"Is being defended." He glances down at Sofia and says, "Stay calm."
Stay calm.
As if that's possible when the man I love is somewhere out there where all those tiny explosions are happening.
As if I can pretend everything is fine while Sofia sits in my lap, terrified and confused.
Another explosion rumbles the room.
This one is closer, louder.
The walls shake, and the overhead light flickers.
Sofia whimpers, burying her face in my chest.
"It's okay," I whisper into her hair. "You're okay."
And I believe that Dante trusts this safe room to protect us.
If nothing else, we'll survive, but I don't want to just survive.
I want Dante and I want a happy life.
Marta's prayer grows louder as she continues the Rosary.
"Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus."
I close my eyes and try to focus on her words, letting them wash over me.
"Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death." I begin to mouth the phrases with her, stillstored in my memory from years ago, and I rock Sofia to distract her.
The hour of our death… The phrase lingers in my mind like an omen.
Is that what this is?
Are we sitting here waiting for the moment when Antonelli's men break through the door and finish what they started?
The radio crackles again.
This time, it's Enzo's voice.
"North perimeter secure. Repeat, north perimeter secure. All units hold your positions."
One of the guards exhales slowly.
"That's good. North side was our weakest point," he says so quietly, I think he doesn't want me to hear.
The other guard nods but says nothing.
His eyes remain fixed on the door, his finger resting near the trigger guard of his rifle.
I shift Sofia slightly, adjusting her weight in my lap.
She's heavier than she used to be, growing so fast.
Soon, she won't fit in my arms anymore and she'll be too old for stories to distract her from heavy life circumstances.
If we survive this.
