Lost Lombardi

Chapter 45

After Helio tried to make Dino eat shrimp, he didn't argue with him or say anything bad. He didn't seem truly upset about what he had tried to do. Most of the time, they didn't talk and just watched TV together.

Pietro had bought some books for them to read. Dino read them happily because he loved books. Helio, on the other hand, hated reading, but since there was nothing else to do, he eventually picked up one too. When Dino finished the first chapter, Helio was still on the fifth page. By the time Dino finished the second chapter, Helio had fallen asleep, holding the book like a baby.

It was the fourth day of their punishment, and they still weren't allowed to go out. Pietro started to feel bad for Dino. Don hadn't said they couldn't talk to them—the punishment was only that Dino and Helio couldn't leave the room. So on the fourth day, Pietro decided to check on Dino to make sure he was okay.

"How are they doing?" Pietro asked Luca, who was sitting on a chair near the door with one leg up, leaning to one side while staring at his phone. Hearing Pietro's voice, Luca quickly stood up.

"They're doing fine, boss. No fights. I even checked on them to make sure neither of them was... you know, dead or something. I got scared when I didn't hear them fighting for a whole day," Luca said.

Pietro unlocked the door and looked inside. Dino was reading a book, while Helio stared out the window. Hearing the door open, Helio turned his head, his expression darkening when he saw Pietro. He wondered if Luca had already spread rumors.

"Papa," Dino said excitedly, like a little kid. Then he quickly remembered he was in detention.

"How are you two doing?" Pietro asked them both.

"Not good," Helio answered before Dino could.

"That's why it's called punishment. I hope you two are learning something from this," Pietro said.

"I actually learned something. I'll never come here again, not even for a party," Helio replied.

"Yeah, this is too much," Dino added, his voice worried. "Even the Johnsons never locked me in a room this long," he muttered, hoping Helio didn't hear what he said.

Pietro didn't know how to respond. He had always thought Don was reasonable. "Just two days left," he finally said.

"What if we go crazy?" Helio asked firmly. "I want to go out. I need to meet my friends. I always go out. I'm not some stupid social phobic like Dino," Helio added, and Pietro gave him a stern look. He knew Helio didn't care about anyone but himself.

"Looks like your papa is happy you're not at home," Dino said to Helio, who glared at him angrily.

"Dino, stop it," Pietro scolded, as if Dino was a toddler. "You two aren't kids anymore. How old are you? Sixteen. And you, Helio, how old are you?"

"I'll be eighteen this year," Helio muttered.

"You're almost eighteen and still acting like a child? Oh my gosh, Helio, grow up," Dino couldn't resist opening his mouth again.

"Dino, you'd better learn to control that mouth, or someone's going to break a few of your teeth," Pietro said angrily.

"Okay, Papa," Dino replied in a robotic tone.

"I'm serious, Dino," Pietro insisted.

"Okay, Papa," this time, Dino said it with a bit more emotion.

"Alright then. I'll leave," Pietro said.

"Can you ask Don to let us go?" Helio asked Pietro.

"Well, if I ask something like that, he'll probably lock me up in here too," Pietro replied.

"That's cool. Then you and I can sleep on the bed, and Helio can take the couch. My back's been killing me after sleeping on it for three days," Dino said.

"Really? Then why don't you two switch where you sleep?" Pietro asked, knowing how much Helio bullied Dino.

"Because Helio doesn't have the brains to figure out something that simple," Dino said, making Helio angry again. Pietro shot Dino with another firm look.

"Okay, I'm leaving. Don't fight," Pietro said as he walked out of the room.

This time, Luca wasn't glued to his phone.

Later, Pietro sent them some jigsaw puzzles, a chessboard, Monopoly, and a carrom board, so they'd have something to do. Helio and Dino managed to survive the last two days with the books and games Pietro sent them.