There's Fire

Broad Shoulders

Gianni's POV:

I was excited mommy and daddy went to have the new baby. I was so excited to see the new baby. Mom said hit was a boy when we talked to her on the phone this morning. I liked being a big brother. Uncle Matteo walked Bobby, Michelangelo, and I into the room where mommy and the new baby were. We walked in and dad was sitting on the chair while mom was in a bed holding the baby. "Hi mommy." We all said.
    "Oh my handsome boys. Did you have fun with Uncle Matteo and Aunt Candace last night?"
    "Yes, are you coming home today?" Bobby asked.
    "Maybe." She smiled.
    "He's awake?" Michelangelo peeked over the rail.
    "Yeah, he woke up in time for his brothers." She smiled.
    "No more babies mom." I leaned on her bed.
    "No more? Okay go tell daddy no more babies." She rubbed my head. I walked over to my dad. I sat by him and he looked tired. He hugged me and kissed my head. "I have three little brothers." I smiled at him. "I have more brothers than you do dad. You only have one Uncle Matteo."
    "Yeah, that means you have to take good care of all three of them because you're their big brother now. Can you promise me that?" He asked.
    "Yeah, I can do that." I smiled and hugged him. "Hey dad?"
   "Yes son?"
   "No more babies please." I laughed.
   "What? You don't want a little sister! What if we have one more? That one more could be a girl."
    "No dad. Mommy agrees no more babies!" I laughed.
    "Well since you're the oldest. You can hold the new baby first okay? You have to sit all the way back okay?" I nodded as he got up. He went over to my mom and picked him up. He positioned my arms to hold him. I looked down at his little face and he looked at me. "What his name?" I asked.
    "Roman." My parents answered.
    "Hi Roman, I'm your big brother Gianni and I will always protect you. I promise." I kissed his head. He was my baby brother I have to keep him safe because I'm bigger and he needs me.

I was in the living room with my girlfriend hanging out while my parents went out for the night. We were laying down kissing when I felt water poured on us. I looked up and saw Roman laughing. He and Bella booked it out of the living room. D laughed at me. I jumped up and chased them. I caught Bella and I knew if I caught her Roman would cry to rescue her. I felt him jump on my back. "Ah the culprit." I let Bella go and held Roman. He was still laughing which made me laugh. I carried him back in the living room where Bella was giving D a towel. "Say sorry to her." I set him down.
    "I'm sorry Dani." He laughed.
    "It's okay. You just want your brother to play with you. I should be heading Heaven's house anyway my dad is on his way to get me. I'll see you guys later." She picked up her backpack.
    "We can walk you there. Right Gianni, girls should walk alone right?" He smiled.
    "Yeah Roman and I can walk you." I smiled.
    "No." She hugged me. "I think he wants your attention. He seemed sad earlier. See what's up with him." She whispered to me.
    "Ok, I'll see you tomorrow?" I smiled. She nodded and left. I looked over at Roman and he sat on the floor and played with a watch Bobby got him. I watched him fiddle with it quietly. He did look like something was bothering him. It kind of made me feel bad that I didn't notice it earlier. "Hey man what's wrong?" I sat by him.
    "Nothing." He didn't look up.
    "You can tell me buddy." I slowly moved the watch away to get his attention. "What happened today?"
     "I asked dad this morning could he come to class tomorrow and had out, but he said no. Then Bella asked in the car could he stay and help out in her class and he stayed the whole day with her. He played with her at recess and everything. He didn't play with me." He looked down. "I just wanted him to come hang out with my class. Mom does it, but its dad week for class volunteers. Dre's dad came today and Uncle Raf is coming Friday. Everyone else's dad is coming except for mine." He started crying. I just hugged him because I didn't know what to say. I couldn't think of anything that would excuse our dad's behavior especially since he went to Bella's class today. "Hey, I know what would cheer you up. Go change into play clothes and we can go play outside. You can show me some of your moves." I played with him until our parents came home and we had dinner. After Bella and Roman were sent to bed that night I went to talk to my dad downstairs in his man cave. "Hey dad can I talk to you?" I asked.
    "Yeah, what's up?" He looked over from our homework he was going over.
    "Roman was pretty upset today." I said.
    "Why?" He asked.
    "He said he asked you to come to his class tomorrow and you said no."
    "Yeah, I have meetings tomorrow." He shrugged.
    "But you went to Bella's class today. How is that fair? Mom's in her class all the time."
    "Because I didn't have meetings until 4 today." He chuckled.
    "Dad, you can move your meetings. Roman really wants you to go to his class." I suggested.
    "I can't. I'll be in his class on his birthday like every year. He will get over it. By tomorrow he will have moved on." He brushed the topic off and looked back down.
     "Dad, you were in my classes all the time. The same with Bobby, Angelo, and Bella's. You only ever take time out to go on his birthday. How is that fair to him. He's 7 dad. He doesn't always get what you do and have to do. He just gets that you rather be with Bella than him. He cried dad. Just try to give him a little more attention. He needs it."
    "And you need to go to bed. You have a physics test first thing. Goodnight Gianni."
    "Dad."
    "Goodnight son."
    "Night." I shuffled upstairs all the way to my parent's room. I knocked and the door and she told me to come in. "Hey mom, after my physics test tomorrow can I spend the day in Roman's class since dad can't? I just down want him to not have anyone there this week."
"I don't see a problem why not. After your first period I'll call in a pass for you."
"Thanks mom. Don't tell him in the morning though. I want it to be a surprise for him you know. I love you goodnight." I left her room and made my way to mine. I peeked in Roman's and noticed him tossing and turning. I went and turn his nightlight on and his TV at a low volume. I covered him up. He stopped and drifted into a more peaceful sleep.