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ALESSIA

I step out of my apartment building, and the July heat hits me. The air feels thick, almost sticky, clinging to my skin as I weave through the crowded streets of Manhattan. The sun beats down relentlessly, causing the pavement to shimmer with a heat that seems to rise from below. Sweat gathers at my temples and trickles down my face, a constant reminder of the humidity. I speed up, trying to get through the sea of people faster, hoping to escape the heat. This is why I hate the summer.

A gust of wind drifts by. Even the breeze, when it comes, is warm, offering little relief. It's the kind of day that makes the city feel both alive and overwhelming, the kind of day where every step is a reminder of the sweltering summer.

I’m on my way to meet Valentina, Mara, and Aunt Mariana for brunch at the Velvet Bloom Caféand thankfully it doesn’t take me long to get there. When I do, I immediately spot the three bodyguards standing outside the cafe doors, which means that another three are stationed at the back entrance of the café. The guards out front are smoking, cigarettes dangling from their lips as they talk among themselves.

I push open the door, and a cool breeze washes over me as I step inside the cute, family-owned café just off Fifth. The rich aroma of freshly baked pastries mingles with the scent of brewed coffee, instantly soothing me. I glance around, taking in the rustic charm—the exposed brick wall lined with shelves, each cubby filled with quaint jars and mugs. A soft glow from the pendant light above casts a warm hue, making the space feel even more inviting. My eyes catch sight of Valentina, Mara, and Aunt Mariana at a table by the window, and I make my way through the bustling space, passing displays of golden croissants and tempting treats, eager to join the girls.

After giving each of them a hug, I settle into the rustic booth. “So, what have you guys been chatting about? Did I miss anything?” I ask.

Val says, “Not much. We were talking about the wedding. Remember when I told you about deciding which month Eli and I want to get married?”

“That’s amazing! You’ve decided on having the wedding in November?” I ask Valentina, and Aunt Mariana’s eyes widen.

“November? If you mean November as in this upcoming November, then that’s too soon to actually plan anything. Unless…” Aunt Mariana trails off.

“Unless what, Mariana?” Val asks her.

“Unless you’re pregnant,” Aunt Mariana finishes.

“Ma!” Mara chastises from beside Valentina.

Val shakes her head and says, “It’s fine, Mara. But no, I’m not pregnant. That wouldn’t be a reason to rush our wedding.”

“You shouldn’t get pregnant before you guys get married. The Camorra is still traditional regardless of how much Emiliano is trying to reform it,” I tell her.

Val gives me a nod and says, “I’m not trying to make a statement by getting pregnant before Eli and I get married, but what I mean is, if it happens. I’m not going to rush the wedding just to fit the expectations of others. That’s something I had to fight with on my own—” She stops, blinking away the tears in her eyes.

I reach out and place my hand over hers. “Has anyone reached back out?” I ask her.

She inhales deeply before shaking her head. “No. It’s been two years. Two years, and I know nothing. No one has…” She clears her throat. “No one has been able to get any information to Emiliano. My sisters, my mom, and my brother have been out of the public eye for the past two years. They hadn’t even been in the Chicago Outfit’s inner circle. The Mafia in Chicago loves large, extravagant gatherings. It’s like—” She pauses before she says, “It’s like they’ve disappeared.” Valentina quickly composes herself, as if she’s suddenly remembered that we’re outside and not within the safe walls of her penthouse.

Then Mara asks Val the one dreaded question no one has dared ask for the past two years, “Do you regret leaving the Chicago Outfit?”

Val’s reply comes quick and strong. “No. Never. I miss my family, but I don’t regret choosing love. If I had stayed, I would have just ended up like all the women in my family.” Before anyone can ask anything else, Valentina says, “Let’s order something. We’ve been sitting here for the past twenty minutes, just talking.”

I call Jade over, one of the co-owners of the Velvet Bloom Café. “Jade, how have you been?”

“Good, how have you ladies been?” Jade is around my age, her short, chic bob streaked with deep purple that blends into her black hair. She tends to change her hair up every couple of months.

“We’ve been great, thanks for asking, Jade,” Aunt Mariana says.

“So, what can I get for you? The usual? Or would you ladies like to try something else today?”

“What’s today’s special?” Mara asks.

“We’ve got a baked Alaska as today’s special, but I doubt that’s something you’re interested in, Mara,” Jade says, laughing at the expression on Mara’s face at the mention of baked Alaska.

Mara shakes her head, her face still twisted in disgust. “No thanks. I’ll just take a turkey sandwich with a tall glass of lemonade, please.”

Jade writes Mara’s order and then looks up at me. I order my usual. “I’ll take the eggs and avocado on toast and a cup of iced mocha, please.”

“I’ll have the Banana whip acaí bowl, and do you have the berry sparkling water?” Val asks Jade.

