Save Me

Chapter 2

"Alexi?" I ask my brother, curious who this 'Alexi" person is because the name doesn't sound familiar.

Romeo grins at me with a slight tilt of his head at me while Lucca continues to eat his cereal, and Papa and Da grin at me with Romeo answering; "Alexi Esposito, my best friend, remember? He's been in Rome, Italy for the last five years doing business for Papa and Da. He's finally finished what he needed to do, so he can come back home now."

"Oh, okay," I reply, thinking hard to see if I remember this person, and I have a vague memory of Alexi, and I describe him to them. "Tall, around six-two, muscular, nice olive complexion, dark hair and eyes?"

Romeo nods with a smile that I don't understand; "Yeah, that's Alexi. I'm surprised you didn't remember him right away. You say him literally just before he left for Italy. You were like sixteen when he left."

I decided that it was best for my sake, my son's, and well, their's too, if I didn't mention that for the last year and a half I've been in survival mode, and my memory sucks. So, I just softly smiled, and told him that it's been a while since I'd seen him, and that I was sorry for not instantly remembering his best friend. He assured me that it was fine, and that he is sure I'll fully remember him once I see him later.

Three hours later after lunch, there's a knock on the front door while Lucca and I are in the living room where we've been playing with his toys. Papa, Da, and Romeo are in the home office of Papa and Da's, working on some business, so I tell Lucca to stay in the living room while I answer the door. Lucca nods as he continues to play with his toys as I stand from the floor to quickly walk to the front door, where I peak through the peephole.

Opening the door with a soft smile toward Alexi; "Hi Alexi. Come on in."

Stepping back, opening the door wider, so he can walk inside which he does with a surprised smile toward me; "Hi Milan, nice to see you again."

"You too," I murmur with a blush because he's intently staring at me while I shut the door behind him. "Um, if you want to sit in the living room, I'll grab Romeo for you."

"Sounds good," he replies, and as he steps into the living room, I see his steps falter while I walk down the hallway, and I know why - Lucca.

Knocking on the closed office door, I open it when Papa says I can come inside, and I tell Romeo that Alexi was here. He thanks me, and tells me that he'll be out in a minute, and I nod in agreement. Leaving the room, shutting the door behind me, and walk back into the living room, where I find Alexi and Lucca sitting on the floor where they're playing with the action figures.

"Sorry, he really likes playing with his action figures with others," I apologize to Alexi who looks at me with a surprised smile on his face.

"No worries, Milan, I don't have a problem with this," he replies as Lucca smiles up at me.

"Papa, wook!" Lucca hollers, bouncing in his spot as he lifts his action figure up into the air as he looks toward Alexi.

"I see, baby," I grin at him as I watch Alexi from the corner of my eye, and he looks shocked when Lucca called me 'Papa'. "Did you say thank you to Alexi for playing with you? Oh, Romeo will be here in a minute, he's in the office speaking with our parents about something."

When Lucca nods, I hum in approval at his manners, and I'm surprised that Romeo never mentioned to Alexi that I have a son. I figured he would have. I wonder why my brother never told his best friend about his nephew? Does he think I was too young to have a child? Was he ashamed of me and Lucca? I can't figure out whey he never told the man he claims is his best friend - I'll have to ask my brother why just to satisfy my curiosity.

Sitting down on the floor next to Lucca, across from Alexi, I pick up the action figure I had been using when Alexi arrived, and the three of us played for a couple of minutes before Romeo, Da and Papa come into the living room. Alexi stands to his feet when we notice the three of them, and he greets them, and gives Romeo a tight hug.

"Hey, how do you feel about having dinner out tonight, the six of us at Nonna's?" Papa asks with a grin.

Shrugging my shoulders as my answer, Lucca hollers that he wants to see Nonna, and Romeo and Alexi agree as everyone of us smile at Lucca's excitement in seeing Nonna.

"Alright, it's settled then, we head to Nonna's diner at five for dinner, and yes, Nonna will be there," Papa grins, picking Lucca up when my son holds his arm up towards him.

Alexi and Romeo head to the basement to the living area there to play a game on the PS5, and catch up since it's been about a year since Romeo went to Italy to visit him. Turning to our parents, I quietly ask Da if I can ask him a personal question in the kitchen because I don't want Lucca hearing me.

"Do you by chance know why Romeo never mentioned Lucca to Alexi?" I quietly ask him, chewing on my lower lip in nervousness. "Alexi told me that Romeo never told him that I have a son, and I'm just not sure why. I figured he would have seeing that they're best friends."

Da's eyebrows shoot toward his hairline of dyed bleached hair, shaking his head, mumbling; "I have no idea, Mi. I thought he would've told Romeo about Lucca because he was excited about your pregnancy, and being an uncle, and he loves Lucca. I'm sorry he didn't, baby, but you'll have to ask Romeo."