The Perfect Family

6. Tesni, it's not your fault.

Tesni cooks one of her familia's dishes hoping it would make the atmosphere in the house feel more at ease since both mishaps with Maci and Orson. Samuel comes behind kissing Tesni on the cheek holding her lovingly. "What's the matter, love?" Tesni kisses Samuels arm then nestles into it. "Just worried about our kids mi amor." Samuel turns her around holding her face, "No te preocupes, nothing will happen to them. Do you forget who we are?" He kisses the bridge of Tesni's nose, rubbing her cheek with his thumb. "Sam, they're getting more and more like me each day and it's scaring me." Samuel looks at his wife with understanding but says, "It's going to be hard reeling them back in but if I did it with you my love, we can do it with them." Tesni closes her eyes pressing her forehead against Samuel's just wanting to be held by him. "Te amo mucho," Tesni says to him while kissing his lips softly. "Ti amo, amore." He says kissing back holding her closer.

"Is dinner done?" Orson asks drying his hair from just coming out the shower.

Samuel dips his finger in the sauce, tasting it to see if it needs something, "Get Mac and Ley, Nero should be on his way." Licking his finger clean, Samuel grabs the dinner plates from the pantry.

Orson goes back upstairs getting his siblings seeing Lainey ice her arm.

"Mom and dad said the food is ready...how's your arm?"

Lainey puts the ice down, "I'm okay Oreo. Tell mom and dad I'm heading out actually."

Orson closes Lainey's door behind him as he sits on Lainey's bed.

"Ley, is there a way I can get off my meds? Maybe have a substitute for it?"

Lainey looks to her brother, "Like a different medication?"

Orson shook his head, sighing, "No. I don't want to seem like a pill popper. I mean maybe a natural kind of thing?"

Lainey raises her eyebrow, "The trees? Are you talking about getting baked?"

Orson shushed her but nodded, "Yeah...it helped Nero for a while when he had his injury."

Lainey laughs, "That was because he was physically hurt but your type of hurt is in there." Lainey pats Orson's head making Orson sigh heavily, "I just want to be normal Ley." Lainey reopens her door looking to Orson. 

"You are Oreo, it's just with a kick to it. There's nothing wrong with it or you."

 Orson stands looking at Lainey. "It is if I have to walk around like a hungry zombie with these black outs and anger I can't control." Lainey brings her younger brother into a hug rubbing his back. "No matter what we have your back, always. Don't think too much of it and let us handle it, okay?" Orson nods going back downstairs seeing Nero talking with their dad while his mom is tossing the salad.

"Dinner, wait where is Lainey? Maci?" Tensi asks.

"She's going out and should be down in a bit."

Nero ruffles Orson's hair as he finishes his talk with their dad.

"Heard you kicked ass today. Very proud."

Tesni glares at Nero as Samuel hits Nero's arm glaring too.

"What? Was he supposed to be a baby and ball up in the corner?"

Tesni sits while Samuel pours them both wine as he sits next to her.

"Your brother needs to keep a low profile. He can't go around putting people in the hospital."

Samuel says starting to eat while Tesni does the same.

"If you told me correctly he was attacked first, it was self defense."

Orson smiles at his brother low, not letting his parents see.

"But it's best if he doesn't let that side of him out. You know what happened the first time. We can't have a repeat since it's still circulating."

Tesni says coldly while looking at Nero.

"I handled it."

Tesni scoffs, "Handled it? It had to take Lainey's friend for you too. Don't think I don't know what's going on."

Samuel holds Tesni hand protectively knowing she was on the verge of an outburst.

"Amore, your pill. Did you take it?" Samuel asks, leaning in, not having the kids hear.

"Yes, this morning but that's not the point Samuel. The point is this family has to keep up its appearance. Do you think the business we built would want us parading around while our kids are putting people in hospitals or worse?"

Maci scoffs, finally coming down and sitting at the table hearing everything.

"Yeah, says the one who handed it down to us. Isn't that right Papà?" Maci says grabbing some food.

Tesni looks to Samuel upset that he would even tell them about it without her there to explain what it really was.

"Samuel?" Tesni asks angrily.

Lainey comes down a little after unaware of the storm she was walking in and out of.

"What?" Lainey asks as they turn to her then their mom who gets up abruptly.

Samuel goes after her as Maci puts her headphones on  while eating, leaving Orson to do the same while Nero gets up going over to Lainey.

"Tesni!" Samuel stops his wife from slamming the bedroom door.

"No! No quiero escuchar lo que tienes que decir!"

Samuel nods, "Amore, lo so. I just didn't want them to be in the dark about it. They have the right to know."

Tesni turns with tears streaming down her face, "I made them into walking talking time bombs, ones that can't even remember when they do go off!" 

Samuel holds Tesni as she breaks down more, letting that cold ice she had put up, melt right in his arms.

"Tesni, it's not your fault." 

Samuel consoles his wife while holding her more.

The both of them stand there for quite a while as Tesni calms down, wiping her face looking at Samuel.

"Lo siento mi amor." Tesni says genuinely.

Samuel kisses her temple, rubbing her cheek, "It's okay let's just go eat." Both go back to the dining room table excusing themselves for leaving.

"We apologize for acting that way. Your mother and I just want to keep you guys safe. That's all."

Orson, already done eating, cleans his mouth with a napkin.

"Doing a great job," Maci puts a thumb up, taking her plate to the sink and going up to her room slamming the door.