Sofia's Secret Mafia Brothers

6. Journey to the Past pt. 2

Flashback

"Me?"Sofia's brown eyes shined with confusion, vulnerability, fear. "I don't understand"

"What did you say to him when you've met that day?!" Carl asked. His blue eyes were full of anger and pain. Elio's eyes had the same color. For some reason, it made it even more painful for Sofia. She could feel Carl's hands closing into a tight grip on her thin arms. It was painful but she didn't feel physical pain at the moment, all she could focus on was the pain she was feeling inside.

"What are you talking about?" Sofia was still confused.

"He wanted to confess to you that day. He told me over the phone. He bought flowers and chocolates, he planned to ask you out on a date. Have you rejected him? What if he hurt himself because-" Carl could no longer speak his voice became strained and he covered his face with his hands so Sofia can't see his tears.

Sofia slowly processed what he just said.
And after a moment she started speaking "We never met that day, I had no idea he was planning something. He called me later that night and I didn't pick up. I was at the hospital, my mother was being pronounced dead" Sofia said with a hollow voice.

"What? No" now it was Carl who looked confused, the whole theory about the reason for his brother's disappearance just fell apart.

"Come in. I will make you a tea" Sofia suggested in a defeated voice. She knew Carl isn't a threat. He just really loved his brother.

"Is Paul home?"

"No. He disappeared a few days ago but in his case it's normal"

Carl didn't comment. For the whole process of tea making, he was sitting in complete silence, thinking intensively about something so it was Sofia who decided to speak for now.

"I visited a few places Elio and I used to go but nothing, no trace of him," Sofia said sadly "I wish I picked the damn phone when he called me that day"

"It's not your fault. I'm sorry I blew up like that. I assumed that you rejected him and he had a mental breakdown after this... I assumed that he perhaps hurt himself because... of that"

"Carl, if he said he loves me I would say that I love him back. I would never reject him" Sofia whispered with tears in her eyes.

"Sofia, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't act in this way. I'm really sorry"

"Don't apologize I understand. I want to find him too. Do you have any other theory of what could happen to him?"

Carl started speaking slowly as if trying to fit the puzzle pieces together. "My brother plans to confess, he goes to your house but disappears few hours after your mother is pronounced dead. What if... your mother was drunk and attacked him? She had a drinking problem perhaps he pushed her away and-"

"What the fuck are you talking about?! Mom doesn't attack people for no reason" Sofia said feeling offended.

"It's a most plausible theory" he interrupted.

"The most plausible theory you've got is that your brother killed my mother while trying to defend himself? This is bullshit. No, this can't be right"

"I need facts. What was the cause of death?"

"H-head injury. They said she broke her neck after she tripped and fell"

"Are they sure it was an accident? What if someone helped her? What if someone pushed her? What if Elio-?"

"Stop. This is insane. Stop-" Sofia wanted to cover her ears just to stop hearing this nonsense.