Elenora and Her Two Mafias

Chapter Twenty

Elenora's Point of View

After Dante told me I would be going back for testing mostly everyone at the dinner table assured me that it was a good thing and I didn't have to worry. I wasn't worried about the test, but it was a good excuse to go upstairs. I spent so much time crying that my head throned and my chest ached. When I finally hit the bed I fell into sleep immediately.

The next day came and it was not fun either, the same look of concerns across my brother's faces. I wasn't sure if Toni told them about yesterday, but it wasn't hard to tell from dinner with my eyes red and puffy from crying. I was sitting eating some toast and eggs. I took my fork and stabbed into the yolk, letting it slowly run out over the toast and onto the plate. I slowly at my egg and used the buttered toast to soak up the yolk, but no matter how hard I tried the yellow stain remained on the crisp white plate. I just continued to move my fork around the plate until I saw a hand reach out for it, I expected it to be Matteo coming back from his shift but it was Toni instead.

I look into his eyes and see a look of pity. "Hey kiddo. You finished" I nod and set the fork down on the plate. He finished reaching for it and takes it to the sink and turns the water on, washing off the rest of the yolk and the crumbs that remained before sticking it into the dishwasher. He comes back around to fill up his coffee mug and looks at me with a closed lip smile. "I'm sorry about yesterday, I wish I knew how to make it better"

"I'm doing better than yesterday" I say forcing myself to give him a smile.

"Better is amazing" he says "I have to get to work" he says walking away before turning back to me. "Want to try something with me?"

"I guess" hoping this isn't me having to explain to anyone about yesterday.

"I think it would be nice if we both thought of simple things each day we can be happy we accomplished. My goal today is today is to make you smile. Like a genuine one, not to make one of us worry less. You don't have to share yours but that is mine" I'm surprised at what he suggested but even more surprised by his goal. I don't think he is going to accomplish it, but it makes my heart warm at the thought. It's been a while since someone cared that much for me.

"I will think it over for my goal" I say then I turn to see Nico walk through. "I should get going too" I say getting up to follow Nico out to the car. Just like yesterday he turns on the music and we drive in silence, but this time as I get out he actually walks with me to my testing room.

"Good luck. I-I had to get to class yesterday" he says so quietly I could barely hear what he was saying. I stood there a while, plying with the twins bracelets that I was still wearing. I looked down them and out of the corner of my eye I see him twisting the ring on his finger, and his other hand pulling the strings of his backpack, gripping them so tight his buckles have turned white. I can tell he wants to run out of the hallway. I realize that yesterday, really wasn't him being rude and leaving me but the fact that being out here really stressed him out. I get that, being in a place this loud is tiring. I can never quite be calm, always staying alert to see if any one of the ghosts of my past might be lurking. I don't know if it's his ghosts that make him this way or just the general crowd, but I think I understand.

"No problem. Thank you for walking with me today. It means a lot" I say. He waves before he starts to walk away. I turn and open the door to the testing room. This time there are a lot less people, and there are free response booklets set out. Clearly I did too well yesterday to just skate by, because this seems to more intensive. Looks like this is going to be a long day of writing.

***

After a few hours I'm done and it feels like my hand is about to fall off. Luckily Federico said he was already on his way so I won't have to wait long. As I'm walking out I'm not quite paying attention so when someone starts to talk to me I jump out of my skin. "Hey Einstein"