16 Grief
Marcella read the headline and the news again and again for her to grab a hold of the reality.
The news article mentioned the "gruesome" murder of the couple. They only had speculations about what might have happened. Since Mellissa was the daughter of Don DeAngelo, the police had started their investigation under the speculation that his enemies might be responsible for this unlawful act.
Not many details had been spared by the police. The Romano family had asked to remember them in prayers and kindly requested privacy as their family grieved for their agonizing loss.
Marcella plopped on the table. Her head hit the wood and hurt. The pain pulled her back to reality.
She was not dreaming. Her sister is dead! Dead! Not just dead, she was murdered; cruelly murdered!
How did this happen?
The paper fell on the floor. She saw the obituaries and there was an entire page dedicated to her sister and brother-in-law. Paul Romano must have paid for it.
She picked up the paper and hugged it close to her chest. She has lost the only family she had left. Tears fell freely from her eyes.
"Why? Why? Why?"
She wailed. She never thought that she would have to grieve her sister. She was perfect in every sense of the word.
And her brother-in-law too… He was the best husband any woman would dream to have.
Her sister was scared to marry him at first. But as was the custom, she didn't have a say in who she can marry. She hadn't even talked to her fiancé until her wedding. She was scared on her wedding day, worried about how her marriage was going to be.
But Andrew was a great man. He lifted Mellissa up and made sure she always spoke her mind and stood up for what she believed. For someone who grew up hiding her wishes, Mellissa grew a lot after her marriage, and all for the better.
How could their life end this early? Is there no goodness in this world left?
She looked at the obituary again.
SURVIVED BY THEIR SON JOSEPH MATTIAS ROMANO.
Ah… the poor baby…
Marcella sobbed. That poor baby lost his parents even before he knew anything. He will never get to know his parents.
They couldn't get pregnant for years. Mellissa almost gave up but Andrew was her strength. He never gave her up even when his mother said words that hurt Mellissa, he protected her and stood up for her.
After eight years of marriage, Mellissa got pregnant. She gave birth to a son and named him after their father. Although everyone called their father "Don" as if that was his first name, his father's real name was "Joseph". Mellissa honored him by naming her firstborn after their father.
God knows how much their father wanted to see his grandchildren! He couldn't see them. And now…
"Why did you leave me alone, Mellissa…? What was your hurry to go to Mom and Dad…? You took your husband with you too! I'm alone here… What am I going to do? Why..? I would have gladly taken your place… I would have…"
Looking at her sister's picture, she sobbed.
"What will happen to your son? How could you leave him alone?"
She cried for some time and then she wiped her tears.
Her sister didn't leave on her own accord. She was cruelly murdered.
"What did they do to you? Dear, dear sister… you were so precious like a pure lily. Who could do this to you? How heartless were they to hurt you?" she sobbed. "Why did they leave me? They should have taken me instead of you. I'm the useless one with nobody… Why did they hurt you? Why"
She wailed. She didn't care that her apartment is not sound-proof. Her heart was laden with pain. No number of tears and wailing did anything to soothe her pain.
"I know! I know why I am still alive!" she stood up. She tried to wipe away her tears but it didn't stop.
"I will protect you son, Mellissa. I will not let any harm come to him! He's the last relative I have left… I will protect him. And I will find whoever did this to you and your husband. I will," she said placing her hand over the picture of her sister and her brother-in-law.
She walked to the kitchen and drank some water. Her eyes ended up on the gift she bought for her nephew. She was supposed to meet her sister last night. They were going to celebrate his first month's birthday.
And now…
That poor boy lost both his parents just a month after his birth. Is there anything crueler than that?
She searched the news article if there was any news about where the funeral was going to be held or where they'd kept her sister and brother-in-law. There was no information about that.
She wanted to look at them one last time.
The Romano family hated her and she didn't think that they would let her attend the funeral. Paul Romano blocked her from attending her father's funeral accusing her of being responsible for her father's death. The Romano family believed she had a hand in her father's death.
It was her sister who grabbed her by the hand and let her attend their father's funeral. Paul complained to Andrew, but Andrew took his wife's side.
She knew the Romano family wouldn't let her see her sister for one last time. But she had to try.
She changed into mourning clothes and stepped out of her apartment. She decided to visit Paul Romano's house. She believed the funeral would be held there.
She stepped out of the building and was stunned to see Aiden there.
"I saw the news. My deepest condolences. How are you doing?" Aiden reached out to hug her.
Marcella desperately needed a hug; a strong shoulder to lean on. But Aiden is not a tall tree she can depend on. He's a reed by the river, a spider web. She cannot depend on him.
She found out once. She was not going to fall for his tricks again.
"Thank you," she smiled taking a step back and rejecting his hug. "I have to be somewhere. So, please…" She tried to walk past him.
"You do not look good, Ella. Let me… I'll walk with you," Aiden said.
Marcella let out a sigh. She didn't have the strength to argue. If he wanted to walk with her, she didn't think she can stop him.
At the other side of the street, Tony fisted his hands seeing Aiden walking with her with a victorious smile.
Tony's eyes reddened and he bit his lips to control his pain.
I am late... again!
