Vincenzo watched his father smile at him. He approached him and put his hands on his shoulders staring into his eyes "Listen my son. Life is a cruel game. No one is this world has a life free of pain and conflict. That's what makes us who we are. It defines us. It it stays with us. I can confirm the one who shaped my life is my mother. Not my father. My mother is the face I remember. Not my father's. Never ask anyone about who wronged them. Ask them what wrong was done and who was hurt. My mother is who I ever cared for. I thought of her every single day. I still do. Did you ever see her in Sicily?"
Vincenzo was stunned as his father spoke to him about his mother. It was the first time. He breathed "I did. She talked about you... She misses you..."
Francesco gave him a sad smile "I know. I offered to save her. She refused." He then let go. "Now. You got some answers. Are you satisfied?"
Vincenzo said "Father... I still don't know anything about the past..."
Francesco said with a hard tone "You are not meant to know. It's my past. Not yours... I only told you because your uncle O'Neil has locked down the building and won't let my men in without a stand off until I speak with you. He did make a sign at the skies with one of those colourful banners of his with his helicopter. I think you need to know about the past but I don't wish to be the one to tell you. I wish you to make your own judgements about my past and not be influenced by what I tell you. I don't think you are ready to make judgements at such personal level. You are not even old enough to vote."
Vincenzo knew despite his father's resistance he had the biggest chance at that moment... O'Neil knew what he was doing. He was cornering his father and buying Vincenzo time to convince his father to tell him the truth. Vincenzo took a deep breath as he watched his father walk away towards the lake. His father picked up a stone and threw it across the lake. Vincenzo tried to reason with him "Father. I know it's nearly impossible for me to convince you to tell me about yourself. But I need this father. I need you father to guide me. I don't want to let you down. I don't wish to make mistakes ... that could be avoided ..."
Francesco put his hands in his pockets and looked up at the skies "You will never let me down... Not really. You are my son. Raising you and teaching you all I knew has been my responsibility. But I don't wish to stop you from making mistakes... You are human son. As much as you would like to be flawless and perfect you can't be. You are not faultless and neither am I. I have made mistakes in the past. I am not perfect. I put you under your uncle Antonio's care for one ... Look what I caused. I take responsibility for trusting the wrong man..."
Vincenzo walked closer towards his father "Please don't say that. I cherished every minute with uncle Antonio. He didn't have a choice but to hand me over to my grandpa. I don't blame him. Neither do I blame my grandpa truly. He did show me scenes I didn't wish to see. But I am fine now... He never went too far... Just you need to know... He was desperate for contact with your family father. He was desperate... He said he wanted you in his life and he needed you... He said he wanted to see his grand kids... He said he wanted to be invited to your Christmas and thanksgiving dinners... That's what he wanted that he couldn't have and it bothered him..."
Francesco turned sharply "You don't know what you are talking about son..."
Vincenzo said "I know... So please help me father. Help me understand. Tell me about your past. I will do as you say. If you wish me to pretend I know nothing I will. If you want me to do anything ... I will do it. Just please don't keep me in the dark. I know I have no idea what I am talking about and I am sorry. But I don't wish to be sorry for the rest of my life. I wish to be like you or get close to being like you as much as I can manage. I need you father to be a better man..."
Francesco shook his head "You are not a man yet. You are a kid. You had to grow up fast because of what I inherited that I never wanted by the way. You had to grow up very fast for the sins of those living before you..."
Vincenzo said "Please father. Tell me your father's sins..."
Francesco said "His existence is a sin. Him breathing is a sin... Him tainting your childhood is a sin. He must answer for that. You are stopping me from dealing with his sins against you every minute you are spending confronting me here... You are lucky you have O'Neil on your side. Otherwise I would have put you in the car and would have sent you home. I don't wish my children to interfere in my business. Your grandpa must answer for the sins he has committed against you..."
Vincenzo argued "Father. Tell me about his sins against you... You only talk of making him pay for seeing me in secret. But I am fine father. Truly. I wish to talk about what he did to you... You see nightmares of him..."
Francesco whispered "No... The nightmares are ... Of my mother... and my brother ... Nightmares are not hurting because of him. They hurt because of my mother, she is the woman I wanted to save but I couldn't. They hurt because of my brother. I could not do anything to protect them. It hurts me. The guilt kills me every day. I see my father in my nightmares as I remember him... Him standing towering over me. Pointing his finger at me... Lecturing me ... and hurting me ... They hurt to experience but I see my mother and my brother too... They hurt as I watch helplessly... It's not a nice feeling to be helpless son. That's why I never wanted you or your siblings to be helpless and be cornered. I made sure I gave you safety, protection and love ... Power brings protection or so you think... But loves gives you strength to use anything you have and make the most of anything in your life. I gained strength from love. I am the only one who succeeded in my family in love. My father failed. My mother was betrayed. My brother never tried until I forced him."
