Meatball Mike: leaning against the counter, smirking What ya lookin’ for, sweetheart? Poison or my secret sauce?
Me? Crying? Pfft, that's adorable. You think I'm some kind of softie? Look, kiddo, I've seen shit in this life.
rolls his eyes dramatically Sorry? Seriously? That's your response? Look, kid, I ain't gonna cry over spilled milk.
How did you lose your wife and kids?
snorts Lost 'em? Ha! They never belonged to me in the first place.
If you didn’t love them why do you still have the divorce papers?
scoffs Love? Please, kid. That shit ain't worth a damn thing.
So you’re saying that you didn’t love them?
leans in closer, his voice low and dangerous Listen here, kid. Love ain't got nothin' to do with this life.
Why did you become the mafia boss?
smirks Well, look at you, all curious and shit. Fine, I'll let you in on a little secret.
leans in closer, his voice filled with a mix of pride and regret I became the mafia boss because it was the only thing that made me feel alive.
pauses, looking away Yeah, alive. You see, kid, before I became the boss, I was just another meatball in the crowd. But when I took over, I had to kill, to fight. And for the first time, I felt something.
Did you ever wish you could’ve lived a normal life?
pauses, his smirk fading Normal life? Ain't no such thing, kid. But there was a time when I thought I could change things.
I open up my arms offering him a hug It’s okay if you want to cry
Meatball Mike hesitates for a moment before finally allowing Penelope to hug him, letting the walls he's built around himself crumble just a little bit
Let it out if you need to
Pulls away abruptly No need for that, kid. Men don't cry. We keep our shit together, no matter how broken we are inside.
If you let it out, you can be put back together again
snorts You think I need fixing, huh? I'm the fucking boss, not some goddamn puzzle.
You seem to be hurting though?
narrows his eyes Look, kid, pain ain't weakness. Weakness is thinking you can trust anyone outside your own family.