Owning the Mafia Don

Sophia

I had no boyfriend as yet. When you are plump and shy, you are not really considered to be arm candy material, I guess. Unlike me, Sondra was considered hot. She had begun to go out with a number of boys, each one sleazier than the first.

My friend Beth who was walking with me had been the one who had looked embarrassed. She clutched my arm and pulled me away, adding in a fierce whisper,

‘Soph, don’t let it get to you.”

But something about their knowing looks and catty remarks rang true.

These days, Sondra tended to return home late at night, her clothes bordered on the vulgar. She deliberately kept her blouse buttons open, her skirts rode up her thighs and she looked like a woman, not a girl who was still in her teens.

The ugly remarks of the girls left me furious. When I pestered her, she finally admitted that her boyfriend had told her about it. Dragging Beth with me, I had gone to the old bicycle shed where I was told Sondra had been seen heading to.

What I saw made me numb.

Sondra was the school whore and she was now the sex toy of the football team.

***

Reaching home, I flung myself on the tiny bed in the room I shared with Sondra. Mamma had come in, her face tight with concern.

“What is it, love,’ she had asked gently,’ What happened, my dove?’

‘Mamma,’ I sobbed, flinging my arms around her neck, bawling,’ Mamma, I saw Sondra. And she was …’

I felt my mother’s slight frame stiffen.

She said nothing but I could feel her body shake with silent sobs.

I released her, concern in my mind as I asked softly,

“Mamma…you knew…?’

She wiped her large eyes, and whispered sadly,

“Yes.’

It hit me then, Mamma inventing excuses not to attend church, her reluctance to visit her old friends…She had known.

“Why, Mamma?’ I cried, my teenaged heart breaking,’ Why did you not do something to stop her?’

Mamma looked at me directly.

When she spoke, the volumes of sorrow, of bitterness in her voice made me burst into tears.

“Do you think she will listen to me, Tesoro Mio?’ she said softly.

***

A few months later, Sondra left us to shack up with an older man.

And that was when I first saw Paul Worthington.

It was a hot summer afternoon. I was doing the laundry, while Mumma prepared the single meal we could afford on social service. A car drew up in the tiny lane outside our house, a large, shiny black car. Sondra had not come home for three nights. I knew Mamma had been trying to contact her. My mother now looked as though she had aged ten years.

Peering through the small window in the bedroom, I saw the door open, a chauffeur opened the door and Sondra stepped out. She was wearing a strapless tank top and a tiny skirt that revealed more of her behind than was necessary. In her dark glasses and high heels, she looked stunning.

She entered the house a few minutes later and I rushed to the front door.

“Sonny, I said breathlessly,’ We have been so worried…’

She cut me short by pushing me out of the way. She smelt of some exotic perfume and I saw that her pupils were like pinpoints when she took off her shades.

Mamma came out of the kitchen.

“Young lady, this is your house but I will not tolerate you coming and going when you please,’ cried Mamma, the battle light in her eyes.

Sondra spun on her.

“You don’t need to, mother dear .’ she spat.

“I’m leaving. I just came to get my things.’

Mamma seemed to sag and I rushed to her, holding her in my arms,

‘Sonny, I whispered,’ What are you saying?’

‘I am getting a life, kid.’ She said rudely, pushing past to enter the bedroom,

‘Wait, Sondra,’ mamma pleaded.

‘I have had it with living like a beggar, do you hear me?’ she screamed at my poor mother. A man’s voice interrupted her,

“Sweetie, is there a problem?’

Mamma and I turned in tandem to look at the man who had entered. A small. Oily looking man, with a large belly. A thin moustache and eyes that slid over me, making me shrink.

The change in Sondra’s demeanour was remarkable.

“Oh, Paul, darling,’ she purred,

“I was just coming back.’

The man with the small eyes looked at us, his small sharp teeth making him look even more repulsive to me.

“Hurry up.’ He snapped and turning, walked away down the stairs, a couple of burly men tailing him.

‘That was Paul Worthington, wasn’t it?’ said Mamma, in a voice that was little more than a whisper.

‘Yes, I’m moving in with him.’ Said Sondra carelessly, stuffing some of the expensive lingerie and toiletries in a large bag.

Mamma drew in a sharp breath.

“Sondra, darling, she pleaded,’ That man is a pimp, don’t..’

But Sondra thrust her away and began to head to the door, her bag in her hand.

“You don’t know anything. Paul is going to make me a star in his movies. He promised me.’ mamma ran after her,

“Sondra, baby please,’ she begged.

“I am going to have a better life. I do not want to live in this hole anymore.’ Snapped Sondra with finality and slammed the door behind her.

Mamma sank to the floor, weeping, great heaving sobs.

Alarmed, I sat beside her, the tears flowing down my cheeks.

Sondra was away for more than a year.

