"Elena? Come on through."
"Mama, I really don't need you to hold my hand anymore," Elena said as she stood up, waving her mother sit back down again. "It's been nearly four months, I can do this."
Rosita De Luca smiled and nodded, seating herself once again as Elena slipped into the office of the psychotherapist who had been treating her since they had all arrived in Rhy'Din. She had heard those words, or something similar, many times over the past six years or so, and though it seemed more hopeful this time, she knew her baby girl had a particular weakness of character that had always led her back to her demons in the past. Still, four months was a milestone, and one she intended to celebrate somehow, if she could think of some way to do that without putting Elena in the same room as Tess for more than twenty minutes. As much as she loved her children, Rosita knew that it was tempting fate to expect Elena to stay calm while her eldest sister was subtly picking at her for not being the perfect daughter.
That was, unfortunately, one of Elena's biggest problems. She'd never really tried to find success for herself, deeming it too late to ever compare to her elder siblings. Tony was an astounding dancer, and more than that, had always been there when she'd needed him, always able to lend her advice which she had invariably never taken. But just the fact of his constant presence had been a warmth in the youngest De Luca's life that she was missing now it had been taken away. Tess was married, had children; she had cornered the market in being the good daughter by providing Rosita with grandchildren, and unfortunately she knew it. Elena loved her nephew and niece, but somehow whenever she was in the same room as Tess, the eldest sister would invariably find some way to pick at her little sister for not having had a successful relationship yet. Mataya, as lovely as she was, had been there and done that with most of the mistakes Elena was still making. She'd had an addiction that she had overcome; she'd been married and divorced and was trying again to make her own soul connection work for her, with more success this time; she'd been a hit in her own career away from the TV show that had made the De Luca sisters a household name, and had opened a theater of her own which continued to astound everyone in the family. She even had a family, a foster daughter who, though strange, was a joy to be around.
And then there was Elena. The baby of the family, everything had been done before she was old enough to do it. Before she could carve herself a unique place within the family's structure. She'd depended so much on their father's approval that when he left, he'd set her up to fail without a second thought. Without his disapproval to temper her behavior, she had gone from one disaster to another, finally ending up where she was now - alcoholic, unemployed, and involved heavily in a court case that was purely intended to indict not just the ex-boyfriend who had murdered a man in front of her and made her help with the clean up, but his father, too, who just happened to be a particularly powerful mob boss. Her actions had put her whole family in danger, necessitating a move here to Rhy'Din that Tony had refused to be a part of. If anything happened to her idolized brother, no one could predict what that would do to Elena's fragile mental state.
She was on the road to recovery, though. Rosita was hopeful that this time the resolution to stay sober would stick. Elena had had an awful fright, duly horrified by her own actions, and according to Mataya, had not fought too much when it came to keeping her sober in the house. Unfortunately, that tough love had resulted in a few other issues coming to light, which was why the youngest De Luca was now in therapy. The depression they had been warned was a natural consequence of long-term alcohol abuse. It was the social anxiety that had first concerned 'Taya, and consequently Rosita. Elena had stopped leaving the house, stopped showing any inclination to do so. When presented with an unavoidable appointment away from the home she now lived in with her sister, Max, and Juno, she had begun to exhibit signs of that anxiety, though thankfully had only once succumbed to a complete panic attack.
Yet the therapy that had been recommended seemed to be working. Rosita did not truly understand what the content of each session was about, but just the fact of Elena beginning to say that she could do this on her own was a sign that whatever was happening was working. A few weeks before, the wait for the doctor to be ready had been fraught with silent tension, stiff shoulders, and the sound of teeth grinding impatiently. Today, Elena had finally released her hand and actually flipped through a magazine. Mama De Luca was very hopeful, but they all knew there was one thing that could destroy any hope of a true recovery for the youngest.
If, when the Nicoletti case came to court, the judge and jury found Sam and consequently his father not guilty, Elena would be that arm of the mob's first target. Even on Rhy'Din, they had their presence, but warred with so many other factions that they had little to no influence. But they were here, and they were keeping an eye on Elena. If the boss went down, there would be no need to fear, though the family would likely not return to Earth for a few years just to be sure. But if the boss or his son walked free, Elena would relapse, and this time there would be no coming back.
