Eli Borrelli

4: First impressions

Eli POV

The house was nice. It was a lot like my parents' house which I really did not like, but it had a few more bedrooms. Sarah had two kids of her own, Jamie and Emma, and a Husband, Mike. They all seemed nice enough, at least off on first impressions. I knew better than most people how wrong those can be.

On my tour of the house, I noticed a small pride flag in the corner of the livingroom. I held back a smile, that was trying to screep up onto my lips and just followed Sarah around the house, pretending to listen. Maybe this family was nice enough.

After the tour, Sarah asked me if I wanted to play something, or watch a movie, which I declined even after she showed me their impressive board game collection. I really needed a break from all the new people.

The room I was staying in was nice. I can't think of another word for it. It was pretty neutral, with white and beige everywhere. It wasn't huge, but a bit bigger than my room at my parents' house, so I really couldn't complain. That's the thing, I couldn't find anything to complain about, which was weird. there was always something off, but I couldn't find that something.

If foster care was like that, I would have no problem with it. Sadly, I knew that the permanent houses weren't always as nice as that one. Carlos had told me about how he and Diego were put in a foster home, where they were basically used as free labor. After that, they ran away and Carlos decided to support his brother on his own. Diego wouldn't probably even remember it, but Carlos spoke of it in fear. I knew he didn't tell me everything, but I didn't either so we both had our secrets.

I called Diego telling him everything about the cops and the annoying detectives and finally about the house I was in. Once, again I asked if he was sure about me going away, but he wouldn't have any of it, telling me, that I would have to give it a chance, or he woulnd't have me living with him. 

-Six hours earlier-

Alessandro POV

I was in my office going through the new proposal Matteo had sent me when my phone rang. It was an unknown phone number, with a Chicago area code, which sparked my interest. I wasn't expecting a call from anywhere near there, so I knitted my brows a bit. My phone number was very private, so I knew it couldn't be a telemarketer, and I had saved every number, that could be calling me. After a while, I finally picked up the phone.

"Alessandro Borrelli," I answered with my signature tone.

"Hello, Mr. Borrelli. My name is Mike Williams from the Chicago police department."

That was when my ears really perked up. Why was a Chicago cop calling me at two pm on a Sunday?

"I know this is an... unusual situation, but we have a child here, who matches your DNA map," the officer continued.

"No, that can't be right. I don't have any children," I quickly said shaking my head, getting annoyed at the caller. I didn't like it when people made mistakes, especially when it was wasting my time.

"Oh no. We have here a Serena Jones, who seems to be the daughter of Eduardo Borrelli. That is your father, correct?" Officer Williams explained.

I almost dropped the phone. Serena? They had Serena? She was alive?

"I am calling to see if you or any of your brothers would be willing to take her in, as she doesn't have any other living relatives, at least in the database," the officer continued snapping me out of my trance.