Chapter 1 Memories In The Making
SENSITIVITY WARNING -
The following is a fictitious story that may include names of historical figures but bears no factual basis on their character or the way that they lived. Though woven with intrigue, danger, and adventure, the lives of these figures were ultimately anchored by deep bonds of love and loyalty. The Mafia and many Gangs in the America of the 1920's were far beyond what any of us could understand in this age. With that said, this book will contain potentially distressing themes. Possible triggers: graphic violence, blood, murder, kidnapping, parental betrayal, physical abuse, ethnic prejudice, sexual manipulation, and moments of extreme emotional turbulence. Readers should tread carefully through this jazz-soaked underworld, and discretion is advised.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~
EVEET - 8 Years Old -
It was a spring morning, and Eveet had spent it in class with her Governess, Edith. A stuffy old woman with small eyes. They’d gone over French this morning, her mother’s native language.
They were finishing up when she asked the woman if they could forgo her piano lessons. To Eveet's surprise, she agreed.
"You may have the rest of the day off." Edith sighed heavily before continuing, "Your father has me helping with the guests this afternoon." She turned her eyes back to Eveet. "I want you in your room napping." She lifted her finger. "No playing jacks. Am I clear?"
Eveet nodded her head, her long black curls bouncing around her shoulders.
She did as she was told. Mostly. She didn't touch her jacks set once. Instead, she'd spent the rest of the morning setting up her tea set. Her porcelain doll, Judianne, was sitting in one of the small chairs.
It was a gift from her mother on one of her trips back to France. It had curly blonde hair that framed its face, and its cheeks and lips were shaded with pink hues.
Eveet sat at the side window, watching the guests arrive for her father's brunch. She knew there were many "important" people coming today, but she didn't understand why they were "important".
They aren't baba after all. She thought.
She watched a familiar car drive up to the front entrance, and a small gasp left her petite lips just before a large smile pulled the sides of her mouth up.
Her father’s scary friend was arriving. While she feared the man's eyes, this time he’d brought his son, Luca, with him.
She’d met Luca several times over the last year, and they’d become friends almost instantly.
He didn’t talk very much, but when they played, it never seemed to bother him when she rambled on about things. When she asked her daddy why Luca was so quiet, he told her that Luca's daddy had to fight a lot of shadows and Luca had seen some of them.
While she didn’t quite comprehend it at the time, Mommy was always telling Daddy, “Laughter shines a light that can destroy the darkest shadow.”
So, she’d tried her hardest to make Luca smile, and to her delight, she'd been able to on several occasions.
She looked down at the tea set that had been laid out on a pretty white lace tablecloth. To the side of her plate was an origami crane made from baby pink paper. Luca had made it and given it to her the last time he was here.
Normally, it hung from the headboard so she could watch it fly as she went to sleep at night, but she'd taken it down and set it on the table so Judianne could get a better look at it.
She couldn’t fold paper like Luca, but she could braid, and she’d taken several colorful pieces of thread from her mother’s sewing kit and had made Luca a bracelet.
Snatching it up from her bedside table, she turned and ran to her bedroom door. Taking a quick peek outside, she waited until no one walked by before she began running through the halls trying to find him. She couldn’t wait to show him her present.
She had just made it through the open walkway by the garden when she heard someone say her name.
Unable to ignore her curiosity, she hid behind one of the large rose bushes and did something she knew her mother would be very angry with her for.
She eavesdropped.
Is it really bad to listen if they're talking about me*?* She thought briefly and decided immediately that it wasn't.
Minding the many thorns, she peeked her little face around a cluster of large lavender roses to see that Julien and his baba were talking.
She scrunched her face. Julien was always playing tricks on her. He’d pull her braids loose or find a nasty frog in the bayou and chase her with it.
Every time he came to visit, the maid would have to scrub her extra hard just to get the dirt from her skin.
“They've promised a betrothal, Julien, with Eveet. Do you understand what that means? You're meant to one day rule this empire.” Julien’s father said as he stood over him. His face was stern, with his thick eyebrows pinching together. “You must stop this type of behavior immediately!”
Julien squished his lips together hard, and she could see his shoulders stiffen as he stood taller. “I didn’t do anything wrong! The maid said I could have some.”
“I asked the maid, and she told me that you asked her about the cut pineapples, not the cookies. Do not lie to me, Julien.”
Eveet couldn’t be sure because she was so far away, but she thought she saw his eyes glow funny for a minute, but when she looked harder, the glow was gone.
Julien’s shoulders pulled in, and he bowed his head. Obviously caught in a lie. “Yes, papa.” His small voice said.
His baba sighed before kneeling in front of Julien, and after putting his hands on his shoulders, he said, “Eyes, Julien.” At the command, Julien lifted his head back up to look at his father.
Feeling more and more like she was being naughty, Eveet was about to turn away when his father mentioned her again.
“Focus on getting closer to Eveet. Bond with her.” He leaned in closer, and Eveet thought she heard him say, “Or else our Coven will fall, you heard the prophecy."
Movement to her left pulled her attention from the conversation between Julien and his father. Through one of the garden patio doors, she saw Luca walking down the hallway that led to the kitchen.
Excited, she left her hiding spot and the confusing private moment between father and son to chase after Luca.
He’d just turned a corner up ahead, and she was about to do the same when he came back around and the two collided with each other.