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Mia

Eleven Years Old

“Mia, get your bag ready,” Mama huffs, sliding her finger over her cell phone.

“Mama, why? Are we going on a trip?”

“Mia, don’t be silly. I’m going on a trip but you’re going to a boarding school with Valentina,” Mama smirks, lifting her brows.

“Oh. I don’t want to go to a boarding school. Where is Papa?”

“Too bad. Your Papa is not here; you know that he’s busy taking care of the Mafia business. Besides, your Papa and Don Elio want you to go to boarding school until you grow up. Then Don Elio will marry you off to the man that suits him, so get used to the idea,” Mama says, pointing her long, skinny finger at me.

I blink my eyes, trying to be strong, but it hurts. Mama doesn’t love me and doesn’t care what Papa and Don Elio do to me. Yeah, they don’t abuse me, but I’m treated like an object.

Mama looks up at me, lowering her eyelids and pursing her lips tight.

“I don’t know why you’re such a crybaby. I’ve told you not to take everything to heart; it only makes you weak. It doesn’t matter; it’s your destiny to be the Costa Nostra, Conti Mafia Principessa. So, hurry up, the Soldier will be here soon to pick you up,” Mama says, waving her hand.

I run to my room, walk into the closet, and grab the bat. I pack up all of my favorite things and clothes. I chew my lip, looking around my room for anything else that I need to take with me.

The door knock causes my stomach to twist; it’s time to go.

“Come in,”

The door opens and my cousin Valentina walks inside, closing the door.

I run over and hug her, crying.,

“Hey, don’t cry. It’s going to be good. Are you ready,” Valentina asks in a low voice.

She grabs my shoulders and pulls me away, staring at me.

“Vee, yes, I’m ready.”

“Good, let’s go,” Valentina says, nodding.

We grab my bags and walk out of my room, down the hall, and out of the house. I don’t look back. I pray that I don’t return for a long time.

Five years later.

“Vee, what did Don Elio say,” I ask in a low, gruff voice, chewing my lower lip.

Valentina just kicked the Senator’s daughter's Ester’s ass. The biatch has always been talking smack, but today the biatch slapped Vee. Of course, Vee was not letting her get away with it; she grabbed her by the hair and smacked her a few times until she was pulled off her. The headmistress contacted Don Elio, our Zio. I’m so afraid for her.

“Mia, calm down. Don Elio didn’t say much. He said that I needed to stay out of trouble because he didn’t have time for this nonsense. But I swear, Mia, I think that he wanted to smile when I told him that I’m a Conti and not taking any bullshit from anyone. But maybe I just imagined it. What fucking ever. He didn’t look too upset since he has the Senator in his pocket, so that means that he’s not squeaky clean like Ester and the headmistress thinks. Too bad I can’t fucking rub it in Ester’s ugly mug. Then he reminded me that we’re going to be out soon, and he was looking for our husbands,” Valentina huffs, crossing her arms.

“Wow, of course he is. It’s sort of a relief that he didn’t say much. I was so scared for you. You never know what Don Elio would do if he’s pissed off at us,” I utter in a low voice, looking around the room.

“Mia, stop your dramatics. Nobody is listening, and we’re good. I think that we should get to the crocheting, it’s almost time for us to drop off the scarves to the church for the homeless.”

“Yeah, we have a few more to make,” I say, nodding.

“I’m glad because it’s relaxing, and I don’t want to go out into the yard because I’ll fucking kill the biatch if she comes near me,” Valentina huffs, grabbing the crocheting bag.

“Well, let’s stay in our rooms. We can order some pizza and watch a movie.”

“Yes, we can see all of our favorite movies,” Valentina says, grabbing her needle and yarn.

A year later.

“Mia, you need to hurry up. We need to get out of here and wait for the Soldier to pick us up,” Valentina hums, walking out of our room.

“Geeze, you can slow down.”

“You’re so damn dramatic! I’m only walking, so hurry up,” Valentina says, looking over her shoulder.

“Vee, you’re such a biatch.”

“Yes, I am. But Don Elio will be pissed off if we’re late. He sends Faro to pick us up,” Valentina says, walking out of the building.

An hour later, we arrive at Don Elio’s mansion. Mama is on one of her many trips, so I’m going to stay here.

“Let’s get unpacked, and then we can plan our next move,” Valentina says, raising her brow.

“Yeah,” I say, not exactly happy.

I feel so lost, so hopeless. I have a Mama and a brother that I never see. My Papa was killed in one of the many Cosa Nostra wars. I was pulled out of school to attend the funeral, but it was all surreal. Mama didn’t even show up, and my brother was with the cousins. I was alone with Mia at my side. Then we returned to school. It was as if the person that died was a stranger.

In a way, he was.

I walk into the guest room, which should be my room since I spend so much time here. I start to unpack my bags and put away my clothes. There’s a knock on my door, and Valentina walks inside, sitting on the bed.

After I’m done, I go to Valentina's room to talk her into going out to get my hair done.

I look at her, raise my brow, and grab the last of my socks.

“Do you think that Don Elio will talk to us,” I hum, walking over to the dresser. I throw my socks into the drawer. I look at Valentina, crossing my arms.

“I’m sure that Don Elio will talk to us when he has something to say. Let’s enjoy these free moments,” Valentina says, shrugging her shoulders.

“Right, well, do you think that we can go out and have some fun?”

“We can try, but it’s going to be hard to get him to agree,” Valentina says, looking at her fingernails and toes. “I need to get my nails done.”

“Awesome, that sounds like fun. Let’s go out and get some new outfits, and I need to get my hair done.”

“Oh yes! I want to get some highlights. I’ll ask Don Elio,” Valentina hums, pulling out her cell phone from her black leather jacket side pocket.

“Awesome,” I squeal, doing a happy dance.

Valentina slides her finger over the cell phone screen and moves her fingers. I stop my happy dance and chew my lower lip. This is going to be the test to see how fucking locked up we are. A few minutes later, we have his response.

“Oh yeah! Mia and Don Elio approved our outing. But the Soldiers will have to take us, but it’s better than not going out, right? We need to get used to them,” Valentina says, nodding.

“Hell, yes! I’m so excited. Let’s go, and I don’t mind the Soldiers. It makes me feel protected.”

“Great, let’s get ready because I know that the Soldiers are waiting. Let me get my purse from my room,” Valentina says, pushing off the bed.