Chapter 10 - DOMINIC TOOK LILY TO DINNER IN A RESTAURANT HE DID NOT OWN, AND SHE ASKED WHETHER HE WAS STILL A MAFIA BOSS BEFORE THE APPETIZERS ARRIVED
I chose the restaurant.
Queens.
Small Korean place.
No private room.
No Valentine ownership.
No bodyguards at table.
Tommy waited outside because Dominic still had legitimate security concerns after cooperating against organized crime figures.
I accepted one discreet professional.
Not six men.
Progress.
Dominic arrived early.
Of course.
I was five minutes late.
He looked at his watch.
“Don’t.”
“I said nothing.”
“Face.”
“You’ve infected everyone with that.”
“Good.”
We sat.
For ten minutes we discussed food.
Then school.
I had six months until nursing graduation.
Dominic’s legitimate businesses had survived.
Smaller.
Professional management.
He was prohibited from involvement in certain cash-heavy industries during supervised release.
He had sold nightclubs.
Exited betting entirely.
Construction and real estate remained under monitors.
Restaurants too.
He did not control day-to-day.
That seemed healthy for everyone.
Then I put chopsticks down.
“Are you still a mafia boss?”
A couple at next table looked over.
Dominic closed his eyes.
“This is your first-date question?”
“Yes.”
“What answer do you want?”
“True one.”
He thought.
“No.”
Then:
“But that needs explanation.”
“Good.”
“I ran an organized-crime network.”
“Yes.”
“I still know people in that world.”
“Yes.”
“Some hate me.”
“Understandable.”
“Some would still do things if I asked.”
I stared.
“Would you?”
“No.”
“Ever?”
“I cannot promise I will never be afraid enough to want old tools.”
That answer mattered.
“What do you do instead?”
“Call lawyer.”
I laughed.
“Prison really changed you.”
“Mostly bills.”
Then he became serious.
“I’m on supervised release.”
“I’m monitored.”
“I cannot associate with certain people.”
“My companies have external compliance.”
“I am not trying to rebuild what I had.”
“Why?”
“Because it killed my father.”
“That wasn’t only reason.”
“No.”
“It also made me someone Salvatore could predict.”
“How?”
“He knew I would answer fear with control.”
“He knew I would hide problems to look strong.”
“He knew I would never call police if family could handle something privately.”
“He built me.”
I looked sharply.
“No.”
Dominic paused.
Right.
“He influenced me.”
“Yes.”
“I chose too.”
“Good.”
He smiled faintly.
“You’re going to make this exhausting.”
“Probably.”
Then he asked:
“Why did you say yes?”
“Dinner?”
“Yes.”
I considered.
“Because you did not kill Ray.”
“Low bar.”
“Yes.”
“You handed over your own books.”
“Yes.”
“You told Gia and Nico why you went to prison.”
“Yes.”
“You didn’t ask me to mother them.”
“I learned.”
“And I like you.”
Dominic went still.
I immediately regretted saying it plainly.
Then he smiled.
Not mafia smile.
Not dangerous.
Almost boyish.
“I like you too.”
“Your conversational skills are extraordinary.”
“I’ve been out of practice.”
We dated slowly.
I mean painfully slowly.
No moving in.
No expensive gifts.
The first bouquet Dominic sent arrived with no sender because he thought mystery romantic.
I called:
“Did you send flowers?”
“Yes.”
“Why no name?”
“Obviously from me.”
“No.”
“I know other humans.”
He was offended for hours.
Then he sent notes.
I did not let him pay my tuition.
He did not offer after first boundary.
He did pay dinner when he invited.
I paid sometimes.
It bothered him.
Good.
Gia and Nico knew we were “seeing each other.”
Gia understood immediately.
Nico pretended not.
One afternoon Gia asked:
“Are you going to be our new mom?”
I nearly dropped juice.
Dominic froze.
His late wife, Isabella, had died four years earlier from complications after an illness.
I had never met her.
Her photographs remained in their home.
Good.
I crouched.
“No.”
Gia frowned.
“Why?”
“Because Isabella is your mom.”
“She’s dead.”
“Yes.”
“Can people have two?”
“Some do.”
“Are you?”
“I’m Lily.”
“You love us.”
“Yes.”
“You love Daddy?”
Dominic coughed.
I looked at him.
“Currently under review.”
Gia rolled eyes.
“Adults.”
Then I said:
“If I stay in your life, I can love you without taking your mother’s place.”
Nico finally spoke.
“Good.”
I looked.
“Why?”
“Mom liked painting.”
“You can’t paint.”
Dominic laughed so hard he had to leave room.
Children protect emotional truth through insults.
A year later, I graduated nursing school.
Mom was in remission.
Danny rolled across stage? Wait this is my graduation. Danny was in audience.
Gia and Nico came.
Dominic sat beside Mom.
That image would have terrified sixteen-year-old me.
At ceremony, my name:
Lily Mei Chen.
I had never changed.
I became a registered nurse after passing boards.
My first position was on a pediatric surgical floor in Brooklyn.
Not because I saved children in diner.
Because I had wanted nursing before my life became three jobs.
Still, Gia claimed she inspired.
I let her.
Then Keller was sentenced.
Salvatore too.
Their appeals began.
Court systems move slowly.
Dominic did not attend every hearing.
Neither did I.
Life could not remain courtroom forever.
One evening after a late shift, Dominic picked me up only because I asked.
He had learned.
In car he said:
“I love you.”
No build-up.
No ring.
No crisis.
I looked.
“Interesting.”
His face fell.
I laughed.
“I love you too.”
He exhaled.
“That was cruel.”
“Brooklyn.”
He kissed me at a red light.
Tommy, driving, said:
May you like
“I’m quitting again.”
Nobody believed him.
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