History after the Hostel Takeover II

- + - + - + - + - + -
History after The Hostel Takeover II
August 26th 2008
Danielle
- + - + - + - + - + -



[From the outside, the house was much the same as it had been the last time that Danielle had seen it – small and white, with a picket fence surrounding the front yard, and a walkway that lead from the driveway to the front steps. The differences were not in the house itself, but in the way it was kept. There were no flowers around the walkway anymore, as there had always been in the summers that Raven lived there. It wasn't a surprise. Hannah loved flowers, but Carmine knew nothing about them. They probably all withered away and died; yet another piece of her sister that was gone forever.]

- Danielle –
"This is it"

[Danielle told Emily as she pulled her small, red Toyota into the driveway. The garage door was open, exposing the empty space within where Carmine's car should have been. Danielle narrowed her eyes. Where the hell is he at this hour!? It was almost three in the morning, and the man had a very young daughter to think about.]

- Emily –
"There's no car"

Emily pointed out the obvious.

- Emily –
"No one's home."

- Danielle –
"Someone must be here"

[Said Danielle, more to herself than her little sister. Emily had fought the idea from the start, but at the end of each argument, she was forced to concede that living with a virtual stranger would be better than going back to live with their father and Candy. This past summer, Danielle had witnessed first-hand how unhealthy that environment was and decided to get her little sister out of it. Their father didn't put up much of a fight, a testament to his parenting skills.]

[Danielle scanned the house, checking each of the windows for light. Nothing. The place seemed dead and empty inside… how depressing… But then, just when she was about to give up hope and go off in search of a nearby hotel, she spotted a large, pink bicycle leaning on the front step. A smile crept across her face – that bicycle could only belong to one person.]

- Danielle –
"Helga!"

She exclaimed happily.

- Emily –
"Who?"

- Danielle –
"Come on!"

[Danielle didn't wait for her little sister to respond. She quickly exited the car and hurried to the front door, where she inspected the pink bicycle. It was Helga's – of course it was Helga's! She heard Emily approaching from behind, her footsteps much more reluctant. Danielle rang the doorbell and waited.]

- Emily –
"Who's Helga?"

[Emily stepped up beside her]

- Danielle –
"You'll see"

[She stepped back down onto the front lawn to get a full view of the house. As expected, an upstairs light came on – the guest bedroom. Years ago, that had been Danielle's room. She hurried back up the front steps and waited impatiently at the front door.]

- Emily –
"Who's Helga?"

[Emily asked again, but before Danielle could answer, they heard the door unlock. When it opened, just a crack, Helga was standing on the other side looking tired and disheveled. Danielle smiled brightly upon seeing her again. Helga was a thick woman of fifty years who loved children almost as much as she loved riding her pink bicycle – she hadn't learned to ride until she was in her forties, and once she had it mastered, she immediately sold her car. She also had a lot of spare time and was available on short notice, which made her the perfect nanny for a man whose schedule shifted as much as Carmine Vestieri.]

- Danielle –
"How've you been?"

[Danielle's smile was as bright as ever.]

[Helga squinted, her eyes still adjusting to the light of the moon. She was obviously tired, and seemed not to recognize Danielle at first. But then her face lit up and suddenly she was her old, jovial self. She looked every bit as warm and pleasant as Danielle remembered her, and for that, she was thankful.]

- Helga –
"Little one!"

[Helga exclaimed in her thick Russian accent.]

- Helga –
"It has been far too long! You surprised me! A good surprise – good surprise!"

[Her eyes turned to Emily.]

- Helga –
"And who is this?"

- Danielle –
"My little sister, Emily."

- Helga –
"Littler one!"

[Helga immediately stepped out of the house and surprised Emily with a bear hug. Such was the nature of the woman, and Danielle couldn't help but smile. She knew that if Helga had ever met Hannah, the two would have made fast friends.]

- Helga –
"Come in, come in!"

[Never one to miss an opportunity, Helga took a moment to hug Danielle before the three of them went inside]

- + - + - + - + - + -
Same Day
Emily
- + - + - + - + - + -



[The house was depressing. It felt like a ghost lived there, but didn't use anything. The only signs of life were Haley's toys scattered around the living room, which was also where Emily found the only evidence that Hannah had ever lived there. Her pictures lined the walls, depicting her from the time she was a child until the days leading up to her death – there were a few that showed her enormously pregnant.]

