Vincenzo felt like he was living a nightmare. The shock was just hitting him. His father had been trying to protect him from Paulo Rosario. All these years he questioned why his father had cut off ties with the Sicilian part of his family except for uncle Pietro now made him feel guilt. All this time he thought his father should have allowed his grandfather to enter their lives. What was the worst that could happen? But now he just felt deceived by his grandfather. How he had fallen for his front was a mistake he wanted to never repeat. He wasn't careless. He didn't trust people that easily. He had trusted his grandfather and now he had taken one look into his father's eyes and he had seen the pain and suffering. When he had spent time with his grandfather he could see his brutality but not towards family. He had never hurt him. Of course there was a good reason too. His grandfather didn't want to alert his father to seeing his grandson. An unexplained bruise could be alerting him.
Vincenzo relived the past hour that had been the hardest hour of his life. He had gone outside and had called upon Viggo to tell him the truth. Viggo was as shocked but had said his mother and Vienna had the right to know. He had told them all the while his father was outside and ordering his men around. He was planning something big. His uncle Costanzo was outside too. When Vincenzo had glimpses of them from the window he could see them in intense conversations. This matter was personal to the brothers and Vincenzo could feel it so he had decided to stay inside.
Now his mother was in the kitchen making breakfast deciding they had to live normal while waiting. Even his mother knew she couldn't interfere. Not any more. His mother had gone pale when she had heard and had cried. She had embraced Vincenzo and asking if he was alright repeatedly. Now she was just waiting. There was nothing that could influence his father. Everyone knew that. He was not sure where his siblings were. They were scattered. Vienna was on the phone with Tristan most likely and Viggo, well he was most likely just waiting in the kitchen with their mother. The threat was real when his father had declared "this fight was his." That meant they had to wait their turn.
Vincenzo was now in front of the mirror in his father's office resting his forehead on the mirror thinking hard. Just then the door opened soundly and as he looked in the mirror he saw his father. His father paused at the door "Why are you still here?" He said harshly. He then came in and banged the door soundly as his heavy foot steps shook the room. He was staring right at Vincenzo walking towards him "I told you this fight is mine."
Vincenzo took a step away from the mirror and turned around. He was silent. He didn't know what to say. He couldn't find the right words.
Francesco walked to his son and then reached next to him opening a cupboard next to the mirror.
Vincenzo was startled as his father had raised his hand towards him. He was deep in his thoughts. He watched his father take out a hand gun and some bullets.
Francesco stood in front of his son looking down at his gun as he was loading it with bullets. He said dismissively. "If you stayed to talk to me about your so called favourite uncle, then you might like to know that I am not dealing with him today. He is sent away out of town. I have banished him for now. I will deal with him later." He then looked up at his son as he put his gun around his belt in its leather case.
Vincenzo said "I didn't stay for uncle Antonio. I think he knew the consequences when he tried to save his family by going along with it..."
Francesco narrowed his eyes and became tensed up "Â If you want to know about your grandfather and you stayed just for him, then I will tell you what is his status after I have dealt with him."
Vincenzo shook his head and said "I didn't stay for them. I stayed for you...."
Francesco raised an eyebrow "I told you this is my fight. Not yours... Now leave... Go to your room or go see your mother and help her with making breakfast."
Vincenzo took a deep breath " Father. I need to talk to you about the past."
Francesco said "You are dismissed."
Vincenzo said "Father please. Just hear me out. I am very sorry. I owe you an apology..."
Francesco said "You don't. You never owe me an apology unless you accidentally upset your mother. And even then I may not accept your apology... I don't like apologies. You should know that well." He then turned to walk away but his son walked around him and appeared in front of him.
Vincenzo said "Father. I need to talk to you..."
Francesco said "This is my fight. You don't owe me explanations. Even this morning I only asked you to tell me all that you wish so I had your input because you insisted on it and waited so long for me to talk to you... I heard you. Didn't I? Now ... You will remain here. I will handle this..."
Vincenzo said "I need to know ..."
Francesco said "What don't you understand about my instructions? You stay here. It's not your fight." He then tried to side step his son but his son blocked him.
Vincenzo said "You didn't answer my question and your silence meant your response was affirmative... He made you kill... I am sorry I trusted him. I owe you an apology for all the years I questioned why you don't let our family see our grandparents. I am really sorry... I wish you tell me more about the past..."
Francesco was listening silently and didn't say anything in reply. He just leaned closer and ran his hands in his sons heir. He then side stepped him "It's not your fight son... It's mine."
