|
|
Post by Sedona Rossi on Aug 29, 2010 13:52:59 GMT -5
Sedona thought this warrented a simple approach. Yes... simple. She often preferred the blunt, to the point approach to most things in life, and she didn't think this should be any different... except there was going to be a small lie of omission.
Sedona, sole girl of the Rossi family, was about to break the news that she was leaving home. To move in with the daughter of their family's enemy. Yes, this was going to go over horribly.
It was perfect timing, she supposed, looking around the sitting room where Giovanni, her father, And even Teo were all gathered. Of course, she didn't intend on mentioning Gaby.
Finally coming into the room, she came up behind where Teo was sitting and put hee arms around his neck. "Is there a family meeting I wasn't invited to?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Mateo "Teo" Rossi on Aug 29, 2010 15:42:26 GMT -5
There was already a small bit of tension in the air before Sedona came in. Teo and Gio were discussing business with their father. Although Gio mostly stayed out of the business, he was still sometimes involved in some issues, and on this particular occasion, Teo had recruited him to help convince their father that they should let Shana go. It wasn't doing anyone any good to keep the girl there, and the longer she stayed, the more... complicated things were becoming for Teo. He'd never admit it, but he was becoming... used to having her there. And no matter what he had told Sedona, it really was starting to feel like Shana was his girlfriend. Teo did not need this sort of complication.
They'd barely even started the discussion, however, when Sedona came in and broke the ice. Teo bestowed a rare smile on her.
"Hey, Dona," he greeted her. "We were just having a little... business chat. But it can wait. What's going on?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Gio Rossi on Sept 2, 2010 16:37:15 GMT -5
Gio wasn't one that liked the family business like Teo did. Of course, it wasn't extremely pleasing to his father, but Gio did get involved every once in awhile. For one of the few times, he was completely business like sitting with their father. He knew that they had important business, and he could be completely serious when he wanted to be.
Just before they could start their meeting in detail, Sedona appeared. "Se se," Gio said making a smile break his serious face. The business at hand could wait a little bit. They always had later.
|
|
|
|
Post by Niccolo Rossi on Sept 2, 2010 16:43:49 GMT -5
Mateo brought to Niccolo's attention that they had business to discuss. He was always open to a business chat, as long as it didn't occur during dinner. That was the one time that business was not allowed to be discussed, unless it was a life or death situation. Sitting in one of the cushion chairs, Niccolo had one leg crossed over the other as he was listening to Mateo start their discussion.
However, before they could really talk, Sedona walked in. Niccolo always loved to dote upon his daughter. After all, she was his only daughter, and sometimes he still saw her as a little thing running around with pigtails and pink ribbons.
He allowed a smile to cross his face. He always had a smile for Sedona. "Sedona," he said greeting her. Standing, Niccolo walked to her and planted a kiss on her head. "No, no, we were just sitting around, wasting time before dinner will be ready. Come sit with us."
|
|
|
|
Post by Sedona Rossi on Sept 2, 2010 17:10:01 GMT -5
Sedona frowned slightly, giving each of the men in the room a look. She didn't understand why they kept all the business away from her. Then again, she was too unreliable to expect to take part in it, anyway, and after being kidnapped, Sedona rather chose not to get involved. It still ate at her when there were things going on that she didn't know about.
She took a rather casual seat in one of the only remaining chairs, the one closest to her father, and smiled at her father and Gio. She was definitely a daddy's girl... at least, when he was around. "Nothing, Teo." She was tempted already to back out of her real intention here, but that would get her nowhere quickly. "I mean... I had something I wanted to discuss with you... but I suppose it can wait." Not that she was making any move to leave them to their earlier discussion, either.
|
|
|
|
Post by Mateo "Teo" Rossi on Sept 6, 2010 0:18:06 GMT -5
Out of everyone in the room, Teo was probably closer to Sedona than anyone else. He sometimes felt that he and Gio were strangers, and his father... well, as much as Teo wanted to be more of an equal partner in the business, the fact remained that his father was in charge. Sedona was the only one he ever showed his softer side to, the only one he ever dropped his "all business" act for.
So just as she knew when something wasn't right with him, so he was able to read the same thing about her. She had something on her mind... something that troubled her greatly, otherwise she would just come right out with it.
"You know you can tell us, Dona," he said, the faintest trace of an encouraging smile on her face.
Of course, even as he said this, he thought he knew what to expect from her. This was probably about a boy... what else would make her so nervous to address them? Whoever he was, if he'd laid a finger on Dona, Teo would have to have a few words with him....
|
|
|
|
Post by Sedona Rossi on Sept 15, 2010 2:36:20 GMT -5
Sedona glanced at her eldest brother, almost wishing he hadn't said anything. She knew she needed to tell them, and she truthfully adored all three of them. It helped, of course, that she felt she had them wrapped around her finger. She was just very scared this would make them angry with her. She put on her bravado though, and her look slowly turned into a smile in Teo's direction.
