Family: Out of Business

Sympathized

Claire's pov

The next few weeks passed by rather slowly. I haven't been out of the house much and I've been trying really hard not to give Uncle EJ a reason to try out his new belt on me. There was a delay in getting our new horses at the end of the month like we were supposed to because of some stupid quarantine order that got imposed when the horses arrived from Spain. If that wasn't bad enough, I still couldn't get what happened between my aunt and her new husband on our picnic last month out of my mind. Despite everyone trying to play it off like it was nothing, I can't get rid of the gnawing feeling in my stomach that my aunt isn't safe with Uncle Luciano and she really needs my help. Well, I'm through pretending like everything is okay. Now I just need to figure out a way to protect my aunt.

EJ's pov

"Uncle EJ, can you..." Tony's little brat started to ask, as soon as she noisily stomped into the dining room while I sipped my morning cuppa.

"No," I replied automatically, not bothering to let her finish. Whatever her request is, I don't care.

"You didn't even let me finish, Uncle EJ. How do you know the answer is no, already?"

"Educated guess," I replied dryly.

"You mean assumption and you're not supposed to assume things cuz it makes an ass out of you and me," she sneered, in a sing-songy annoying tone.

"You're already an ass," I stated matter-of-factly. "Now what do you want?"

"Don't be rude! I am not an ass." My pesty little niece glared at me with attitude.

Without taking my eyes off the morning newspaper, I simply held up one finger in response, starting the countdown to a trip over my knee.

"That's not fair," she whined, stomping her little foot. "I didn't even do anything wrong. You're the one who called me an ass."

I held up two fingers.

"No!" she yelled. "Stop counting, Uncle EJ, I'm sorry. I just want to ask you something. Please listen to me," she begged, getting extremely frustrated and impatient.

"How about we start over then?" I asked, feeling generous, as I'm about to give my niece a little etiquette lesson.

"What do you mean?" she asked, wrinkling her forehead in suspicion of my motives. "Wait, does that mean you'll take your two finger warning away?" she suggested hopefully, knowing if I get to three, she'll be punished.

"No," I scoffed, chuckling at her naivete. "It means you walk out of the room and come back in and greet me properly. Hello, Buongiorno, mio zio (Good morning, my uncle). How are you? Did you sleep well? May I politely and respectfully interrupt your breakfast to ask you an annoying question? That sort of thing," I said, clarifying for my below standard aptitude niece.

"Then will you at least listen to me?" she whined.

I nodded, so she left.

Walking back in a few seconds later, she said, "Ciao, il mio zio più benevolo e meraviglioso (Hello, my most benevolent and wonderful uncle). May I have the pleasure of speaking with you please?"

I nodded and motioned for her to enter.

"You went off script but I'll allow it since you made it your own," I replied, smirking at her cheekiness. She definitely got that trait from her mother. My brother is far from cheeky.

"Thank you, kind sir," she replied in an awful attempt at a British accent, as she took a seat. "I have a request I require your assistance with."

"Proceed."