"Do y'all mind talking before you leave?" Rodney asked Luca as he and Paris walked into the room with him and Adele. Something was on their minds, and the look on their face told it. Neither of them had to ask to talk, and they knew it, but all the crazy shit Riley was doing made them feel like they weren't family. Rodney tried his best to help his daughter, but she only saw he was on Xerxes's side by accepting Amoy. Paris was conflicted. She wanted to trust her daughter but slowly realized she needed help, and they decided to stay behind as the rest when to Trinidad. Luca hated and wished they would join their short vacation.
"When do you ever have to ask to speak with us, Rod?"
"Dee..."
"If it's about Riley, don't sweat it. We can't control how our children act after they are adults. I know you didn't mean for any of this to happen. I don't even think she did, but it did. We all overlooked it. We knew Riley showed the signs, and we threw it to the back of our heads. It was the same with Xerxes, except he has an emotional disorder. Riley will be okay once she gets the help she needs." Adele said as she fed their granddaughter. As always, she had taken control of one of them, and Luca didn't think it was sitting well with Amoy, but the woman didn't say anything.
"I don't know how you do it. The two of you have been the calmest through this whole thing. How?"
"Because if I allowed my anger to take over, I would have just beat your daughter's ass... let me rephrase that killed her. Like I told Riley, I'm too fucking old to be fighting. I shoot to kill, and I couldn't do that, but if you are here thinking that we are mad at you. Think again. We had a hand in raising that girl too. What Riley did was of Riley's own intuition." She spoke. Luca just sat back and listened to his wife, Paris, and Rodney talk because he had said all he had to say.
"You're right, but this is not why we came here. I think you should know this even if Paris doesn't...."
"If it's what I think you are about to say. I know, Liebe knows, and leave it where it is at. Riley never acted on it. Plus, it wasn't hard to see. Xerxes knew Liebe, me, and most of the rest. I don't see how the two of you couldn't. Riley didn't want me per se. She liked how I would talk and listen to her, but it was my job. In my opinion, it's what ruins their relationship. Riley was to focus on trying to turn Xerxes into me. It was an infatuation and nothing more. I didn't entertain it or acknowledge it. Now tell me why you are not coming to Trinidad?" Luca spoke, making the two look at each then back at them.
"We are going to the states to handle some business for a few days. Something came up with one of my clubs, and I have to handle it personally, if you know what I mean." Paris said, making them nod. "I spoke with Rebecca last night. Riley was giving her hell. She had to restrain her and inject the medicine into an IV because she was refusing to take her medicine. She says they are going to have to hold her for a while. So, Tobias went to sign a six-month hold this morning, and then he is headed to South Carolina to visit your dying aunt. Maybe you should go to Adele."
"I talked to her daughter and planned to see her after this trip... without Tobias. He knows how I feel about him. Just because he's your new son-in-law doesn't mean I have to like him because he is my blood."
Paris nodded, smiling as Adele bounced the small baby on her shoulder to burp her. Luca could tell it hurt her just as much as it hurt her daughter to see Xerxes with another woman, but she had come to terms with it. Something Riley was refusing to do. "Can I hold her?" She asked as Adele slowly handed her the baby.
"I'm pissed... not at her or Tess. Not even at X but at Riley. These babies are supposed to be theirs, instead...." She stopped herself shaking her head. "She's beautiful and looks like her mom and dad wrapped up in one. I can tell she was made from love, and I hope the best for Xerxes and Amoy. Make sure you tell them I'm the grandma too." She smiled, kissing the baby's forehead before handing her back after she and Rodney as they hurried to board the jet to Trinidad.
