Chapter 18 - LUCIA HEARD THE WORD MAFIA
Lucia was seven when another child at school said:
“Your dad is Mafia.”
She came home angry.
Not scared.
Angry.
“Is he?”
I looked at Elio.
He looked at me.
Parenting.
Wonderful.
---
We sat at the kitchen table.
Elio said:
“My family was involved in organized crime.”
Lucia’s eyes widened.
“Like movies?”
“No.”
Good.
“Movies are usually stupid.”
I kicked him under the table.
He ignored me.
---
He continued:
“I inherited businesses and relationships from people who did dangerous and illegal things.”
“Did you?”
Silence.
Important.
“Yes.”
Lucia stopped moving.
I watched Elio fight every instinct to soften.
“I made choices I’m not proud of.”
“Did you hurt people?”
His eyes closed briefly.
“Yes.”
My heart tightened.
Lucia stared at him.
Then:
“Are you still doing that?”
“No.”
Simple.
True as we could make it.
---
She looked at me.
“You married him anyway?”
Children are merciless.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because people are more than the worst thing they have done.”
Then:
“But that does not mean the worst thing disappears.”
She thought.
Elio said:
“You never have to defend me at school.”
That mattered.
“If someone says something, you can say you don’t want to talk about it.”
“You don’t have to protect my name.”
Lucia looked at him.
“Do you hate your name?”
Elio thought.
“Sometimes.”
“Then change it.”
He laughed.
I did too.
Lucia frowned.
“I’m serious.”
May you like
Of course she was.
---