- Helga –
"So the little one won't forget"

[Helga said solemnly when she noticed Emily staring.]

- Danielle –
"And what about the big one?"

- Helga –
"Mr. Vestieri…"

[Helga hesitated, considered her words, and then let out a sigh.]

- Helga –
"Sometimes it seems that Mr. Vestieri would rather forget."

[Emily wasn't sure what that meant, but before either she or her sister could ask, Helga went on.]

- Helga –
"I will make coffee. You drink coffee? Hmm?"

- Danielle –
"That's okay, It's pretty late. You can go back to your place, if you'd like. Emily and I will stay with Haley."

- Helga –
"Coffee?"

- Danielle –
"No really – it's okay."

[Danielle rarely reminded Emily of Hannah, but this was one of those times. She touched the older woman on the arm, smiling sweetly.]

- Danielle –
"You should get some sleep. We're going to wait up for Carmine. You wouldn't happen to know where he is, would you?"

- Helga –
"I never know with that one."

[Helga dismissed the question with a wave of her hand.]

- Helga –
"Always running for this and that. Always mysterious. Secrets. I come over to watch the little one when he needs me. I keep the house clean."

- Danielle –
"How's he been?"

[Danielle asked with a tilt of her head. Her voice was full of empathy.]

- Danielle –
"I mean, you know… since…"

[Helga hesitated and sighed. She shook her head, causing her heavy jowls to sway from side to side in harmony with the motion. She didn't say anything – she didn't seem to know what to say. And then finally, after giving the question enough thought, her face lit up a little and she took Danielle by the arm.]

- Helga –
"He will be happy to see you. He needs a little cheer in his life."

[Helga was a naturally cheerful woman – Emily could see that already.]

[Danielle gave a nod and then looked to the staircase.]

- Danielle –
"Is Haley upstairs?"

[The only light at the top came from the open door of the guest room, making it hard for Emily to see much of what was up there.]

- Helga –
"Sleeping"

- Danielle –
"You may as well go back to sleep, Or head home if you like. Emily and I will be here. I can give you a ride if you want."

[That startled Emily. If Danielle gave Helga a ride home, that would leave her alone in the house with Haley. Emily had always taken after her oldest sister when it came to children, moreso than Danielle, but she hadn't seen Haley since she was a baby. She must have been five years old by now, and would have no idea who Emily was should she wake up in the middle of the night. And what if Jason comes home? Jason hadn't seen Emily since the funeral three years ago – she had grown up a lot since then, and he probably would no longer recognize her. She would just be a stranger in his house, alone with his child. That thought gave her chills.]

- Helga –
"I have my bicycle"

[Said Helga. Emily breathed a sigh of relief and watched Helga give Danielle one last hug.]

- Helga –
"I live close by now – just up the street. Mr. Vestieri likes to keep me at arm's length."

[She pulled back from Danielle and took a moment to size up the girls.]

- Helga –
"Don't be such a stranger, little one. It has been… what? More than a year now? Two years? I will come by tomorrow for a proper visit, yes? Yes. Good."

- Danielle –
"Good night"

- Emily –
"Good night"

[And with that, Helga was gone, and the girls were left alone in the house that their older sister had once called home. Only a moment ago it seemed that Hannah was no where to be found in the house - now, she was everywhere. Every chair was a chair where Hannah had once sat. Every fork had touched her lips. Emily could almost hear her sister's footsteps on the floor. And of course, in the living room, there were the pictures.]

[Danielle seemed to sense what was coming over Emily, so she pulled her close and caressed her shoulder in a slow, soothing motion.]

- Danielle –
"We should check in on Haley"

[Danielle half whispered. She gave her sister a small squeeze.]

- Danielle –
"I haven't seen her since the Christmas before last."

- Emily –
"I haven’t seen her since she was a baby"

[Said Emily in a very small voice. She found herself fighting back tears.]

[Together, the girls ventured up the stairs to the upper level of the house. Emily could never understand why Carmine and Hannah had never opted for a mansion down in Beverly Hills, or something more typical of people with the kind of money that Carmine had. But Danielle had always told her that they simply weren't "that type of people," and Emily had left it at that. She had only been to the house a few times while Hannah was alive, but she remembered a smotheringly warm environment. Everything about the house in those days seemed geared toward cozy surroundings and making guests feel welcome. Once, the house had been a perfect reflection of Hannah's personality, and it had felt that way. Now, it only felt empty and cold.]

