Mafia's Little Fire

Edmon Zenith

The smell of disinfectants and sanitizers assaults my nose the moment I step foot inside the hospital. Even after all this time I still cannot get used to this stench. I had a good morning but the hospital scent is starting to give me a headache. But it doesn't matter if I like it or not; I am here for my visit, and I am going to do just that.

In the past three years, ever since the incident, I've been here countless times- checking everything, making sure the hospital is doing great and the patients are treated correctly. I never plan my visits here because I wanna make sure I see the real thing and not a façade of a perfect hospital.

I am shaken out of my thoughts by someone tugging at my hand. My niece Belle. She is hands down the cutest little girl ever. I might be biased but it's true. For a three-year-old, her hair has been weirdly beautiful and long, but it comes with its own set of problems. She never wanna tie it. No matter what I try or the maids try she never ties them. Even if she does, all it takes is some moments to yank the hair tie out of her hair. I am once again brought out of my thoughts by Belle. She is far from the patient person her father was.

I crouch down to her level and push some strands of her hair behind her ear before kissing her forehead.

"What happened, baby? "

"Wanna go an' see babies." She whines and juts out her bottom lip in a lethal pout. I try hard not to coo at her adorableness but fail miserably. She loves to visit the hospital with me and see the newborns here.

"We'll go there, baby, but first I have to check a few things and work a little. But I promise you that as soon as I finish my work we will go and see the babies. Okay? "

"Nooo. Wan-nna see t-them now." Her big eyes watered and her bottom lip started trembling. I feel helpless right now.

"Baby, someone needs to go with you to see the babies, and I can't go with you now. I have to work sweetie. Can you wait just for a while?"

"Johnny can come with me please." She says pointing at my right-hand man and also my best friend.

"I would love to go with you, sweety, but I have to work with your uncle. I am sorry." Johnny kneels beside me and tries to comfort her but nothing works. The floodgates then open and the tears come streaming down her face. I was about to give up to go see the babies first, but then my rescuer came barging into the room, panting heavily.

Kiara.

She's my high school niece and my biggest source of help when it comes to Belle.

"I've never been so happy to see you before."

"Aww. What happened, baby? Why are you crying? Was Uncle being bad again?" She asks with huge eyes and a fake gasp, covering her mouth with her hands.

Dramatic as always.

I raise my eyebrows and she just shrugs and wiggles her eyebrows back at me.

"No wanna see babies bu' uncle no go cause gots work to do and Johnny also no go. Uncle is a meanie."

"Belle Zenith, uncle is not a meanie. He always takes you to the babies but he has work to do." Kiara says in her supposedly stern mom voice, but hey, it works. Belle stopped crying.

"You come with me Kiki?"

"On one condition. Come here."

Kiara whispers something in her ear and she then turns and faces me.

"Sowwy uncle. I bad. You no meanie I love 'ou."

"It's alright sweetheart. I love you more. Now go with Kiki and see babies, okay darling,, and don't cry anymore. Can I tie your hair?"

Instead of answering she just turns and runs towards Kiara and tugs her towards the door. I chuckle and watch them with a fond smile.

"Who would've thought that the Don of the Zenith Family would be a human marshmallow in front of his nieces." I don't need to turn around to see Johnny's smug face but he is true. They are the only ones who can make me behave like this.

I turn around and give him my harshest glare. He just snickers and follows me to my office. I own this hospital, but I wanted it to be one hundred percent legal, and I didn't want my mafia reputation to affect it in any way, so I transferred it to someone else. I am kind of like the hidden unknown boss if you will.

Everyone is afraid of me, and no one dares to cross me in this city, and I like to keep it that way. After all, I am the King Mafia of this state. No one deserves my kindness in this city cause they are all greedy jerks. Everyone has many faces here but they show their true self in the face of money. That's why I treat them like they are.

Money leeches.

I enter my office and get ready for the circus they are about to present. It is tough being a Don and it's even tougher when you are alone. But I stop myself from dwelling on that thought too much. It is the line of thinking that I don't want to get into because, in the end, I find myself more lonely than before.

A knock on the door gets my attention and stops my train of thought. A burly man who I have never seen before appears with files. He looks in his mid-twenties and gives and is dressed neatly.

"Why are you here instead of Ron and who are you?"

"Ron is on leave. I was on my way to my office when I crossed paths with the Director and he asked me to come here and give these files to you. I am Dr Gabe Martin, Neurosurgeon."

He holds out his hand towards me and I take it gladly. I like confidence in people, and it looks like he has a lot of it.

"Edmon Zenith. Nice to meet you."

"You too. These are the files you asked for."

"Thanks. Are you new here? Haven't heard about you before."

"That's because I joined three months ago. Change of workplace and all."

"I see. Do you like working here so far?"

"It's nice, but it becomes even more bearable with my best friend and wife working here, too."

"Must be nice working with them."

"It is." He pauses before looking at his watch, "Well it was nice talking to you. I have to leave now but I'll see you around. Good day."

I nod and he leaves. He didn't seem affected when he heard my name nor did he change his behaviour.

Must be nice not knowing the mafia.