Dear Boss

Chapter 1: The Contingency Plan

SIENNA VENDITTO

My papa is never sick. He’s the type of man that could weather through everything and anything. Not once has he ever been taken to the hospital. He never even once had a stomach ache. If he did, he was the type to suck it up, not showing a hint of weakness. 

Thus, when he told us this, Gio and I were too shocked to react. Judging by Gio’s reaction which most likely was a reflection of mine, we were both attempting to process the information. We were acknowledging it but not fully accepting it. 

It simply felt impossible. 

Papa is the head of the Venditto crime family. That position alone is like an immunity to any earthly disease.

I face papa and from his expression I can tell that he too found this impossible. 

“Dementia.” He quietly announces, voice unwavering and still strong despite the circumstance. “It started when I would forget the most common of things.”

My insides twisted having suddenly remembered all the times papa who supposedly had great memory started forgetting where he placed his pens. I didn’t think much of it at the time. What was a missing pen? It was too small of an instance to worry about. True, papa was the type to never lose track of anything. He managed a business empire after all including the strongest crime family. 

“I was always vaguely aware of my surroundings.” Papa continued when Gio and I didn’t respond. “Until I suddenly wasn’t anymore.”

“You’re good at hiding it from us.” I told him after I finally gathered my thoughts. Antonio, Gio and I work closely with him but we never suspected or knew anything about it. That or we were simply not paying close attention.

“Your mama noticed.” He mused with a smile. “I had forgotten important dinner plans with her.”

Gio made a sound that was a mix of laughter and a scoff. “You never would have forgotten. Mama would have smacked you with a spatula.”

Papa nodded. “It was the little things that became big ones. It came to the point when working has become increasingly difficult.”

Gio sucks in a breath, a eureka moment coming to him. “You forgot the names of the men who I recently brought up to you. I thought that was odd but…”

“But never concluded anything.” I finished for him. I wanted to facepalm myself. How could I not realize? Papa never forgot a name or a face. I merely pegged it as him letting me take the reins. “You had forgotten names of our business associates too.”

“I always have to take a moment to train myself and remember all of it again.” Papa admitted looking ashamed. “Sadly, I knew I couldn’t hide it for much longer. People would find out… my enemies will find out and take advantage.” 

I wanted to reassure papa at that time but knew he wouldn’t appreciate it. He would think we saw him as weak. We didn’t... I didn’t. He honestly has nothing to worry about too. For years now though he’s been guiding Gio and I with the family business. Gio had his savage reputation that even I knew about. Everyone is afraid of him. He’s a much younger, more powerful version of what papa is and to top it off Gio has little to no morals when it came to how ruthless he can be. And then there’s me. I’m not at all like my brother. I take the careful approach to things, choosing to outwit my enemies rather than muscle through them. I’m also the lawyer of the family. Not once have any of papa’s men ever gone to jail under my watch.

“You both are equally important in your roles and you’re both excelling in it.” Papa complimented. Now, compliments from papa… came rare, bordering to never. We are expected things and we were never commended when we did it well. For papa, it was already a given to reach our goals. “I was waiting for the right time to inform you both of this and after careful consideration, I believe that today is the right time.”

As expected, I was the first to speak. I motioned to him in the similar way that I do when I’m in court. “Pa is the diagnosis final? You’re the picture of health. Maybe it’s just old age?” I try to argue still not believing yet I knew deep down if we were finally told this, it is for certain. “You’re never sick. I’ve never seen you cough in my life.”

“Or sneeze.” Gio added looking utterly dismayed now that he’s fully processed it.

Papa raised from his seat and walked up to us, placing a hand on each of our shoulders. “Your trust in my health is flattering but I’ve already seen a doctor-”

I cut him off, more to let out my emotions on the news than anything else. “See another one. Have a second opinion.” I knew he already did. 

He surely would have. 

“The doctor you saw must be wrong.” I continued to argue pathetically, my face is no doubt contorted in a straight impassive look. It was always hard to catch if I was angry, flustered, hurt or confused. 

Gio nodded along with me. “Yeah, pa. Let me find you the best doctor in the country. Don’t trust these-”

“I’ve seen eight doctors. All had the same thing to say. I have dementia and it’s getting worse.”

The distraught on Gio’s face was earth shattering to me. I kept my face emotionless, forcing myself not to betray what I’m thinking. I sat back on the couch, crossing my legs, arms crossed on my chest. It’s as if I was trying to solve an unsolvable case. 

“The reason I called you both today is to discuss family business.” Papa continued, scanning Gio and I’s faces for our reactions. 

“Pa, you aren’t-?” The strain in Gio’s face made me flinch. Finally, my defensive walls have been broken through.

Papa waved away Gio’s concern. “I have dementia, son. It’s best we lay everything down before I forget everything.”

Before he forgets us. 

That’s how it worked didn’t it? He would forget us?

As courage and brave as papa is, he could never say that, could never confirm it. From what I know of dementia, papa would forget most things- if not all. 

“It is a dangerous illness to have in our line of work.” Papa says this while looking at Gio. What he meant to say was ‘their’ work, not mine. “Not when every detail we do, small or large means everything. I have to instruct you both now or it’ll be too late.”

Papa went into detail. All of the business, the good and the bad, even in front of me who wasn’t supposed to know anything about the bad. I take this all in with a calculating look. It was a look both papa and Gio knew well. I was trying to momentarily push away my worries for papa and focus first at the task at hand. 

