Debt to the Mafia

A dark and dreary secret (1)

(EDITED)

Alexia's POV

I felt the brush kindly glide through my hair, removing the last tangles that remained. My mother then worked her fingers through my long, thick, light brown hair into 2 Dutch braids.

My mother was a hairdresser, working extra shifts to help pay our rent at the apartment we currently lived at. She insisted I got mine done for free but I still left a small tip of 5 bucks. It was what I had on me, and I had only luckily found it between the cushions of my apartment lobby couch.

I was still struggling to find a job with such low experience so I was paying off my survival with a part time job at a gas station that payed $5 an hour. I worked after school until 7 o'clock pm on weekdays, and 10 am to 5 pm on Saturdays. Sunday's were my days off.

"You were blessed with such gorgeous hair, girlie," a customer sitting in the chair next to me commented. She was getting her hair done by my moms Bestfriend, Jewel who also worked here.

"Thanks, so were you," I replied to the caramel-skinned girl with shiny black hair. I recognized her from around the small town I lived in. She was my brother's friend, I think. She looked about 22.

My mom spun me around in the barber chair and framed my face with her fingers before pulling out a few strands of hair to fall over my cheeks.

"Perfect," she said in her soft Italian accent and took off my barber coat thing.

I stood up and looked in the mirror, smiling at my reflection. My hair was shiny and sleek, with few strands framing my face to tie it that slightly messy look, topping it off.

I handed her the bill before she could argue and kissed her cheek.

"Bye, mom, love you!" I called as I left the barber shop. She scowled at the money in her hand and glared at me through the shop window.

I skipped home, being greeted by many of my neighbors. The perk of living in a small town was that everybody knew everyone, making us all like a small family.

I kept walking to the musty brick building I knew as my apartment building. I walked up the steps to it and walked into the lobby. Despite the outdoor look, the lobby was well kept and sleek. It had the soft black sofa that I had found the money in this morning, a coffee machine, the front desk, a coffee table, and some magazines.

I greeted the front desk worker who grunted something incomprehensible, due to the fact that she had food in her mouth. I giggled a little and she apologized with her eyes. I shook my head and walked to the elevator. I pressed the 3rd floor and felt the elevator behind to rise me up.

I heard the ding! And exited the fresh-smelling elevator. I walked down the hall, enjoying the silence until I reached my apartment door.

I opened the door, since none of the locks here really worked, and heard my father talking on the phone

"I don't have that kind of money!" I heard him say angrily, before hearing a bang. I closed the door loudly, so he would know I was here.

"Lex, is that you baby girl?" He called softly and peeked his head around the corner of the hallway. He smiled at me but it didn't reach his eyes. I sighed and did a gesture with my hands, telling him to continue his phone conversation.

He disappeared back around the corner, now talking very quietly. It wasn't my business to get into.

I walked to the living room, where I usually slept because the couch pulled out into a bed and the floor was uncomfortable. I plopped into the floppy couch and turned on the old television.

I pressed the power button but it wouldn't turn on.

"Lex, we went over the limit again. Tv's turned off until we pay the bills," my dad said sadly as he entered the living room, now off the phone.

"And I need to talk to you," he said.

"What is it, dad?" I asked, turning my body to face him.

"I know you heard me talking in the phone. I know you heard something about money. And I know I've been keeping this secret from you for way too long. I am involved in a Mafia business that I don't want to be involved in. I owe a very dangerous man $500,000 and I need to pay my debt or else... bad things will happen. All I ask is that you stay strong for me and your mother, because you shouldn't be apart of this business. It doesn't concern you, and I put us all in danger. I ask that you some day forgive me for this," my father said, tears rimming his eyes.

I broke into series of sobs and I threw my arms around my father's neck.

"I don't hate you, dad. I forgive you. I'll help lay off your debt. I put in extra hours at the gas station," I told my dad and he pulled away.

"No, Lexi. This whole situation shouldn't involve you, so I ask that you stay out of it and let me handle it. Please," my father begged and I nodded and hugged him again.