Elena Lagusa

* 1917

**Elena Lagusa** is a character in *91 Days*. She is Angelo and Luce's mother and Testa's wife.

## Appearance

Like her youngest son, Luce Lagusa, she has blond hair and deep blue eyes. She wears round, red earrings and light pink lip-gloss. She appears to be a middle-aged woman. Her outfit is the white shirt, black skirt and pink apron.

In 1917, she wore light-blue rhombus earrings, same pink lip-gloss and light-blue dress, while attending Sunday mass.

## Personality

Though Elena is only shown briefly, she is shown to a kind-hearted and loving woman. She values the lives of her sons over her own, and supports Corteo and his mother. She is playful with her family and helps her sons play a trick on her husband. Despite this playfulness, she is also stern with her children, such as when she refuses to carry Luce when he demands she do so.

## History

Shoal of Time
At a small church in 1917, a small group of people stand outside chatting. Ganzo Alary asks Vincent Vanetti how Connie Vanetti is doing. Vince says that a doctor's seen to her and there hasn't been any change. Ganzo Alary tells him that if he carries on in the same way, his children will be bored to tears. Vince asks what he means, and Ganzo tells him to take them out once and a while. He says that just because their mother can't, doesn't mean the kids can't walk. Ganzo lights a cigarette and Vince says that that's the reason he brings them to mass. Ganzo says that if he insists on just making them do what he wants, it's going to backfire on him someday. Vince turns away from him and tells him that it's none of his business. Ganzo exhales smoke and seems to notice someone. He waves at the Lagusa family and Testa waves back. Angelo walks beside a stroller that his mother is pushing.
Vince asks and Ganzo tells him that Testa had his second child: Luce. As the family happily walks into the church, Vince says that he's had enough of Testa's stubbornness. Ganzo scolds him and tells him that there aren't many as loyal as him in the mafia. Vince says that his mafia family comes second to his real family. Ganzo says that that is true. He says that when Testa drove away the Galassia messenger a while back, it scared him. Vince says that Testa won't like it, but it's high time they made peace with the Galassias for the family.

Interlude
Around 1920, Angelo, Corteo, and the rest of the Lagusa family go on a picknick. Elena had woken a lot earlier than us and made everything. They drive to a man-made forest together. Luce protests, but Elena stays firm and brings him along. Though Testa was busy with work, he’d gone to the trouble of taking leave to go on this picnic.
At this age, Angelo could still carry Luce in his arms.
Luce had grown tired just earlier and demanded to be carried, but Elena told him to walk properly and refused now that he was a little older, saying being carried is for babies.
Angelo tells this to Corteo, telling him that, though he was relieved of his burden, he felt it was sad. Corteo laughs at him, saying he's jealous since he was an only child.
Angelo replies that he and Luce are like his brothers. At that, Corteo smiled happily, but didn't seem to believe him.
Luce suggests that they go on an adventure as he takes his hand and pulls him towards the forest. It was still too early to have lunch, and Luce was full of energy.
When they look at the flora, Luce picks up a poisonous mushroom, so Corteo warns him. Angelo takes out a handkerchief and wiped Luce’s hands. Luce finds a berry and asks if it's poisonous. As soon as Corteo says no, Luce quickly plops the sour berry into his mouth. Immediately, he made a face and spat it out.
Corteo looked on despairingly and Angelo fumbles around in his pockets. He holds out a sweet candy wrapped in thin paper. When he tore off the wrapping and popped the candy in his mouth, Luce’s frown transformed into a smile.
Elena calls the three boys, and they look at one another, grinning. When Luce gave the signal, the three started to run. Luce was giving it his all, but the two older boys were naturally running alongside him. Corteo was watching Luce’s feet. He was anxious, preparing to support him if he fell over.
Luce calls that he's first as he jumps into Elena’s arms with a broad smile. Testa waits next to them with his arms open. As Angelo slowed down, locks eyes with Corteo. Though Corteo tells him to go ahead, Angelo grabs his arm and pulls him into the hug as well.
Testa catches both of them and pats their heads cheerfully. When Angelo glances to his side, Corteo seemed to be on the verge of tears, so he quickly turned away so I wouldn’t see his face, and endured the patting until Elena called for them.
They laid the food out on the picnic rug. They pray to God before eating.

