Chapter 2 #2
“Hello, baby girl. How was your day?” I ask wrapping my big arms around her.
“It was good, daddy. Momma and I finished packing and then we went to make sure Andres Jr. and Calla were all packed up too.”
“That’s great, Ladybug...but tell me, how many pieces of luggage does your mother have?” I whisper to her.
She giggles. “She told me not to tell you.”
“Oh, did she?” I start to tickle her causing her to shriek with laughter.
“Andres, Calla, Harper come help me.” Ladybug yells to the rest as they run to her aid.
Andres Jr. tries to jump on my back while Calla and Harper grab my legs.
I couldn’t help but laugh at them. I start to growl as I begin to walk towards the patio causing them to scream but never letting go of their holds.
“Axl, what are you doing to my babies?” Granny asks with her hands on her hips. Monica and the others stand behind her cracking up.
“What am I doing to them? Look at me Granny, they’re attacking me!” I playfully whine.
“No, we didn’t, Granny!” Ladybug disputes. “Daddy started tickling me when I told him Momma said not to tell him how many pieces of luggage she had.”
Monica raises an eyebrow. “Really, Axl? Well for your information, I am a woman and I need options so yeah, I got more than one piece but guess what...your clothes are in them too. Y’all carry on, he deserves it.” The kids whoop and holler as the continue their assault.
God, I loved those kids to death, but they wore my ass out.
When we finished horsing around, I think I was more winded than they were, but I had fun playing with them.
Granny and the ladies set up a taco bar on the patio for dinner and when everyone had their plates full, we sat at the custom table I had made to accommodate all of us and ate dinner after Edgar blessed the food.
“Granny and Edgar, I want to thank the two of you for coming with us to watch the kids.” I state before taking a sip from my beer bottle.
“Boy, now you know we weren’t going to let our babies be gone from us for that long amount of time, plus you just can’t be having some stranger keeping them while your over there!” Granny fusses.
“Well, I still thank you for coming with us and I promise you two will have time to see the sights also.” I return.
“Oh, this won’t be our first time going...” Granny starts when Edgar begins to cough. “Edgar, dear are you alright?” She asks patting him on his back with one hand and grabbing his glass of tea with the other.
“When have y’all been to Italy?” Keirra questions from across the table.
Edgar takes a sip of his tea before speaking. “Oh, we went a long time ago before you were born. We took a short vacation there.” He side eyes Granny as he takes another sip of his drink.
“Yes, yes it was so long-ago things have probably changed since then.” Granny adds.
Keirra smiles. “Well, I’m sure it has. It’ll be like seeing everything as if it was the first time.”
“Yes, it will.” Edgar agrees.
When we finished dinner, Granny, Monica, Keirra, Imani, Brittney and Marisol cleared the table and went into the kitchen.
Ladybug took the kids into the house to watch a movie and that left just the men outside.
I went behind the bar on the patio and began to pour some drinks as Romano passed out cigars to those who wanted to one.
As we sat back and started talking over different things, I asked Romano to take a walk with me.
Once we were far enough from the others stop and turn to him. “I need you to tell me again about the families. I know there are three others not including the Romano Empire. The first is the Mancino family.”
Romano nods. “Yes, the Mancino family. They are headed by Luca Jr., who took his father’s place when he stepped down.
Luca Sr. is still alive and almost as evil as my father I guess that is why they remain close friends to this day.
Luca Jr. has pulled away from his father, but the senior Luca still has a little power, but I think you and Luca Jr. can become great allies. ”
Okay that was good to know. I need to get as many of the heads on my side as I could. “Okay, then there’s the Russo family headed by Davide who took over for his father, Alessandro.”
“Correct. Davide is a lot like you; he is silent but very deadly. He will kill without hesitation. People in the town call him ‘L’assassino Silenzioso’...The Silent Killer. I would keep my eye on him if I were you. He can be very unpredictable.”
Yeah, I will keep an eye on him but only because I think we could be of assistance to each other.
“Alright and the last is the Ricci family, led by Matteo, who had to take over because his father, Leonardo, became ill.”
Romano takes a toke from his cigar before saying, “Yes, Matteo never really wanted to sit at the head of his families table but being the eldest son, he had no choice. I don’t really see him giving you any trouble, Matteo is the most peaceful out of the families but will go to war if he has to.
” Romano states before taking a toke from his cigar.
“Alright, I’m ready to do this. Thank you for being by my side with this.” I honestly state.
Romano was about to take a sip of his drink but paused at my words.
“I will always be by your side, Axl. You do not have to thank me for that but if you really want to thank me then stop calling me Romano and call me Andres. I know I’ve asked enough of you already so I won’t ask you to call me dad or father, but I will ask that you call me Andres. ”
I have called this man Romano for so long I don’t know if I could call him by any other name but I am willing to try. “Alright, padre (father).”
The look on his face spoke a thousand words as he dropped his cigar and glass before pulling me into a hug. This man, my father who I hated most of my life wept at my words as I hugged him back. At this moment there was no more denying what the truth really was, Andres Romano was my padre.