Here With Me [The Ludovicas: Second Generation Book One]

One | I Like Him

CELESTINE
(Age: almost seven)

"No, Kian, you can't eat that." I snatched one of my Dad's books from my younger brother's hand as he tried to chew the corner of it.

There's too much responsibility on me and I am not even seven!

Huffing, I placed the book on the bed since he couldn't reach it.

Kian made a crying face, tears gathering in his eyes. He is too dramatic for a one-year-old.

"No, don't cry."

"Mama", he cried, saying one of the few words he had learnt.

"No, Mom is not coming back. Deal with me." I huffed.

His eyes widened and he cried even more. "Dada?"

"He is not here even. Only me. Sorry, Kian. Mom and Dad left us."

When he cried even more, I sat down next to him and wrapped my arms around him, patting his back. "I am sorry, my little brother. Our mom and dad don't love us."

The door to the room was slammed open and Uncle Cyrus walked in, looking horrified. "What nonsense are you telling the poor boy?"

I groaned, pouting. "Uncle! You ruined my game!"

"Game?" He picked up Kian in his arms. "What kind of a game is that where you are telling him that your parents abandoned you both?!"

"I was improving my acting skills!"

He glared at me while rocking Kian. "Out of thousands of stories you could act out, you chose this?"

I shrugged. "Mom and Dad are not home, it was the perfect opportunity."

Mom, Dad, and both the aunties are out for their specific work leaving only Uncle Cyrus and Marcelo home with all the kids.

He still looked horrified, shaking his head, and rubbing Kian's back. "I'm complaining about this to Silvio and Lili."

"Aww, no. I was just playing."

Kian's cries slowed down and he eventually fell asleep. Uncle sat down on the edge of the bed, speaking softly, "If you want to act out stories, ask me but don't give your brother traumas."

"What's a trauma?"

He sighed, running his fingers through his golden hair. "It means you will make him sad this way, okay?"

"Okay."

Smiling, he ruffled my hair. "Good. Also, Zayden and Zaire just arrived, they are downstairs."

Zayden and Zaire were twins and a year older than me, they were Aunty Chiara's sons who is my father's sister.

Also, her husband that is Uncle Ezekiel is Uncle Cyrus's brother, even though Cyrus is not related to us they all grew up together so he is our Uncle too.

Leaving my brother with Uncle, I ran downstairs to the living room where Zaire and Zayden were hunched over, doing something on the floor.