Sofia's Secret Mafia Brothers

2. Secret Children

Vittorio and Ida.

According to mother's passports, those are the names of Sofia's grandparents. After hours and hours of research, frustration and crying Sofia finally dug out the information about their potential whereabouts. Apparently, they have been renting their apartment in Taormina, Sicily for B&B but the info about it has not been updated since 2013. Most likely they moved out or they're no longer alive.

Nevertheless, Sofia had very limited options at the moment. She could follow the trail or stay at home and she couldn't do that.

It took Sofia around 3 hours to get to Taormina. If she took a bus it would take only 50 minutes but she was broke and lacked option so she had to stand on the main road and wait until someone picks her up.  Hitchhiking was dangerous and she didn't feel comfortable at all especially that the only phone she had was the one with the video of her mother's murder. It didn't have a SIM card so she couldn't use it to call for someone if she needed help. Awesome.

The views were amazing. The Sicilian nature, the landscape was something Sofia could focus on as she was driving in a car with a complete stranger who was a little bit too much talkative. She was depressed and desperate in other words the last thing she needed was talking.

The volcano was making the landscape so unique. Because she was near the coast she could enjoy the views of the Ionian sea. The blooming orange and lemon trees were everywhere and it just felt like she's on another planet where everything is just so colorful and special.

And yet it didn't matter. Her situation was so terrible and depressing that those beautiful views did not bring any joy into her heart. Nothing. She felt nothing. She was moving forward only because her brain was turned on survival mode. She was escaping because she didn't want to end up like her mother or worse.

The bleak reality found here even here in this place that looked like paradise. As she was flying to Catania and traveling to Taormina she fed herself the lie that her grandparents must be waiting for her, that even if mother lost contact with them for an unknown reason they would be there, and they would take care of her. She needed someone, anyone. She was alone right now and it was the worst feeling a person can experience.

When she arrived at the B&B address the place was empty, the whole building looked as if it was uninhabited for years. Broken windows and empty rooms were a confirmation that this is not a place that someone could own and take care of. It was empty.

"Shit. What do I do now?" Sofia muttered tears started flooding into her eyes. She was so fucked. Entirely screwed.

After few minutes of a pep talk, she knocked on the apartment next door.

The doors were opened by an elderly woman who was sporting a bun and blue apron covered in flour.

"Can I help you, dear?" She asked.

"Do you perhaps- sorry" Sofia suddenly realized she's using English instead of Italian. She instantly switched to her second language "Do you perhaps know what happened to the Sanzaro family that lived next door?" She pointed at the green door of the abandoned place.

"Oh, it's such a sad story. Ida was my good fried unfortunately she died last year" she said sadly

"What about her husband?"

The woman looked surprised that she received the follow-up question but she responded nevertheless crushed all Sofia's hope for the happy ending.

"He was construction worker, died at work site a very long time ago"

Sofia really didn't want to tear down in front of that woman but she did. She started furiously wiping her tears when the woman looked at her with a mix of shock and concern.