Tonight would be no different. I watched as he looked down at his gold watch around his wrist, before tapping Papa on the shoulder to bid him good night. I swooped up my teddy and quickly rushed into bed, slipping beneath my cotton sheets and sighing when I felt the cool material touch my hot skin. I was hot because I was excited.

Mama and Papa always fought after Antonio visited. I didn’t know why she didn’t understand… Antonio had the BEST treats I could have ever asked for. And he would watch me eat them, and even feed them to me.

I ducked farther beneath the sheet, squeezing my eyes closed and holding my breath when I heard the creak from my bedroom door. My bedroom was already dark, because I was always supposed to be asleep at this time. I wasn’t. It was eight p.m.! I wasn’t four years old anymore! I was five! Mama said I could stay up later now. She lied. She does that. She would say it was different if adults simply changed their mind, but to me, it kind of felt the same.

Something heavy sank into my mattress and I had to contain my excitement by holding in a deep breath. I knew he was there. Antonio! Papa’s oldest friend. I mean, I think. I had known him all of my life, so I was sure of it, and anyway, Ma and Pa would never allow anyone dangerous around me. My big cousin Marcu made me sit down and watch Goodfellas one time, and then Scarface and then The Godfather. I think Papa was a little like Don Vito.

“Principessa, are you awake?” His voice was a whisper. I quickly scrunched the sheet away from my face, enough to peek out of the top. He wore a suit like Papa, only no jacket. His sleeves were rolled to his elbows. He had long, skinny arms and legs. He was very tall. Taller than even Papa!

His fingers came to the edge of my sheet, pulling it down gently away from my face. “There’s my pretty girl.” My cheeks stung when my smile beamed. I always loved seeing Antonio. He made me feel safe. Like I mattered and wasn’t only important because of who my papa was.

His hand disappeared into his pocket before he laid it out in front of me, downside. His hair was slicked back, his eyes a light brown, kinda the same color as my teddy bear, and his skin was slightly paler. I think he met Papa through Mama because they were also friends.

He smiled, the dark hair around his face grazing his collar. “I got you something.”