𝐾 𝐴 𝐼

Chapter |10| Romano Family Dinner

K A I ' S P. O. V

Does love make you smile? Like all the fucking time?

Seriously, my face hurts from all the fucking laughing and grinning and smiling I've been doing this past hour. Normally I'm no objection to grinning, in fact I like to think I'm a relatively happy guy, but Emery makes it all real.

The smiles and the jokes were always a deflection from the truth. To stop people asking if I'm alright, if I'm happy, and now it's true.

With Emery, I am everything I used as a front. I'm happy with my life, and she's the driving force of it all.

All of us laugh, as my niece starts feeding Emery her peas. Expect Kiara of course, who was pushing for daughter to eat her vegetables as well as the pasta.

Unfortunately 2 year old Calista is the cutest fucking thing in the whole world so it's difficult to be mad at her. My sister even cracks a smile at her devious child and kisses her head in earnest.

Emery grins next to me, talking softly to Calista who sits on my lap.

I wonder if this could ever truly be us. Raising a baby together in perfect content.

Then I meet my father's eyes, and suddenly the fantasy comes crashing down before me. We've always been at odds, but ever since Kalen's death, it's amplified so much more that it's difficult to be in the same room with him.

The tension is subtle enough that Emery doesn't notice, but my mother does.

"Dessert!" She exclaims, standing up and grabbing Calista who starts babbling cookie endlessly. Anastasia and Caitlin quickly follow them, whilst the table falls into a somewhat awkward silence.

"Emery," My brother pipes up. I clutch her hand desperately, knowing exactly where this is going. "Would you like to see the garden? It's beautiful this time of night and we've recently had a fountain installed."

She glances at me first, but I simply shrug. Even though inside I'm screaming out for her to stay. "Uh sure. That'll be great." The screech of her chair, drags against my ears and I can hear my heart thud violently as she leaves.

It's not her fault, it's mine. She doesn't know how much I hate being left in a room with only my dad for company, she doesn't know the family history that imbues our negative relationship .

Now just leaves my sister and her husband. I give her a pleasing look that reads I will literally do anything, just fucking stay!

She bites her lip nervously, then makes her choice. "Aaron you said that you would help me with that...thing, remember?"

"Right, that thing." There is not thing but I recognise the glazed look in his eyes when he grabs her hand. He's going to fuck her in the bathroom. Jeez.

"Kai, how's work?" The tick of the clock echos loud in my ears.

"It's fine. You?" Its a slight dig since he's supposed to be retired, and he doesn't miss it.

"I haven't actually done any work in a while. Your mother and I are flying out to Portugal next month."

"Leisure or business?"

"Leisure, Kai. Will you stop being so fucking hostile with me?"

"I'm simply paying an interest into your life."

He barks out a humourless laugh. "Bullshit. I just want to...be there for you son. I know I've been hard on you in the past but I want to change."

These are my mother's words, but I let it pass.