Live A Little

Ch 2 : Daughter?!?

Nicolo Rome P.O.V

"Dad, dad, dad, dadddd," the chorus of voices is my wake-up call from a tranquil slumber. I turn to find all my sons gazing at me, an eerie sight to behold. "Yes?" I respond.

"I'm dying, Dad," Bruno declares dramatically.

"Oh, a-" I begin, only to be cut off by my eldest son, Alexander.

"Dad, it's serious," he interjects.

"Are you dying right now, Bruno? At 6 in the morning?" I question him.

"Yes, Dad," he replies, pouting.

"Alright, go die outside. Don't die on my bed," I retort, attempting to return to my sleep. But when you have children, sleep becomes a luxury.

"Really, Dad? You think sleep is more important than your own son?" Luca challenges.

"Yes," I affirm, closing my eyes.

"Dadddddd," they persist, determined to keep me awake.

I turn to face them again. "Yes?" I ask.

"Get up, it's family day. We're spending time together," Vincenzo announces.

"Fine, but you're paying," I grumble.

With that, they depart, leaving me to my thoughts. My children are my everything - my pride, my world. I would do anything for them. Sure, I may be the Italian mafia king, but with them, I don't act the part. I learned from my father, the former mafia boss, how to separate personal and professional life. That's what inspired me to be a playful father rather than a cold-hearted one. Whoever said 'mafia before love' has never been in love. If they had, they would know that when someone you love leaves you, it feels worse than dying.

That's what I felt when my wife, or rather ex-wife, left me with a note saying she found someone better and was in love with him. I didn't search for her because if she didn't want me, I understood. I'm not the most fun person - well, that's a lie - but I am possessive, and some people don't appreciate that. But why abandon our children? They never experienced the love of a real mother. Sure, their grandmother and aunts taught them how to be gentlemen, but they never understood what it's like to have a mom, what it's like to cry and find solace in a mother's embrace.

Because if you have a mother's love, you have the world.

But I don't dwell on the past. My family helped me raise my children. I never sought anyone else because my children are above everything and everyone. I am genuinely content with the men my children have become. And with that, I rise from my precious sleep to get ready.

I descend the stairs in my Armani suit towards the kitchen, where all my children are seated.

"Sup, little dinosaurs," I greet, knowing I'm a cool dad.

"Morning," "Good morning," "Hey, Dad," "Never say that again. Like, never."

I receive a variety of responses, mostly good mornings. One thing I do wish is that they were cooler like me, but unfortunately, we don't always get what we want. They inherited their mother's genes. Side-eye!

"What are we doing today?" I inquire.

"Oo, okay, so we're going to spend time together and go to a place each of us wants, one at a time," Bruno explains excitedly.

"That sounds fun," I respond, my tone dripping with sarcasm.

Just then, Luca enters, carrying plates of food which he places on the table. The tantalizing aroma of the food hits my nose, making my mouth water. It looks delicious.