Chapter 4: Cornerstone

Abbacchio had two more weeks until he returned to work. Italy was rather generous with its maternity leave, as the country allowed about three months of paid leave for mothers and occasionally fathers if there was no mother in the picture, which was the case for Abbacchio.

If he were not employed by Passione, then he would have taken all the required days. The numbers of members of the Bodyguard Squad suddenly going from two to three created whisperings that were easily silenced by the claim that Abbacchio had suffered an injury on a mission and needed time to recover. But as the weeks dragged and Abbacchio had not been seen with his Squad, Bucciarati knew suspicion would arise and someone might get curious, possibly leading to the discovery of Liliana.

Instead of the recommended fourteen weeks, Abbacchio would return to work after eleven.

There was the possibility that he truly did need all of the required weeks, but Abbacchio needed a distraction. Taking care of and playing with Liliana had provided an unusual amount of happiness to his frozen heart. The sorrow was slowly returning; he could feel it whenever Liliana napped. Missions with Bucciarati always helped him ignore his past, so perhaps that and his daughter could finally make him forget.

He imagined that the first few days back would be awkward. He didn't participate in violence for the past two months, and Moody Blues was only summoned to soothe Liliana whenever Abbacchio was occupied with another task. Logically, the Stand's replay function would work effectively like it did before Liliana was born, but Abbacchio couldn't stop worrying. Perhaps his detective mindset was intact, if determining what was upsetting his daughter was considered a mystery.

The other concern revolved around Liliana's wellbeing once he returned to Passione. Taking her with him to work was much too dangerous, so it was never considered as an option. Daycare was too risky. Registering Liliana would leave a paper trail, and the only document Abbacchio felt safe leaving her name on was her birth certificate.

The sole written mention of Liliana Abbacchio was on her birth certificate. The largest evidence of the connection between her and her father was Leone Abbacchio signing his name as her father. The signature of the mother would be left blank.

The safest option for Liliana was to hire someone to care for her while Abbacchio was working.

Abbacchio thanked Bucciarati for finding Liliana. After learning about Abbacchio's distress during Liliana's first doctor's appointment, Bucciarati decided it would be best for the father to focus on the wellbeing of him and his daughter without fretting about babysitters.

That precaution was not necessary. Despite almost crying herself to sleep after receiving her vaccinations and clinging to her father for comfort, Liliana faced none of the common side effects. While Abbacchio waited for her to have a possible fever and more fussing than usual, his daughter slept peacefully and couldn't stop smiling when she had his attention. The worrying was additionally quelled by Abbacchio's realization that he should get himself a car instead of depending on Bucciarati giving him one to rent.

The territory overseen by Bucciarati was grateful for his many good deeds, with some of the residents wishing to give their thanks through gifts. He often refused, citing that they would then have to owe their life to the mafia.

But there was one lone woman who had suffered hardships throughout her life and wanted better. She was smart and aiming her goals toward completing college, but the lack of money despite her best efforts was disheartening.

Normally, Bucciarati would have supported her from afar as to not form a connection between a regular, innocent citizen and Passione. Yet she would not be working for him but rather assisting the family of one of his subordinates.

Bucciarati described Alessia Caramella over the phone to Abbacchio three days before her first visit. Raised by a single mother and living in a building with other struggling families, Alessia had grown accustomed to watching over the children living by her while their parents worked, which although exhausting, developed her dream to become a nurse and help people.

Before the formation of his squad, Bucciarati worked a mission where Alessia's mother was used as a source of information, and, as they lived in his territory, he promised to protect mother and daughter.

She was approached with the position and was initially hesitant and panicky. Such an offer was too good to be true, and surely they must be people more qualified than her.

Alessia was easily convinced, and had taken Bucciarati's request to meet father and daughter before her first day as a babysitter.

Liliana was growing to be quite a fussy baby. Abbacchio was both uplifted and concerned by her love for him, if only it didn't come in the form of her crying whenever she was held by someone other than him. He suspected that this would be the first of many meticulous behaviors by his lovely daughter, and perhaps it would be best for Liliana to meet her babysitter so she would at least be familiar with her.

