The Other Life of Rose Miller

Chapter Eight: The Cover-Up

I guess I didn't have much of a choice. I have to save my family. Grandpa's getting worse, mom's asking for a loan from her friends, if this keeps up, we may have no chance of surviving since we're spending our food money to gramps. Grandma is not helping either. Because of her depression, she's not cooping up well. On the good side, she's not in a nagging mood, just whinning, which is worse. (Not so good news.)

I wasn't quite sure about this at first but I have to do something about it. Okay, Roe. It's time to ask Randal. I took a deep breath and went in to Randal's office.

Randal was so agitated, he burst out on me (in a desperate tone, not the teary moment) when I got in. "You received my texts?"

"Some of them." I replied. "I didn't bother reading the rest."

"Well, get change."

"You got me a gig?"

"I'll explain later."

"Wait a second, Randal." I stopped him from shoving me to the dressing room. "I didn't say anything about coming back."

"What?"

"Not unless we both made agreement."

"We'll talk about it later."

"But--"

"Randal!" I hear a man in an exquisite Italian accent shouting from the other side of the office. "What's taking the both of you so long."

"We'll be right with you, Val." Randal yelled back.

"Who was that?" I asked Randal.

"One of your sponsors, and an old friend." he replied.

"I thought you're my sponsors."

"Well, he decided to help us out now, didn't he?" he said in a sarcastic tone. "Now, get dress." he said once more as he pushed me in the dressing room and slammed me in.

"Jeez. You don't have to tell me twice." I mumbled as I fit in to my boy form.

I got out of the changing roon when Randal was with a man and a boy around my age. The man was young. Heck, even younger than Randal. Probably in his early 30s. If you can imagine Dante in Devil May Cry 4. Picture that guy with brown hair and dark eyes. That's EXACTLY how he looks like when I saw him. His son however is the spliting image of his father. Same hair and all (but not all muscular like his dad, kinda like your average heart throb you see around your school). He gave me a stern look when I entered. Like he was angry at me or smething. Only that I have never met him in my entire life! But I gotta say, he looks hot when he gave me that look...

FOCUS!!!

"Raymond! It has been a while." The man said as he kisses me on both side, cheek to cheek. I was stunned when the man pulled away. I even add a blink and looked at Randal. "This is our business partner and your godfather, Valentino Moretti." Randal spoke like I was a kid.

"Oh Randal. Stop teasing the boy. I'm certain he still knows me."

"I'm only saying, Valentino." Randal told him as he turn to the teenage boy around my age. "This is his son, Lovino Moretti."

"Salve." he said as he extend his hand, which I took it.

"Well, Shall we discuss the meeting?" Randal suggested as we sat down to those meeting tables you see in your typical meetings in the office. The grown-ups talk about the business and sometimes got off the topic and talk about wine because of the serving lady who served us. Lovino was right beside me this whole time saying something which grabbed my attention. "What?" I asked since I didin't catch what we was saying because of the grown-ups. He sighed. "I said, why did you come back?" he asked me in a whisper. God, his Italian voice was hot!