𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐟𝐢𝐚 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 ✍︎

7| 𝚂𝚙𝚎𝚎𝚌𝚑𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚜

Dove's POV
Age: 10
Location: Petrov's Penthouse, New York

A man and woman walks into my room. Not just any man and woman though, they're the ones from my dream.

None of us say anything at first. I'm not sure what to say. I'm still trying to convince myself this isn't a dream.

The bed felt pretty real when I woke up though, so did the dull aching between my thighs.

"Hello darling, I'm your Mama," the woman says. She has golden hair and bright blue eyes, like mine.

"I'm your Dad," the man says. He has light hazelnut eyes and brown hair, like me.

I can see myself in their features. I don't know how I didn't realize the people from my dreams was my parents the whole time. Now that they're right next to me, it feels pretty obvious.

Hesitantly, I reach my hand out to touch the woman. I just need some kind of confirmation that this is real. I just need to make sure.

I expect her to slap my hand down when I reach her arm, but she doesn't move. She simply waits until my fingers wrap around her wrist.

Jeez, I'm really small. My hand barely covers half of her wrist.

She gives me a teary smile and allows me to drag my hand up and down her arms. Her skin is so soft and warm. I just want to let her hold me until all of the scary thoughts disappear.

I slowly let go of her arm and move on to the man. Anticipating my movement, he offers his arm to me. I grab onto his arm and smile at the feeling of his warm skin against me. His isn't as smooth as the woman's, there are small bumps scattering his arm. Scars? My hands seem to have a mind of their own as they run up and down his arm.

His arm hair is so fluffy.

"Principessa?" I look up at t̶h̶e̶ m̶a̶n̶ my Father. He has a soft smile on his face. "We've missed you."

I open my mouth to say something, but nothing comes out. What do I say? 'I missed you too?' I don't even remember my parents.

I've only seen them through my dreams or during tuition. He insisted that we knew everything about everyone in every Mafia.

I hate how he was right.

A soft knock at the door pulls me out of my dreamlike trance. The door opens and Ella peaks her head in. She smiles softly when she sees my holding my Father's arm.

"Dinner is ready. We thought you'd like to eat with us," Ella informs my parents.

"Thank you," my Mother says, smiling at Ella. "I'll call the boys and tell them that we'll be staying late."
She walks out of the room with her phone in hand.

"You shouldn't walk," Ella says when I start to try to hoist myself out of bed.

"I can carry you. But if you're not comfortable with that I'm sure Ella will," my Father says. I feel a pang of guilt when I look at Ella hopefully. All he's trying to do is be nice and I can't suck up my fear enough to let him.

"I'm sorry," I mutter, looking down. I don't want to see the anger or disgust on his face.

"Don't be," my Father says. Gently, he lifts my head up. "Never apologize for setting boundaries principessa."

I'm speechless for a moment. Ella takes advantage of my moment of shock and picks me up.

I'm vaguely aware of the fact that she's bringing me to the dining room, but I'm too shocked to worry about it.

The genuine emotion in my Father's voice startles me. It scares me as well. He cares for me, he has expectations of what I will be. Soon he'll see the truth. I'm nothing but a burden to those around me.

Nothing but a waste of space.