"There she is," Abbacchio announced when the doorbell to the apartment rang.

Liliana cooed at the noise, making her temporarily stop reaching for the toys dangling from the baby gym. Bucciarati had purchased it a week ago along with the plush lamb; it was very useful for distracting the infant and provided limitless entertainment, proven by how constantly she was kicking her legs by laying on the mat and the little smile on her face.

"I'll be right back. You better behave for Alessia. First impressions are important."

Liliana made no audible complaints as Abbacchio stood up and answered the door.

Alessia was looking to the side, tucking a strand of her curly dark violet hair behind her ear. She was of average height but Abbacchio felt like he was towering over her. Her bright blue eyes finally looked at Abbacchio, a nervous smile displayed on her face.

He remembered that she was two years his junior. A seventeen-year-old babysitting the daughter of a nineteen-year-old was not a typical situation. That certainly made Abbacchio feel old. At least Alessia demonstrated no visible concern.

"Buongiorno, Alessia," greeted Abbacchio, gesturing for her to enter the apartment. "Bucciarati told me a lot about you."

"Hopefully it was all good things," Alessia responded as she walked inside. "Nice to meet you, Signore Abbacchio."

"Just call me Abbacchio, everyone else does."

Liliana loudly cooed in the living room, pulling on a hanging ring with visible delight. Abbacchio turned to look at his daughter with a laugh. He heard Alessia release a giggle.

"She's an energetic one," Abbacchio commented. "So be prepared for that. And I guess she wants to meet you already."

The smile on her dainty face when he lifted her into his grasp was breathtaking. She released an excited coo as Abbacchio displayed her to Alessia.

"This is Liliana," he said fondly, looking down at his daughter with tender affection.

"Oh wow," Alessia responded with a gasp. "She's so beautiful."

"That she is. I'm sure she won't mind if you hold her for a bit."

Surprisingly, Liliana made no complaints as she was transferred into the arms of a stranger. She looked up at her babysitter with curiosity, as if she was attempting to determine if she could trust Alessia or not.

"She makes the cutest faces," commented Alessia. "After my mother passed and I was on my own, I wanted to be done with watching over kids. It was so exhausting. But caring for just one sounds like a good fresh start for me, and she seems so sweet. Thank god for Bucciarati."

"He really is something," Abbacchio said with a nod.

Abbacchio never thought he would meet someone so talented at aiding those in need while also being a violent force when necessary. He fought to protect his morals, and looked damn good while doing it.

Wait, this meeting wasn't about Bucciarati. This was for Liliana's wellbeing. Why did Abbacchio get distracted?

"Uh, don't worry about pay," he spoke. "I make enough to pay for your time watching Liliana."

His salary had indeed improved, though he was already financially set from the money he inherited from his parents when he was of age. Despite spending a good portion during his struggle with alcoholism, he still could survive without a job for years.

"Oh that's great!" responded Alessia. "I don't wanna give you too much trouble though."

"Nonsense. You'll be protecting my daughter while I'm working. And with her personality, you're gonna want some compensation. Before going into those specifics, I'll describe to you her schedule."

Liliana woke up one morning without the knowledge that her father would be out of the apartment for eight hours. She drank her formula with content and fell asleep on her father's shoulder as he read the newspaper.

Abbacchio was ridden with guilt. Liliana would wake up and presume that he would attend to her needs. Instead, he would be eating at Libeccio while she cried, wondering where the hell he was. He could imagine her glaring at him once he returned.

He kept glancing sideways toward his sleeping daughter as he put on his signature purple cap, preparing to leave for the day. It sounded so mundane, but he could watch the rise and fall of her chest for hours. Shit, the first day back seemed like it would be much harder than he thought.

The doorbell rang as Abbacchio buckled his belt. He thought he gave Alessia a spare key to the apartment, though perhaps she was being courteous.

With one last glance to Liliana, he answered the door, mentally composing himself for the work day.

…

Abbacchio missed the feel of his headphones and the vibration of his music. They were most useful in making him forget about the pathetic events that almost made up an entirety of his life. Now, they were attempting to help him calm his mind as he walked to Libeccio. It didn't feel right to dismiss Liliana from his thoughts, but he couldn't keep worrying about her, especially in his line of work.

