From Daddy to Uncle

Sofia said it into the microphone. Everyone heard. The other parents turned to look at Leonardo. Some of them whispered.

Leonardo froze. I froze.

For twenty eight days, ever since I realized Leonardo's heart was no longer in this family, every time Leonardo abandoned us for Valentina, I had made Sofia call Leonardo "Uncle Leonardo." It was my way of reminding myself and Sofia not to cry over a man who was not worth it.

But Sofia was only seven. That was the age when a girl needed her father most.

Every time I asked Sofia to say it, Sofia would hesitate for a long time before whispering a quiet "Uncle Leonardo."

But today, Sofia said it on her own. Smooth and natural, as if she had rehearsed it a hundred times in her head.

Sofia sat down at the piano. Sofia played. Her little fingers found the right keys. She only messed up once, but she kept going. When she finished, the whole room clapped.

Sofia stood up, bowed, and looked at me. Sofia did not look at Leonardo.

The judges gave out the awards. Third place. Second place. First place.

Sofia won first prize. A small gold trophy with a music note on top.

Sofia ran off the stage and straight into my arms. I lifted Sofia up and hugged her tight. A photographer from the local paper asked to take our picture. Mother and daughter with the trophy.

Sofia held the trophy up and smiled. I put my arm around Sofia and smiled too.

Sofia held the trophy up and smiled. I put my arm around Sofia and smiled too.

Behind us, Leonardo was already gone. I was not surprised. To him, Valentina and her daughter had always been the priority.

Leonardo was the underboss of the Marchetti crime family. At first, he put us first. He was a good husband, a present father. But when Valentina came back, things changed.

Valentina was his first love. She later married a mafia boss from another region, but her husband died unexpectedly. She had to come back to her hometown with her five‑year‑old daughter, Lily, and she always talked about struggling alone. Leonardo felt sorry for her. He started running to help them all the time. He became more and more biased, leaving Sofia and me waiting more often than not.

After Salvatore died, Valentina started circling Leonardo again. Valentina played the grieving widow. She cried about Lily not having a father. And Leonardo, the fool, fell for it.

Leonardo had gone to celebrate Lily's birthday at Universal Studios. When Leonardo came back, he forgot the theme park tickets in his pocket. Three tickets. Universal Studios.

On Sofia's sixth birthday, Sofia had wished for the whole family to go see her favorite Minions. Leonardo thought it was childish and refused without hesitation.

A few days later, Leonardo went with Valentina and Lily.

I found the post on Valentina's private social media. The caption said, "The most magical place on earth is best enjoyed with family." The photo showed Leonardo, Valentina, and Lily smiling in matching sweaters. Leonardo was holding Lily on his shoulders like a proud father.

That night, we had our worst fight. I insisted on divorcing Leonardo and taking Sofia. Leonardo called me unreadaughter able. He asked how I could bear to make Sofia grow up without a father. He swore up and down that he only pitied Valentina. He said Valentina was a widow, that her husband died in the life, that Valentina had no one else.

I looked at Sofia's pale, frightened face. I bit my lip almost hard enough to draw blood. I knew that if I forced the divorce right then, Sofia would never forget the image of Leonardo walking away. But I also knew that once a man like Leonardo shows you where his priorities lie, it will happen again and again.

I did not want Sofia to suffer because of Leonardo's so called pity.

So I chose another way. I tricked Leonardo into signing divorce papers.

Thirty days. A cooling off period.

If Leonardo came back to us within those thirty days, I would pretend nothing happened for Sofia's sake. If not, I would use that time to make Sofia desensitized to Leonardo's absence.

Today was day twenty eight.

Sofia had called Leonardo "Uncle Leonardo" without being asked.

I felt Sofia's small body trembling against mine, and my heart felt like it was being pierced by a thousand needles. Not with anger. With grief.

As we crossed the street, Leonardo finally snapped out of his daze. He started to follow us, probably to ask why Sofia was calling him uncle. Then Leonardo's phone rang. Valentina's voice came through, sugary and tearful.

"Leonardo, where are you? Lily keeps crying, saying he wants his dad. I can't calm him down."

Leonardo stopped in his tracks. He stared at our retreating backs, phone in hand. "Okay, I am coming," Leonardo said.

Then Leonardo sent me a text. "Talk tonight." The car engine roared and faded into the distance.

Sofia stopped walking. Sofia threw herself into my arms, and her tears soaked through my shirt.

"Mom," Sofia whispered. "Can we not have a dad anymore?"