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Dina wraps her arms around my neck, clinging to me as her small body trembles in my arms. I step into the hallway, then quickly retreat. The fire has spread upstairs and the heat is cutting off the path to my room. Down the stairs is the only way out.
“It’s going to be okay.” I place a kiss on my sister’s hair. My heart beats so fast it feels like it will burst out of my chest. “It’s going to be okay.”
Tightening my hold on her, I take a deep breath and step into the hallway again.
I glance over the railing to the lower level of the house where the flames are licking at the kitchen cupboards and crawling up the curtains. The fire has spread to the stairs, its tendrils are reaching between the balusters. I can’t decide what’s worse: the heat or the smoke. Holding my breath, I sprint down the stairs as fast as I can. The front door is gaping open, and the fire truck has pulled to a stop, firemen pouring out of it. I’m halfway to the entrance when another explosion erupts to my right, the blast throwing me and Dina onto the floor.
It's so hot that it feels like my skin is melting. My sister is lying sprawled a few feet away, wheezing and fighting for breath. I crawl over and pull her to me, then wrap my body around hers to shield her from the flames.
“It’s okay, baby. Help is coming,” I say next to her ear, just before the darkness swallows me.
* * *
Fifteen years ago, New York
(Sienna, 5 years old)
I throw myself onto the couch, cross my arms, and huff. “You promised, Mama! It’s Luna’s sixth birthday party! I’m her best friend. We have to go.”
Mama sighs and sits next to me. “I’m so sorry, Sienna. The boss scheduled both me and your dad for this Saturday.”
“You and Papa always work.” I scowl, pouting my lips.
“Sienna, honey, you know that’s not true.” She rubs my arm.
I jerk away from her, mumbling, “If you love me, you’ll take us. You promised! Papa says keeping promises is the most important thing in thewholeworld.”
Mama throws a look at my father, who’s standing by the bookshelf. “Edoardo and Sara are working at the casino tonight. Maybe we could ask them to switch? We could work tonight, and they can cover for us on Saturday.”
I look up at Papa with wide eyes.Please say yes!
“Arturo? Can you take them?” Papa throws over his shoulder to my brother who’s sitting in the recliner by the window, fumbling with his phone.
“Nope. I have to work on Saturday,” He shakes his head. “But I can watch the pests tonight.”
I snort. Arturo has been so busy and serious since he started working for the don.
My father lets out a sigh and pins me with his gaze. “Is it really so important that we both must go? I can try to arrange something so Mama can take you.”
“Yes, it’s important. Asya!” I wait until my sister looks up from whatever she’s drawing at the coffee table, then yell, “Say something!”
She just shrugs.
“See, Asya wants you both to go, too. Please, Papa. We never get to go anywhere together. There’ll be clowns! I will never ask for anything ever again.”
Papa pushes away from the bookshelf. “Oh, all right. I’m going to call Edoardo.”
I squeal in delight and jump into his arms. “Yes! Thank you!”
“As if I could say no to you, baby girl. I love you too much.” He places a kiss on the top of my head. “Off to the kitchen, you two. Arturo will get your dinner since Mama and I have to get ready for work.”
* * *
The doorbell pulls me out of my sleep. I squint at the darkness. Did I dream it?
The bell rings again.
I slide off my bed and tiptoe toward the balcony to look down at the front porch. Two men in suits are speaking to Arturo. Their voices are muffled, so I can’t hear what they are saying, nor can I see my brother’s face from this angle, but his body suddenly goes ramrod straight. He buries his hands in his hair, tugging on it, then turns toward the open front door and smashes his fist into it. The men say something else and leave, getting into a black car parked on our driveway. When I look back down, Arturo is sitting on the top step, gripping his hair with his bloody hand.
