Chapter 8 - When Mister Grumpy Woke UpDante woke to an argument.
“I’m telling you, he needs rest.”
“He’s been resting forever.”
“Sophia.”
“He promised pancakes.”
Dante opened his eyes.
Sophia stood beside the hospital bed wearing purple overalls.
Rosa caught her before she climbed onto him.
“He was shot.”
“I know.”
“You cannot jump on someone who was shot.”
“I wasn’t jumping. I was climbing.”
Dante croaked, “Important distinction.”
Rosa froze.
Sophia gasped.
“Mister!”
She scrambled closer.
Dante smiled weakly.
“You’re loud.”
“You were sleeping.”
“I noticed.”
Rosa’s eyes filled with tears.
She turned away.
Dante noticed that too.
“Sophia, could you find Marina?”
“Why?”
“I need to talk to your mother.”
Sophia narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
“About grown-up stuff?”
“Yes.”
“Boring.”
“Extremely.”
She left.
Rosa remained by the window.
Dante studied her.
“Come here.”
“You’re not my boss right now.”
“Rosa.”
Something in his voice softened her.
She approached.
Dante reached for her hand.
“You stayed.”
“Of course.”
“You didn’t have to.”
“You took a bullet protecting Sophia.”
“I’d do it again.”
“Don’t.”
He almost smiled.
She sat.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then Rosa said, “Daniel wants to meet her.”
Dante’s fingers loosened around hers.
“Of course.”
“He wants to explain.”
“You don’t owe me an explanation.”
“I know.”
That answer hurt more than he expected.
Rosa saw it.
“Dante.”
He looked away.
“Daniel is her father.”
“Yes.”
“That doesn’t erase four years.”
“No.”
“And it doesn’t erase what happened between you and Sophia.”
Dante looked at her.
“What happened?”
“She loves you.”
His throat tightened.
Rosa continued.
“And somewhere along the way, I started…”
She stopped.
Dante waited.
Rosa shook her head.
“This is ridiculous.”
“Probably.”
“You’re impossible.”
“I’ve been told.”
“You’re dangerous.”
“Yes.”
“You own more suits than any human being should.”
“That seems unrelated.”
“It matters to me.”
He smiled.
Rosa stared at that smile.
Then leaned forward and kissed him.
It was brief.
Soft.
Almost frightened.
When she pulled away, Dante looked genuinely stunned.
Rosa’s cheeks reddened.
“Well?”
“I was shot yesterday.”
“That’s your response?”
“My thinking is slower.”
She started to rise.
He caught her hand.
Then pulled her gently back.
This time he kissed her.
No grief.
No guilt.
No ghosts.
Just two people who had somehow found each other in the wreckage left by everyone else.
When they separated, Sophia’s voice came from the doorway.
“Ewww.”
Rosa jumped.
Marina stood behind Sophia trying desperately not to laugh.
Sophia pointed at Dante.
“You kissed my mommy.”
Dante cleared his throat.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Rosa covered her face.
Dante considered the question.
“Because I like her.”
Sophia frowned.
“Like pancakes?”
“More.”
“More than chocolate?”
“Much more.”
Sophia looked impressed.
“Okay.”
Daniel met Sophia two days later.
Dante chose not to be there.
Rosa noticed.
“You can stay.”
“It’s his moment.”
“And yours.”
“Not mine.”
She touched his hand.
“It is more than you think.”
Daniel cried when Sophia entered.
He knelt carefully because of his shoulder.
“Hi.”
Sophia hid behind Rosa.
“You’re my daddy?”
Daniel’s face crumpled.
“If you’ll let me be.”
She studied him.
“Where were you?”
No adult could have asked it more brutally.
Daniel looked at Rosa.
She said nothing.
He answered.
“I was scared.”
Sophia frowned.
“Grown-ups get scared?”
“All the time.”
“Mommy does.”
“I know.”
“Mr. Dante does too.”
Daniel looked surprised.
Sophia whispered confidentially, “Doors.”
Rosa laughed through her tears.
Daniel slowly opened his arms.
Sophia hesitated.
Then hugged him.
Rosa cried.
Daniel cried.
Even Marina cried.
Outside the room, Dante heard everything.
He walked away before anyone saw him.
He was genuinely happy for Sophia.
That did not mean it did not hurt.
Three weeks later, Victor Falcone was awaiting trial on charges tied to racketeering, murder, and conspiracy. Daniel had agreed to cooperate with federal investigators. The old criminal infrastructure Victor had built began collapsing.
Dante started dismantling parts of his own world too.
Not because anyone asked.
Because Sophia had once looked at him and asked why he walked alone.
He was beginning to understand the question applied to more than hallways.
One afternoon at four, he entered Carmela’s sitting room.
He placed fresh white roses beside her photograph.
“I’m trying,” he whispered.
Behind him, Rosa said softly, “I think she’d know.”
Dante turned.
“You shouldn’t sneak up on people.”
“You employ armed guards.”
“Still.”
She approached.
He looked at Carmela’s photograph.
“I feel guilty.”
“For loving someone?”
“For surviving.”
Rosa took his hand.
“That isn’t betrayal.”
He looked at her.
“How do you know?”
“Because dead people don’t need us to die with them.”
Dante closed his eyes.
Then he kissed Rosa’s forehead.
Neither noticed Sophia standing outside with Daniel.
May you like
But Daniel noticed them.
And unlike Rosa, he did not smile.
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