Vincenzo asked "Tell me about your father's betrayal to your mother. Please tell me. I need to know. He talks about honour all the time ..."
Francesco said " His betrayal had lasting effects on my mother, my brother and me. You don't need to know the details."
Vincenzo said "But I do... I don't want to make mistakes ... You can change my life if you talk to me..."
Francesco sighed "Looking visibly tired of fighting with his son. He was cornered by O'Neil. He didn't want to have this talk with his son right now. He was too young... Too young to judge the situation. What was he going to do with the information. This generation had less patience and rushed to decisions. He despised it. He always took his time. If he even spent days thinking about a matter he would do it.
Francesco said after contemplation I never could afford to make mistakes when I was your age ... not without getting a beating of my life from my father. I was only allowed to be seen and not heard... The conversion you and I have never happened. It was like dream and remained a dream for me to talk to my father, speak my mind and not get beaten up within an inch of my life..."
Vincenzo closed his eyes. He muttered in Latin "Praying the lord, he is condemned to hell." He then made a sign of a cross.
Francesco wasn't sure how to tell him or whether to tell him more. Maybe his son needed to pray for his soul next for telling his son information that came with responsibility "He beat my mother and my brother..."
Vincenzo had his eyes closed muttering words in Latin calling his grandpa the devil's follower deserving hell..."
Francesco decided to continue with a heavy heart "He threatened to kill your mother... I threatened him back ... Of course he listened to me. He knew I was going to kill him and destroy his empire if he hurt your mother... He agreed to leave your mother be after beating me up for defending her honour and threatening him... But he listened. He only separated me from your mother and didn't let me write to her or see her. I didn't see your mother for a long time ... She was the reason I had for living and he didn't let me be with her for a long time ..."
Vincenzo swallowed hard as he opened his eyes and whispered "For how long?"
Francesco said "Does it matter?"
Vincenzo nodded and said in a low tone "Yes."
Francesco said "Ten years..."
Vincenzo was stunned. He couldn't imagine being away from Terza for ten years... Never. His eyes widened thinking of the impact it must have had on his father after being a victim of domestic abuse. His grandfather was not deserving to be called a man. What kind of a man hurt his family?
Francesco said "I tried to break the order. Many times. He had too much power. So I overthrew him as the only way to marry your mother... My father wanted me to marry a powerful family. He didn't love your mother. He never did. He despises her. He would kill her if he could and if he gained enough power to rise above me. I kept him away because he is a danger to my family. He is a danger..."
Vincenzo asked a question he wondered about and needed to know "Why is he alive. Why didn't you kill him when you over throw him..."
Francesco stated simply "Because it would immortalise him. If I killed him he would be seen as the hero... No one would know what he has done... He will be immortalised as the perfect family man..."
Vincenzo said "How? No one saw eye signs..."
Francesco stated "No. He provided for his family according to society. I defied him and wasn't allowed to have a mind of my own. I got hurt because I stood up to him... He would have been nicer if I hated my mother. I loved her and he hated that the most... Love is what the evil fears... You can conquer over the evil by not ever giving up in love... Fall in love son. Have children of your own. Raise them to love. You don't need to condemn anyone to hell. In your darkest days, live with love. I loved your mother. Before her I lived with the love my mother gave me... You live with the love your family gives you. Then you love a woman and have your own children. Then you will give the love you have been given. Money and power can be inherited but they can pass. They can run out. Love never runs out. Love is always there once it's given to you. My mother loved me. For some of us we only get one look of love at birth and that's enough. Knowing we were loved. Even if it was a motherly instinct and was natural. If it was for a split second... It is love. I was lucky to have the love of my mother for 6 years until my father had a divorce. I was loved. That's what I remember. In your darkest moments son, don't ever try to remember the hatred you felt by those who wronged you. Remember the love you are given. That's how I made it this far son. I think of the love I had. Not the pain and the hurt when I see my nightmares. And then my nightmares can't hurt me. It's hard son. Very hard. We tend to naturally think of our darkest moments. That's human nature. If you think of the love you have you can live happy. You can do anything."
Vincenzo was shocked. He felt numbed. He felt betrayed by his grandfather. He felt sick to his stomach. How could he not see it? How could he not know? He wished he knew this earlier. He whispered "Father I am so sorry ... But he has to pay... He needs to pay. He deserves to die. I want to hurt him like how he hurt you..."
Francesco said "You already have hurt him... He doesn't have your love and loyalty now... Love is more powerful than you think... It hurts when it's lost... and it empowers you beyond your imagination when you have love..."