“We don’t, we’re waiting on an order, but we do have the strawberry one. Would you like that one?”

Valentina shakes her head and says, “That’s okay. I’ll just have some iced water. Thanks, Jade.”

“And what about you Mariana, what would you like?” Jade asks Aunt Mariana.

“Oh… I don’t want anything. I have to head out soon. I’m fine, thank you.” Jade gives her a single nod, tucking her small notepad and pen into her back pocket.

After Jade heads back to the kitchen, Val turns to Aunt Mariana and asks her, “Are you sure? We thought you’d be able to stay for brunch today.”

Aunt Mari reaches out, covering Val’s hand, and says, “I know, but unfortunately, I have an important scan at the clinic around the corner, so I can’t stay for long.”

“It’s not something dangerous, is it? Why do they want to do a scan?” I ask, noticing both Val and Mara seem to be alarmed as well. Val’s brows are scrunched up in confusion, and Mara leans back, her arms folded over her chest. Aunt Mariana has always been as healthy as a horse —so this is out of the ordinary for her.

“No, nothing to be worried over. The doctors just want to eliminate a few things. I’ve been having stomach aches that haven’t been going away. That’s all,” she tells us. When she looks at her phone screen, she says, “I have to get going. The appointment is in twenty minutes, and we all know how busy New York can be.” When Aunt Mariana scoots over, I move so she can get out of the booth.

“Keep us updated, yeah?” I say, and she nods before making her way through the now-crowded café.

Jade doesn’t take long to return and says, “Your food will be out in just a couple of minutes. Enjoy.”

The café is alive with noise, the chatter of weekenders, and the clinking of cups creating a hum that fills the air. It’s busy, but that’s part of its charm—no one ever pays much attention to us here. We’re just another trio of girls sharing coffee and conversation, nothing more. I guess, with the chaos that comes with being a woman in the Mafia world, we seek the simple things that comfort us.

I wrap my hand around my iced mocha, letting the coolness seep into my warm palm. Valentina sits across from me, her engagement ring glinting subtly in the soft morning light. She’s leaning back, relaxed, but there’s a small furrow in her brow that I’ve come to recognize. Next to her, Mara stirs her lemonade absently, eyes distant, as if lost in thought. I decide to break the silence.

“So, how was everyone’s week?” I ask, taking a sip of my coffee.

Mara’s the one to speak up first, setting her spoon down with a sigh. “Exhausting, honestly. Ma, Val, and I are organizing everything for this year’s family Christmas gala.”

I nod, understanding her frustration. “God, I hate having to go to that fucking gala, I can’t stand the hostility. At least it’s only once a year, and then everyone goes back to their cities. Remember what Aunt Rosa wore last year?”

Val laughs and says, “Oh, my God. Yeah, I remember. She wore that dress that made her look like a chicken, all yellow feathers.”

Mara laughs, nodding. “Yeah, and I seriously thought she was going to fly at any moment.”

“And then Aunt Belinda had ‘accidentally’ poured red wine over the front of her dress after Rosa kissed her husband under the mistletoe.” I let out a giggle. I remember it vividly because I was standing right next to them when everything unfolded.

Mara groans. “She did, and Aunt Rosa called her on her shit, and a catfight ensued because they both were too drunk to give a flying fuck about making a scene. It was so embarrassing, especially since Emiliano had to pull them apart. Meanwhile, I was running around making sure Fernando didn’t steal any of the purses left out on the tables. We all know how he has light fingers when it comes to new and shiny things.”

“God, it was awful. At least when he was younger, the family was able to avoid any outright scandals, but the man is in his forties with two daughters,” I say, leaning back. “Has Eli decided to let you go back to school or…?”

Mara’s smile falters for just a second. “He keeps avoiding the topic every time I bring it up, or flat-out ignoring me. He’s being overbearing, and it’s just …a lot sometimes.”

Valentina reaches over, squeezing Mara’s hand gently. “He just wants the best for you, you know that. He’s very protective.”

Mara nods, but there’s a flicker of something in her eyes. “I know. I just wish he didn’t see me as some fragile little thing that needs to be wrapped in bubble wrap and hidden away.”

I can’t help but smile at that. “Fragile? You?” I tease. “The girl who once threw a shoe at Lucio because he stole the last piece of cake?”

Mara laughs, and the tension lifts just a bit. “He deserved it. It was our cake,” she retorts. “And I have good aim.”

Valentina shakes her head, her smile warmhearted. “You two are ridiculous.” She pauses, then her gaze shifts, a little softer. “But really, Mara, you know he loves you. He just … doesn’t always know how to show it.”

Mara nods, her expression thoughtful. “Yeah, I guess.”

I take another sip of my coffee, feeling the familiar coolness spread through me. “Well, if you need any more distractions from family drama, you’re welcome to join me in the ER,” I say, trying to lighten the mood. “I had three cases of appendicitis in one night. I’m starting to think it’s a conspiracy.”

