Prompt 31 -- Sunrise

Title: This House Is Vegas
Genre: Drama
Characters: Carmena, Arrigo
Prompt: 31 ~ Sunrise
Word Count: Approx. 572
Rating: PG (just in case)
Type: Series
Summary: Carmena makes a suggestion.
Warnings: Obscure use of prompt, sexual references, alcohol references

Carmena did not want to ask. It was one of those things that she didn't want to know, but had to regardless. She might have preferred asking Vinicio, but Rachele had insisted that he was 'out'--which, Carmena had noticed over the past few days, seemed to be her code word for 'drunk out of his mind'--so Arrigo was her only option. She just hoped he didn't mind talking about it. "So... how did the trial go?"

His eyes were of the sort that did not truly settle. They met her own, but seemed to look right past her, as though there was some fascinating sight over her shoulder; she might have been tempted to turn around and look if she hadn't just come from the direction of his gaze. "Okay, I guess."

Carmena nodded; knowing this family's track record, she didn't think it fair to ever expect more than 'okay'. "I hope she gets what's coming to her."

"They don't know for sure yet," he told her, the note of resignation in his voice unfitting of his age. "Probably some light jail time--I mean, let's face it, it's not like I'm some eight-year-old kid who thought he was going to get some candy."

She sniffed. "You were still underage, and she knew it; the law is the law."

"In theory. But the judge doesn't really like me much anyway. I kind of know his daughter."

Carmena blinked. "Oh."

"And his wife."

"...Oh."

Arrigo fiddled with a loose thread near the knee of his jeans. "I'm sorry, Mom."

"Don't be," she assured him with a grimace. "Sometimes things just... happen, I suppose."

The look on his face told her he wasn't convinced, but what was she to do? It would have hardly been appropriate to criticize his promiscuity mere hours after he'd testified against a woman who had made him a victim of statutory rape--even if it turned out that Donatella wasn't the only one who had. "Arrigo..."

He shook his head, slouching forward and massaging his temple. "Don't. I just... I don't know. It's the only thing I'm good at. I should just make it official and become a hustler."

"'Rigo, don't even joke about that!" she scolded, horrified. "You can do whatever you like; you have lots of talents."

"Really? Name one."

Carmena opened her mouth to give her answer, only to realize she had none. Arrigo let out a hollow laugh. "Thought so."

"Ask your father," she sighed, pushing her now-askew glasses back into position. "I hate to admit it, but after all this time, he obviously knows you better than I do."

Arrigo shrugged. "Maybe, but let's face it; the man knows the inside of the toilet bowl better than he knows me."

That was another unfortunate, yet undeniable truth. What the hell was wrong with this family? "Well... maybe you should get out of the house for a while. Is there anywhere you could go, just on your own?"

"I don't know," he muttered, drumming his fingers against his forehead. "Maybe I could go see Chloe."

"Excellent idea!" Carmena exclaimed as she pulled herself to her feet; if there was anyone who could be the sunrise at the end of this long night, it was a that sweet little child. "Do you need a ride? I wasn't planning on staying long."

Arrigo took to studying the floorboards. "No thanks. I can get there myself."

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