There was no need to think on that right now. What mattered was the health and well being of the baby of the family, the sweet little screw up who needed them to stand by her more than ever now she was facing her demons head on. But the women of the family knew there was one test that could make or break Elena that she had yet to pass. If Tony came to Rhy'Din, if his first meeting with his baby sister went badly, the consequences didn't bear thinking about. Elena idolized her brother, desperately wanted his approval as she had always wanted their father's, but her actions had caused a rift between them that only time and good behavior would be able to heal. If she lost any hope of good grace from Tony, there'd be no consoling her.
Yet there were so many encouraging signs. During family meals, when there was always alcohol available, Elena was choosing to pour wine for others and openly admitting how jealous she was of them to be able to drink it without severe consequence. She hadn't taken a drink since Mataya had brought her here to Rhy'Din. Her depression seemed to be under control, albeit with medication, and her anxiety was being treated with some degree of success. Now if only they could keep her on that happy track, there would be some hope of getting her working once again, of helping her find out just what it was she was born to do.
Make no mistake, Rosita De Luca knew all her children were born to do something wonderful with their lives. With Tony, it had always been ballet; his gift to bring joy to people through dance. With Tess, though she had tried to have a career, it was obvious that she was happiest as wife and mother, and her children thrived on their mother's love. 'Taya was a little harder to pin down, but after a few years of wildness, she had become an astute businesswoman who didn't seem to show any signs of slowing down, offering so much to so many people in a myriad number of ways through the Shanachie. Elena might not be born to act, as she had always thought she was, but there was something out there that was all her own, Rosita was sure of it.
An hour after Elena had stepped into the office, she stepped out, smiling over her shoulder to her therapist and thanking him, clutching a single sheet of paper which she waved at her mother. "Look, more homework," she declared with a snort of laughter, folding the sheet and tucking it into her pocket as Rosita rose to join her, cheered by the happy face her daughter was presenting. It was baby steps still, but slowly, one step at a time, things were looking up. Someday, perhaps soon, they would have their Elena back again.
"Mama, I really don't need you to hold my hand anymore," Elena said as she stood up, waving her mother sit back down again. "It's been nearly four months, I can do this."
Rosita De Luca smiled and nodded, seating herself once again as Elena slipped into the office of the psychotherapist who had been treating her since they had all arrived in Rhy'Din. She had heard those words, or something similar, many times over the past six years or so, and though it seemed more hopeful this time, she knew her baby girl had a particular weakness of character that had always led her back to her demons in the past. Still, four months was a milestone, and one she intended to celebrate somehow, if she could think of some way to do that without putting Elena in the same room as Tess for more than twenty minutes. As much as she loved her children, Rosita knew that it was tempting fate to expect Elena to stay calm while her eldest sister was subtly picking at her for not being the perfect daughter.
That was, unfortunately, one of Elena's biggest problems. She'd never really tried to find success for herself, deeming it too late to ever compare to her elder siblings. Tony was an astounding dancer, and more than that, had always been there when she'd needed him, always able to lend her advice which she had invariably never taken. But just the fact of his constant presence had been a warmth in the youngest De Luca's life that she was missing now it had been taken away. Tess was married, had children; she had cornered the market in being the good daughter by providing Rosita with grandchildren, and unfortunately she knew it. Elena loved her nephew and niece, but somehow whenever she was in the same room as Tess, the eldest sister would invariably find some way to pick at her little sister for not having had a successful relationship yet. Mataya, as lovely as she was, had been there and done that with most of the mistakes Elena was still making. She'd had an addiction that she had overcome; she'd been married and divorced and was trying again to make her own soul connection work for her, with more success this time; she'd been a hit in her own career away from the TV show that had made the De Luca sisters a household name, and had opened a theater of her own which continued to astound everyone in the family. She even had a family, a foster daughter who, though strange, was a joy to be around.
