How can I drag her back to Naples where we’ll spend Christmas alone in our small apartment with no tree and no father?
And how would I ever evade Dante's reach anyway?
There's no way he'd ever let me slip away that easily. Not with a child he knows is his.
We stop at a stall selling jewelry and accessories.
Sofia examines a display of earrings with colorful enamel designs.
She picks up a pair with small Christmas trees painted on them and points them out to me.
"Look, Mama. These would be perfect for Dante."
I almost snicker at the sight. "I don't think he needs earrings,Tesoro. Women wear those." I smile at her, taking them away and placing them back on the velvet display box. The stall owner scowls at her, but I crouch to her level as she keeps talking.
"But it's Christmas. We should get him something."
"We can find something else. Something he would actually use."
She frowns and stomps her foot, but then she turns and points out some cufflinks that aren't half bad.
Then she looks at me with those big brown eyes. "Please? I want to give him a present. He's been so nice to us."
I want to argue and tell her that we shouldn't be buying gifts for a man we hardly know, but I can't tell her why Dante isn't on my list of people to buy gifts for.
And besides, I've taught her to be a generous, giving person and to love others.
Refusing a simple request like this would only teach her the wrong thing. So I nod and pull out my wallet.
"Alright. We'll get them."
The vendor wraps the cufflinks in tissue paper and places them in a small box.
Sofia holds it carefully as we continue walking through the market.
She talks about what Dante will think when he opens them.
Whether he'll like the design and wear them to important meetings.
Her childlike happiness over being the bearer of a gift warms my heart.
She's such a generous child.
So I let her talk and try to ignore the ache in my chest.
She loves him already.
She can't even see how dangerous he is or why it's scary to let him be close or trust him.
She just sees a big, strong man who takes care of her and gives her what she wants.
We pass a stall selling scarves and a man steps too close to me.
He's middle-aged with a friendly smile and gray streaks in his hair.
He asks if I'm shopping alone or if I need help finding anything.
His tone is polite but there's something in the way he looks at me that makes my skin crawl.
