Falling Down(21)

"I love every one of you and appreciate you more than you know."
"Baby girl, we know." This comes from Mike who barely ever speaks.
I'm about to get all sappy and mushy when my phone rings.
"Wow, that's got to be a record." I look at my watch. "Only thirty minutes and she's already circling on her broomstick. There had to be a plant in there. There's no way they could have gotten the story and pics up that fast without putting someone in there or paying them off outside before they came in."
"Likely," Frank nods. "You gonna answer that?"
I didn't answer it the first time she called and she's calling right back.
"I suppose."
I press Talk.
"Good morning, mother." I hold the phone away from my ear knowing full well she's going to say all three of my names very loudly.
"Luciana Antonia Russo. What have you done now?" She then breaks into a stream of Italian which, unbeknownst to her, I fully understand. She's calling me a foolish girl. Something about my crush on the dirty rock star. Dirty! He's not dirty. She's got some nerve.
"Are you done yet?" I ask blandly.
"Don't you take that tone with me, young lady."
"In case you've forgotten, I'm twenty-three years old. That makes me an adult. That means I can take any damn tone I want. I am tired of this Regina. I am done."
"Regina? This is how you speak to your mother?"
"Right now it is because you're not my mother right now. You're my manager."
A pause. Frank raises his eyebrows. "What are you done with exactly, Luciana?"
"Acting. I'm finished."
She laughs. "Darling, you're just upset about the reporters again and right after you've had such a hard time with Aiden Jensen." She tsks. "Your father is here."
"Hi Button."
"Hi daddy."
"You okay?"
I sigh. "I will be."
"You indulged yourself tonight and now the media will have a field day but it will die down in a couple of days and things will be back to normal." My mother. Always trying to rationalize me into agreeing and doing whatever she says.
I move the phone to my other ear.
"You don't understand, Regina. I. Am. Done. Acting. No more movies. No more television shows. No more anything. Done. Done, done, done."
"You can't mean that. Your career is at its peak right now."
"Then it'll take a long time for it to plummet to the bottom, right? I can't do it anymore, mom. I just can't. I never wanted to act. I did it because it made you happy, but I'm a grown woman and I need to do what makes me happy before I'm old and gray and miserable."
"Luciana--"
My father cuts her off. "Enough Regina Are you sure this is what you want to do, Button?"
"It is. You know I've wanted this for a long time."
"Yes, we know. And you're correct. You are an adult. This is your life so these are your decisions to make." My mother tries to interrupt him and he shushes her. "You do what makes you happy, Button. We will support you in your decisions."
My mother is cursing in Italian. I just know my father is giving her "the look" because she immediately shuts up. I want to laugh, but I'm sure that won't go over well.
"Luciana, you and Serafina are set on doing this rock thing?"
"We are mama."
She sighs. "Then I will do what I can to help you if you wish for me to continue being your manager."
"We do--until we find one we can trust who knows the music industry. But no decisions for us, mama. Sera and I make our own decisions and will consult you in any major ones we need to make."