- Danielle –
"In here"

[Whispered Danielle, gently pushing the door to Haley's room open.]

[Inside, Emily felt the mood of the house change immediately. By the dim green nightlight, she saw everything that a five year old girl's heart could desire. There were shelves on three of the four walls and each of them was packed with stuffed animals of all shapes, sizes, and colors. In one corner of the room there was a toy chest full to bursting. In another corner, there was a miniature desk painted pink and purple with a stack of coloring books on it, and on the floor there were a few dolls left lying, waiting to be played with the next day. The walls were painted with murals of giant cartoon characters, all with wide smiles and vibrant colors in the dull green light. Danielle seemed to notice a change in aura as well, and she smothered a smile beneath her hand.]

[Haley was asleep in her bed, lying peacefully on her stomach and drooling on her pillow, dreaming the dreams of a five year old. Emily watched her sister take a seat on the bed next to the child and softly stroke her long, curly blond hair – that hair was her father's. Everything else about the girl screamed Hannah, from her heart-shaped face to her undersized stature. Except for the eyes Emily recalled. Even as an infant, everyone had always been taken aback by the little girl's bright blues - large like Hannah’s, but cold blue like Carmine’s.]

[Danielle stayed there for a moment, stroking the little girl's hair - softly, so not to disturb her - when something caught Emily's eye. Next to the bed there was a rocking chair that Emily remembered in vivid detail from a time years ago when she had watched Hannah, in all her maternal glory, gently rocking her young daughter to sleep. She had been pregnant to the point of comedy then; such a small woman that looked as if her stomach was about to explode. At the time, Emily had no idea that it would be one of the last times she would see her oldest sister. A fitting memory she told herself; it was one that perfectly capsulated Hannah Vestieri and all of the most beautiful things about her.]

[By the pale green light, Emily noted tears welling in Danielle's eyes.]

- Emily –
"What is it?"

[She asked. She watched her sister carefully rise from the bed, letting her hand linger for another moment in Haley's soft, yellow hair, and approach the rocking chair. Emily hadn't noticed the small, pale blue teddy bear that was on the seat until Danielle picked it up and clutched it close to her body.]

- Danielle –
"Nothing"

[Danielle said after a moment, but Emily could tell that there was something her sister wasn't saying. She watched Danielle look from her to the bear and then pull it tightly against her chest again, a tear finally escaping to roll down her cheek despite a very small, tight-lipped smile.]

- + - + - + - + - + -
Later that Night…
Carmine Vestieri
- + - + - + - + - + -



- Johnny Silver –
"Who the fuck is this!?"

[Johnny Silver had such a way with words.]

- Carmine Vestieri –
"Didn't have it"

[Carmine spoke into his cell phone on the drive home. He was tired and could feel a cloud of alcohol hanging in his head. He shouldn't have been driving, but then again, he was long past the point of caring about his own safety.]

- Johnny Silver –
"You call me at three in the fucking morning to tell me this!?"

[Johnny was notoriously a night person, but Carmine must have caught him on one of the few occasions that he got to bed before sunrise.]

- Carmine Vestieri –
"You said you wanted to know"

[Carmine replied. He was in no mood for Johnny Silver's lecturing.]

- Johnny Silver –
"You handle it?"

- Carmine Vestieri –
"The problem…"

[Carmine had to be careful of what he said over the phone. Johnny was a Capo in the Hattoni family, and there was a very real possibility that his phone line could be tapped at any time.]

- Carmine Vestieri –
"…has been handled. But I wasn't able to… discuss… the problem with the person we would have preferred. So I left a message with one of his employees."

- Johnny Silver –
"Good, I need you to pick me up in the morning – big day. I got a sit-down with Nicky, that four-eyed prick. The boss is going to be there."

[Where Johnny Silver was concerned, the "morning" could mean any time between noon and midnight.]

- Carmine Vestieri –
"Call me"

[Said Carmine, slowing his car for the upcoming red light.]

- Carmine Vestieri –
"I've got no where to be."

