Raising Remi

11. brothers?

There were very few things that made Remi happy. She was still adjusting to her new environment and the people she was around.

Though she was dreading the day she may have to see Aaron again she still missed her home. She missed her mom, and all the love she felt when she was with her.

Remi squeezed her eyes shut tight and tears began to fall from them. Her lip wobbled and she let out a soft sob.

What if she never saw her mom again?
What would happen if she saw Aaron?
Why can't she be with her mom forever?

Sobs continued to escape her and she squeezed her bear. Every time she sniffled she smelled her bear and it made her miss her mom even more.
It wasn't until she felt a warm hand rubbing her back that she opened her eyes.

Luca looked at her with so much concern and worry. "What's the matter neonata?" (baby girl)

She gasped as she tried to form the words, but she couldn't understand what she was feeling and why she couldn't be with her mom.

"I want my mommy" her voice cracked as she whispered.

"I know, and I'm sorry you can't be with her. But you're safe here"

She looked at him and debated if she should say she doesn't believe him, but she was too scared to upset him.

"Okay"

"Are you hungry?" Luca lifted her into his arms and made his way down to the kitchen.

It was Sunday morning and all the boys were home. They always promised each other to give themselves one day to be together no matter how chaotic the week got, and now they had someone even more special to spend it with.

Remi was set down in her usual seat and a plate
with small servings was waiting for her.

She picked up the little green sour balls and began eating, once she finished the last of her grapes on the plate she turned to the seat next to her.

Levi sat back with his phone in his hand he didn't pay any attention to the little girl next to him, not until she tapped on his shoulder.

"Secuse me," Remi said softly as she looked at the blank drawings on his arm.

"Hmm" levi hummed. He had zoned out his brother's conversations and was focused on a new design for a new tattoo.

His brothers knew not to bother him when he was in a zone so they gave him his space, Remi hadn't gotten the memo.

"Can I have the green balls please?"

"What?" he glanced at her but lost his vision, he set his phone down and looked at her. "What do you want?"

"The sour balls" she pointed to the clear bowl full of grapes.

"These are grapes" he slid the bowl toward her and moved her plate out of her way.

"Thank you," she said as she chewed into more grapes.

Remi watched her new friends as she chewed on more grapes. All of them were there which she hadn't seen in a while and they were all talking to each other, not distracted by a loud tv or smelled like bad food.

Maybe Luca was right and she was safe. But no matter how safe she was I didn't help the ache she had in her chest for her mom.

"But he cheated and still lost how is that my fault!?" someone yelled.

Remi jumped and looked around the table, it was quiet and tensions were growing.

"And you should have done the right thing, you know better," Vincent said with stern eyes.

Remi continued chewing the grapes as she tried to sink to the bottom of the table.

"This is such bullshit" Xander's chair scraped the floor as he stood up.

"Xander that language is unacceptable to use with me" Vincent remained seated as Xander moved to leave the kitchen.

He continued yelling, "My language?! Next time you ask me to blow some guys face off you should think about if that's acceptable or not"

"Asshole," he said before the front door slammed.
Vincent's chair screeched as he got up and followed Xander.

Once the front door was shut again, conversations continued. Remi reached for another grape but it was empty.

As she leaned back into her seat she let out a sign but her mouth opened wide and a noise loud enough to stop conversations came out of her.

The table silenced for a few seconds before all of remis's new friends began laughing.

"Did you enjoy your breakfast Remi!" Milo asked as he got up and went towards the sink.

"Yes," she said shyly.

As Remis' friends got up a man and woman came in and began cleaning up.

All Remi could do was watch everyone, and observe how they acted when suddenly she was picked up and was in someone's arms.

"Vincent needs to talk to you about something. It's very important that you understand what he's saying"

Remi loved being held as she went up and down the stairs, it was like her own rollercoaster.

"O-okay"

Luca left her door slightly open and texted his brother that Remi was in her room.

Remi walked over to a the other side of her room to her toys. She pulled out the big map and tried to put the right states in the correct location, but she couldn't figure out one and began to get frustrated.
The piece was taken from her hand and put in the correct spot, she looked up and saw Vincent. Every time she looked at him she felt a sense of familiarity.

"Are you ready to talk?"

"Yeah" she had no idea what they were going to talk about but that seemed to be the only answer available.

"Come sit" Vincent sat on the pink couch in the corner and Remi settled next to him.

"Do any of these people look familiar?" he pulled out a picture from somewhere.

"That's mommy!" Remi looked up at him with a smile, and he swore at that moment to make sure she always smiles like that.

"Yes it is your mom, this is you" he pointed to the baby that was swaddled. "This is your father, and that's me"

"He looks like the good man that mama visits"
Vincent sat shocked for a second before making a note to ask her about it later.

"He's also my father. Do you know what that means?"

"No" she still couldn't believe the good man was her dad.

"It means I'm your brother, and so are Luca, Levi, Ethan, Milo, and Xander. we're all your brothers"
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