He knew that Bucciarati would ask about Liliana's development, as he had grown fond of the baby, more so than Abbacchio thought his superior was capable of. Whether Fugo cared for her was still undetermined, but he was always reciting random facts and would definitely question if Liliana had the behaviors of a typical almost three-month-old.

Liliana wouldn't escape his mind for the full day. Hopefully he could suppress his fatherly tendencies once a job required Moody Blues or when he needed to beat someone up.

The staff of Libeccio greeted Abbacchio like they always did once he entered the restaurant, not questioning his sudden three-month-old absence. Bucciarati stood by their designated table, talking with a waiter. It was comfortably familiar, almost homely.

"Ah, Abbacchio," greeted Bucciarati with a warm smile. "Welcome back."

"Had to come back eventually," quipped Abbacchio, pulling down his headphones and settling them around his neck. "I don't know what else I would do for work. Plus, you and Fugo sometimes need me to save your asses."

Bucciarati laughed. "Well I can't argue with that. I can think of a couple of times where Moody Blues would have been extremely useful. By the way, did you take my suggestion? And how has Lili-"

"Apologies, Signore Bucciarati," interrupted a waiter. "But the phone is ringing for you."

"Oh, I'll be there right away. We can continue this later, Abbacchio."

Abbacchio nodded as he pulled out a chair, returning his headphones to their place on his head. Sitting down, he poured himself a cup of tea from the pot at the center of the table. He didn't know what flavor it was, as long as it could help him relax. A cart containing a tray of sfogliatella laid near him. Libeccio was consistent in its quality of pastry and always made his mouth water, even if he ate breakfast before arriving.

Tea poured and sfogliatella on his plate, Abbacchio was now lost in thoughts, the music in his ears background noise.

What was Bucciarati referring to when he mentioned a suggestion? Oh, didn't he mention something after leaving his apartment during his last visit.

"I understand that you may be apprehensive speaking with a therapist, and that it would be quite difficult to explain your situation without mentioning your involvement in Passione. Maybe you could try writing down your feelings. You could get a journal for that. I know it may not sound like something you would do, but you need some form of output to express your emotions. If not for yourself, at least do it for Liliana."

Abbacchio spent a majority of his life hiding his emotions. As much as he wanted to scream, he knew that no one would listen. Bucciarati was different, and would certainly take the time to listen to Abbacchio ramble about his misgivings. But Bucciarati was a busy man. Abbacchio didn't want to burden him to hear about his shitty life.

A journal was not a sentient being with high levels of comprehension, but at least it wouldn't judge him. Huh, maybe that could work.

"I see that you're as quiet as ever."

Abbacchip paused his music and blinked back to reality. Fugo was sitting across from him, a neutral expression on his face as his eyes focused on the contents of the book in his lap. The fourteen-year-old was never the talkative type unless some aspect of a conversation piqued his interest.

"Good to see you too, Fugo," responded Abbacchio. "Can't wait to hear what trouble you brewed up while I was gone."

Fugo scoffed, not in the mood to quip back. Granted, Fugo wasn't the joking type. He was much too serious to attempt a joke.

"Purple Haze may or may not have been summoned at one point," Fugo said. "Wasn't my fault. Damn punk kept testing my nerves. Bucciarati thought he deserved it too. Speaking of Bucciarati, I think he missed having you around. You must make good company."

Abbacchio attempted not to release a nervous gulp. While Bucciarati missing his presence was an honor, they were typically in contact during work, and Moody Blues did have its uses.

"He probably thought there were times where my help would have been useful, that's all. We haven't known one another for that long."

"Yeah, you're probably right. Anyway, I'm interested in what middle names you gave Liliana."

While Abbacchio was glad that Fugo stopped discussing him and Bucciarati, he was confused as to what the blonde was referring to.

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"As an Italian, you should know about our naming conventions. For your information, Abbacchio, children are given two middle names. They aren't typically used in everyday life, but they are written on the birth certificate."

"Well, uh, I haven't really thought about it. I've been really focused on Liliana."