[Johnny Silver was not a man for goodbyes, so Carmine wasn't surprised when the phone went dead without a reply. He flipped it shut and tucked it into the breast pocket of his black leather jacket. From the same pocket, he produced a small, silver flask filled with rum. Alcoholism had become a reality in Carmine Vestieri’s world for the second time in his life, but it wasn't something he particularly cared about. He had no shortage of money to supply the habit, and it wasn't like it was affecting him physically. It wasn’t until the hostel takeover by Nick Ridicule and Brenton Cyrus that he started back up again

[Carmine was looking forward to collapsing on his bed and getting what sleep he could squeeze into the next few hours before Haley inevitably came in to wake him up.]

[That bed he thought with a long, rum-laced sigh. For a year after the death of his wife, Carmine could barely suffer to look at it, let alone sleep in it. That was the bed he shared with his wife; with Raven. That was where they spoke most intimately with each other – where they were most intimate with each other. In that first year, Carmine would lie on the floor with a blanket and a pillow and spend his nights there. And then after he finally forced himself to climb back into the bed, he caught a familiar scent on the pillow that had been Hannah's.]

She smelled like vanilla…

[Maybe it had only been his imagination, but whatever the case, he still ended up spending another two months on the floor. It had now been three years since he'd last seen her, last spoken to her, last touched her. The simplest parts of life had become a cruel, constant struggle, and there were several times, dark times, where he had a thought to just put an end to it all. If not for Haley…]

I'm dead inside already…

[Twenty minutes later, Carmine pulled his car onto his street in a small suburban area, well outside the city. He liked the area well enough, but that didn't keep him from considering a move. In the end, he always decided it was best for Haley to stay there – it was a good place to bring up kids, or so he'd heard - even if his late wife's memory tortured him every moment he spent there. He supposed she would torture him anywhere else just the same. There was no escaping Hannah Vestieri, and he had long since resigned himself to that fact.]

[What's that? He slowed his car to a crawl, his eyes fixed on the small, red Toyota parked in front of the open garage in his driveway. In his line of work, seeing a strange car parked in your driveway at this hour could mean very bad things. He pulled his own car to a stop well before the driveway, reached under the driver's seat, and pulled out a pistol.]

- + - + - + - + - + -
Danielle
- + - + - + - + - + -



- Danielle –
"He should have been here by now"

[Danielle sighed, glancing at the clock above the television in Hannah’s living room. The thing seemed to be moving at supersonic speed, blending the minutes together; yet still, there was no sign of Carmine. It was already well past three and Danielle had to leave in the morning. Her classes started in less than a week and after the long drive back, she would still have to settle into her dorm.]

[She could smell Emily’s nerves coming off the girl like a strong drink. Here they were, dropping in out of the blue on a man that Emily knew only as her sister’s scary husband, and everything she owned was packed in the back of the car. In truth, Danielle wasn’t sure how Carmine would react, but he was Emily’s last hope. She knew that in the end, regardless of his initial reaction, he would shoulder this load as he had shouldered every load in the past.]

- Emily –
"What if he says no?"

- Danielle –
"He won’t say no, He can’t say no. He’s family."

- Emily –
"He’s not really family, Not anymore."

- Danielle –
"He’s family!"

[Over the years she had become as defensive of Carmine as he was of her. Years ago, he had been more of a father to her than her own father, despite being barely more than a half decade older. He protected her, provided for her, and on a few occasions was responsible for keeping her on the straight and narrow. There had been a time, before all that, when Danielle wondered how Carmine and her sister stayed together for so long - they had polar opposite personalities. Hannah’s warmth was all-encompassing, and everyone she met could attest to that. It was later that Danielle realized that Carmine was warm too. Only, his warmth was deeper rooted; harder to find. Rather than a polar opposite, she eventually came to think of him as Hannah’s perfect counterpart.]

- Emily –
"I remember more flowers"

[Emily remarked. They had only the light of a small lamp to see by.]

- Danielle –
"Carmine was always terrible with flowers."

- Emily –
"They always looked nice."

[Indeed, most traces of Hannah seemed to have been removed from the house. Danielle imagined it had been a natural evolution. When she was alive, Hannah left her signature on everything she did, and her signature was not something easily duplicated. It was the way she arranged curtains with bows, decorated her refrigerator with hearts, and kept her kitchen utterly spotless. It was the way the forks and spoons were never in the wrong compartment of a drawer; the way there were candles in every room in the house just in case the power went out - and of course, each one of them was scented.]

