SINBOUND

IX

We were all sitting silently on the couch. Carlo and Elio had woken up and came down, and Enzo also came down to watch the drama.

"So." Alessandro started, his eyes flicking between the five of us.

"So." Pa repeated, giving him a hard glare. "Why've you got my kids?"

Armani choked on air, coughing violently. Alessandro let out a sound between a gasp and a snarl. Carlo and Elio just stared, probably still half asleep, and Enzo's eyebrows shot in the air. Riccardo just silently looked on ahead.

"Your kids?" Alessandro repeated. "They're my children."

Pa snorted. "No. They're not. I know their mother...knew their mother. Their father is dead."

Just like mom, I thought to myself. Ares seemed to think the same thing because he inched closer to me and hung his head.

"You what?" Alessandro asked.

"Are you deaf? I knew their mother. I've known Lilin since she was a child and Ares since the second he was born. You're just some random motherfucker wh—"

"He definitely fucked their mother," Elio snorted loudly. His eyes widened and he turned into a tomato. "Did I say that out loud? Sorry. Carry on."

I ignored the comment, as did everybody else. "He's our biological dad. Mom lied this entire time. He didn't know about us either."

Pa narrowed his eyes at me. "Right..." he dragged out. "I'm not comfortable with the two of you staying here. It's not safe."

Armani let out a cold laugh. "I can assure you this is the safest place they can be. And who cares if you're not comfortable? They're not your kids."

Pa snorted. "Oh, but they are. Did you raise them? Did you play with them? Did you show them love? Did you teach them anything? Have you known them more than a few goddamn days?"

I rubbed my temple. This was gonna be a long night. "It's okay, Pa. We can look after ourselves. Isn't that right, Ares?"

Ares nodded with no energy. Jay snorted loudly and I gave him a pointed look.

"What? I hate to remind you, but you burnt our kitchen down once. I don't think —"

"I WAS EIGHT." I huffed. "I obviously couldn't properly function in a kitchen by myself. It was your fault for leaving me alone!"

"You were 'functioning' the microwave. You put the Mac and cheese in the microwave, you press a button, and it warms up! It was not that hard."

I shoved him a little too hard and he bumped into Noah, sending them both toppling to the floor. Everybody stared for a second as they just laid there in embarrassing silence before ignoring it and just getting back on the subject.

"How do you know them?" Armani asked.

"Well —" Pa started, but he cut him off.

"I wasn't asking you. I was asking my sister,"

"She's actually my sister, but okay." I heard Jay mutter from the floor and I sent a kick flying in his direction.

Ignoring his groans, I spoke up. "Like he said. He knew me from a young age. I made friends with his kid and slowly they turned into my family. They've helped me through thick and thin. They've all I've ever known, the only sense of family I've ever had until Ares."

"And what about your mother?" Armani asked with a raised eyebrow.

"...well, how do you know them?"

"You can't answer my question with a completely different question."

"Yes I can, cause I kind of just did."

"That's not an option."

"Deal with it."

Armani gave me an angry look and Alessandro sighed. Riccardo scoffed and loosened his tie, clearly getting agitated. But let's get real, when isn't he agitated?

"We know them because we both run successful businesses and wanted to collaborate for something." Alessandro explained slowly, choosing his words carefully.

I smell bullshit. Obviously I already know about the mafia deal, but they won't expose me on that.

"What? No, we were here for —" Noah grunted, getting cut off by my foot hitting him smack dab in the mouth.

"Oops."

Carlo watched us suspiciously. "Okay. So. You call him Pa...why? I mean, your dad is literally right here."

Ares groaned this time, slumping back in the couch. "She already said this! You guys don't listen very well. He raised us! He's our Pa!"

Riccardo gave him a cold look and he immediately shut up, cowering behind me. I scoffed, because who tries to intimidate a child speaking his mind? Asshole.

Alessandro's voice broke as he said his next words. "He's not your Pa. I'm your Pa."

I shook my head. "I'm sorry. You may be our father by blood, but you'll never be our Pa. Nobody can ever replace him."

Although I felt bad at his crestfallen face I didn't let it show.

Everybody sat in silence, processing. Riccardo spoke up.

"So go be with them."

Armani slapped him up the head. "What are you fucking talking about, idiot?"

"Well, they obviously don't want to be here. I don't know if you can tell but she doesn't like any of us. And the kid is just scared shitless of everybody here. They're obviously happy and don't need us. They can keep them safe just the same, if not better if that's what you're worried about."

Carlo let out a dry laugh. "It doesn't matter if they don't want to be here. We are their family and they should be here. You're not even giving a chance to get to know them."

Riccardo stood up and scoffed. "Whatever. When she doesn't talk to you and starts hating you and manipulates the kid, whatever the hell his name is, to do the same, don't come crying to me."

"Oh, we won't." Elio said under his breath.

Alessandro got up and stormed over to Riccardo. "Get out."

"Excuse me?"

"I said get out. Clear your head. Clearly you can't act like you're part of a family so go and dwell on that. I don't want to see your face until tomorrow before we leave to the airport. Understood?"

Riccardo's mouth dropped. "What?"

"I said, do you understand? Don't make me repeat myself, boy."

Riccardo's jaw tensed as he looked around at everybody. I chewed on my lip nervously as nobody said anything. I could see Enzo attempting to sign in the corner of my eye but he just gave up. Riccardo scoffed and grabbed his jacket, storming out of the house. The door slammed loudly behind him, forcing a painting on the wall to the ground and sending glass shattering everywhere.

"I think it's best if you all leave." Armani said to my family.

Pa stood up. "I think that too. I'm sorry that we stirred something...Lilin, keep your phone on you. I'll send you a text, yes? We'll try to make it tomorrow...be careful." He kissed my temple and smiled but it didn't reach his eyes fully.

Did he think of me differently because of who my father was?

After I said my goodbyes, hugging everybody tight and trying not to sob, I looked back at my half-family.

"Great going, guys. Seriously," my voice cracked and I stormed upstairs, Ares hot on my trail. I jumped into my bed and started sobbing into the pillow, and I heard Ares close the door and go to his own room — because even though he's young, he understands everybody needs time to themselves sometimes.

Although right now I just wish I could make time stop.

As I looked to the bathroom where my stash lay, I realized I could do just that.
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WC: 1217
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