Is This Happiness

80

ARLO

"The kids are out having fun. Let's not worry."

"You know Jason. He's probably taken a detour. He wants to bother you." I speak up, giving Adrik a side eyed glance. Regularly, I could tell what he was thinking just by the look on his face. Right now, he was unreadable. Staring at Stefano as he annoyingly paced the room.

Because nothing we said seemed to calm the erratic man. Nothing was good enough. The fucker needed to actually see her to have some peace of mind. And I don't blame him. I'd feel similar if this was Adrik we were talking about here.

I'd go fucking crazy. I know this because it's happened before. I found him all on my own, without anyone's help despite their discouraging words. He needed me and I found him. I understand.

"Do we know Jason? He's a walking disaster. He doesn't think. He does." Adrik's sweet voice fills my senses.

I give Stefano a look of pity as he turns to look at me with a thoughtful expression. He was staring into my eyes, but he wasn't looking at me. Yet through me with an idea.

His head turns to the side, doing a double take directed towards a bookshelf off to the side of the room. It was full of dust, very old and nothing to catch someone's immediate attention.

I watch closely, leaning forward on the couch i'm sitting on as his fingers grazed the spine of each book. Finding the one he set his eyes on and pulling down. The staged book, a leaver. Triggers the wall into moving. Opening up like a vault. I'm one step behind Adrik as the two men rushed into the hidden door.

"Whoa." I gasp lowly, looking at the walls. The room wasn't much. It's small and has dim light. Floor to ceiling wasn't very impressive either. Adrik and Stefano both had to crouch, besides me though, I stand fine.

My eyes lay onto the large tv's. On one side of the wall. The other, lined with electrical. Cords and a computer that Stefano stands in-front of, fingers moving quickly across the keyboard. It makes a loud beep, and our heads turn.

Lighting up the room, my vision is blinded by the new source of light. The tv screens, two of them are on and working. Buffering, I wait, stepping away from Stefano and more towards the door. Giving him enough room to breathe if needed. The man was a walking 8 ball.

You shake it and never know what you'll get.

I'm talking about the fortune toy by the way. I don't play pool, made that mistake the first time I played. I won the game of course, as I win every. Against an older man. Yeah, we got to know each other very well that night. Too well for Adrik's liking, he beat the dirty man with a pool stick.

The sight gave me nightmares for weeks. Adrik had his crew hold me down to watch, and the cries that escaped me that night were still burned into my brain.

I swallow back my change of mood, deciding it's best to watch the screen instead.

Watching the screen, my mouth drops open seeing the sight of Carmen's pretty face, and Jason sitting next to her. His face filled the other screen, driving with ease unlike Carmen who's face was filled with concern. They both watched the road ahead with little to no knowledge of the three of us watching.

"It's playback." Stefano reversed the clip.

It was dark out. With no sign of them anywhere, they haven't returned from earlier in the day. Which means Stefano was losing it. If Stefano isn't happy, no one is.

That's how the mafia works right?

Yes Don. No Don. I'm sorry, Don.