[Hannah Vestieri was smiley faces and cotton.]

[Now there were only the pictures of her that lined the living room walls - the ones Helga told them was for Haley’s benefit. They showed happier times. Carmine and Hannah’s wedding… they married so young - barely out of high school. Carmine had changed so much between that day and the last time Danielle had seen him. She could only imagine what he might look like now.]

[And then suddenly, without the slightest of warnings, he was there.]

[And there was a gun in his hand.]

[…A gun…]

[A gun!?]

[What the hell was Carmine doing with a gun in his hand!? Has he lost it!?

[Before she had time to react, she heard her little sister shriek while she clutched her face in her hands. Danielle jumped out of her seat.]

- Carmine Vestieri –
"What the hell are you doing here!?"

[Carmine’s voice boomed, the first words she had heard from him in years.]

- Danielle –
"Nice to see you, too!"

[Danielle snapped back, moving to comfort her terrified sister.]

- Danielle –
"Would you put that thing away before you give her a heart attack!? What the hell are you doing with it anyway!?"

[Carmine looked so shocked that for a moment Danielle wondered if he even realized there was a gun in his hand. When finally he grasped the situation, she thought she caught a glimpse of embarrassment on his face as he tucked the gun into the back of his jeans. He rubbed his weary face with his hands before his eyes finally settled on Emily.]

- Carmine Vestieri –
"Who’s this?"

- Danielle –
"Emily"

[Something changed in Carmine’s face and he took a long, deep breath.]

- Carmine Vestieri –
"This is Emily? She looks different."

- Danielle –
"She’s not twelve anymore"

- Carmine Vestieri –
"I…"

[He let out a breath, obviously uncomfortable and embarrassed.]

- Carmine Vestieri –
"I don’t know… I mean…"

- Danielle –
"What the hell are you even carrying that thing for!? Do you know how much trouble you can get in for it!?"

- Carmine Vestieri –
"It’s for work, I got a new job since NLWF gave me the boot. This new company I work for, I mean. We transport a lot of expensive things, you know."

[Danielle’s glare hardened on him, but she had no choice but to accept the explanation. By the dim light, she sized him up, and came quickly to the conclusion that he looked awful. He was still handsome as ever, but terribly unkempt. Hannah would never have let you come to this, she thought. He hadn’t showered in days and his black hair was darkened by grease and cut short. She remembered when he used to wear it long for his work on television and how much Hannah had hated that. He hadn’t shaved either, and there were thick, dark circles anchoring his ever-piercing blue eyes. It was obvious that he wasn’t sleeping much.]

- Carmine Vestieri –
"Where’s Helga?"

[He asked as he pulled his leather jacket off and tossed it onto the seat next to Emily. She was still staring at him through terror-stricken eyes, probably thinking him some kind of monster. Danielle thought perhaps the girl wasn’t far off the mark; she was having second thoughts about leaving her here.]

- Danielle –
"I told her she could go home"

[Danielle answered after a moment.]

- Carmine Vestieri –
"Haley’s asleep?"

- Danielle –
"It’s three-thirty in the morning, Of course she’s asleep!"

[Carmine sighed heavily.]

- Carmine Vestieri –
"Look, okay… I’m sorry about… you know…"

[He ran his fingers through his greasy hair.]

- Carmine Vestieri –
"Things can get a little tense at work sometimes. You want some coffee?"

[Danielle had refused the same offer from Helga, but now it seemed like a good excuse to get Carmine alone to speak with him about Emily. And she supposed Emily wouldn’t mind having him in a separate room either.]

- Danielle –
"I think that would be good"

[She said, finally releasing a slight smile.]

- Danielle –
"So long as you promise not to shoot me while we’re in there!"

[Carmine looked embarrassed enough, so finally, Danielle decided to drop it. She followed him to the kitchen, leaving Emily on the sofa to recover from the scare of her life.]

- Danielle –
"So"

[She started when she was sure Emily was out of earshot]

- Danielle –
"long time, no see."

- Carmine Vestieri –
"Yeah"

[Carmine smiled a little too, but it was a very weary smile.]

- Carmine Vestieri –
"How was school?"

