Leonardo Giovanni became a father at the age of twenty. The new mafia Don was a closed off cold man that left people shaking in fear.
He loved his daughter Maggie so much. He changed his ways for her. Leo wanted the best for his little girl.
But o...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Things are always unexpected. The best things in life are.
You don't realize how truely lucky you are until you have been gifted everything you will ever need.
I didn't think I would be capable of this. I mean I am barely an adult. I have just taken over my fathers mafia. He gifted it to me on my twentieth birthday.
Passing over his role was a huge honour. Now I am the most powerful man in the country. Owning the Italian-American mafia and all.
But yet holding this tiny little bundle of joy in my arms makes me feel anything but. I feel powerless. Like I can't protect the angel in my arms.
I am a bad man. I kill, torture, and ruin people's lives with the same hands that hold my daughters when she tries to walk.
But yet, the cold hearted mob boss is replaced with my true self once I enter the doors of my home and am greeted with the toothless smile of my little baby Maggie.
"Dada." She gurgles. I look at her with a smile hoisting her up and heading to the kitchen.
"You hungry Mags?" I coo at her very squishy face. I love being a father.
I love it more than being a mob boss. I love having something to come home to. I love having someone to live for, to care for. I love watching her try to mimic me and be like me.
She has my eyes, and she has my face. She tries to act like me and she likes to copy my actions. I want her to look up to me.
I heat up her formula and start bopping around the kitchen while we wait. She starts giggling as we dance and I throw her into the air a couple of times.
When she was a newborn I was so careful with her. She was so small and fragile that I was terrified to pick her up. Now, that she's not as fragile I enjoy throwing her around and getting giggles out of her.
She's my little baby.
"Wanna go for walkies." I coo at her. She squeals in response so I take that as a yes. I head over to the mudroom and pick out her tiny little pink boots and grab her huge puffer coat.
No way is my baby going to be cold.
I throw a beanie on her and attempt to put mittens on when she gets all fussy. I sigh slightly frustrated that her precious hands might be cold. I look up at her doe eyes and give up putting the mittens on.
"Just this once Maggie." I sternly tell her.
She gives me a big toothless smile reaching out for me to lift her. She can barely walk so even though we are going on a walk it's really just me holding her and taking laps around the beautiful property.
We have a forest behind our house so I take her out there for a bit everyday because I want her to see and learn nature.
"Squl." She points at the bushy tailed creature. She still can't pronounce her r's.
When my brother Marco comes over she always calls him 'Maco'. My baby is so adored by my family. Marco practically sees her as his own. He's always around and they love to pull pranks on me. Those pranks mostly consist of Marco pranking me while holding her giggly chubby body.
My father who raised me and Marco with little to no affection, can't seem to get enough of her. He was always so busy with work and when we were younger he had a lot of rivalries with other mafias. So he was very careful with us and raised us to protect ourselves at a young age.
He's apologized for his lack of presence in our lives especially after my mom died. We forgave him and all because we can see even though we are grown adults he is trying to be better and to be there for us.
Marco and I both appreciate it. Our mother raised us to know that family was the most important thing on this earth. Ever since her passing the three of us have decided to stick together.
I don't plan on making the same mistake with Maggie though. I will be there for every school play, every recital or tournaments, every birthday, and every holiday.
Because unlike myself Maggie doesn't have another parental figure. I am all she's got. I will have to play both mom and dad for her.
Luckily for me I have lots of support. My father has a lot of free time now seeing as he's a retired Don so when the housekeeper Maria isn't around he steps in to take care of her.
"Dada... cold." She rubs her hands together. Stubborn girl.
"I know baby that's why we wear mittens." I softly speak to her as I grab her hands in mine. I start heading back to the house because unfortunately I do have to attend work today.
As much as I don't want to go and would rather spend it here with Maggie I know that it's my duty or whatever to go.
Fucking job.
Once we are inside I take Maggie's cold weather gear off and we head inside for some more milk.
Maria walks into the kitchen and when she sees Maggie she squeals with excitement and so does my baby. Maria picks Maggie up off the counter and starts peppering her face with kisses.
"Hi sweet girl."
"Ma-ia." She attempts to say. I smile seeing her talk and so does Maria.
"Okay, I'm going to head to work, I'll see you two at six." I tell them both. I give Mags one last hug and kiss before grabbing my coat and leaving.
I miss her already.
-
I awake with a start. My breathing is laboured and my eyes dart around the room searching for an imposing threat.
When I find none I feel my heart clench and my blood run cold. A feeling of anxiety and fear runs through my veins and all I need to know is that whatever the reason may be I need to go figure it out soon.
I never feel this type of anxiety and fear. I mean people say I am fearless. Like I have nothing to be afraid of because 'I am the definition of fear'.
The only time I have ever felt this sort of fear was when Maggie was being born and when she didn't breathe right away.
I throw the covers off of me and storm down the hall to my babies room. Something is wrong.
Something is terribly wrong.
Please let her be okay.
Opening her doorway I am greeted by my worst fear ever.
Her window is open and her crib is empty. Elly, her stuffed elephant I got her when she was a newborn is gone with all of her clothes and toys as well.
I drop to the ground my loud sobs fill the deathly silent air around me. Why her? Why my baby?
