La Cosa Nostra

Chapter 8

"Frankie, you have to eat your greens."
I walk into the kitchen for lunch and find a exasperated Sofia trying to get Frankie to eat his vegetables. Emilia and Angelo are watching, amused at the whole scene. Luca is beside Sofia and tells her in Italian.
"It's fine if he doesn't want to eat his greens. He's just a kid."
Sofia sends him a glare and I stifle a chuckle as Luca pales at his wife's glare. These men were the heads of the mafia but no one scared them more than their wives or girlfriends in Angelos case. He clears his throat and turns to his son.
"Kiddo, listen to mummy. At least eat half of it."
Frankie pouts, "But I hate them. I want my chocolate."
"You're not getting any chocolate if you don't eat your veggies." Sofia says sternly and Frankie bursts out in tears. I see a flash of guilt cross her face but she remains stern. She couldn't give in or Frankie would start crying to get whatever he wanted. The kid had to learn to eat his veggies. He sees me and raises his arms to me.
"Uhyessa. I-I want my chocolate. No veggies."
I cover my surprise at his willingness to come to me when he's pushing away his parents and even Emilia. I lift him into my arms and he snuggles closer, tears streaming down his chubby face. My heart aches seeing him so upset but I couldn't give in.
I gently wipe his tears away, looking at him fondly.
"Little man, How about we make a deal?"
He stops crying and looks at me.
"Wha-what's a deal?"
"A deal is an agreement between two adults and you're a big boy, right?"
He nods eagerly, "Frankie big boy." I chuckle as he folds his arms, puffing his chest out.
"If you eat your greens from now onwards without a fuss, not only will you get dessert but I'll let you play around on my tablet."
Frankie has been so fascinated with my gadgets ever since he saw it the other day. I look up at Luca and Sofia to see if they're okay with it and they smile, letting me know that they're fine with it.
Frankie's eyes widen in excitement and he grips my T-shirt harder. Then his face falls and he says, "but I don't want to eat veggies. I hate them."
I smooth his hair back and say, "remember how you always say that uncle Luci needs to smile more?" He nods remembering the conversation.
"Well, uncle Luci didn't eat his veggies as kid and that's why he's so grumpy all the time."
This wasn't true because Luciano actually ate his veggies without a fuss. He actually enjoyed eating vegetables, the weirdo. I hear the adults stifle a chuckle at my words and Frankie's eyes widen comically.
He turns to his mum and says,"mummy, I'll eat my veggies. I don't wanna be grumpy like uncle Luci."
Sofia laughs and nods, kissing the top of her sons head. "Good idea baby."
She mouths a thank you to me and I smile. Frankie starts eating his veggies and Luciano walks in to join us for lunch. He was home today.
His eyes widen slightly when he notices Frankie eating his vegetables without a fuss.
Frankie sees him and smiles.
"Uncle Luci, look. I'm eating my greens."
Luciano smiles at him, surprised and runs his hand affectionately through his hair. Goddammit, there goes my ovaries.
"That's great kiddo."
"If I don't eat them, then I won't smile a lot like
You when I'm older." Frankie continues with an innocent smile. Ah shit, the kid just signed my death warrant.
Luciano's face morphs into confusion. "Won't smile like me?"
Frankie nods,"If I don't eat my greens, I'll be grumpy like you." The others stifle a chuckle and I hear Angelo let out a bark of laughter.
Luciano raises his eyebrows, "and who told you that?" I slowly inch my way out of the kitchen when Frankie answers cheerfully, "Uhyessa."
Luciano turns around and spots me before I could make my escape. I send him my sweetest smile and he sends me a you-are-so-dead look.
"Hey there Vincenzo. Have I told you that black is totally your colour?" He stalks towards me casually and I realise that I'm trapped against a wall. Sending a help me look to the others, they just sit back and watch, clearly enjoying the fun. Traitors.
"I never knew that if you didn't eat your greens, you'd become grumpy."
"Oh, it was in this magazine I read the other day. I would show it to you but I don't know where I left it."
He comes closer and I stiffen.
"You wouldn't kill me in front of a kid right?"
To my surprise, he chuckles and his eyes soften.
"I wouldn't kill you, dolchezza."
I breathe out a sigh of relief but it catches in my throat when he tucks a stray stand of hair behind my face. Leaning closer, he whispers in my ear so that only I can hear him,"who's gonna make me pancakes at 2am then?"
He sends me a smirk and takes a step back, leaving me wide eyed. Turning around, he ignores the wide eyed looks on everyone's faces and turns to Magdalene.
"So, what's for lunch?"