The Mafia's Nanny

Something Is Brewing

Chapter 14

Anthony's moods remind me of an actor's live performance. It can change based on the tone of the audience. How he delivers each line dictated on how the viewers reacted to his last, but the script seems to stay the same only his tone, expression, body language- him. Only he changes.

Remind me of a puppet. Worse a puppet of his own making, but for whose entertainment I wonder.

As Anthony Rivera races through the white double doors with its gold exaggerated trim, I realize he was playing actor again, and with me. He looked to be curious, sounded to be invested, even for a moment- understanding. As if the cruel fate that Emma and I faced resonated with his own twisted fairytale.

I realize- while walking into a bright pink sunbaked room- that he was going to play kindred spirits with me, and I would have believed him had his performance not been interrupted. It was like watching a director call cut on an actor's most artistic performance, the brink of greatness being plucked from their grasps.

Using this moment that his gaze is not on me; I steal myself and wonder two things.

1. How was I to somehow play a conman? 2. If I - for the first time in my jaded life- was to appear to let my guard down and become vulnerable with someone, it does not mean they will do the same.

I had convinced myself my own vulnerability or fake naivety would be enough to relax a made-man from suspecting me, but for a girl from the Latin slums I seemed to have forgotten that the most innocent women were often of the greatest suspects by the made-men that came knocking on doors to "checkup" on the neighborhood.

"Uncle!" the cry of a voice too soft to be in this man's presence pulled me from my thoughts.

My gaze snaps to the soft round face of porcelain skin with two grass green eyes slopping into a button nose and lips of such a soft pink it almost blends into her skin.

"Lily," Anthony says soft- this softness is for a new audience, but he still holds his guard aware I am but an arm length behind him.

The young girl, who I briefly recall from my failed interview, comes tumbling off a white fluffy bed that has sheer pink curtain flowing across the golden bed posts. Bolting past the discarded barbies and dresses spilling from every surface of the room, Lily locks onto her target. She comes to a stop in front of Anthony with a cap of pink satin trailing behind her and a crooked tiar atop her gold locks. Without a hesitation she reached her hands up high and wide - eyes never leaving the man in front of her.

He answers by bending at the waist and raising the little girl into his arms.

I walk further into the room and up to Anthony's side - closest to the door. Neither one of the pair acknowledges I am there but I am not the only one being ignored.

"Anthony. You are coddling her," the voice sounds less suave when he is upset, "I was just getting her to clean up this mess."

I look at the younger Rivera brother and for a brief moment I wonder if he is my better chance. Should I get close with the charming and seemingly carefree brother? It seemed to be what Anthony suspected of him.

At the second half of the thought, I push it away because the truth of the matter is I didn't want to know how easy it would be to cozy up to a married father in this under world. I didn't want to be a part of what gets swept under the rug for the wife to never know.

"Yes, clearly this was going the way you wanted," Anthony's bark is light but tight and he still hasn't shared a grin, but Lily didn't seem to mind as she peered over his shoulder at her father.

I take in Jason for only the second time and feel like it might as well be a different man in front of me. His swagger has been sharpened to a point and irritation nestles into his shoulders. The once boyish grin is nowhere to be seen and his melted honey eyes remind me more of burning flames with its heat.

In front of me is the Jason Rivera without Melissa's presence and he is in every way the made-man I had initially doubted him to be.

"It's because you spoil her that she acts like this," Jason rumbles eyes reluctantly tearing away from the uncle and niece to acknowledge me, "it is something I hope you will remedy Nova."

"Spoiling and loving are not synonyms," Anthony says interrupting whatever opportunity was given to me to be a part of this conversation, "No matter how much Melissa might have you convinced otherwise."

The flames in Jason's eyes take on new heights and as the "people pleaser" I am, I break up the fight before it happens by appeal to both men.

"Lily," my voice is rushed as the little girl's gaze finally settles on mine, "Do you remember me? My name is Nova."

She watched me for a beat and I hold my breath before she nods almost like she knows she holds too much power for a 5 year old and is sparing me from some cruelty she could dish out.

"You were in Momma's office," Lily says and it's my turn to nod.

"Yeah, we were, um, talking about you," I share, and she tilts her head.

"Are you my new Nanny?" She sounds bored as the words leave her lips and I let out a breathy chuckle in surprise.

For some reason I don't spare either of the men a glance or even give them a chance to respond.

"Yeah, that's right, but I think I'd like to be your friend too," I sound the most confident in this moment than I have all day and it's because it's her. I have always found it peaceful to interact with the younger side of childcare. There is a brutal honest and transparency that cannot be matched and it beats the political mind fuck that is the adult social world.

Lily wiggles in her uncle's arms until Anthony lets her down- a bit reluctantly and she makes her way over to me just a few steps dragging that sparkling cape behind her.

"Friend?" She asks as she stops in front of me tilting her head back which only dwarfs her tiny appearance even further. I bend my knees and get as close as I can to eye level with her before laying forearms against my kneecaps.

"Yep," My answer is a hum against the bright silence of the room and again Lily tilts her head with her soft green eyes watching me.

"Well," she pauses, "We'll see." I am taken back to the moment I met her as a barely injured girl that was uncertain if her mother would kiss her elbow better- and for the first time it occurs to me that she did not doubt the magic of a mother's kiss but doubted that her mother would actually care for her.

I smile gently at that and slowly reach out both hands fixing her tiar to sit straight atop her head.

"I suppose we will."