Finding Her

C H A P T E R - T W E N T Y - T H R E E

The Ball

V A L E R I U S ' P O V :

The Mafia Ball comes around every year. It's a two day event. December nineteenth to the twentieth. The location and date change every year, but relatively, it's around the same time. This year I've chosen to host it, in the spirit of officially introducing my daughter into the mafia world.

If I could keep my Ellie out of this, I would. Though, some people have already caught on and suspicions started picking up. It's better for both of us if I come clean.

I wait for nonna to bring Ellie to me, I wait behind the two doors. The host to the ball is always the last to be announced along with their children or wife. So, I wait for my girl nervously.

I turn my head to the left when I hear heals clicking on the floor. Nonna comes into view and Ellie is holding her hand. My throat tightens with emotion, she looks so beautiful. The color of our mafia is black and occasionally blood red. Ellie wears an all black ball gown, glitter and beads line it all. Her hair is curled and half of it is gathered in a red ribbon.

I gather my jaw in awe. I hold back any tears that want to come to my eyes.

"She's all yours." Nonna smiles. I thank her and she walks off to go back into the ballroom.

I bend down to Ellie's level. "You look so beautiful,
Ellie." I brush a piece of hair out of her face and she smiles at me. "'You're so perfect baby."

"Grazie, papà." Ellie grabs onto my hand. "You look beautiful too!" Her eyes crinkle with a smile.

I chuckle. "Thank you, baby." My face turns serious. "But remember, tonight papà will not be playful. Papà has to be serious. We're going to put on our brave faces, sì?"

"Sì!" Ellie salutes a nod.

"Let me see it."

Ellie knits her eyebrows together, making a pout. Her bottom lip juts out and I force back my smile.

"Braver than that." I hush to her. "Like this, your bravest face." I show her.

Ellie copies me and her face relaxes, she glares a little. She looks just like me. It's perfect.

"Like that?" Her face perks up.

"Perfect, Ellie. Good girl. Are you ready?" She nods sternly.

I bring her up to the door and we stand hand in hand. I hear my papà giving a short speech, getting ready to announce us.

"And it's my honor to be here in front of you all today to announce—"

"Papà." Ellie's voice wobbles, she tugs on my hand.

She's nervous.

I hold her cheek in my hand so she looks up to see me. "You got this baby. Brave face, sì? Don't look at anyone but me, piccolina. When we go in you'll look for your zii. Sì?" She doesn't answer at first. "Sì, Ellie?" I press on so she answers.

She hesitates before nodding. "Sì."

The doors start to open and I grab Ellie's hand and tug on it, letting her know I'm here for her. Over a hundred deep stares stand upon us. I kept my face cold and composed. A chandelier writes the mood, framing the darkness of tonight.