And then there was Elena. The baby of the family, everything had been done before she was old enough to do it. Before she could carve herself a unique place within the family's structure. She'd depended so much on their father's approval that when he left, he'd set her up to fail without a second thought. Without his disapproval to temper her behavior, she had gone from one disaster to another, finally ending up where she was now - alcoholic, unemployed, and involved heavily in a court case that was purely intended to indict not just the ex-boyfriend who had murdered a man in front of her and made her help with the clean up, but his father, too, who just happened to be a particularly powerful mob boss. Her actions had put her whole family in danger, necessitating a move here to Rhy'Din that Tony had refused to be a part of. If anything happened to her idolized brother, no one could predict what that would do to Elena's fragile mental state.
She was on the road to recovery, though. Rosita was hopeful that this time the resolution to stay sober would stick. Elena had had an awful fright, duly horrified by her own actions, and according to Mataya, had not fought too much when it came to keeping her sober in the house. Unfortunately, that tough love had resulted in a few other issues coming to light, which was why the youngest De Luca was now in therapy. The depression they had been warned was a natural consequence of long-term alcohol abuse. It was the social anxiety that had first concerned 'Taya, and consequently Rosita. Elena had stopped leaving the house, stopped showing any inclination to do so. When presented with an unavoidable appointment away from the home she now lived in with her sister, Max, and Juno, she had begun to exhibit signs of that anxiety, though thankfully had only once succumbed to a complete panic attack.
Yet the therapy that had been recommended seemed to be working. Rosita did not truly understand what the content of each session was about, but just the fact of Elena beginning to say that she could do this on her own was a sign that whatever was happening was working. A few weeks before, the wait for the doctor to be ready had been fraught with silent tension, stiff shoulders, and the sound of teeth grinding impatiently. Today, Elena had finally released her hand and actually flipped through a magazine. Mama De Luca was very hopeful, but they all knew there was one thing that could destroy any hope of a true recovery for the youngest.
If, when the Nicoletti case came to court, the judge and jury found Sam and consequently his father not guilty, Elena would be that arm of the mob's first target. Even on Rhy'Din, they had their presence, but warred with so many other factions that they had little to no influence. But they were here, and they were keeping an eye on Elena. If the boss went down, there would be no need to fear, though the family would likely not return to Earth for a few years just to be sure. But if the boss or his son walked free, Elena would relapse, and this time there would be no coming back.
There was no need to think on that right now. What mattered was the health and well being of the baby of the family, the sweet little screw up who needed them to stand by her more than ever now she was facing her demons head on. But the women of the family knew there was one test that could make or break Elena that she had yet to pass. If Tony came to Rhy'Din, if his first meeting with his baby sister went badly, the consequences didn't bear thinking about. Elena idolized her brother, desperately wanted his approval as she had always wanted their father's, but her actions had caused a rift between them that only time and good behavior would be able to heal. If she lost any hope of good grace from Tony, there'd be no consoling her.
Yet there were so many encouraging signs. During family meals, when there was always alcohol available, Elena was choosing to pour wine for others and openly admitting how jealous she was of them to be able to drink it without severe consequence. She hadn't taken a drink since Mataya had brought her here to Rhy'Din. Her depression seemed to be under control, albeit with medication, and her anxiety was being treated with some degree of success. Now if only they could keep her on that happy track, there would be some hope of getting her working once again, of helping her find out just what it was she was born to do.
Make no mistake, Rosita De Luca knew all her children were born to do something wonderful with their lives. With Tony, it had always been ballet; his gift to bring joy to people through dance. With Tess, though she had tried to have a career, it was obvious that she was happiest as wife and mother, and her children thrived on their mother's love. 'Taya was a little harder to pin down, but after a few years of wildness, she had become an astute businesswoman who didn't seem to show any signs of slowing down, offering so much to so many people in a myriad number of ways through the Shanachie. Elena might not be born to act, as she had always thought she was, but there was something out there that was all her own, Rosita was sure of it.
An hour after Elena had stepped into the office, she stepped out, smiling over her shoulder to her therapist and thanking him, clutching a single sheet of paper which she waved at her mother. "Look, more homework," she declared with a snort of laughter, folding the sheet and tucking it into her pocket as Rosita rose to join her, cheered by the happy face her daughter was presenting. It was baby steps still, but slowly, one step at a time, things were looking up. Someday, perhaps soon, they would have their Elena back again.