice.
"You're in, you're out, what you do?" he briefly asked her, with a provoking tone.
She thought for a long while, than looked at him: "I'm in."
"Done" he said and they shook their hands.
"Now. Could you bring me a beer?" he asked her in an emphasized polite tone, grinning at her.
"Yes Sir" she replied using the same tone and smiling him back.
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"So? How was it?" asked Mia to Annie trying to look more quiet than what she really was, once Annie was back. "Mmh, still don't know" replied Annie doubtfully. "Could you be more clear?" asked Mia impatient. "We've got a deal. We'll have to make 8.000$ in a month with the shop, both of us not facing up our obligations" explained Annie. "What???" asked Mia widening her eyes. "If we're be able to do it, we'll keep all like this. If we lose." she didn't end, it wasn't necessary. " What a asshole!" said angry Mia loosing her control. "We have to work a lot and.be a little lucky!" said Annie shrugging with a little smile. "It's not possible he does me that! I'll talk to him" said Mia and without waiting went to Dom. Annie came back working, because some new costumers had just come in.
Mia entered to Dom's "office" like a fury: "So, come on! Tell me! Why are you doing me this?" yelled Mia directly. "Me? Doing what?" Dom said very calmly as he didn't understand and raising his eyes up to those of Mia. "Don't play with me Dom! You know what I mean! So why?" asked Mia again, her hands on her waist, aggressive. "I bet you're talking about the shop. So what is the problem?" asked Dom still very quietly. "Who you want to punish for this? Me? Annie? Why?" insisted Mia. "Don't be silly, I've nothing against you! You know I'm fonding of you!" said Dom.
"So it's about Annie." Said Mia trying to calm her down : "Why? What has she done? Why are you torturing her? " asked Mia. "She doesn't listen to me, doesn't respect the rules. She's a rebel." Said Dom simply. "And because of this, you want to punish her? Because she's not afraid of you and doesn't obey silently to your orders? Is that?" asked Mia. "She said that, the bar like this works much more than before. Perfect. So prove me that. If it's true what she'd said, it will not be too difficult to make that money in a month" simply explained Dom very quietly. "Can't believe you're doing this to her! She's such a lovely person." said Mia astonished. "She's strong enough to be able to honour the commitments" said Dom. "I won't let you hurt her! Fucking grow up Dom! She's a good one, not like the usual skanks you've met! For one time, I mean one time, that something good ends in your hands, don't waste it" tried to convince him, Mia. "I won't change my mind, Mia." Simply said Dom looking at his sister seriously: "So if you had something else to tell me." ended Dom. "What a bastard!" said Mia through her teeth and went away, slamming the kind of "door" of Dom's office.
When she joined Annie, she was shacking of anger. "Stubborn asshole!" muttered Mia shacking her head in disbelief. "Oh, come on! Hey? We'll do it! We'll do it!" said Annie to encourage and calm down Mia hugging her. "So now, take a deep breath" said Annie: "Come on". Mia waited than followed the advice of her friend. "We can do it" repeated Annie: "Ok?" Mia stared at her silently. "Ok?" repeated Annie to convince her. Mia still stared at her hesitantly than finally nodded. "Ok." Said Mia half- smiling to Annie.
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One week passed since that day. It was afternoon and the Toretto's store was full of people. Mia and Annie ran here and there to serve all the clients. Annie had kept little changes to the store and now people came. "I still can't believe to al this" said Mia watching, in a brief moment of relax, at her bar finally livened.
"Yeah, it's great" Annie agreed with her friend: "it wasn't too difficult. Little changes like, some music and some advertisings", she was satisfied of what she was seeing.
"It's a pity that Dom cannot appreciate all that, he's such a stubborn!" said Mia.
"When he'll see the profits, he won't reply" said Annie. Because this was her plan, her big surprise for Dom. Gain a lot and then, tell him about all that. He surely would have been happy, she thought. It hadn't been difficult to keep the secret; he worked all the day at the garage and Mia and Annie joined the team directly at home, at evening. She risked nothing, thought Annie. But, she was wrong.
She was preparing a sandwich, when someone came in approaching to the counter. She just gave him a sideway look. "I'm here to you in a while" she said gently not lifting her head up. Once she ended: "Yes, shall I help . . . you" she ended her last words in a whisper, speechless because of what she's seen.
"Definitely yes" said Dom looking tough to Annie. She gulped.
"Dom please, we have-" tried to say Mia.
"Please." he stopped her sister: "who got the idea of all that?" he asked gesturing at the bar.
"Listen, Dom-" tried again to say Mia. "No, Mia please" said Annie stopping her. "I did all. I'm the unique responsible" said Annie staring courageously at his eyes.
He looked at her severe, almost angry. "Why this doesn't surprise me at all" he said snorting tilting his head on one side. "Come to my office" he paused "Now" in a tone that didn't admit reply.
"Annie,-" said Mia worried for her friend, knowing Dom very well.
"It's gonna be all right. He cannot eat me" said Annie trying to smile reluctantly, as to calm down Mia, but she wasn't too sure of that. She knew she'd gone against Dom decisions and now she wasn't no more sure that he would have understood all her work. She sighed, straightening up her shoulders and joined Dom in his office.
What he called "office" was a table with a bench, protected by an iron grating, but it was secluded on one side. She joined him and closed the "door". He was seated, looking at the store thoughtfully. She was a little bit afraid of his possible reaction. "Sit down" he ordered her. And she did it silently.
"I don't know if you're more brave or stupid" he said toughly lifting his head up and finally meeting her gaze.
She didn't reply just wait. "Thought I've been clear: No changes" he continued serious.
