Author's Note: In response to the question about if a young adult was going to be in this story. I'm not really foreseeing one of the young adults showing up in this story. At least this time. Possibly something in relation to Charle's funeral. But that's about it for now unless opportunity arises as I write.
And Happy 60 years to GH!
Lorenzo was waiting for Kellie in her study when she got home.
"So you voted against Sonny as head of the five families," Lorenzo said, "and you've been offered the open seat seat at the table."
"I did vote against Sonny," Kellie said, "I couldn't vote for him, not when's he's not doing the job."
"But he's still your father," Lorenzo said, "That still doesn't make it easy."
"It's not like I've ever been able to consistently rely on him," Kellie said, "I've always known that. Not like I could rely…"
Kellie's voice trailed off.
"Not like you could rely on Charles," Lorenzo said.
"Yeah," Kellie said, "I've always told myself that I don't expect Charles to any of the things he did for me. But when I realized I couldn't call him to meet me at the station tonight….I didn't realize how much that would sting or to not have him just show up even if I hadn't called. Charles has been bailing me out of scrapes at the police station since I was a teenager."
"Not that you'd admit they were scrapes at the time," Lorenzo said, "Although in fairness most of what happened when you were teenager wasn't because you trying to make trouble."
"And you'd know that how?" Kellie asked.
"Any juvie records may have been sealed to most people," Lorenzo said, "But I talked to the right people after I found out we were related."
"Of course, you did," Kellie said, rolling her eyes.
"Since we're on the subject," Lorenzo said, "There was an interesting incident of Charles's neighbors in Florida reporting you to the police for covering his house in colored streamers."
"It was a misunderstanding," Kellie said.
"I highly doubt Charles wanted you cover his house in colored paper that would likely stain when it got wet," Lorenzo said, "No matter what he told the police."
Kellie looked at Lorenzo in silence.
"You wanted to get caught," Lorenzo said, "You did it in broad daylight."
"Fine, I didn't believe Charles when he said he'd help me get out of the foster system," Kellie said, "Why would I? I might have engaged in some harmless teenage pranks that would attract the cops attention enough to push him away so I didn't get my hopes up."
"He saw right through it didn't he," Lorenzo said.
"He marched me into his study once the cops left," Kellie said, "And told me he knew what I was doing and that no amount of shenanigans on my part would discourage him from helping me. That I might have been used to everyone else abandoning me, but I'd just have to get used to the idea he wasn't going to do that to me. While I was just glaring at him, he then handed me job applications for places he knew of that were hiring. He told me to fill them out and that I'd need employment in order to prove to the courts I could live on my own."
"And?" Lorenzo asked.
"I filled out the applications," Kellie said, "I still didn't believe him. Even once the courts had ruled I could live on my own, I still expected him to disappear. But then I met his son and you know the rest of the story. There's so much I should have told him, but I never did, Uncle Lo. I thought about it sometimes, but I never could. And now he's gone and I can't."
Lorenzo shook his head, "You didn't need to. I'm sure he knew. I think Charles, more than anyone except maybe Tyler, knew you well enough to know why you might not have been able to say those things. Anyone that knows you, knows you might not always be able to tell them what they mean to you and how important they are to. But they know because you've always shown them. Charles knew. You nearly died from a bullet wound you put off getting treatment for to deliver him the antidote to whatever caused his stroke years ago."
"I don't know what to do without Charles here," Kellie said, tears she fought to hold in, trickling down her face, "I always knew that he wouldn't live forever, but I wasn't ready. I hoped that happened on the island, the threat that my life brought to everyone around me wasn't going to…It's not like didn't know it could happen…"
"You still hoped," Lorenzo said, "There's absolutely nothing wrong with that."
Kellie didn't reply right away and then stood up.
"Do you want something to drink?" Kellie said, heading to leave the study, "I could use something."
Lorenzo moved to block Kellie from leaving, "I don't need anything and I don't think you really want anything either."
"No," Kellie said, "I just wish I could skip the part where I have to feel everything, feel the loss."
"It doesn't work that way, sobrinita," Lorenzo said, "You have no idea how much I wish I could fix all of this for you."
"it's not your responsibility," Kellie said.
"I don't know about that," Lorenzo said, "Sometimes I wonder if I had just made a move for Sonny's business when my brother infiltrated the organization and had Sonny framed for murder, if it would have meant you wouldn't ended up so connected to the business. Maybe you wouldn't be in this situation now."
"I knew what I was doing when I decided to make the play all those years ago," Kellie said, "Who knows maybe Luis would have removed you and Jason? He was already planning it and trying to force you into turning the Alcazar estate back over to him."
"Maybe there were no better decisions," Lorenzo replied, "That being said, we have to talk about the next decision, accepting the offer to join the five families."
"I told them no at first," Kellie said, "But…."
"They wanted to you to think about it first," Lorenzo said, "Do you want to accept the offer?"
"I don't know if I can afford not to," Kellie said, "It might be a moot point if I end up taking the spot for the Corinthos Organization instead."
"Let's assume that Sonny or Jason stay in charge of their business," Lorenzo said, "Would you take the seat that's been offered?"
"If I don't, it might leave an opening for someone else to come in or others to attack," Kellie said.
"Or challengers will attack you as they will Zacharra," Lorenzo said.
"I know," Kellie said, "What would you do? You should have some say in this considering, you own the other half of the shipping company."
"I will support whatever you decide," Lorenzo said, "I can't make this decision for you. You've talked about being willing to take on that role if it was necessary to protect you, your family. But whole idea with the shipping company was supposed to be an attempt to avoid that. Give you legal leverage to distance yourself from the power struggles in the five families."
"I didn't even consider the possibility that making that move would result in that kind of offer," Kellie said, "I hadn't even considered the implications of Sonny and Selina splitting the Novak territory and only having an even number of families at the table."
"Sonny and Selina should have considered that," Lorenzo said, "The responsibility to fix that shouldn't fall to you. Who made the offer or suggested it?"
"Selina did," Kellie said.
"And she's also the associate who has more recently kept you informed on business related matters, asked for assurances from you behind Sonny's back," Lorenzo said, "Now she's head of the five families with your help. She hasn't put you in a position where she has the upper hand on you. But I wouldn't put her past her to try. I wouldn't let my guard down with her. The Wu's have being looking to reestablish their dominance over the territory for years. She maybe angling for it now."
"I'm not unaware Selina had her own motives for approaching me," Kellie said.
"Make sure you don't forget it," Lorenzo said, "Whatever you decide. Don't think I haven't noticed that you keep avoiding the question about whether or not you want to take the seat. You keep giving reasons you should take it, being willing to take it if necssary. But what I want to know is do you want to take the seat?"
"What I want may not matter," Kellie said.
"It does," Lorenzo said, "So what do you want? Do you want to take a seat at the table, no matter what the circumstances are?"
Kellie shook her head and tried to move past Lorenzo.
"It's not that simple," Kellie said, when Lorenzo blocked her.
"Maybe it should be," Lorenzo said, "It's a yes or no question."
Kellie sighed and looked away, "No….I don't want to sit at that table. I never did."