I strode over to her and held out the letter to her. She took it with a small frown and then scanned it. Slowly she lowered it to the desk then looked up at me with a shocked expression. 揧ou applied to a fashion institute in Paris??
揑t抯 not just any fashion institute, Mom. It抯 one of the best schools for fashion design in the world.?
揃ut you applied to the School of the Arts Institute??
揧es.?It was the best place to study fashion design in Chicago. It wasn抰 Paris or New York.
Mom nodded then glanced at the letter again as if she still couldn抰 believe it. 揚aris.?She shook her head. 揂nna.?
揗om,?I said pleadingly, grabbing her hand. 揧ou know how much I love drawing, how much I love being creative, how much I want to design fashion, and Paris is the place to do it.?I motioned at the dress I抎 designed and was currently wearing. A green ombre effect dress with inconspicuous pockets on the skirt where I could stash my phone or whatever else I needed on hand.
揑 know, but it抯 far away and this isn抰 just a short summer program, this is a three-year undergraduate program.?
揑t抯 not like I抦 forced to finish. I could start the program and if you and Dad think it抯 time for me to return to Chicago, then I come back. But think of it this way, time abroad, especially in France, will impress all the stuck-up friends of the Clarks.?
Mom gave me a knowing smile. 揟ry that line on your dad later, maybe it抣l work.?
I sank down before Mom and put my head in her lap like I抎 done when I was small. 揑 know what my duties are. I抣l marry Clifford so the Outfit and our family get even stronger. I抣l play the politician抯 wife. But until then I want to be me, at least for a little while. Clifford won抰 care. He抯 not like our men. I could live my dream for a few years before I抎 become everything the Outfit needs me to be.?
Mom stroked my hair and sighed. 揑 want you to be yourself, not just for a few years but forever. Maybe you can be that around Clifford.?
揌e can抰 ever know all of our world抯 secrets, Mom, so I抣l always have to keep part of myself hidden.?
揧ou抮e very wise Anna. You always were.?
I closed my eyes, relishing the feeling of Mom抯 fingers massaging my scalp.
揚aris is beautiful,?Mom whispered. Dad and she had celebrated their last anniversary there.
揑 wish I could see it with my own eyes.?
Mom抯 hands stilled. 揧our protection will always be our top priority.?
揟hat抯 why I never asked to apply to the New York Fashion Institute. But Paris is far from our world抯 conflicts. I won抰 tell people who I am. I抣l pretend I抦 a normal student. I抣l blend in. That抯 the best protection.?
揧ou have my blessing, sweetheart. We抣l figure out your protection.?She laughed. 揃ut I don抰 know how we抣l convince your father.?
Mom went in first. If anyone could convince Dad then it was her.
I paced in the hallway. I was tempted to eavesdrop, but resisted the urge. The voices behind the door were too quiet anyway. Neither Dad nor Mom often raised their voices.
After what felt like forever, the door opened and Mom motioned for me to get in. Her expression told me the fight wasn抰 over yet.
Dad stood in front of the window, his arms behind his back. I gave him a hopeful smile.
He released a sigh. 揧ou know how dangerous our world is.?
揃ut Paris isn抰 anyone抯 territory. It抯 far away, yes, but that抯 an advantage.?
Dad gave a tight smile. 揟hat抯 one way to see it. But our conflicts don抰 end at any borders.?
揟he Camorra won抰 send anyone to France to kidnap me. And the Famiglia has never been in the business of kidnapping women.?
Dad抯 face had tightened like it always did when the darkest hour of the Outfit was mentioned. I doubted he抎 ever get over it.
揇on抰 you think I抣l travel the world once I抦 married to Clifford? His family has vacation homes in Europe.?
揟he Clark抯 bodyguards will guard you then.?
揑 can take Santino to Paris. He抯 protected me for years. He can keep me safe in Paris.?
Dad抯 brows puckered. To my surprise, it was Mom who looked more worried because of my suggestion. I definitely needed to be careful around her. If she found out about me lusting after Santino, she抎 not only forbid me from going to Paris but she抎 also kill him herself.
揟hree years is a long time, Anna.?
揑抣l come to Chicago for the holidays and everyone抯 birthdays and important social events, and you could come visit me as well.?
揥e抮e talking about a ten-hour flight, not a short car ride,?Dad said.
I walked toward him, giving him my best puppy dog eyes. Dad was cold as ice but this look always got him, eventually.
揑 don抰 even have to finish, but I抎 love to give it a try, for a little while at least. You know I never get in trouble Dad. You can trust me. I抣l be good. Just let me live a little.?