Night of the Murder
In his barren room, Angelo throws his wet clothes on the back of a chair and sits down on a chair. There are empty cans of pineapple in the room, one filled with cigarette butts. He pulls his wallet out of his pocket and takes some money out. Afterwards, he throws it under his bed in a pile of them. After this, he pulls the envelope and looks at it. He takes out a pocket knife and opens it. It contains a picture of his younger brother, Luce and a letter. Avilio says "Vanetti..." then smiles as lightning strikes.
At the Lagusa household, two bikes are parked outside. The same photo from the letter sits on the mantle. Luce is about to pinch the flame on a candle, but stops himself and asks Corteo if it really isn't hot. Corteo explains that it isn't, because it's actually the paraffin burning. Excited, Luce tells him to do it to show him. Corteo is taken back, and looks uncomfortable. He bends down and goes to touch it. Angelo watches, smiling, as he taps on the table. As he is about to touch it, though, he pulls his hand back, scared. He is about to again but hesitates. Angelo puts it out instead. Luce is overjoyed and asks if it really wasn't hot. Angelo says that it's true and Angelo agrees and shows him to look at his hand. Luce asks again, amazed and Angelo answers happily again. Corteo too looks amazed at his bravery.
In the kitchen, **Elena Lagusa** cuts something up. Corteo says that he better get going. Luce says that they should have cake together first. Corteo says maybe next time. As Corteo puts on his coat, Luce says that cake is tasty. Angelo says that they're nothing Corteo can do about it and Luce accepts this. Elena comes out of the kitchen with a container. She slips it into Corteo's bag and tells him to share it with his mother. She also takes out some money and says that it isn't much before slipping it into his bag. Corteo looks embarrassed and thanks her for everything. Elena helps him put his scarf on and asks how she's doing. Corteo hesitates but then smiles and says that she's been doing a lot better lately. Elena says she's happy to hear that. Across the room, Luce has begun playing with the candle as Angelo stares at them talking.
The two brothers hide together, smiling in a closet facing their front door. Luce tells his brother not to make a sound. Their father walks in and takes off his hat and Elena meets him there. He asks where they are and Elena says that he should call them and see. Smiling, he calls them and then begins looking as the two quietly laugh from their closet. Suddenly, Vincent Vanetti loudly knocks on the door and tells him to open up. Luce is disappointed but Angelo tells him not to worry, because he'll leave soon.
Testa lets Vince, Nero, and Vanno Clemente inside and Testa asks if he wants a drink, noting that he doesn't usually come there. Vince refuses this, and tells him to listen calmly. Vince says that their don has been taken out. Facing a drawer, though he was about to take out a bottle opener, he instead grabs a pocket knife. He then asks if it was Orco's men. Vanno and Nero look at each other. Vince pulls out his gun and points it at Testa. He says that it was himself.
Luce is about to cry out in the closet, but Angelo puts his hand over his mouth and tells him to be quiet because they'll leave soon. With tears in his eyes, Luce pulls his brother's hand from his mouth and watches on. Vince says that it's to protect the family. Testa is mad, after everything the don has done for Vince. Vince says that he's wrong and that he doesn't understand anything. Testa says that if he'd investigated, he'd know how much got back to the Galassias. Vince says that that's enough and tells him to give him the ledger. Testa tells him that it isn't there, it's at the bank. Vince gets mad and demands the ledger immediately. Dropping to her knees, Elena begs Vince to stop. He turns around and clocks her with his gun. Angelo and Luce both witness this, and though he grabs at his shirt, Angelo is unable to stop Luce from running from the closet.
Testa calls out to his wife. Luce runs out to his mother and they hug on the ground. Nero and Vanno are now pulling their guns on the two as well. Luce asks if she's okay. As the three men are now distracted, Testa pulls out his knife and stabs Vince through his right hand. He tries to stab him again, but merely slashes the left side of his face and the knife flies behind him and Vince falls to the ground. The two other men have their guns pointed at him and he looks at Vanno before three shots are fired.
In the closet, Angelo begins to cry and Elena tells Luce not to look. Elena tells Vince to spare her son. She swears that he won't tell anyone. Vince tells her to listen carefully, and says that he would never forget about them as long as he lives. Four shots are fired and blood is spattered on their mantle.
The three men stand over the pair's bodies and Vanno kneels as he crosses himself. Vince asks if they have anything to wipe up with. Vanno pulls a handkerchief and hands it to him. Nero starts to walk away and Vince says that they'll look upstairs and Nero downstairs. Nero walks into the room with the closet and cocks his gun, nervous. He opens the other door to it and is relieved to find nothing there. He enters a room to the side of a closet. Under the couch, Angelo covers his mouth as he hides, scared. Once he's in the other room, Angelo leaves the room. There his father lays in a pool of blood and his mother and brother lie dead in each other's arms. Angelo begins to tear-up but a door behind him closes and he begins running out the door.
Angelo leaps off his step. A man sits in front of the car and Nero runs after Angelo, but trips. Standing up, Nero aims at Angelo and fires. He doesn't hit and there are now two men outside with Nero, who seem to be looking at him.
Corteo sits at his table, reading when someone knocks on the door. He goes to the window to see Angelo. He runs to answer the door.
Crying, Corteo mixes a drink for him as he wipes his eyes. He brings it to his green sofa where Angelo sits, crying, wrapped up in a blanket. He offers the cocoa to him, but he doesn't look up from the blanket. His mother coughs from the other room. Angelo apologizes and says that he shouldn't have come there. Corteo says it's okay, because they wouldn't have chased him that far. Corteo tells a crying Angelo that he should get some rest. Corteo is about to blow out the candle lighting the room, but instead puts it out with his finger. Corteo says that, starting now, they're brothers. And they always will be.
The next morning, Angelo wakes up early and Corteo sleeps on the couch. Angelo looks at him sleeping and does his special wave at him. He returns to the house to find it burnt down and a group a people watching. Police investigate as his family is in body bags on the ground. He walks away down the path from his house.

## References

1. ↑ Interlude