Save Me

Chapter 3

"Hey Romeo, can I ask you a personal question?" I mumble to my brother while Lucca continues to play on the living room floor, and Alexi went to the bathroom.

"Yeah, what's up, Milan?" he replies grinning over at me until he realizes how serious I'm being.

"Why didn't you tell Alexi about Lucca? Are you ashamed of me for having a child when I was nineteen?" I mumble, avoiding his eyes because I'm afraid to see his reaction as his answers going to be hard enough to handle.

Romeo's frown deepens as he answers; "I'm not ashamed of either of you! I never told Alexi because I didn't believe that it was my place to tell people you have a child, even if that child is my beautiful nephew. I'm sorry for upsetting you, and making you angry."

Sniffling, I mumble out a half-assed acceptance of his apology, as tears well in my eyes because I don't like his answer. Quickly blinking away the tears because I need to not let this bother me, and just accept his answer. Out of the corner of my eye I see Romeo frown at me, but before he can comment, Romeo exits the bathroom to rejoin us in the living room.

"Are you boys ready to leave for Nonna's diner?" Da asks as he and Papa step into the living room after changing their clothes.

"Yes," Romeo answer for the four of us, and we follow them outside to the vehicles, and per usual, there are four henchmen loaded into a black SUV to follow us, and be with us at the diner.

Romeo and Alexi are going in Romeo's 2020 black Dodge Ram, and Lucca and I are going to ride with Papa and Da in their dark blue 2022 Chevy Blazer. All of our vehicles are bullet proof.

"Hey Milan, do you want to ride with us?" Alexi asks, and he seems hopeful that I'll accept his offer despite the truck not being his.

Shaking my head as I settle pick Lucca up to settle him into his car seat in the back seat of Papa's extended cab truck; "Can't. Lucca doesn't have a car seat in Romeo's truck."

Alexi frowns but nods without another word because I think he understands that I'm not riding without my son. We climb in our respective vehicles, and head toward Nonna's. We arrive about ten minutes later, and for the most part the ride is silent except for Lucca's chattering about anything and everything.

Taking Lucca from his seat, sitting him on his feet on the pavement, and grabbing his backpack from the floor by where my feet where, I hold his hand so we can cross the parking lot together. When we reach the door, my family have already went inside, but Alexi waited for Lucca and I which surprises me. I thought he'd been inside with Romeo since that's who he's here to see, and have a free dinner.

When Lucca and I are close, Alexi opens the front door, and I give him a confused smile with a soft; "Thanks."

Alexi hums his 'welcome' as he steps into the diner behind Lucca and me. We find Papa, Da, and Romeo speaking to Nonna at the counter, and when she sees Lucca and me. Her smile falters, but never drops when she sees Alexi walking beside us.

"Alexi? Oh my, you've grown! Come give me a hug, love," she praises with her request at the end as she steps from behind the counter with her arms spread open for a hug from him.

Softly smiling at her, I always knew she thought of Alexi as another grandson, the poor woman has no granddaughters because my Papa is her only child, and he and Da only had boys, and I only have a son. Maybe one day, I can adopt a girl because I don't plan on having any more biological children, and adopting a child sounds like a great idea. Perhaps I'll start looking into this because I know it can be a lengthy process.

When Alexi and Nonna pull apart, Nonna looks at me expectantly as she holds her arms open for Lucca and me. We step into her, hug her tightly, and before we give her soft kisses on her cheeks. When I step back, I place Lucca back on his feet, and Nonna tells us to sit at our table - it's off in the corner by the window, so we can see everyone going inside the diner, and down the street. Our 'security' guys are dispersed between the outside and inside the diner.

"Mama, sit please, and we'll bring out the food, okay?" Da asks because he knows he if out-right demands, Nonna is gonna pinch his ear.

"How about Milan and I get the food and drinks today?" Nonna returns, and everyone nods in agreement because it's best not to argue with her.

Standing from the chair, looking down at Lucca who is sitting on my right (Alexi's on my left for some reason), and tell him; "Stay here with uncle, Grampy and Poppy. I'll be right back."

Lucca nods with a hug smile because this is normal for two people to bring out the food and drinks from the kitchen. Wandering into the kitchen behind Nonna, I let out a surprised gasp when she quickly turns around to give me a look I can't understand.

"Are you alright, Nonna?" I ask worriedly as I scan her face for any sign of discomfort.

"I'm fine, but I'm worried about you," she replies with a softer expression.

Raising my eyebrows up in shock, stumbling out; "Me? Why are you worried about me? I'm fine, I promise."

"I see the way Alexi looks at you, like he did when he was here years ago," she replies with a soft smile, but her words just confuses me even more.

"Nonna, I have no idea what you're talking about," I state with a shake of my head as I grab a large tray to fill it with the dishes. "Alexi is Romeo's best friend, he wouldn't have any interest in someone who is younger than him. Besides, I'm not interested in finding another romantic relationship because Gabriele was it for me, and he's not here any longer. Besides, if Alexi looked at me in any particular way, it would be as a little brother."