I don’t think that that will ever change, but in this one thing, I can only try to make the blow softer or easier to take, but I can’t stop what’s coming to a head. Hopefully, they’d both come out stronger on the other side; who knows. I’m committed to doing my best to make sure they both heal.
“Come on, let’s go together. Oh, here he comes. Look at him, look at his face, so relaxed.”
“You’re right. He looks…. happy.” She said it with a hint of surprise in her voice, and I wondered if she only now realized that our son hadn’t been happy in years. Not since the night, she told him the truth or her version of it anyway.
We didn’t have to walk out to meet him because he came to us. Even after he’d moved out, he still comes by every morning when he’s home before doing anything else. “Ma, Pop, morning.”
“We were just getting ready to come over.”
“Go ahead, Ma; I wanna talk to Pop, and just FYI, they’re not to leave the house until I get back.”
“Why is that?” He didn’t answer, and I almost laughed at the flustered look on his mother’s face before she left the room.
“Morning, son, how was the first night of fatherhood?” His huge smile was all the answer I needed.
“It’s the best Poppa, like nothing I ever imagined…. what is it?”
“Do you know why I was so quiet back there at the warehouse last night? You called me Poppa like you just did. You haven’t called me that since the day you learned you were adopted.”
“Did I? I didn’t even realize; it just slipped out, I guess.”
“I like it; it should slip more often. Now, what is it you wanna talk to me about?”
“Are they still in the place across from Gianna’s?”
“Yeah! I think they’re leaving in a day or so. After they meet with you, I guess.”
“I’m heading over there now, just thought I should let you know.”
Before we could even leave the room, we both saw Lance hot-footing it from the direction of the guesthouse.
“What was he doing over there? Another baby hog, damn.” Lance came into the house calling out for us.
“We’re in here. I wonder what’s eating him?” He sounded out of sorts.
“Good, you’re both here. You’ve got to help me.” Immediately we both grew alarmed.
“What happened?” It never ceases to amaze me how Gabe is always ready to drop everything for his friend.
“Not what, but who. The damn twins are making me crazy.” We both relaxed as this was nothing new. Lance and the twins are forever butting heads because, like their brother, he bosses them around but in his own way. He’s more in your face than the laid-back approach Gabe uses.
“What happened now?”
“Natalia, that’s what. Listen, I don’t know who this girl is, she claims she’s your sister, I don’t know how, but the brother kinda looks like you a little, so I figure she could be a long-lost cousin or some crap, you Italians call everybody family, you’re like black people, whatever.”
“Anyhow, I figure she’s related to you; you’re off who knows where doing who knows what, and she’s hurt or afraid or something. She gravitates towards me from the first day we met for some reason, and since she’s your sister-cousin, what the hell? I can’t just ignore her when she calls.”
“But the twins got wind of this and have made my life hell. I’m not allowed to speak to Natalia, or they won’t speak to me ever again. I don’t know what she did to them, but when I tell you I’ve never seen them hate anyone this much, I’m not exaggerating. They despise this girl; she’s only been here a few days.”
“So, I decided to keep the peace. I’ll stay away from Natalia, but she has my number, so she calls. Last night after the party, she went back to Gramps’ place and called, remember I told you I was over there? Anyway, apparently, someone in the twins’ spy network saw me leaving over there and told the twins, now I’m being disowned.”
“I had to park my car over at the guesthouse; guess why.” He turned to me, and I held my hands up and stepped back. No way in hell!
“Fine, Unc, you sit this one out, but how much did you pay for that classic car? You know, the one you gave me? Because your crazy daughters won’t only put sugar in the tank, the muffler, and who knows where else, they’d probably torch the shit. So help me out here.”
“Just stop seeing Natalia.” Gabe just succinctly dropped that in there. Lance looked at him like he was speaking a foreign language.
“Have you ever denied the twins anything?”
“Well, no, they’re too damn spoiled.”
“So ask yourself why you’re refusing to give them this one thing.”