𝐇𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐎𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧.

Little Lost Girl.

𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐨

"Mmm, these ricotta pancakes are amazing Nonna," Riley said with a contented moan. "Just like you used to make for us when we were kids. They haven't changed a bit."

"I know right? If anything they taste better. It must be because we haven't had them in a while. When Nonna left here for Italy in 2012 she took all her wonderful cooking with her," Dean said depressively as he picked up a blueberry to stare at it. "We've been frittering away ever since."

"Ohh, my poor darlings. Nonna is sorry for leaving her precious babies all alone," Nonna said as she kissed the top of Dean's head before giving him an extra pancake. "Here, eat up."
"Mother please," Uncle Enzo groaned. "They're not children anymore, they're grown adults. You don't have to pamper them."

"You're one to talk," Father scoffed. "Mother pampered you to death when you were a child whereas Aimee and I were given all the lectures, scoldings and punishments."
"It must be a family trait because Annabelle used to do the exact same thing to Damen," I said.

"Where is Annabelle by the way?" Andrès wanted to know. "I always hear you guys talk about her but I've never seen her."
"The last we've heard she lives in Singapore with her mother," Damen told him. "She hasn't come here since I graduated college."

"Sons of bitches and daughters of bastards!"

We all glanced at the staircase to see Jasmine coming down with a stormy expression on her face. Walking up to the table she rested her hands on the back of her chair and exhaled loudly. "Okay. I want an honest answer. If anyone lies to me I'll make them drink a pint of apple cider vinegar."

Silence. Pin dropping silence.

"Who took my obsidian knife from on top my dressing table?"

"It wasn't me!"

"I didn't do it!"

"I didn't touch your knife!"

"I didn't even go in your room!"

These were the words spoken by everyone as they shook their heads in denial.

"I left my obsidian knife on my dressing table because I needed to sharpen it. I went to take a shower and when I got back it was gone," Jasmine said as she folded her arms across her chest. "So unless Casper the Ghost decided to drop in for a visit someone here took my knife. Confess and give me a good reason why and I'll let you off with a teaspoon of acv instead."

"Sweetheart no one here took your knife," I told her as I rested my hand on her lower back. "I'll ask one of the maids if they saw it while they were cleaning our-"

"I took it."

All heads turned to Andrès who was standing behind his chair, wearing a look of guilt on his face.

"Andrès why would you take your sister's knife?" Rebecca asked in horror. "You're not even supposed to have a knife in your possession. Why would you-"

"Hold on Mom," Jasmine interrupted her. Then she looked at Andrès. "Bud I'm not angry, I won't yell and I won't hit you. I just need to know why."
Andrès hesitated for a brief moment. "I..I needed it Jas."
"What for? Did you want to look at it? If so you could've just told me straight up. I'd have let you look at it as much as you wanted."
"It was for self defense. From Jerald. I'm going to the arcade with my friends and I didn't want to go without something to protect myself in case I ran into him."

There was suddenly a shift in the atmosphere. If anyone was grinning or smirking it was wiped off their faces completely and replaced with sad, sympathetic looks. Jasmine sighed and walked over to her brother to pull him into a hug. "If you were concerned for your safety you should've told me."