She throw an envelope on the table. He furrowed his eyebrows and looked at her questioning. "Open it" she simply said. He looked at the envelope and opened it. There was a quiet good amount of money.
"They are 1000$. It's the profit of this last three days" she explained him.
He looked at the notes. "You hadn't to do it" he told her.
She rolled her eyes. "Please!" she tried to say.
He gave her a warning look. "Where did you take the money for all this?" he asked .
"I used my money. I anticipated 100$ and before you ask me: Yes, I had the idea. Mia isn't responsible. She says you're impossible and I'm starting to think she's right"
"Watch your mouth" he grunted "Don't think I'm a stupid. You spent more. Where have you found all this?" he asked her.
"The music is from Mia's radio. The blue light you see, we've taken from Mia's car and adapted for the store. I prepare the food. At the beginning I used some food from your kitchen, then with the first money we bought it. There you can find enough money to pay back all the things I took." She paused "I made some advertisings. I've been on an internet point and created some advertising leaflets and put them here and there. And.this is the result" she ended in one go waiting nervous for his reaction. "Count'em they are all. You can verify" she added.
He looked at the notes again and made them rustle in his hands thoughtfully. "You've still broke my rules" he insisted but this time more calmly.
"Is it possible that you're so stubborn?" she suddenly said loosing her patience. "Look around you! It works and people do like it!" she said in a louder tone.
"Low your voice" he told her motioning with his hand. Some people had turned their head and looked curious toward them.
He looked thoughtfully at her. "Why you did it?" he insisted shacking his head.
"For Mia. She's been very kind with me" explained Annie.
"So, I haven't been kind with you"
"I didn't say that"
"But you think" he insisted, with a small irony in his tone.
"Well, . . . let's say that, she treats me better than you do" she admitted with a grin.
"So I treat you badly" he said. It wasn't a question but an observation.
The situation had changed now. He looked at her in a strange way, she didn't know, but she felt something to her stomach. She slowly nodded and swallowed. He was mesmerizing. Then suddenly he changed. He shook his head gaining again that coldness, that distance which usually was between them.
"I'll give you a chance" he said " One month. You'll have to gain at least 8000$. If you're able to do everything and gain the amount, you'll can go on like this" he ended. "Oh, obviously Mia will have to continue her study meanwhile" he added.
"Nothing else" she asked sarcastic.
"I'm serious" he warned her.
Annie looked at him for a long moment. "Otherwise?" she wanted to know.
"This will stop"
"Are you proposing me a deal?"
He nodded. "Is it enough reasonable?"
"It's a fair amount" she made him notice.
"You're in, you're out, what you do?" he briefly asked her, with a provoking tone.
She thought for a long while, than looked at him: "I'm in."
"Done" he said and they shook their hands.
"Now. Could you bring me a beer?" he asked her in an emphasized polite tone, grinning at her.
"Yes Sir" she replied using the same tone and smiling him back.
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"So? How was it?" asked Mia to Annie trying to look more quiet than what she really was, once Annie was back. "Mmh, still don't know" replied Annie doubtfully. "Could you be more clear?" asked Mia impatient. "We've got a deal. We'll have to make 8.000$ in a month with the shop, both of us not facing up our obligations" explained Annie. "What???" asked Mia widening her eyes. "If we're be able to do it, we'll keep all like this. If we lose." she didn't end, it wasn't necessary. " What a asshole!" said angry Mia loosing her control. "We have to work a lot and.be a little lucky!" said Annie shrugging with a little smile. "It's not possible he does me that! I'll talk to him" said Mia and without waiting went to Dom. Annie came back working, because some new costumers had just come in.
Mia entered to Dom's "office" like a fury: "So, come on! Tell me! Why are you doing me this?" yelled Mia directly. "Me? Doing what?" Dom said very calmly as he didn't understand and raising his eyes up to those of Mia. "Don't play with me Dom! You know what I mean! So why?" asked Mia again, her hands on her waist, aggressive. "I bet you're talking about the shop. So what is the problem?" asked Dom still very quietly. "Who you want to punish for this? Me? Annie? Why?" insisted Mia. "Don't be silly, I've nothing against you! You know I'm fonding of you!" said Dom.
"So it's about Annie." Said Mia trying to calm her down : "Why? What has she done? Why are you torturing her? " asked Mia. "She doesn't listen to me, doesn't respect the rules. She's a rebel." Said Dom simply. "And because of this, you want to punish her? Because she's not afraid of you and doesn't obey silently to your orders? Is that?" asked Mia. "She said that, the bar like this works much more than before. Perfect. So prove me that. If it's true what she'd said, it will not be too difficult to make that money in a month" simply explained Dom very quietly. "Can't believe you're doing this to her! She's such a lovely person." said Mia astonished. "She's strong enough to be able to honour the commitments" said Dom. "I won't let you hurt her! Fucking grow up Dom! She's a good one, not like the usual skanks you've met! For one time, I mean one time, that something good ends in your hands, don't waste it" tried to convince him, Mia. "I won't change my mind, Mia." Simply said Dom looking at his sister seriously: "So if you had something else to tell me." ended Dom. "What a bastard!" said Mia through her teeth and went away, slamming the kind of "door" of Dom's office.
When she joined Annie, she was shacking of anger. "Stubborn asshole!" muttered Mia shacking her head in disbelief. "Oh, come on! Hey? We'll do it! We'll do it!" said Annie to encourage and calm down Mia hugging her. "So now, take a deep breath" said Annie: "Come on". Mia waited than followed the advice of her friend. "We can do it" repeated Annie: "Ok?" Mia stared at her silently. "Ok?" repeated Annie to convince her. Mia still stared at her hesitantly than finally nodded. "Ok." Said Mia half- smiling to Annie.
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