The dining room is large and formal with high ceilings and an expensive chandelier.
The table could easily seat twelve, but only two chairs are pulled out.
Sofia climbs into one and I take the other beside her.
Marta brings plates of pasta with a simple tomato sauce, a side of roasted vegetables, and bread that smells fresh from the oven.
Sofia digs in immediately, but I pick at my food and try to ignore the weight in my stomach.
"Mama," Sofia says between bites, "who is Dante?"
I knew her question was coming and I don't really know how to answer her.
I set my fork down and look at her.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean… why are we staying in his house?"
I choose my words carefully.
"He's someone Mama used to know. He's helping us right now."
"Helping us with what?"
"With staying safe."
She considers this while chewing a piece of bread.
Then she asks, "What does he like?"
"I don't know,Tesoro. Why?"
"Because if we're staying here for Christmas, we should buy him a present. That's what you're supposed to do."
My chest tightens.
"We're not staying here for Christmas."
"But what if we are? We should still get him something. Do you think he likes cookies? I could make him cookies."
"Sofia, we're not staying."
"But what if we do?" Her voice rises slightly. "Will he buy me a present? I've been good. And he was nice to me."
I reach over and take her hand. "You’ve been very good. And yes, if we're still here for Christmas, we'll figure something out. But right now, let's just focus on eating dinner."
She nods and goes back to her pasta while I sit back and feel my heart tearing in two.
Sofia's so young, so innocent.
She doesn't understand what kind of man Dante is.
She doesn't understand the danger we're in or why we can't just go home.
All she sees is a tall man with a big house who helped her hang an ornament on a tree.
She wants to be kind to him.
