Don't Run From Me

Chapter 16

**Not Edited**

Anaya

"He's my son."

I looked around the room and watched how everyone's expression showed the same thing. Shock. My eyes drifted over towards Mason, who looked just as surprised as the rest of us. I eventually looked towards Giovanni to a completely different look on his face. Anger. I was brought back to reality when Evie started to squeal and move around in my arms. "Umm, figlio perché non vai a parlare a tre nella parte posteriore." (Umm, son why don't you three go talk in the back.) Nonna said as she walked toward Mr. Romano. The three of them nodded in agreement, as Mr. Romano and Mason walked to the back Giovanni grabbed my arm. "What?" I said softly looking up at him. "Come with me. Please?" The way he asked me was almost like he was scared. "Alright," I said while nodding. I turned towards everyone else and right when I was about to speak Erin walked over and took Evie from arms. "Go on." She said shooing me away.

"What is she doing here?" Mr. Romano asked. To my surprise, both boys turned and looked at him with a deadly look. He put his hands up in surrender then proceeded to talk. "Giovanni when your mother and I got married it was one of the best times of my life, but several years into the marriage my business started to take over more and more. As a part of my job, I had to take several trips to Barbados. Just like you..." He said pointing at Giovanni. "I was always attracted to black women but my father and grandfather wanted me to marry someone who was involved in my lifestyle. On one of my many trips to Barbados I met this beautiful woman, your mother, Ahsha." He said as he looked at Mason.

Mason began to shake his head rapidly. "See now that's where you're all wrong both of my parents are black my mother is from Queens, New York. My father is from Texas." Mr. Romano ran his fingers through his head. "My grandfather and father found out that I got your mother pregnant. After your mother gave birth there were some complications and she didn't make it." Mr. Romano went into his pocket and pulled out a picture.

"This is your mother." He said as he handed it over to Mason. "When I found out what happened I flew back immediately and the moment I looked at you I knew I couldn't leave you. Once I got back to the states my grandfather gave me two options. 1. I could keep you and be completely cut off from my family or 2. I could let you go to be with a good family." I looked towards Mason to see him staring at the picture. "So instead of choosing to keep me, you gave me away." Mr. Romano shook his head. "I never gave you away. My mother and I handpicked a couple we thought would be perfect, but I never completely left your life. I was always there, every basketball game, track meet, I was even at your graduation." "So why now, why tell us now after all this time?" The entire time Mr. Romano was talking Giovanni hadn't said anything. "I saw the way you two acted when we were in my office earlier...." "You thought that if they found out that they were siblings that it would defuse the tension between them," I said as Mr. Romano nodded.

Giovanni stood up and headed towards the door but stopped when his father called his name. "I know you're mad, but..." "But what did you think that telling me this was going to make us one big family. No fuck him, and fuck you." I stood up and rushed after him which caused everyone to look at us.

Giovanni

Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! I thought as I walked out of my Nonna's house. Before I was able to reach my car I felt a pair of small hands tugging on my arm. I turned around already knowing who it was. "What?" I said harshly not really meaning to. "I understand that you're hurt but please talk to me." I looked at her face and against everything, I felt myself crumble in her arms. We stood there for a couple of minutes when I pulled away from her. I took her hand and pulled her over to Nonna's porch swing and sat down. I laid my head down on her lap as she ran her fingers through my hair. "Talk to me." She said softly. "He's not my brother." A couple seconds later I hear her start giggling. "What are you laughing at?" I said looking up at her. "You sound like a little kid. That's exactly what I would say when my brother would piss me off when I was little." She said in between her fits of giggles.