To Love A Criminal

TWENTY THREE

There are three dinners happening tonight; Gianna's date with Ashton, The Bailey's first dinner without a stranger around, and The Rae's sad dinner of one.

"Sir, your dad's flight just took off." One of Rae's security guard stops at the dining table to inform Giovanni.

Suddenly, Gio's shoulders feel lighter. His Dad in Cabo for a business trip is what he needed. He is legit scared of his dad, he feels another screw-up and Angelo might put a bullet to his head.

There's no loving mother to stop him anyway. Speaking about loving mothers, Kaylee has been in and out of it for weeks now. She wouldn't even look at her son.

Not that Gio can blame her, he can't look at himself. The mirror isn't the only problem, he can't sleep. He can't help but think about the events of that night, he has nightmares. Jenny, the girl he killed and Brianna, appear to him reminding him how much of a disgusting person he is and how he deserved to join them in death.

Usually, he will drink and snort some coke but he needs to be sober. He needs to face his conscience. If nightmares are his punishment, he'll accept it, after all, it's the only punishment he will ever get.

Gio looks up to see the security still standing there, he realizes he hasn't dismissed him yet.

"Is that your shooting arm?" Gio asks the man in an arm cast.

He is part of the security team that was on shift the day Gianna went missing, and let's just say Angelo doesn't like incompetence.

"Yes, Sir." He responds.

"My dad doesn't do much talking, you disappoint him and he breaks you or a part of your body. Besides, you are lucky, I heard some of your friends were shot."

"Yes Sir, I am lucky indeed."

Gio rolls his eyes at his robot-like response.

"I do recall you wanting to explain. Tell me what you were going to say to my dad before he stopped you in anger."

The security shifts uncomfortably a little before he speaks, "I saw her when she was leaving, I was going to stop her but then Bill stopped me and asked me to check out something at the backyard. There was no problem at the backyard of course, and when I got back your sister was already gone."

As Gio is about to put two and two together, he hears the sound of someone descending the stairs.

Gio turns and beholds it's Kaylee out of her room for the first time in weeks, coming down the stairs to have dinner.

"You can leave," Gio says, waving him off.

Suddenly, The weight on Gio's shoulders just got heavier.

Kaylee takes out a chair and takes a sit at her regular spot at the center of the table.

"Mother," Gio drags, "I assume you want to eat dinner alone?"

"No, I want you to join me," Kaylee says honestly.

"Garcia," Kaylee calls out to their help, "Bring out dinner."

Garcia rushes to the dinning with her head down

"Yes, Madam." She says as she hurries back to the kitchen.

"Are you sure mom? You having dinner with your disgusting son alone, you might throw up."

"What are you talking about?" Kaylee asks, still barely looking at him.

"You can't even look at me Mum." Gio's voice breaks, "Look at me," he yells.

Kaylee stays stay trained at the family portrait on the wall, right in front of her.