- Danielle –
"Good"

[Danielle replied as she reached up to pull two mugs down from the cupboard. Everything was kept in the same place, though she noted that the mugs themselves were new.]

- Danielle –
"Second year starts in a week."

- Carmine Vestieri –
"You get the money I sent?"

[Carmine had always been a very willing provider, even more than her father.]

- Danielle –
"I told you that you didn’t have to do that"

[Danielle replied, but she knew it didn’t matter what she told him. Money had never been an issue for Carmine, thanks to a short, but legendary, career in as a Promoter in professional wrestling. She knew that by the time she got back to her dorm she would find her tuition paid in full, and then more money would come in the mail around Christmas. There would be no letter, nor return address – Carmine Vestieri had never been good at small talk. She also knew that he sent the money more for his own sake than for hers.]

- Carmine Vestieri –
"Will you be staying for a few days?"

- Danielle –
"Well…"

[He looked over his shoulder at her with heavy, tired eyes. He was trying to read her as much as she was trying to read him.]

- Danielle –
"You see…"

[She had gone over this moment a thousand times on the trip down, but now that she was standing in it, the words were harder to find.]

- Danielle –
"I have to start back for school tomorrow."

- Carmine Vestieri –
"Tomorrow?"

[He gave half a smile and raised an eyebrow.]

- Carmine Vestieri –
"How long have you been here?"

[How long have you been gone? The question crossed her mind but not her lips.]

- Danielle –
"Yeah, I’m going. I need you to keep Emily here."

[Carmine’s eyes followed Danielle’s to the living room where Emily waited, either sleeping by now or too terrified yet to even close her eyes. She had always been a little scared of their brother-in-law, and with good reason. Despite his T.V.-good looks, there was always an aura of danger around him, and that was coupled with a well-earned reputation for a hair trigger. And now, just when Danielle finally thought she had the girl thinking of Carmine in a more positive light, he decided to fly into the room like a madman, waving a gun. Maybe the bitch queen of the Mississippi won’t seem so bad to her now…]

[The shock on Carmine’s face wasn’t a surprise to Danielle.]

- Carmine Vestieri –
"Here? Why isn’t she staying with your father?"

- Danielle –
"Long story"

[Danielle sighed, and she knew that she wouldn’t need to say anything more - not with Carmine. He knew. As she suspected, he sighed and nodded, but there was still a look of sheer terror on his face.]

- Carmine Vestieri –
"Danielle, I don’t think I can… you know… she’s like sixteen years old."

- Danielle –
"Fifteen, She’s just a girl, Carmine - it’s not like she has some kind of disease. You were fine with me when I was that age."

[He looked at her for a long moment before replying, as if he wasn’t sure if he should reply at all.]

- Carmine Vestieri –
"It was different then…"

[He said finally.]

[He was right.]

[Hannah was alive then.]

- Danielle –
"She has no where else to go"

[Danielle sighed, her eyes pleading. This was all a formality. She knew that in the end, no matter how much he complained or how much the idea of having a teenage girl around the house terrified him, he was still Carmine, and he would still be there for the people that needed him.]

- Danielle –
"She’s family, Carmine, If it was me in her shoes, there’s no way you would turn me down. I know you’re not going to turn her down either."

[Family…]

- Carmine Vestieri –
"I don’t even know her"

[He quietly replied, and Danielle could see immediately that it was not a protest. It struck her then how painful this situation must have been for him - to see Hannah’s family members. And Emily even resembled Hannah a fair bit; much more than Danielle ever had. He loved her so much, she reminded herself. She could only imagine the pain he had shouldered in the past three years.]

[He was a shell of his former self - that much was obvious. Physically, he seemed to be everything he had ever been, but she knew him; even if his scars weren’t on his skin, they were bare to Danielle’s eyes. There was so much pain in him that it made her want to cry - made her want to pull him close and nurse him back to health like a wounded animal. Maybe that was something of Hannah in her, and she pulled him close for a hug.]

[She smelled booze plainly on his breath and his clothes.]

- Danielle –
"You’ve been drinking"

[She stated bluntly and she half-pulled, half-pushed herself away. Her tone, as well as her expression, was a swirling gumbo of sorrow and anger; quiet all the while. In his youth, Carmine had a problem with alcohol - a problem that got so out of hand at one point that he and Hannah actually separated for a very brief time. The separation had been hell for both of them.]

