The Empire's Descent (First Draft)

Chapter 11: Bring You Home

Author's Note:

The term "bring you home" means, in this case, helping someone return to a sense of normalcy and reintegrating them with society. It is used in association with people who have been kept away from regular social interaction and as such find it hard to come back. For example: police officers who have been undercover for a while, military personnel and, usually, long-term kidnap victims etc.

Artist&Song: Beyoncé feat. Kendrick Lamar- "Freedom"

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"Girls, meet your big brothers, Giorgio and Maffeo, I don't know where the rest are..." he looked to Gio for an answer. He received a shrug and then Gio looked away. Oh, hell... Luca's phone rang. He stepped into his downstairs study to answer, leaving the girls with their other brothers. Lorenzo had slinked off somewhere.

Ada held back a shaking Mma, the child was practically vibrating with excitement! Ada knew she wanted to go rub their faces.

"Let go, please. So pretty, yes?" She looked up at Ada while squirming.

"You can let go, Ada," advised Danna. Ada knew she didn't mean indefinitely, but she felt like as soon as she gave them the okay, they would leave her...

Her brothers stayed rooted to their spot, allowing the girls room to initiate contact or not, but their eyes remained trained on the girls. Ada, seeing the girls' desperation to meet their other brothers, let Mma go and nodded. That was all it took for Mma to take off and she launched herself at Maffeo who toppled over and hadn't had a second to breathe before Mma began rubbing her face on his. Danna was subtler, and stretched her hand to Giorgio, who scooped her in his arms and embraced her.

Ada could see the love of family among them as they laughed freely, but she didn't feel a part of it; she felt like she was intruding. Giorgio next had his arms full of Mma who rubbed her face on his and Maffeo hugged Danna.

Giorgio began approaching the quiet baby girl by the door, when she saw him, she held her hands up and stopped him.

"I'm not them. Leave me alone," she advised. That sobered the festive air. Mma was already styling Giorgio's hair so, she was wrapped in that, but Danna looked on in pity knowing her big sister was craving to share in this; she just didn't understand and was afraid.

"Won't you give us a chance to know you, little one?" Giorgio offered.

"I don't need to know you and you don't want to know me".

Her words were harsh so, the boys didn't hear the silent cry in it. They turned away from her and continued doting on her sisters.

Ada felt a hollow feeling inside and she gripped the place she felt it. Why are feelings tangible? She dragged her feet to the chair in the nook and observed the happiness before her. She closed her eyes and imagined an alternate world where she was normal.

Meanwhile, Luca was in his office seething. Gianni had completely destroyed two of his biggest deals this fiscal year and, on top of that, he got in a brawl at a bar and there were scandals everywhere! Luca was going to kill him.

"Marco, tell me this shit can be fixed!" He barked down the phone.

"Sir, we have a hold on the tabloids, but the deals, I'm afraid, require your direct presence," Marco reported.

"Where is the little shit!?" Luca continued yelling. He wasn't mad at the losses, but rather Gianni's complete and utter lack of responsibility. Gianni had been begging to have more responsibilities and he had shown great promise when dealing with the smaller accounts. So, why, when the call of duty sounded, did he fail?