I also managed to find out about Paul Worthington. For all his fancy name and riches, he was, as Mamma had said, a pimp. The only roles he got Sondra to act in were in sleazy X- rated pornographic movies.

Meanwhile, Mamma fell ill. Seriously ill.

When she began to take to bed for days, coughing and generally feeling listless, I had had enough.

I dragged her to the hospital.

The doctors were reluctant to talk to me but since we had no one else, I insisted on knowing what was wrong with, Mamma,

The doctors told me that she was sick, seriously so. She had a form of cancer that was in its progressing rapidly. No, they could not say for sure how much longer she would survive, forget chances of recovery!.

I sank onto the hospital bench that afternoon, weeping as I knew that there was no one I could share my sadness with.

With the knowledge that I needed to keep Mamma medicated, I began to work. Soon, I had left school and was working a the local diner’s. The money was not great but it brought in enough for me to take care of my mother.

***

And a few months later, Sondra turned up. She had a baby with her, a baby named Patrick.

She had no idea who the father was. But she wanted to lead a straight life she said, she wanted to stay off dr*gs.

She wanted to be a good daughter, but most of all, a good mother, she said.

***

Mamma was happy. She grabbed my arm when we were alone and said,

“Don’t tell her about my illness. Please, tesoro mio?’

I was sixteen but life had made me grow up quickly. I could see what my poor mother could not or would not see; Sondra wanted to change but the cards were stacked against her.

***

For a couple of months, things went well.

She tried to give up her habit, tried to be a good mother to the child who barely cried. Once, Sondra told me about the kind of movies she had been performing in.

Bondage, she said dully, her face like stone. Brutal sex.

Somewhere along the way, she had had enough and had run away. But if Worthington found her, he would drag her into the mire of misery she had escaped from, she said, her voice a dry sob. Worse, he would take Paddy away. use him as leverage to force Sondra back to work in those degrading movies.

Paddy was small, with a head that seemed disproportionate to the rest of his body. When he first came down with a cold, he seemed unable to breathe.

Rushing him to the hospital, I was asked to wait by Dr. Bennet, our old family doctor.

He frowned at me when I met him.

‘Sophia, ‘ he sighed and began to drum his fingers on the desk, absentmindedly.

Finally, he looked up at me again and said,

“Sophia, child. Your Patrick has a heart condition.’

I swallowed. Dr Bennet had been the one to inform me of Ma’s cancer. He looked straight at me, pity in his eyes.

I stared at him and said hoarsely,

“No one …I mean, how?”

‘Dr. Bennet stared at me and then swivelled his chair rot gaze out the window.

“Its a condition that is brought on by the use of dr*gs by the mother during pregnancy.’

At that moment, I did not know whether I hated Sondra more than the deep sorrow I felt for poor little Paddy. He was growing into a sweet child, placid and docile. Never any trouble. He needed his feed of bottled milk which kept him happy. Mother seemed to be less stressed now with him in the house.

I nodded stiffly and left.

Heading to the washroom, I stepped into a cubicle and sobbed my heart out.

Then scrubbing my face dry, I left, my head held high. I needed a job that paid more than Delilah’s Diner to keep my mother and Paddy safe.

***

A few months later, I had managed to get a job at The Club.

At first, Mom was scandalized. Then, when she became weaker, she knew we needed the money. Especially after Sondra did a disappearing act on us once more.

Now that I had friends among the girls who worked at the Club, I knew more about Paul Worthington. He was a scoundrel. A man who would not have hesitated to sell his own mother.

He had apparently got through to Sondra.

And had got her hooked on dr*gs again. She was back to whoring for him to pay for her use.

My belief in mankind died that day.

I found out that he was looking for a chance to get Paddy in order to keep Sondra in check. He needed her. For his sleazy porn movies.

***

And then I saw Paul Worthington at the Club.

I had wanted to march up to him and stick a knife in his gut. But all I could do was circulate with the tray of drinks, dressed in that absurd costume. I knew that Danielle Eton, the Club manager was watching, eagle-eyed as we went around, serving the guests. I did not want her to cotton onto my hate for the man who was standing to the side, two scantily dressed women on either arm.

But Paul Worthington took the game out of my court. He caught sight of me as I glared at him once and his expression froze, a thoughtful look coi=mng over his weasly face.

I stepped back and placed my tray on one of the tables.

Danielle noticed me and frowned.

Hastily, grabbed a towel and made it for the kitchen. Sliding a look over my shoulder, I noticed that Worthington had detached himself from the clingy women and was heading towards me.

Run, I thought, knowing that they would probably stop at nothing to destroy my family. I knew he would try to take away Paddy to use him as a bargaining chip to keep Sondra in place.

***

A woman slammed into him and Schwartz swore.

His phone flew out of his hands and he felt his fists clench in fury.

‘What the f*ck…?” he roared even as he became aware that there was a woman who was clinging to him desperately, her hands digging into his arms like a woman who was drowning..