"Don't overreact," she warned him, half teasingly. "I've had someone ask me to move in with them." She had no idea that this would probably further what was going through Mateo's head. Then again, moving in with a boy was probably more acceptable than moving in with a Santino. "I want to say yes."
|
|
|
|
Post by Mateo "Teo" Rossi on Sept 16, 2010 21:15:36 GMT -5
Teo thought, incorrectly, that nothing would make him angrier than the idea that some man wanted to move in with Sedona. As soon as she said the words, this was the assumption that he made. Some guy wanted to move in with her so that he could put his hands all over her. And maybe he'd already done that.
Teo knew better than to believe that Sedona didn't like flirting with boys, and he also knew that she probably wasn't as innocent as he would have liked. But it was one of those things that he just didn't want to know about. It wasn't talked about, and he preferred it that way. So to have this out in the open--or so he thought--angered him greatly. He wasn't angry at her... just at the guy who dared to touch his baby sister.
His eyes had flared dangerously, and he shot a look at his father before turning to Sedona. "And who is this man? What makes him think he can put his hands on you?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Sedona Rossi on Oct 1, 2010 19:14:09 GMT -5
Sedona had glanced at her father, looking for his reaction. She was his only girl, the baby in the family. The one they'd almost lost. She liked having her father wrapped around her finger, she liked that he doted on her. Sedona thrived off the attention, and she adored her family more than anything.
But it was Mateo's face that she studied, and she saw the look that he flashed to the father of the family.
But his question stumped her when it came out of his mouth, and she hesitated, and it probably made her response seem like a total lie. "I... what? Teo, there's no man."
|
|
|
|
Post by Mateo "Teo" Rossi on Oct 7, 2010 0:05:19 GMT -5
As predicted, Teo did not believe her. She said she wanted to move in with someone, and she was obviously nervous about telling them about it. So it had to be a man, right? He knew she liked men, and he couldn't imagine a scenario where she would be uneasy about telling them that she was moving in with another girl. But then, of course, he had no idea who her best friend really was.
"I promise I won't kill him," Teo replied, though his tone wasn't entirely convincing. "Not yet, anyway. But if you're moving in with this man, I need to have a talk with him about his intentions."
|
|
|
|
Post by Sedona Rossi on Oct 7, 2010 13:44:58 GMT -5
Sedona actually laughed. It was a nervous laugh and didn't last long, but she did find the situation somewhat funny, even if she knew this would frustrate Teo. "No... Teo, there's no man. You three are the only men in my life." The only ones that lasted anyway, and wasn't that the important part?
Looking between her father and her two brothers, she leaned back, slight smile still gracing her lips. "It's just a friend from school," she told them honestly. "And it will be close by. I'm not really going anywhere." Her confidence was returning, at least.
|
|
|
|
Post by Mateo "Teo" Rossi on Oct 8, 2010 17:59:29 GMT -5
Mateo didn't answer right away. He studied her quietly, as if trying to read the truth on her face or in her eyes. He liked to think that he knew her better than anyone else, but sometimes she mystified him. Maybe it was just in the way that all women seemed mysterious and confusing to men, but Teo thought there was something more. Something that she kept closed off from them all, even him. He didn't like it.
She seemed to be relaxing a little, and he glanced over at his father. Sedona was the baby of the family, and the only girl, and of course she still lived with her father. He supposed that the announcement that she wanted to move out might be a bit stressful, considering how protective they all were over her. Ever since the kidnapping when she was a little girl, all the men in the family were especially protective of her. How could they not be?
Slowly, he relaxed a little, as well. They couldn't expect that she would be content living with her father all of her life. All she wanted to do was move in with a girl friend.
He shot one more look at his father, to see if he intended to say anything, then he cleared his throat. "Well.... I suppose that would be all right. But we're going to need a little more information. We need to make sure you're going to be safe where you are. Where is this apartment?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Sedona Rossi on Nov 20, 2010 15:44:55 GMT -5
Sedona, too, was watching her father, wondering if he would say anything. Often, he was quiet, only giving his final say when a conversation seemed to be drawing to a close.
So she focused most of her energy on Teo, who was doing the most talking. He'd already moved out ages ago... he couldn't complain, right?
"It's in London. In the Twilight complex." She knew, eventually, she would have to give them an exact address, but she could hold off on that.... just for a little while. She knew fully well that she needed to ease them into this, and she was all about taking her time. It was amazing, really, for a girl who rarely showed patience.
"So you'll let me go?" She finally asked, eyes darting to her father again before resting on Mateo.
|
|
|
|
Post by Mateo "Teo" Rossi on Nov 21, 2010 18:03:32 GMT -5
Teo studied her a little longer, not speaking. It was a perfectly reasonable request, really, and he had no cause to be suspicious of it. Except that he was. She was looking him straight in the eyes, and for some reason, that set off alarm bells in his head. He knew Sedona very well, or at least, he thought he did. He could usually tell when something was not right with her. And it was odd, how she had never mentioned to him, or to anyone else, as far as he knew, that she wanted to move out. Furthermore, he realized, he didn't even know the names of any of her friends. He had never seen her with any friends, although he knew she must have some.