"When you named her, were there any other names that came to mind?"

"Not really. I feel like caring for my infant daughter is more important than pondering about names."

It was easy being friendly toward Fugo, as the teen was kind and well-mannered. Well, he was the latter whenever he wasn't angered. Fugo could be annoying when the topic of conversation involved facts, and apparently Liliana's name fell under that category.

"Calm down you two," Bucciarati interrupted, done with the phone call and getting a chair for himself. "Now Fugo, I told you that Abbacchio acquired Liliana quite suddenly, with her being left on his doorstep and all. I was there and couldn't blame him for only thinking about her first name. Middle names have also gotten out of fashion. Not every child needs one."

Fugo scoffed, returning his focus to the book.

"I guess you're right," he grumbled.

Well, at least the group dynamic was the same as it was. Abbacchio was glad that readjusting would be easier than he thought.

"Giving her middle names isn't a bad idea," said Abbacchio with a shrug. "Just give me time to think about it. Hopefully you won't make me think about her the entire day. Pretty sure we have some work to do."

"That we do," Bucciarati responded. "We have time to eat before we go though. It doesn't require immediate attention."

…

The day was busier than expected. Abbacchio had to find the identity of a port employee suspected of hiding protection funds from the Bodyguard Squad. Despite its main function not being used for months, Moody Blues replayed the actions of the employee with no complications, and also the location of some of the money at the port. The rest must have been at his place of residence.

The guy turned out to be cocky yet weak-looking. Abbacchio couldn't help but smile to himself. He could definitely knock that guy out with one punch.

A further investigation with the employees revealed that he was indeed conceited and reserved, as well as his name. Too bad he wasn't scheduled to work that day, and the boss of the harbor was also absent, so a random call wouldn't work.

Abbacchio sighed at the prospect of getting excited for nothing. He couldn't stop imagining the disappointment on Liliana's face when she was old enough to realize his occupation, that he enjoyed participating in violence with his squad.

He shook his head. His job was the only one he was capable of at the moment. While a majority of occupations do not involve violence, there would always be exceptions. And he was helping the people in Polpo's territory.

Goddammit. He felt like he was jumping through hoops with his justifications, even if some were understandable. Abbacchio had time to contemplate how to properly explain Passione to Liliana. There had to be some right way to do it, he assumed.

Thinking about his daughter felt natural, even when she wasn't around. He supposed that most parents worried about their kids while working. He hoped that Liliana wasn't crying her head off, wondering where he was.

Abbacchio left the harbor and met Bucciarati and Fugo, who were assigned a task by Polpo. He would have asked what the job entailed, but judging by the unimpressed looks on their faces, it must have been rather boring.

The job, however, was not yet complete, and Fugo volunteered to complete it on his own. Perhaps it was more exciting to finish alone, and Fugo was never one to subject himself to a solo mission that would anger him.

Bucciarati and Abbacchio were left alone. Abbacchio gave the information he discovered earlier in the day, as well as handing over the money hidden at the port.

"It's a suspiciously low amount of money that he tried to hide," Abbacchio explained. "Moody Blues caught him putting something into a carrier, most likely a bag. The employees said that he doesn't frequent many places, so it's highly likely that he hid it at his place."

"Hmmm, nice work, Abbacchio," complemented Bucciarati. "No one has succeeded in stealing protection money from our territory, so I don't know why people keep doing it.

"Anyway, we'll be unable to confront him at the port today. We could wait for tomorrow and then wait for him to get the money back to us. Or… we go to his place and take it back. That should save us some time. I assume you got his address."

Abbacchio smirked. "Yep, I'll lead the way."

Sticky Fingers had its uses for stealth. All Bucciarati and Abbacchio had to do was avoid being noticed by neighbors and sneak into the apartment. The money was poorly hidden in an open closet. Their thief wasn't exactly the brightest.

"That was easier than expected," Bucciarati commented once he and Abbacchio walked back to Libecco, the protection money now in their grasp. "We can approach him tomorrow. He's lucky that we didn't have to beat the information out of him. Whether he has a job or not after this is out of our control, however. Either way, he shouldn't cause us trouble anymore."

