Omertà

Olivia's father always told her that the number one rule of life was Omertà. Once she was old enough to understand, he explained that it was the Italian word for Code of Silence and that if you're strong enough, Omertà cannot be broken by anyone. Whenever she knocked her cup over and spilled juice on the brand new rug, her father would put his fingers to his lips and whisper, "Omertà, Liv. I won't tell if you don't." And then he'd kiss her on the cheek and tell her mother that it must have just fallen over. It must have just been the wind. With her father, the only excuse to mistakes was the wind but even she knew that no wind could have caused the disaster that came shortly after her seventh birthday but as it was instilled in her as a child, Omertà was the only way to survive.

(c) EvenInMadness

Happy National Novel Writing Month