But ultimately, it was not up to him. He was not the head of the family, as much as he sometimes acted like he was. And she did not live with him. It was up to their father to give his blessing.
"It's not up to me," he reminded her lightly. "I'm not the one you need to convince." He turned to their father, and waited to see what he had to say.
|
|
|
|
Post by Niccolo Rossi on Nov 23, 2010 15:50:39 GMT -5
Being ever observate, Niccolo watched the interaction between Teo and Sedona. Out of the siblings, he knew that those two were the closest. Listening to the conversation with great interest, Niccolo already ruled out that it wasn't a boy. He knew if it was, Sedona would probably be a little more fidgety.
When Teo looked at him, Niccolo had a hand on his chin. He wasn't too keen on the idea that Sedona wanted to move out. He liked having her close by, especially after what happened when she was younger; however, he also knew that he could not keep her locked up forever. Sedona was not going to allow that to happen.
"There is no way that I can keep you locked in this house forever, no matter how badly I want to. I will say yes under a few conditions," he said attempting to make things fair on both ends, "someone in the family comes by to check up on you from time to time, just to make sure everything is okay. Also, this friend of yours, we have to meet her sometime soon. I want to actually meet this girl that my one and only daughter wants to move in with. If you like her, I don't see why we wouldn't." He paused for a moment to look between his sons, then turned back to Sedona.
"Do you think that's fair enough?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Sedona Rossi on Nov 23, 2010 18:29:46 GMT -5
Sedona's eyes stayed on Mateo for a moment. Whether or not he was the one she needed to convince, she felt like his approval was the most important. She needed him to be okay with this as much as she needed her father to be.
When she turned to look at him, she found his eyes already on her, his gaze piercing.
And she hesitated. This alone was probably enough to give her away. His conditions were more than fair, and better than she could even have hoped for. But how was she was supposed to say that to them? How was she supposed to play this out without them finding out who she was going to live with, but not raise their suspicions, either?
"I... can't agree to that."
Merlin, she wished she hadn't said it. She should have just said yes and then never let them meet or... or... something. But under her father's gaze, and Teo's as well, she didn't think of that soon enough.
|
|
|
|
Post by Niccolo Rossi on Nov 23, 2010 18:43:45 GMT -5
"Why not Dona?" Niccolo let his hand fall from his chin and uncrossed his legs. He looked at her curiously. Sedona's statement made his suspicions rise. Surely she wasn't lying to them about who she was moving in with. Teo would have caught on if she had, as would the rest of them.
"Are the conditions not fair enough? I don't want my daughter to just be out there with just anyone, even if you consider her a friend." Niccolo wasn't exactly sure what to think. He was giving her fair options, but she wasn't taking them.
|
|
|
|
Post by Mateo "Teo" Rossi on Nov 23, 2010 19:20:31 GMT -5
Teo sat up straighter at this. He had been prepared to defer to his father on this, but her odd refusal to agree to perfectly reasonable terms immediately aroused his suspicions again. He turned his gaze to Sedona, examining her. She looked nervous again. Perhaps it was just that she regretted what she had said, but he was worried all the same.
"Which part can't you agree to?" he said at last. "And why? Father's terms are quite reasonable. And I think you know perfectly well that I will need to check in with you regularly, whether you want me to or not. You're my baby sister, and I worry about you. Is there a problem with us meeting the girl?"
His brow furrowed; he couldn't think of a single reason why she wouldn't want them to meet the girl, unless there was more to this story than she was letting on. "At least tell me her name. I could run a background check."
|
|
|
|
Post by Sedona Rossi on Nov 23, 2010 19:46:00 GMT -5
Sedona frowned deeper. Now how was she supposed to handle this? She dug herself in a hole now and was trying to figre out how to get herself out. Both Mateo and her father sat up straight at her words, and she took a deep breath, casting a quick, desperate glance att Gio.
"Her name is Gaby. She's...we wanted to open a clothing store together. Its really no big deal. I just.... you can trust me. You know that, right?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Mateo "Teo" Rossi on Nov 23, 2010 19:57:41 GMT -5
Teo's frowned deepened. He now had the distinct impression that she wasn't telling them the whole truth, and he didn't like it. "Dona, of course we trust you," he said "But we don't know this girl, so how do we know we can trust her?"
Something about the name Gaby sounded familiar to him, but for the moment, he couldn't place it. Right now, despite his words, he was really more concerned about Dona than about this mysterious roommate. Maybe there really wasn't a roommate and she was planning to live alone? She would have good reason to think they would not approve of that.
Mateo stood up abruptly and held out his hand to her. Maybe she was just nervous addressing all of them at once, and she'd more comfortable explaining it to just him. Other people might have been intimidated by him, but to her, he was Teo, her overprotective big brother. He would fight dragons for her, and she knew it. Surely she could tell him.
"Come, let's discuss this privately first. If you can convince me it's fine, I'll convince Father, si?"
|
|
