The Informant

Chater Nineteen

My impatience to hurry things along with this whole ordeal was weighing heavier on my heart with each passing day, I missed my boy. Although I loved spending time with Dantè and his parents it was getting harder and harder to be away from my boy. He FaceTimed me every day, having the time of his life it looked like, not missing me much at all or at least that's what it had felt like. Samantha kept him busy enough and for that I was thankful. I don't think I would have made it this long if Julian has voiced his missing me.

"Miss ya buddy!" I kept it cheery, his forehead the only thing I could see at the moment.

He flashed Samantha's phone down quickly, giving me a glimpse of his dimpled smile, "Miss Mama." He sat on Samantha's lap, holding her phone.

"I love you, baby. And I'll see you soon." I tried hard not to let the tears fall. Dantè sat beside me on his couch, absentmindedly rubbing gentle strokes across my back.

"Bye, Mama!" He screeched into the phone. Dantè's parents had also been FaceTiming with Julian, loving him something fierce. It warmed my heart. They said their goodbyes as well, blowing kisses and making faces at each other. Julian grew on them fast, just as he did with everyone he came into contact with.

"Okay bud time to give the phone up." I heard Samantha say right before the screen went fuzzy with quick movements. He was on the run. "Hey, you little sh-turd get back here with that. Julian! NO! NOT THE BATHROOM, JULIAN!"

All four of us sitting in Dantè's living room, laughing so hard our bellies hurt. She finally caught up to the little booger and took her phone, swooping him up in one arm facing the other way as he kicked and crackled hysterically. Her face now on the screen, she blew her hair out of her face, her cheeks puffing up. "He's a monster." She said accusingly, glaring those big eyes at me. "I am never having children."

She sat back down in her previous spot, him back on her lap, she tickled him, his screaming echoed loudly on our side. God, I really missed him. But knowing he was giving her a hard time was priceless and so much fun to witness. "Mama better hurry back soon, huh kiddo?" He laughed again as she kept up her tickling fingers. We laughed and watched him squirm around in her lap, his handsome little face painting the perfect picture of happiness.

I looked to Dantè sitting beside me, his mother leaning behind us up against the back of the couch. He could see the tears in my eyes, just begging to spill over. He knew how much I miss my baby, I'd voiced it every night we spent together laying in the darkness of his bed. I had probably sounded like a horrible broken record, but he never complained, always reassured me we'd be back together soon.

He leaned in to kiss my cheek and swept the phone from my hand, "Very soon." He nodded his head at her and then spoke to Julian, "Give her hell, ragazzino." He smirked.

Julian smiled big up at him. "Sì!" He said excitedly. He'd been teaching him to say 'yes' in Italian. Julian had the worst habit of saying 'yeah' instead of yes, Dantè thought it'd be more fun to teach him yes in another language. My heart swelled inside my chest. Every time they spoke with each other it seemed Julian learned a new word. Talked more. A lot more, and it melted me. Made it hard for me to breathe at times. Dantè was a natural with my boy.

We said our goodbyes once again and Dantè ended the call for me. He knew I wouldn't want Julian to see me breakdown, and I appreciated him taking over more than he'd know. I sank into the crook of his shoulder, nearly sobbing. His heavy arm draped around my side, his hand pushing the hair back from my face.

"Soon, ll mio amore. Very soon." He held me tighter, shifting a bit to the side, to face me. His long index finger lifting my chin to meet his remorseful gaze. "Do you trust me, amore?"