Son of the Godfather: Mind the Gap

[GioSivo 179]

Lorenzo sat in the crowded arena, the bright lights making the room feel both enormous and suffocating at the same time. He adjusted the collar of his suit, trying to sit still as name after name was called. The anticipation had turned his legs into coiled springs, he couldn't keep them still. His nerves were a mix of excitement and dread.

And then...

"With the 13th pick in the VHL Entry Draft, London United selects... Lorenzo Mancini."

For a moment he was still as a statue.

The butterflies in his stomach finally gave way as he processed it. London. London United.

The dream was real now. This was it, he was in the VHL, just like his father before him. The cameras turned toward him, and he stood up, straightening his jacket as he made his way down to the stage. He shook hands with Baby Bob, smiled for the photos, and pulled on the London jersey for the first time. Something felt... off.

He'd always imagined himself in Chicago. Even in New York. His father's career had been defined by those two cities. New York, where he was drafted and where he eventually captained. Where the whole "Godfather" crap started... and in Chicago where that stilled followed his father... and now himself like a shadow. Two markets where the Mancini name, reputation and story had been built.

 

But Lorenzo? He was going to London. He wasn't disappointed, he was ecstatic even, but it just wasn't what he expected after all this time, he guessed.

He stepped off the stage. Maybe this was the best way to escape the comparisons, carve his own path. His father never played in Europe outside the late VHLE, so... it was new territory. No New York spotlight or Chicago expectations. He'd have space to prove that he wasn't just Francesco Mancini's son, he was Lorenzo.

 

Of course, none of that quite mattered yet. He wasn't going to play in London for a few seasons anyhow. The VHLM dispersal draft was still coming up, and that meant he had no idea where he'd actually be playing next season. The VHLM was unpredictable for young players like him. The minor leagues shuffled rookies around like pieces on a chessboard. He could realistically end up anywhere.

 

Maybe he'd be back in Vegas, defending the Founders Cup. Maybe Saskatoon. Or Halifax even. That'd be funny, beat them in the finals this year and play for them the next. But still, the uncertainty gnawed at him a bit.

 

What if he landed somewhere that didn't fit his playstyle? What if he struggled?

...What if people thought he was only there because of his name?

No. No no. You just won the Founders Cup.

 

He exhaled sharply.

 

You're here because YOU earned it.

 

He'd prove that to himself, no matter where in the VHLM he ended up.

He looked down at the London jersey. A new chapter was beginning. The draft was done... now it was time to get back to work.

 

502 WORDS