"I doubt he'll report a break-in or robbery," said Abbacchio. "He couldn't do it without acknowledging where he got the money from. He would have to do a lot of lying if he tried to press charges, and he's definitely not capable of that."

Bucciarati lightly laughed, straight hair bouncing as he nodded his head. The golden clips on his hair shining against the sun. Abbacchio heard the zips jiggle with each step. He had seen Bucciarati during paternity leave, but it felt like years since he had seen him look so angelic against the backdrop of the afternoon sky.

"Liliana is doing well," spoke Abbacchio. "You got interrupted this morning before you could ask, and I thought you would like to know."

Bucciarati tilted his head in confusion, eyes lighting up once he remembered. Abbacchio felt his face heating up as Bucciarati gave him a warm smile.

"Ah, that's great to hear! She seemed very energetic when I saw her last. I was wondering if there were any major changes."

"Well it sure seems like she has a lot of energy. She gets excited easily, and she's smiling more and more too."

Abbacchio never considered himself as a person that talked so candidly about his life. There wasn't much to positively brag about, in his honest opinion. It was natural and foreign describing his daughter to others. He could instinctually talk about her for hours, but it felt strange having such a joyful aspect to his life.

"She's a special one," Bucciarati commented, giving Abbacchio gentle pats on the back. "And you seem to be doing better alright. I told you that you make an excellent parent, Leone. You just have to have faith in yourself. I'm always here to help you with Liliana if you need it."

Abbacchio scoffed in response. Bucciarati was right as usual. It had been almost a year since his partner died because of his actions. Following afterwards was a series of highs and lows that changed his life immensely. Despite the fortunate developments outweighing the morose, Abbacchio continued his struggle in being proud of himself.

"We're almost to the end of the day," said Bucciarati, moving the conversation to a different topic upon noticing Abbacchio's apprehension. "You should get back to your place now. I'm sure Liliana misses you, and that you miss her."

Abbacchio finally allowed himself to smile. "Well you're not wrong about that."

…

The walk home was faster than usual, and Abbacchio didn't make an effort to increase his speed. Logically, Liliana, at three-months-old, could not have caused much harm or trouble, but his worry was instinctual.

It was always quiet when he walked up to his apartment. The speaker and vinyl player were the only objects inside that made loud noises, but without him there, they were impossible to turn on. No noise was natural. Liliana, however, was quite active. Abbacchio thought that perhaps he would hear the jiggle of a toy or a needy cry.

She wasn't in the living room when he entered the apartment. Some toys were scattered around the carpet, and Alessia was sitting on the couch, reading a book.

"Ah, Abbacchio!" she greeted. "How was your day?"

He briefly considered if she truly had knowledge of the typical work in Passione. She was probably aware that crime was involved, but not of the types, particularly the dangerous ones. He didn't want her to feel compromised with his situation, so Abbacchio gave the simplest answer possible.

"It was fine. Just a standard day. How was Liliana? Hopefully she hasn't been too much trouble."

"She's been great! Got a little fussy after she woke up and didn't sense you around, but she settled down quickly. I just put her down for a nap after feeding her."

"That's good," responded Abbacchio, glancing toward the door to his bed, unable to stop himself from wondering about his daughter's wellbeing. "You're fine to go back to your place. I promise that I'll have your pay arranged by the end of the week."

"Sounds good. I'll see you tomorrow."

Abbacchio waved goodbye, watching as Alessia collected her belongings and left the apartment. He quickly entered his bedroom, leaning forward and placing his hands on the rails of the crib to look at the sleeping being occupying it.

Liliana was peacefully asleep. One arm laid on her chest, moving up and down along with it with every breath she took, while the other was outstretched by her side. Her small strands of platinum hair curled against her head. Goddammit she was adorable.

Ideally, he would spend all his time watching over Liliana. She was so small, yet somehow took over his life. He knew that merely caring for her wouldn't erase all of the despair in his heart. He was slowly realizing that to improve himself, he had to take the steps to do so. All he could recognize was that being Liliana's father and working missions for Bucciarati brought purpose into his life.

Abbacchio supposed that and perhaps finding some form to vent his feelings would help him heal.