Balance of Power, 50
She'd thrown down the gauntlet. There was no going back even if she wanted to. Over six hours had passed since her bold threat and she'd not spoken to anyone about it. That surprised her. Sabrina thought for sure that she would have had an intense standoff with her father, or at least a scary encounter with her Uncle Santino. But neither had happened. They probably didn't bother confronting Sabrina about her threat because they knew it had no teeth.
Sabrina tried to analyze things from her mother's point of view. Cassandra had been a brilliant strategist. She'd had to be, to flawlessly juggle men the way she had. Cassandra would undoubtedly tell her that, having made an impossible threat, she had to find a way to back away from it without losing power to her father. Yeah, like Cassandra had any idea how to do that. Even without knowing her mother's history with Michael Corleone, the very fact that Sabrina existed told the young woman just who'd held the reins in that encounter.
Next, Sabrina considered her situation through the eyes of Bobby Texador, a criminal she'd known while growing up. Bobby would have warned her that a poorly executed bluff held deadly consequences for the most powerful of men. As a woman, Sabrina had to be even more careful in her words and actions. A woman, Bobby once counseled her, never made an idle bluff. Men only understood action.
Sabrina even tried looking at things as she imagined Tom or Sonny or even her father might. She shook her head. What was it she'd told Tom Hagen? She was leaving?? Over her father's dead body?? Yeah, right. Had she forgotten where she was? She was at the Corleone compound surrounded by people whose every thought was based on the criteria 'What would Don Corleone want?'. Not a single person there would help her leave. And they sure as hell wouldn't lift a finger toward harming their beloved 'Don'.
Unbidden, the woman from the bathroom encounter came to mind. She had made it clear that all Sabrina had to do was give them a sign that she wanted out of the Corleone sphere. They were always watching, the woman claimed. There was one big problem with that. Despite the craziness of it all, Sabrina had no desire to bring unwanted attention to her father's doorstep. She just wanted her life back – her life and the freedom to live it as she chose. Idly Sabrina wondered if the threat of the strange woman would be enough to force her father's hand.
Probably not.
A single rap on the door was followed by the entrance of Thomas Hagen. He was dressed as always – linen suit complete with vest and coat. He held a long white envelope in his hand. "Pack your things."
Sabrina was thrown by the command. She suspected a trap; glancing at the airline ticket inside the white envelope he handed her did nothing to ease her doubts. "After everything he's done, he is just going to let me go?"
"Your father is pained by this decision," Tom replied. "But your attitude and lack of regard for his authority pose a threat that would endanger the family. It is in the best interest of us all that you separate yourself from here." His message to Sabrina delivered, the stoic consigliere turned and left the room.
Sabrina stared at the closed door for a long time. She was totally confused by the turn of events. Uncertainly she glanced down at the airline ticket in her hand. Her flight was scheduled to depart in hours. There would barely be time to travel to the airport. Squaring her shoulders, Sabrina took her suitcase from the closet and began to pack. She did not have very many things to take. Everything she'd been given while in Italy would remain behind.
As she packed, Sabrina wondered what her final encounter with her father would be like.