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Chapter 24: Bonding

"6+3=9 but so does 5+4. The way you do things isn't always the only way to do them. Respect other people's way of thinking." -Unknown

Isabella POV

"Alright kids, you all go play in the gaming room while the adults talk." Nonna told as she helped the maid, Virginia, clean up the dining table. Ilias wasted no time in jumping up from his seat, in turn, started a chain reaction making everyone jumps up after him.

"Pavel, come on, we're going to the game room! You heard Nonna, do you really want to make her angry?" Ilias whispered the last part, eyeing grandma as she began to do the look. "Pavel Andrei Petrov-Romano you heard your grandmother, out!" Aunt Caterina yelled sternly, her blue eyes beginning to focus in on her son. "But mo-" Pavel started, 

"No young man, go play with your cousins, get to know Isa. For heaven's sake play a game instead of reading a book!" Aunt Caterina argued her thick Russian accent becoming more known as her tone of voice became more stern. 

Pavel let out an annoyed huff before joining the rest of us in the doorway.  

Theo and Romeo led the way to the gaming room as Pavel stayed behind and grumbling under his breath about how he's mature enough to stay with the adults. Is it just me or is the way he acting childish? 

"Alright who wants to play air hockey with me?" Aldo questioned loudly as soon as he stepped foot inside our gaming room (which is still quite weird to say). 

"Let's do this, cugino piccolo" Apollo responded quickly to Aldo, beginning to use Aldo's head an arm rest. Apollo's hazel eyes beginning to have the same amount of mischief in them as Aldo's brown ones. Both of them walked over to the air hockey table, Apollo taking the right side and Aldo taking the left. Once they took their places Vincenzo began to pass a bucket around the room with a smirk clearly evident on his face.(little cousin)

"Place your bets in the bucket now" Vincenzo announced, right away everyone-except Alvaro, Luca, and Mateo-pulled out their wallets placing their money in the bucket placing their bets. As soon as they all finished with their bets, Apollo and Aldo started with their game. Couple of my brothers and cousins walked away to find a game of their own but most stayed behind to cheer for the person they were betting on. 

"Um, Pavel why did they place bets," I asked Pavel as sat on the couch reading a book titled 'Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed.'  Pavel spared me a quick glance before focusing on his book once again. 

"It's simple really, they are all immature children who spend their money on pointless things, that and whom ever loses has to withstand all insults from the winner without saying anything back." He stated bluntly, turning a page in his book. 

"Oh, ok. So you like books which one is you favorite? Mine is the Trials of Apollo book series but I'm in the middle of reading the Harry Potter series and I really like it so far." 

My question seemed to be intrigued by my question since he finally put his book down on the small table beside the couch. "You like books?" 

"Well yeah, books gave me something to do since I didn't have many friends back in my old town." At my words Pavel looked at me curiously like I was an alien from planet Mars.

"You're different." 

"What?"

"It's just you're not what I expected you to be like."

"Is that a good or bad thing?" My question seemed to miss the ears of my cousin since he completely ignored me. What did he expect me to be like? Is it a good different or bad different? Did I make a bad impression by interrupting his reading time? Does he think that I'm mean for that? Oh no, what if they send me back to the foster system because Pavel tells them I'm a mean person.

"But I suppose that is a tad bit expected though since you are the only girl to be born into the family for generation." Pavel muttered, talking to himself more than me. An arm wrapped around me by someone unknown causing me to flinch.

"Sorry Bella, it's just me. Pavel cosa hai fatto alla mia sorellina, sembra preoccupata." Elijah spoke his words bringing some tension in the air. What did he say? I really need to learn Italian if I'm going to be staying here. (Pavel what did you do to my little sister she looks worried)

"I just said she was different. I was simply stating a fact as she isn't what I expected her to be like, so I don't know why she looks distressed." 

Elijah rolled his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose seeming annoyed by Pavel's answer. "Per qualcuno che si dice sia un genio, sei proprio l'idiota." Pavel gave an annoyed look at Elijah "But what did you expect my sister to be like?" A sigh of relief left me at Elijah finally speaking in English again. (For someone said to be a genius, you're quite the idiot)

"I-" Pavel began but Elijah quickly raised his hand to signal Pavel to stop talking before he could speak any further. "Nevermind cugino piccolo, I'd rather not know." Since their little conversation finally came to an end, they both directed their attention towards me. I get the sense that this is going to be a long night. (little cousin)

Antonio POV

We all watched as the kids left the dining room, scurrying off to the game room. I stared in the direction of the doorway, still being able to hear the faint sounds of their footsteps and voices. My mother's arms wrapped around me from behind the chair as she all but squealed into my hear. 

"Antonio she's precious, absolutely precious! Beautiful too! Don't even get me started on her sky blue eyes, they're exactly like Abbi's. I bet she would've had Abbi's pretty blonde hair too if your genes hadn't been in the way!" My family began to chuckle at her comment. I swear my mother loved my wife more than all her children combined.

My mother's arms unwrapped themselves from me and she made her way back to her seat next to my father.

"She does look a scary amount like Abbi though. However, from what I can tell Isabella acts nothing like her mother did." Alessia announced, hints of sadness coming from the mention of my wife and her best friend. My older brother, Enzo, picked up on this and took her hand in his. 

The table went silent. Almost like we were having a moment of silence to honor my beloved wife, Abbi. 

"Oh, um-actually Antonio, while we're talking about Isabella, I-I have a question" my sister-in-law, Andrea, broke the silence as she looked to me, asking for permission to continue "Well, since meeting Isabella I've n-noticed that she flinches when a there's a loud noise or when p-physical contact happens, along with that I've seen some faint bruises on her arms. Do you know anything about before she came to live with you?" 

Alessandro turned away from the watchful eyes of his family, Leonardo's jaw clenched with anger, and Ricardo looked towards the ground. All heads turned towards me, eyes filled with worry. I wanted to wait until tomorrow to tell them about what Isabella has been through. Of course Andrea would notice, she works at a hospital she's dealt with cases of abuse before, so she knows the signs. How did she notice the signs of abuse but I didn't?

"Isabella was placed into a horrible foster family 2 years ago, the people there abused her." My face remained blank but on the inside, I felt my heart break a little. I never thought I would have to use my daughters name and abused in the same sentence.

Gasps went around the room. My mother, Andrea, Alessia, and Tommaso began to cry. Their spouses began to comfort them while processing the news themselves. My parents stood, my mother with tears still streaming out of her eyes, but a determined look on her face. 

My father with a look of anger that I have not seen since I was 15 and Marco decided to take his very expensive car from the 1920's for a joy ride that ended with the car being totaled. 

"Antonio be a dear and tell your mother where the hell I can find this asshole at. I'm just dying to meet him." My mother spat with a sweet smile that didn't reach her eyes on her face. 

"Basement, make sure to keep him alive. Only Leonardo has had his fun and he still has to meet the whole family." I answered, my mother taking quick and elegant steps towards the library with my father right behind her. Both with looks on their faces that could make even the devil cower with fear.