It’s the only way. Otherwise, if I let it consume me, I wouldn’t be able to function. 

“There isn’t much I can explain without showing you both how the actual works are done.” Papa informed us with a tired expression. “I’ve decided on sending you both on a trip. A vacation of sorts. An educational one that will give you first hand experience on what the business is like.”

I can see it now. More clearly than all the other times. He genuinely couldn’t remember them. He couldn’t explain all of it because he simply can’t recall. The pit of my stomach dips uncomfortably from distraught.

“You must see it for yourselves.” Papa finished, masking his confusion with an encouraging smile.

Gio doesn’t pick up on it like I have. “Pa, we’re already familiar with the business.”

“You know the business that we do in the city but not the country and outside of it.” He smoothly replies. “You and your sister will travel overseas for a few months. Just the two of you. 

“What about you?” I asked cautiously. 

Papa met my gaze and instantly he knew I caught him. “I will remain here to handle my affairs for when you get back.” He motioned to his desk where an organized pile of papers were waiting for him.

I frowned, not liking the idea one bit. “Papa, shouldn’t we be with you? If what these doctors say is true, we want to spend all our time with you.”

“We will have all the time.” He reassured me, hand on my shoulder affectionately tightening. “Unfortunately, my memory of the work that I have left, does not.”

I wanted to continue to push him, to let us stay with him instead but I wasn’t foolish enough to challenge him more than necessary. My silent refusal would have to be enough for now. 

“Both of you must understand that when I officially step down from my position, the family will be seen as weak until proven otherwise. It always happens when a new head is assigned. The system surrounding the old Don falls apart, from the men around us to the enemies waiting for this exact moment. The two of you must be strong for each other and for the family.” Papa looked between Gio and I but we were already holding hands, reassuring each other. 

For all our differences, the loyalty and dependence that Gio and I have is unbreakable. Papa didn’t need to worry about us. We might have fought a lot as kids but we were always quick to fiercely protect each other when an outside threat came.

Still, I understood papa’s warnings and didn’t take what he says lightly. If he mentioned it, that meant it was serious. 

“It's a dangerous business.” Papa started, an unreadable expression on his face. “I didn’t want this for you two but I can’t change that anymore. I don’t regret it as well.”

Gio and I nod. I wasn’t ashamed of what the family does. The good and the bad, it was our family and I would protect it with my life.

Papa clapped us on the back. “Understand the family business and then come back. Understood?”

“Yes, Papa.” I answered, determined to make him proud.

Gio, always the lighter one of the two of us, smiled for our benefit. “We’ll be back in no time, Pa.”

Papa faces me just as I thought we were being dismissed. “Sienna, another thing. Two things, actually.”

“Yes?” Much like how this conversation started, I could tell I wasn’t going to like what he was going to say.

He smiles and it’s the smile that begged for me not to overreact. “Before the system crumbles, I need you to do two things. First, after your trip, I need you to meet with that young man I introduced to you-”

“Roberto?” I nearly shrilled cutting him off yet again. Too late for that overreaction.

Even Gio looked put off. “Pa, really?”

Roberto Bonatelli is a son of one of papa’s senators. He’s a successful lawyer that didn’t work for the family which meant papa takes a liking to him almost immediately. For as long as I can remember, papa has been adamant that I give Roberto a chance. He would go on about how he’s clean money and how we have similar traits. 

The only thing we have in common is we were both lawyers. 

There’s nothing worryingly wrong with Roberto. He’s nice to look at, smart when needed but just too forward. He once asked why I took law when we had the money for me to be a stay at home wife. Now, there’s nothing wrong with being a stay at home wife but for him to continuously mention how women should stay at home is what gets me. We can decide for ourselves on what we want whether it be to stay home or work.

I open my mouth to voice my disagreement but papa merely raises his hand shutting both Gio and I up. “Please, bellissima. Do this for me.” 

My lips part at the expression he gave and I sigh knowing I’ve never said no to any of papa’s requests. “Just a meeting right?”

“Yes. Simply give it a chance. It’s all I ask.” When I don’t respond, he takes it as my agreement. “On to the last thing. When I step down, you’ll be receiving much attention from our enemies. I will need you to take a permanent bodyguard. You need someone with you at all times.” 

“Isn’t my big brother enough?” I knew the answer before I even asked the question. I simply wanted to be rebellious at least for once. It’s all I could do.

Papa was more than willing to indulge me knowing I couldn’t say no. “Your brother will have his own responsibilities to worry about.”

Uncharacteristically, I blow out a breath and slouch into the soft leather seat. “I’m your lawyer father not-”

Papa interrupts me with a sharp look. “You’re to be the Chief Executive Officer. You’ll need to be kept safe.”

“I don’t want to have someone trailing after me.” I pushed, already knowing that I had lost. 

“Don’t see it that way.” He tells me before quickly adding, “Sienna, this isn’t a suggestion.”

Gio, seeing that it was time for him to intervene, flicks my nose teasingly. “Come on, Ina. For papa.” 

Yet again, they knew exactly when to use my weakness against me. I bared my teeth at Gio in defiance despite already knowing I was going to accept. If it was an order from papa, I had to do it.

For my obedience, papa genuinely smiled this time. “You may choose anyone you want.”

“Anyone?” I confirm with a raised eyebrow.

Papa nods, sitting down on his leather recliner seat behind his desk. “Anyone.”