Curiosity's Price

Chapter One

"Alice, how do you feel about being a sister?" Laura asked the brunette four-year-old sitting in her lap.

"A sister?" Alice repeated, though it came out more like "Aw sistah?"

Her adoptive mother giggled at the cuteness that was her lisp. "Yes, a sister. Would you like that? Would you be okay with it?"

The four-year-old didn't really know how to respond. She'd never been a sister before, so what was it like? Without the knowledge of what that was like, how could she form the right answer?

Of course, these questions are too adult for her tiny, undeveloped mind. For all she knew, it was like being asked if she wanted pizza for dinner (the answer to that question was always "Yes!" in her case).

"Yeah," Alice replied, fiddling with the toy dinosaur in her hands. To both Antonio's and Laura's surprise, Alice had not been entirely fond of the toys that were usually meant for young girls such as herself. Rather, she delighted in Legos and little trucks, Hot Wheels and toy swords. Her parents didn't mind that at all; in fact they encouraged it wholeheartedly. There was no issue with it, after all.

"You would?" Laura asked, looking overjoyed. "Toni wanted to adopt again, but from a magical, faraway place called Europe, and we found two boys that would love to come live with us."

Alice's brunette head shot up at the mention of a magical land. "Magic? They're magical?"

Laura giggled again, hugging Alice close. "They can only speak a little bit of English. The rest of their words are in a special language, called Italian."

"That's magic, too?" Alice asked, her green eyes widening as her mouth stretched with an excited grin.

"A little bit!" Laura agreed brightly, and Alice cheered, chanting "Magic! Magic!" a few times while she climbed down from her mommy's lap and ran all throughout the house excitedly.

It took a little detail work, but at the end of the metaphorical day it was decided that Laura would stay home with Alice while Antonio went to Italy to bring the two boys from Italy to the states. Laura hadn't been entirely pleased with the arrangement (the thought of traveling to Europe made her feel enthralled, not mention jealous of her husband), but the plane tickets for three there and five returning would be just a bit too expensive. With that in mind, the two ladies in Antonio's life stayed home and made short work of making the house presentable for when Antonio returned.

"When your brothers come home, you'll do your best to play nice with them, won't you?" Laura asked of Alice the night of Antonio's long-anticipated return.

"Yes, Mommy," Alice answered sweetly. "Can we play with swords when they get home?"

"You'll have to ask them if they want to," was her mother's reply. "But I'm sure they will be okay with that."

"Hola~! I'm home!" Toni proclaimed as the front door opened not half an hour later. "Everyone come say hello!"

"Wheee!" Alice called as she nearly glided into the foyer and came to a stop just a few feet in front of the two brothers standing next to Antonio. "Hi!" she said with a wave.

"Hola, Alice. ¿Cómo estás?" Antonio asked as if the exchange was rehearsed. (How are you?)

"Bien~!" Alice answered readily while drifting forward and letting her daddy pick her up, swoosh her into an embrace, and kiss her cheek. (Good)

"Okay, hijita," Antonio said while crouching down and turning Alice around so she sat on his knee. "This is Feliciano and Lovino. They don't speak very much English, so we're gonna say "Hi" to them in Italian. You ready?" Alice nodded and listened to what her daddy said in her ear before repeating it cheerfully. (daughter)