Il Mio

XVIII - Baby Boy

Audrey

"You seem taking this unusually well," May eyed me with suspicion.

We were out in the back patio enjoying the night sky. It was beautifully clear without city pollution. The sky revealed a deep blue covered in millions of bright specks.

Roman, Alexander, and Leo sat on the patio seats having a drink of their whiskey as they talked. While May and I sat on the step of the stairs with a glass of red wine, an earshot away from them.

"Are you toying with his feelings to turn on him in the end as your family did?"

There's a crack of fury, but I suppress it with a tight smile. "It's a possibility I may be remembering things on a subconscious level or it's possibly just a really bad case of Stockholm syndrome."

I answer truthfully. "I have no motive to turn on him. Not when I have nobody waiting out there for me."

We fall into a very deep conversation where I begin to admit the strange attraction I felt towards Roman at the beginning of my captivity and that sense of recognization whenever we made eye contact.

This seems to help ease her doubts because I see her visibly relax. She nudges me and wiggles her eyebrows.

"You guys did the deed, didn't you?"

In the dark of the night and the cool crisp of the beach air, my face warms. That's all the confirmation she needs.

She squeals in delight and her face lights with joy. "You horny bastards. No wonder you guys were gone for a while."

"You guys could never keep your hands off each other. I'm surprised he let you out to share you with us."

I laugh. "He wasn't so pleased with it either. We had just gotten intimate but I wanted to meet you guys. He always spoke so fondly of his friends."

She mocks a teary-eyed look and holds her hand over her heart. "I knew he wasn't a complete robot."

We both share a laugh. It slowly dies and it grows quiet. Between us, we share a peaceful silence.

"Listen," May cuts through and I turn to look at her, "I know I sounded a little harsh earlier but it's only because I deeply care about Roman."

Her eyes cast down and for a minute she looked sad.

"Alex told me he wasn't very nice to you towards the beginning but I swear Roman is a good man with the sweetest heart. He might be a difficult man to handle now but it's only due to certain circumstances that have caused Roman to toughen up a bit."

I let out a sigh and take a sip of my wine. It hurts to even recall the start.

"The beginning was hard for both of us," I explain, "especially since I didn't understand. In a way, I understood why he was so hard on me. It was just the frustration that was built up between us. I wouldn't let him in and it was just me constantly fighting him."

I look up into the heavens, "I didn't know what I was really doing was hurting him inside."

May scoots closer and hugs me as she rubbed her hand down my back in consolation.

"It was only natural of you to do. You were afraid." May tried to reassure with a smile.

I don't mutter a word only return her smile and lean into the hug.

A warm smile colors her skin. "I'm genuinely glad you're back. We missed you but mostly Roman. He was going crazy without you."

My chest warms and I feel myself smile. I am filled with glee to know I am wanted and more than happy to know I was his source for sanity.