In 25 Days

December 25th

Christmas Day, December 25th the final chapter of my story. If you are expecting everything to be wrapped up all nicely into a happily ever after, you can keep dreaming. Life isn't about having all the answers or having every problem solved. Life has mystery to it, that's what makes it so much fun. That's what makes tomorrow a day you want to see, the mystery of what is it going to be like. Something I learned from Ballo, and Rico... my brothers.

      Anyway... Sicily woke me up at one minute after midnight, the first moments of Christmas Day...to wish me a Merry Christmas and yes it was a very Merry way to celebrate Christmas. So now, where are we starting this fine snowy day. Ah, here we are, It's five in the morning, most of the Inn is asleep, yes I said most so who is awake?

      Rico and Mark, really, you should have known they were up. I mean with a new baby it's a given. Oh the joys of parenthood.

"Tell me again please," Mark pleaded

"Which part," Rico popped a grape into his mouth as he sat the bottle down on the breakfast bar "the part where I reassure you that Qena will sleep through the night someday or the part where I'm repeatedly telling you it's not your fault." he raided the fruit bowl again for more.

Mark was exhausted "how can you be so calm" he started to sob. I hated it when he got emotional like this, it's so hard to tell him no when he's crying.

"Shh, you'll wake her up again." Rico reached out and rubbed her back, with one hand and wiped his tears with the other. Seriously bro, how can those tears not affect you? "just try and take a breath, yes Rhapsody was right. You were a little too frivolous with Aspens heart... but it wasn't just you. He had multiple breakups that each took a piece out of him." Okay, why does that sound like I am either easy or a really bad judge of character. Then when you think of it that way, what does it say about Rico's ability to judge character he married him.

Mark tucked Qena back into her bassinet "that's true, however I still played a part." He sat down on the bed and tried to calm himself. "I just wanted to play. I wanted a game, not something serious, so I chose Aspen."

     "Just a game, nothing more?" Ouch that hurt.

     "No, he was just to perfect."

     "Perfect is a cop out, something you say when you don't want to admit what attracted you to the person."

     "Okay, rude." Mark smirked at him "it's a good thing you're cute."

Rico wasn't giving up "What was it that made him so attractive to you?" Mark frowned so Rico did a playful dance "come on, you can tell me." He tried to coax the answer out of Mark.

Mark folded his arms stubbornly "Nope," oh come on, I want to hear this answer too.

Rico put his best puppy pout on making Mark laugh. Rico took the opportunity to ask again, but this time differently. "A better question is what about Aspen made you think he'd be perfect to play around with and break his heart?"

"Honestly," that was the right question "it was me... he has the type of look that comes with the guys who usually didn't give me the time of day, but he did and it felt good."

"So you took revenge for a heartbreak out on an innocent man." Rico had moved to the bar to swipe more fruit. He was suddenly feeling very protective of me, really?