Chapter 7 - THE LITTLE GIRL EVERYONE WANTED TO CALL A HERO
Newspapers learned about Adeline.
That part was inevitable.
A reporter called her:
THE TODDLER WHO SAVED A MAFIA KING
Camille hated it.
Vincent hated it more.
“No.”
He tossed the paper onto the table.
Marcus frowned.
“It's good press.”
“She's two.”
“Almost three.”
“Thank you for the legal distinction.”
Vincent called his attorney.
No interviews.
No photographs.
No publicity arrangements.
When one relative suggested a trust fund for Adeline as a reward, Camille immediately refused.
Vincent agreed.
“Why?” Rosalia asked.
Camille answered:
“Because I don't want my daughter growing up believing she became valuable because she helped a rich man.”
Vincent looked at her.
Then told Rosalia:
“Conversation over.”
Adeline herself understood almost nothing about what happened.
She knew Uncle Vin had an “owie.”
She knew doctors fixed it.
She knew blood was still not to be touched.
And she knew Vincent now possessed a stuffed frog because she believed his recovery required one.
The frog was purple.
Vincent hated purple.
He kept it on his desk.
One afternoon, Adeline entered with Camille.
She looked at Vincent's side.
“You better?”
“Getting there.”
“You press red button if you hurt.”
“I'll remember.”
She nodded solemnly.
Then climbed onto the sofa and demanded crackers.
Vincent looked at Camille.
“She has no respect for me.”
“She's almost three.”
“Exactly. Old enough to understand hierarchy.”
Adeline shouted:
“Crackers.”
Camille smiled.
“Apparently not.”
May you like
For the first time since the attack, Vincent laughed hard enough that his incision hurt.
He regretted it immediately.