Valentina’s eyebrows raise. “Three? That sounds … intense.”

I shrug. “It is, but it’s also kind of nice, you know? To be busy. To have something to focus on that isn’t all … this.” I wave my hand vaguely, trying to encompass everything about our complicated lives in one gesture.

Mara nods. “I get that. Sometimes I wish I had something like that, something that was just mine.”

Valentina gives me a knowing look. “Speaking of things that are just yours, how are your ‘friend lunches’ with Romiro?”

My cheeks warm slightly, and I try to play it off with a shrug. “He’s fine. Annoying, mostly. Keeps stealing food off my plate after he orders something he doesn’t like.”

Mara grins. “Oh, come on, Alessia. You can’t fool us. I’ve seen the way you look at him.”

Valentina nods, her smile widening. “It’s true. You’ve got that look.”

I roll my eyes. “What look?”

“That look,” Valentina says, pointing her spoon at me. “The one that says, I don’t want to like you, but I do, and it’s really annoying. ”

I laugh, unable to help myself. “Okay, maybe a little,” I admit. “He’s … he’s different. Not like most of the guys we grew up around. He’s funny and kind of … clueless, but in a sweet way.”

Mara leans in, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. “Clueless, how?”

I grin, remembering. “Like, he was trying to impress me the other day, and he started talking about some new medical study, but he got all the details wrong. It was like watching a puppy try to learn how to walk.”

Valentina chuckles. “Adorable.”

“Exactly,” I say, shaking my head. “It’s annoying how adorable it is.”

Mara sighs dramatically. “Ugh, I’m so jealous. You’ve got a cute friend , Valentina has my brother … and I’ve got … a charity event.”

Valentina laughs again, and warmth rushes in my chest. This, right here, is what makes everything bearable—the moments when we can just be ourselves, without the weight of our family names or the expectations that come with them. Just three girls at a café, talking about life and love and all the ridiculous little things in between.

“And you, Valentina?” I ask, shifting the focus. “How’s my dear cousin treating you? Still writing you those cheesy love notes?”

Valentina blushes, her smile turning shy. “Maybe,” she says softly. “He left one in my purse the other day. Something about how my smile is brighter than all the lights in the city.”

Mara groans playfully. “Oh, please. Spare us.”

I laugh. “Don’t be jealous, Mara. One day, you’ll find someone who writes you terrible love notes, too.”

Mara sticks her tongue out. “I doubt it. I’m not exactly the romantic type.”

Valentina’s eyes soften, and she reaches out to touch Mara’s arm gently. “Love isn’t always about grand gestures or perfect words,” she says quietly. “Sometimes, it’s just about being there for each other, no matter what.”

There’s a moment of silence as her words sink in, and I feel a strange mix of emotions swell in my chest. Love has always seemed so complicated in our world, wrapped up in expectations. and alliances and the ever-present threat of danger. But Valentina makes it sound so simple, so pure.

“Maybe,” I say softly, “love really does conquer all, even in our world.”

Mara’s smile is small but genuine. “Maybe,” she echoes. “I guess we’ll find out.”

We sit there for a moment, just the three of us, sipping our drinks and enjoying the calm. Outside, the city moves on, fast and relentless as always. But here, in this little corner of the café, time seems to stand still.

For now, we have our Saturday brunches, our laughter, and each other. And maybe, just maybe, that’s enough. For now.

Jade finally makes her way to us with a tray of our orders, and a plate of three croissants. “Sorry for the delay, ladies. Here’s a plate of some fresh croissants on the house.”

“Oh, Jade. You didn’t have to do that, but thank you,” Val says as Jade puts the plates in front of us.

“No problem at all. Now enjoy your food. It’s getting even busier by the second,” Jade jokes before heading to another table to take their order.

Valentina reaches for a piece of croissant, tearing into it delicately, as if savoring every bite. “You know,” she says, her voice softer now, “sometimes I think about what it would be like if we weren’t part of all this. If we were just … normal. Going to college, finding jobs, falling in love without worrying about who’s watching or what it might mean for our families.”

I nod slowly, letting her words sink in. It’s a thought I’ve had countless times, especially during those late-night shifts at the hospital. Everydayhen I see other people just living their lives, free from all this … weight, even as sickness plagues their lives. “It’d be different, that’s for sure,” I say. “But would it be better?”

Mara leans back, looking thoughtful. “Maybe,” she says, “but I like to think we’re stronger for it. We know what loyalty means. What it means to fight for what you love, for who you love. We’re bound by it.”

Valentina smiles—it’s a gentle curve of her lips that reaches her eyes. “That’s true,” she agrees. “And I guess that’s what matters, in the end. Not the world we’re born into, but the love we choose to carry with us.”

I raise my coffee cup, and the three of us toast silently to that, to the love that binds us and the strength we find in each other.