Lost Lombardi

Chapter 26

Going out with Helio didn't go well. Helio took Dino to a nearby lakeside in his car. Then Helio took out a cigarette and started to smoke.

"Here," He handed a cigarette to Dino.

"No thanks," Dino said.

"You don't smoke? What a loser," Helio said.

"How am I a loser? You're the loser, a slave to addictions," Dino replied. Helio got mad at what Dino said.

"Oh really? Weren't you a slave in your adopted family? I heard you had to clean the whole house and got punished if you didn't do it," Helio said, looking into Dino's eyes. Dino felt embarrassed. He didn't know how to defend himself because what Helio said was true. Seeing Dino speechless, Helio laughed.

"So it's true. You are so pathetic, a shame to your family," Helio said, and each word hurt Dino's heart.

Dino started to walk away from Helio. He didn't want to stay with him anymore.

"Hey, hey, where are you going? I'm supposed to take you back," Helio shouted.

Dino didn't look back and kept walking. He heard footsteps following him, but he didn't bother to look. He felt disgusted by Helio.

"Stop!" Helio's voice came closer, and Dino started to run.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Helio shouted, chasing after Dino, and jumped on him like he was playing rugby. They both fell onto the grass.

"What's fucking wrong with you? Leave me alone!" Dino shouted at Helio.

"I'm supposed to take you back home," Helio said.

"I'm not coming with you," Dino replied firmly.

"Are you trying to get me in trouble, you idiot?" Helio asked, standing up.

"Yes," Dino said, standing up as well, while Helio stared at him in surprise.

Then Dino turned to walk away again, but Helio grabbed him firmly, turning him to face him.

"Let's go. I'll take you home right now," Helio said.

"No thanks! I can go alone. Bye!" Dino said and walked away.

"Dino, Dino... stop, you idiot!" Helio yelled, but this time he didn't follow.

Dino walked around the lake until he heard a familiar voice behind him. He turned his head to see who had spoken to him. Although the voice sounded familiar, he didn't recognize it right away.

"Dino, is that you?" It was Christy. She was staring at Dino with surprise, and she was with her friends.

"Is that your foster brother?" one of her friends asked Christy. Christy was still staring at Dino, confused.

"No. I don't think I know you," Dino said and started to walk away from her too. He didn't want to talk to any of the Johnsons.

"Dino, I know it's you. Do you know what your family did to my parents?" Christy's voice was angry.

"I don't care," Dino replied.

"You don't care? They beat my parents," Christy said, walking parallel to Dino.

"Good. That's good to hear," Dino said with a smile.

"How can you be so rude? Who the hell do you think you are?" Christy barked.

Dino stopped and looked at Christy. "Are you seriously telling me you don't remember how your parents beat me? Can't you remember how one of them held me down while the other beat me?" Dino asked angrily, and Christy became speechless.

"Oh, you remember now, right? So your parents deserved it. They treated me like a slave. They didn't feed me. They made me clean the whole house every weekend. They locked me in the basement. They hit me, beat me, and abused me."

"Enough!" Christy yelled. She felt embarrassed because her friends were looking at her with disgust.

"Christy, is it true? Your parents did that?" one of her friends asked.

"No, no. He's lying. He's lying. Let's go," Christy said, pushing her friends away from Dino.

"I'm not lying. You're the one who's lying, bitch," Dino said and started to walk again. He felt happy that he had finally released his pain to one of the Johnsons.

—-------------------

"Where the hell is Dino?" Rocco asked Helio when he came back without Dino.

"He got mad and walked away from me. He refused to come with me, so I came back," Helio said.

"What? What happened?" Pietro heard the noise and came over to Rocco and Helio.

"Where's Dino?" Pietro asked, still not knowing that Dino hadn't returned.

Rocco and Helio looked at each other.

"Where's Dino?" Pietro asked louder, sensing something was wrong.

"Calm down, bro. Dino got mad and walked off. He'll come back," Rocco said, but Pietro felt uneasy.

"Why the hell did you leave him, Helio? He doesn't even know this area! How's he supposed to find the house?" Pietro asked angrily, taking a few steps toward Helio as if he wanted to punch him.

"Hey, he's not a baby. He'll find his way back. What's wrong with you? You're acting like you lost your toddler," Rocco said, but Pietro didn't want to hear it.

"Luca, Luca, let's go and find Dino," Pietro said. "Where the hell did you drop him?" he asked Helio.

Luca came quickly, hearing the urgency in Pietro's voice. "Boss, what's wrong?" Luca asked.

"Helio didn't bring Dino back home. We need to go to the lakeside and find him," Pietro said.

"Uncle, do you know there's something called a mobile phone?" Helio asked sarcastically, and Rocco laughed. Pietro's face blushed with embarrassment. He quickly took out his phone and called Dino.

"Dino, why didn't you come back with Helio?" Pietro asked.

"How are you going to get home?" After Dino answered Pietro asked again.

"Are you sure? Do you have money? Okay then, come right now," Pietro said firmly.

"So, what did he say?" Rocco asked.

"He said he'll come in an Uber," Pietro replied calmly.

"Why are you so upset, Pietro? Don't worry, no one's going to kidnap him. He's not a toddler," Rocco said. Luca looked at Pietro unintentionally, remembering how easily he had kidnapped Dino a few weeks ago. He had even told Pietro about it. It seemed like Pietro read Luca's mind. He walked to a corner and called Dino again.

He walked to a corner because he didn't want others to hear what he was saying to Dino on the phone. Pietro felt embarrassed that Dino had been easily kidnapped in the past; he acted like an idiot. He called Dino again.

"Do you remember the day Luca brought you here?... Good, don't act like that again, okay? You behaved like an idiot that day... I don't care about the reason... Just come home right now. I know this isn't the first time you've gone out alone... I know you're not a child. I'm not worried. I just... Dinner is ready, that's all... Yes, today lunch will be ready earlier," Pietro said and hung up. He realized he had overreacted like an idiot.