The Mafia Man

Who's Outside the Gate?

     
          "You've got to be messing with me, Charlotte! What you've said is utterly impossible." My eyes were wide as saucers after hearing my beloved maid's news. A new hybrid mafia has entered our part of New York? That can't be! "I've never even heard of an Irish-Italian gang." I added for good measure. I was the Irish mafia leader's daughter after all. I can't be completely clueless!

            Turns out I am positively clueless. Charlotte gave me a sympathetic smile and continued brushing my tresses.

            "You can't be blamed for your lack of knowledge, Rosie. It's not your fault they've locked you in this mansion with no contact with the outside world. Except me of course!" She giggled.

             Charlotte McLaughlin was my only maid and my only friend. She was also a renowned gossip! Dear Char gathered as much information around town as possible for me while she ran errands. This is the first time she's ever mentioned Mafia-related news though. My father told her not to as he didn't want me to be scared of the dangerous world we lived in. I knew he loved me, but I am so curious about the outside world!

               The only time I can go out is for Sunday mass, but I am always covered up, whether with a thick dress and shawl or a heavy coat and scarf. The church is so sweltering hot that I'm always dripping with sweat about five minutes in. Sunday is not my favorite day of the week.

                Charlotte was busy explaining to me how hybrid gangs were on the rise in New York when suddenly she abruptly stopped and stared out the window. I looked out too, straining to see a tall figure right outside our iron gate. He had a sharp-planed face that I of course didn't recognize, as all the people I know wouldn't be locked out of our gate, excluding Father Procopius from Saint Joseph's Church.

                Char emitted a gasp at the stranger and yanked me away from the window, but not before he raised his hand at me, as if to say "I see you now, and I will see you again."

                 My heart skipped a beat. What an odd, but stunningly handsome man...I wonder why he gestured at me so strangely. I twisted a lock of my chestnut hair that fell down to my waist before turning to Charlotte.

                  Her brown eyes met my blue ones with horror. I whipped around to see out the latticed window.

                  The man was gone.

                  "What's going on, Charlotte?" I pleaded.

                 She just shook her head in disbelief before choking out two words that would change my life forever:

                             "It's him."