[He had no explanation for Danielle tonight. His guilt-stricken eyes turned down to the floor while he silently waited to be scolded.]

- Danielle –
"You’ve got to pull it together, Car."

[She reached up and put her hand on his shoulder, so close to tears that she was sure he noticed. She could hear the pain in his voice all night; see the hurt on his face, still as clear as it had been three years ago, if not as raw. Three years was not enough time to heal this man’s wounds - an eternity might not be enough.]

- Carmine Vestieri –
"I’m trying”

- Danielle –
"You’re not"

[His eyes came up to meet hers, first desperately, but then they danced with the smile he feigned.]

- Carmine Vestieri –
"It was only a couple of drinks, It’s not that bad. It just helps me, you know - relax. For work…"

- Danielle –
"I know you better than that, Carmine."

[She let go of his shoulder and turned her back to him so the tears in her eyes could not betray the seriousness of her words.]

- Danielle –
"And I know what you’re doing. But think about what it’s going to do to Haley - growing up with a father that has a death wish."

- Carmine Vestieri –
"I don’t have a death wish."

[Danielle turned to glare at him; tears be damned. It was a glare that she had learned from Hannah, and immediately she could see that it stung him more than any words could have. The man had fought giants and psychopaths, been in prison with murderers, but he could be defeated without resistance by the slightest of stern looks from a woman’s eyes - especially when those eyes resembled those of his late wife. He bowed his head slightly.]

[Submission.]

- Danielle –
"I think it’ll be good for you to have Emily around"

[Danielle turned away from him again and began pouring coffee.]

- Danielle –
"She can help out around here - God knows the place needs a feminine touch. And she can help out with Haley, too. I think that would be good for both of you."

- Carmine Vestieri –
"It’s different now, Danielle, I’m different… I mean… I don’t know if I can…"

- Danielle –
"Well you’re going to have to"

[Danielle decided it was time to put her foot down. She knew that he was no match for her anyway.]

- Danielle –
"Maybe with a girl around, someone might force you to take a shower once in a while."

[Her brother-in-law, all six-plus feet, two hundred and thirty pounds of him, chuckled at that. He sat down at the opposite end of the kitchen table, sighed, and nodded. His defeat was Danielle’s victory, and she had known all along that this is how it would end. As tough as he might have been physically, Carmine Vestieri would always be a slave to the wishes of Hannah Vestieri, even when they were spoken with the voice of her little sister.]

- + - + - + - + - + -
Early the next morning
Carmine Vestieri
- + - + - + - + - + -



[After the girls were asleep in the guest room, Carmine went out to the driveway and began carrying Emily’s bags into the house. He stopped after each trip for a drink, disregarding Danielle’s advice. Perhaps it was too late for all of that anyway - the quitting, the getting his life in order. Perhaps the situation was simpler than Danielle realized, and this was simply who he was now. Either way, he relished the soothing burn the liquid left in his throat and chest long after the swallow.]

Maybe she’s right he thought once, on his way to the car for another load. Maybe it’ll be good to have Emily around As great as Helga was with Haley, Emily was the girl’s aunt, and he supposed that had to count for something. She’ll no doubt know more about kids than I do, he told himself.]

[The older Haley became the less control Carmine felt like he had. She was making her own friends now and developing her own little outlook on life. She had long ago decided that her father had no fashion sense, and had been choosing her own outfits and how best to match her clothing together ever since. Of course, all of this terrified Carmine. It was so much easier when she was a baby and the only thing he really had to do was keep her alive and try to make her smile as often as possible. Now she was a turning into a little person, and every day he felt like he couldn’t protect her as well as he could the day before. All he ever wanted to do was protect her. Maybe Emily could help ease his mind with all of that.]

[But then, on the flip side, the thought of having a girl around the house was terrifying. Not because she was a girl, but because she was Hannah’s sister - just another constant reminder of what he could never have back. She even looked more like Hannah than Danielle did.]

[Those eyes… That mouth…]

[Whatever the case, it was too late for arguments now - the bags were inside.]

[Carmine quietly crept up the stairs toward his bedroom, and then stopped at Haley’s door to peer in at the only thing that remained to him in the world. She was five years old now, and tonight, she was sleeping soundly. Unlike the pictures and the flowers, Haley was a real piece of Hannah, and the only real piece that was left of her. He kept himself alive for the sake of the little girl. Danielle had the right of it downstairs, but he could never admit that to her.]