Vincenzo was feeling desperate. His father was not engaging. He whispered "Please father. Please hear me..."
Francesco stopped walking and turned "I hear you. The phantom reappears and claims your life just how he claimed mine. I won't let him claim my grandchildren's lives too. You won't see him again. We will sit down later and assess what damage he did to you..."
Vincenzo quickly walked to his father "He didn't damage me. He didn't dare... Because of you... He came close when he became angry. But he never hurt me... I witnessed things I didn't want to but I am fine."
Francesco have a bitter smile to his son. He then turned to walk away . "Maybe I pushed you too hard to be too strong..."
Vincenzo said "I want to stand with you. Please let me. Please hear me."
Francesco sighed as he put his hand on the door handle.
Vincenzo sounded hurt "Take me with you. I want to know you and learn from you. Why do you push me out. I said I was sorry. I don't know anything. So teach me. Tell me about the sins of our grandpa that made you ban him from seeing us... I am sorry I doubted you ... Just please ... Don't pretend I don't exist and walk away."
Francesco stopped and let go of the handle as he turned " Pretending that you don't exist? Vincenzo. You are all I have lived for to protect. You are my child. My eldest son. My heir. You don't know anything. You are just a kid. Stay where you belong... at this home... a place you call home... I go where I never called home. To a lair I hated with every fibre in my being. This time I don't go there to suffer. I go there to confront my father for his sins."
Vincenzo was taking in his father's words. He swallowed hard "Father... why do you late the lair. What did he do? He made you kill..."
Francesco said "You are asking the wrong questions son. What he did doesn't matter. The consequences of what he did matters... What he destroyed matters son. What he caused matters... Our actions have consequences..." He then turned once again having every intention to leave.
Vincenzo whispered "Mother said you still see nightmares..."
Francesco closed his eyes not being able to be mad at his wife. She took the freedom to reveal his secrets to his children and he couldn't be mad at her. He would have been mad at anyone else but not his wife. It sounded like even his father hadn't told his son about him. He did not dare... He took a breath trying to compose himself "What else did she say." He demanded as he turned around.
Vincenzo said "She said you wake up from nightmares sometimes. She said you don't see nightmares as often but when you hear about him it comes back still... I confessed to her just after you left an hour ago... I asked her why there are nightmares. She said only your father can answer this..."
Francesco said " Your mother is right. Only I can answer this but I choose not to. I don't use words son. I use actions. I don't have time for words."
Vincenzo breathed "I want to hear your words... I don't want to hear about your life from anyone else..."
Francesco said "Don't be curious about the past son. Especially a past that's not yours to face. I face my past. You face yours... I must go. You will stay here. You won't follow me..."
Vincenzo pleaded "I haven't finished asking you questions father. At least ... Take me with you.
Francesco said "If I take you with me then I will have to be merciful. I don't wish to be merciful son. Not today."
Vincenzo said "Mercy is what I am not after. Father I am just ... after the truth... The truth that I didn't see..."
Francesco said "Truth? It's not worth finding for truth sometimes when you have bigger battles to fight. What else are you after?"
Vincenzo said "Your forgiveness is what I am after for ... doubting you for so long..."
Francesco was getting frustrated "I don't need to forgive you when there is nothing to forgive. You actions didn't cause any consequences that requires an apology. Your grandpa played with your life. He messed with your life."
Vincenzo said "But he messed with your life so bad, you see nightmares. Isn't that right?"
Francesco never wanted for his children to know of his past. He had locked all his sufferings in a box and at times when it came out only Adele saw it when he woke up from his nightmares distraught. He wished Adele hadn't gotten involved.
Vincenzo said "He must apologise to you."
That made Francesco laugh bitterly. He shook his head at his son "Son. Apologies are for accidents and mistakes ... Apologies are not for times like these... Nothing can bring justice. Your grandpa could be banished. He could be isolated. He could be locked away. He could get shot. Notying is enough to bring justice ... Nothing brings back a life that's destroyed. I only vowed to not allow him to destroy another life. I tried to protect you..."
Vincenzo shook his head "Father. My life is not destroyed. But yours is. It's killing me that I don't know anything...."
Francesco said "You are not meant to know about the past that doesn't belong to you... You don't need to know. That's my decision... You will help him get away by holding me up. The Sicilian loyal soldiers of his have been in town. They are trying to break him out. If he escapes, he will be on the run. I don't think he would dare surface again. If he does, I will deal with him... Not you... "