Chapter Two

He had told her Mother quietly, that everything he did was measured and quiet, he had never raised his voice to his young daughter, he did not have to, she hated it when she saw the sadness in his eyes. Alcina was too young to understand the sadness was not aimed at her it was for the life he knew she would have to live as his daughter. Everything she did was to drive that sadness from his eyes and make him proud of her. When he smiled and told her he loved her she was his ‘Speciale angioletto’ [Special Little Angel] he would say swinging her up into his arms it was all she needed. She loved him so much he was her world, being with him, and learning about the Mafia made her feel special and on the rare occasions he left her with her Mama she hated it.

‘Come Alcina we will go and visit with my friends they have little girls your age. You need to play with them and do things other little girls do’

Mama meant well but Alcina hated those days because she had nothing in common with the silly pampered children she was expected to ‘play’ with. They would inevitably be dressed in cute frilly dresses, lacy white ankle socks and black patent leather shoes. Their mamas fussed around them telling them not to get dirty, not to play with the rough boys, not to climb the trees, not to do anything that might be remotely fun. Alcina was very different to these little girls, she hated wearing those dreadful restricting dresses and by the time she was four refused to put them on. If her Mama tried to make her throw huge tantrums and deliberately tore them or rolled around in the mud she had to be changed. When she had destroyed the fourth of these expensive garments her Mama gave up and let her strong-willed little daughter wear what she wanted. The other little girls would look at her enviously when she arrived in jeans and t-shirts, she did allow her Mama the concession of wearing pink t-shirts. She was always with the boys, climbing trees, riding bikes and getting dirty, anything they did she could do better and she quickly became the Leader of their little gang. The other Mothers tutted and told her Mama she was a disgrace and should not allow her daughter to run wild like that.

‘She needs a firm hand, that one’

Was the consensus of the majority and when her Mama tried to explain it was her Papa’s influence they shook their heads and smiled condescendingly at her. Alcina did not care she was always happier playing with the boys, she had nothing in common with the girls, all they talked about was going shopping for clothes and growing up enough to wear make-up. They were scandalised by Alcina’s behaviour and her refusal to wear dresses and stay clean but she saw through their vacuous comments and saw the jealousy in their eyes because she dared to be different.   

Papa had taught her well and she showed no emotion now as she raised the gun and aimed it very carefully. Her hand was steady she knew what to do and she would not let her Nanny suffer any more. She knew these men would not show either of them any mercy, there was no escape for Marcia and it was as if she understood this was her release. Already the Guards were talking about what they would be doing to the poor teenager this time and it was intended to cause her as much pain as they could. Alcina did not understand the crude words, saying double or triple penetration but she understood the intent and saw the look of terror in the Nanny’s eyes as the Guards circled her again.

‘I am so sorry, may you find peace in the arms of Our Lord, forgive me please’

She whispered as the Nanny’s tortured eyes met hers and she registered what that monster of a man was going to make this little girl do. Taking a deep breath Alcina closed her eyes and then with an impossibly steady hand for one so young she squeezed the trigger. The bullet was deadly accurate hitting the young Nanny between the eyes and killing her instantly. The recoil from the gun knocked the little girl to the floor but she showed no emotion as she got to her feet brushed herself down and handed the gun back to Don Giovanni. He was astonished and impressed by her strength of will and her lack of emotion, standing before him her face impassive it was hard to believe she had just shot dead her own Nanny. His Guards actually crossed themselves, muttering about how could such an angelic looking child be so cold-blooded.

‘Santa Maria, Madre di Dio, prega per noi peccatori, ora e nell'ora della nostra morte. Amen’ [Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen]

They prayed fervently, brought up in Catholic homes they were deeply superstitious and this beautiful, tiny, angelic looking child freaked them out.

‘Come poteva essere così calma?’ [How could she be so calm?]

‘Lei è la bambina dei Diavoli’ [She is the Devils child]

They whispered amongst themselves staring at her wide-eyed in fear.  

Alcina remained silent still not making eye contact with any of them and she was very angry with herself,

‘How stupid could she have she been? The stupid fat man had given her a gun so why hadn’t she used it to shoot him?’                                                                                                                                                     She thought biting her bottom lip and forcing herself not to cry, she had not shot the fat man because he was holding her beloved Papa prisoner and she would do anything to keep him alive. The fat man caught her chin and looked into her beautiful blue eyes,

‘Bene, beh, il tuo papà ti ha addestrato correttamente, vedo. Chissà cos'altro ti ha insegnato, piccolo Anton? [Well, well, your Papa trained you properly I see. I wonder what else he has taught you, little Angel?]

He let her go and waddled back to his chair dropping his bulk into it he turned his beady eyes to his Guards and snapped at them                                                                                                                   ‘Portalo qui’ [Get him in here]