[The girl deserved a better father than he could ever hope to be; but he was all she had. Maybe I need to make a few changes, even get back into wrestling he thought, and quietly his glory days crept back into his mind once more. He was at the Garden, with a giant at his feet; tens of thousands cheered him on. They may as well have been a million. His blood ran like rivers though his veins, rushing with such force that he felt full to bursting. He could feel his skin; not aware of it - he could feel it. He could feel his eyes. He could feel his tongue. He could feel his lips, his finger nails, his lungs, his bones…. he could feel his hair. He could feel his heart.]

[He was alive.]

[But when he opened his eyes, he was Carmine Vestieri again - not "Carmine Vestieri." He was a low level henchman in a low level crime family.]

[And then he looked back to his sleeping daughter once more…]

[Perhaps it was time…]

[…for her sake, more than his.]

- + - + - + - + - + -
The Shoot
- + - + - + - + - + -

This week I finally get to look forward to competing at Battle Grounds, I get to take on a man who’s career I started! Let’s not bullshit anyone Chuck, if it wasn’t for me you would still be turning tricks in RWF

I’m sure you’ll dedicate an entire rant about our time in NLWF. Hell it’s all you got to talk about. Face the facts Chuck, If Silva and I didn’t put are money togther and open the doors to that promotion, OWN would have never happened, those pretty championship belts wouldn’t litter your throphy case, Your daughter Ashley wouldn’t be banging every former champion she comes across, to be blunt Chuck, the world would never know who the fuck Chuck Matthews was

Your Welcome Dick

There was a reason I never gave you that push to the next level in NLWF Chuck, and it’s not because you look pretty behind Brenton Cyrus. You weren’t ready to be a main event level superstar. Look at the facts kid, I left the company you stock blew up and a year or two later NLWF shits the bed. How many gimmicks did you go through while I was running NLWF? For fuck sakes, you even donned a mask and a retarded outfit trying to get people to notice you

You even had to sleep with Alison just to make yourself relevant

People can say everything they want about me. They can say that I’m cocky. They can say I’m arrogant. They can say I’m an asshole. All of which are true. One thing they all say about me though is that I brought prestige to NLWF. They can’t say the same thing about you Chuck. You didn’t bring prestige to the NLWF

You brought death

You were one of the few that plotted from the inside out to kill the promotion and create your own. What a way to show appreciation for a company that made you what you are today! I find it funny Chuck, You brag about being a somebody in this game but yet you’re still remembered by a few as being that guy in Brenton’s shadow. Even when you were the NLWF Champion, and Brenton was the Rated R champion, people still lumped you in his shadow!

Please tell me Chuck, how does that make you feel?

There’s a big chunk of your career that has my stamp all over it, a big difference from my career where no one even lumps me in the same picture as you. I don’t talk or think about you unless we’re confronted somehow Chuck. I don’t care about someone who isn’t on my level or near it. You’re trash, Chuck, and it doesn’t matter that you beat Frank Hart, he still has a job here so all you did was even a one-sided series.

I’ve done more in and for this business than you can ever imagine. I’ve beaten the life out of more people than you can face. I’ve destroyed careers quicker than you can acknowledge a pussy that’s right in front of your face.

Yea, that's a jab at another gimmick of yours ... Sex Icon more like a carbon copy of Val Venus

Now, I know what you’re going to say. ‘We’ve all heard this before’ and whatever you usually say. So go ahead Chuck, be my guess. Say that you’re better than me. Fact is, Chuck, I’m not even a promoter for IWF and people are talking about me more than they are you.

You don’t find that a bit… sad?

This match is about two things. Your willingness to prove that I was wrong to keep you in Brenton’s shadow and my time to show you that you how right I was. Which one will prevail? Well, Chuck, when you’re looking up at the house lights and your body is shaking you can tell me which one prevailed. When you’re being dragged back on a stretcher and your daughter’s tears hit your abdomen, When you back in a wheel chair, you can tell me which one prevailed. Chuck… this has been years in the making. People will remember this as a massacre and not a match. People will finally see you as nothing. It’s what you’ve been for as long as I can remember. I created your destiny Chuck and at Battle Grounds I aim to take all of it back

With interest ...