Cecilia
- Mama, Valentine and I want to sleep here with you!
Melina clearly pulled at her father's side of getting what she wants in an inevitable way of denying herself, holding her brother's little hand with a gentle look, it would be quite difficult to resist but the gentle look, she pulled from me for sure.
- But of course, my love, you can come stay with Mommy!
They ran to the bed and lay down beside me, Melina on the right and Valentine on the left, each clinging to me as a way to be closer.
- Mama, Valentine says he is my brother now!
- Yes, my beautiful one! Do you like it?
They held hands between me, their bond is so beautiful and special that I can't understand how the two of them got along so well in this short period of time. They have never seen each other before and already they are united like that, it's really impressive.
- I liked it but I don't understand one thing, mama, is his papa going to be my papa too?
- Little daughter, would you like to have him as your daddy?
Melina continued to hold her brother's hand while he smiled at her. I understood that I couldn't force my daughter to see Dario as her father and I don't even know if it's time for her to know her real origin, so I will give her the opportunity to choose.
- No, mama! I have already talked to Valentine about it and he understands, don't you, brother?
- Mama, Melina wants to meet my father, but I have already told her that between him and you, I prefer you!
Dario made Valentine believe that I am his mother and went even further because he told me that he is my son and told me stories about the time we lived together, and it is clear that even without knowing if his father was telling the truth, Valentine idolizes me.
- My boy, your daddy has bad parts and good parts like all people, the mama also has defects, you need to give a chance to your father, my love!
- No, mama! Papa will not change, you ran away from him because he is bad, I am only going on this trip because you and Melina are going.
I couldn't take away his reason, after all, I ran away from Dario because of what a horrible man he is but I didn't imagine that Valentine was so smart and would connect things, I thought it was better to change the subject before I got into something that would leave him confused.
- Since my little ones are going to sleep with me, how about Mommy tell you a little story?
- Eba, mama! She tells about the princess with the big hair, the one who lived in the castle.
Valentine knew a lot of stories because as soon as I began to tell him the story of Rapunzel, he soon began to mention other stories as well, some that I particularly liked.
- Son, how do you know so many stories like this?
- My dad told me, when he had time to be with me, he used to tell me stories, but now he doesn't have time! Aunt Mari sometimes tells me stories but only at bedtime, it's good but I miss my dad when he used to tell me stories.
Although I feel that Valentine has a grudge against his father, I know that he misses him and his presence as it is natural for a child to feel.
- Little son, your daddy loves you very much but has a hard time expressing what he feels you need to be patient with him and showing him that you love him would be a good start! I know that he has a great love for you, he just doesn't know how to show it, do you understand?
- Yes I do, Mama, he could be like you!
Dario and I have always been very different while he chose to live in the past and feeding on frustrations that would only hurt himself, I decided to move on with my life, loving my family and learning every day to live with my past and all that has happened. I could be someone hurt and full of resentment, but I decided to follow my path without resentment. The children stayed talking to me until a certain time when I finally realized that it was time for bed.
- Now it is time for bed, children!
- Give me your blessing, mama?
Valentine stretched out his hand waiting for me to take his and give the blessing, I thought this act was so beautiful and Melina also wanted the same thing as him. We have the custom of giving the blessing to the children, but sometimes Melina, because she is small, forgets it. My brother is traditional in this regard and every morning since the day the children began to understand, they have asked for a blessing.
- May God bless you, my children! Have a good night, mama loves you.
I soon noticed that my little ones' eyes closed and each one slept deeply and peacefully. In the morning the children woke up first, jumping on the bed and making the biggest mess so that I could wake up.
- Come on, mama! Wake up, we want to play and we are also hungry!
- All right, but only five more minutes!
They both shouted in unison that no, and I had to get up even though I was lazy. I took them to brush their teeth and gave Melina and Valentim a bath, luckily Dario asked one of his security guards to bring a change of clothes for the little boy Emilia gave me as soon as she realized that I was already awake and also sent a bathing suit for the boy, because after breakfast, the children would play in the pool, I thought it was very thoughtful of him to send clothes for the little one because it shows that he cares about his son.
We had breakfast as a family and I noticed how Valentine watched us as if he had never seen this scene before in his life, I tried to make him comfortable and to my surprise, he was comfortable laughing and playing with everyone, especially with Leandra, who once in a while stretched out her arms for him to pick her up, but since he is small, I was worried about letting him.
- Mama, I won't let her fall, let me take Leandra on my lap! I have to protect her because she is small.
- That's exactly why you can't hold her, my son. She could fall off your lap, it's dangerous, don't insist.
I noticed that he was upset but understood that he could not take Leandra on his lap and walk away with her as he wanted, even though my niece kept calling for him. I decided to handle the situation before she started crying in my sister-in-law's lap, I picked her up and put her sitting on Valentine's legs, but I continued to hold my niece so that she would not risk falling, Leandra began to run her hands through his hair and on his face, caressing him.
- My daughter liked you very much, Valentine!
- I liked her too, Auntie, I'm taking her to Italy with me!
Some traits of the Mafia personality unfortunately Valentine already possessed, I know he is still a child, but only someone raised so closely in the milieu would say something like this.
- Boy, Leandra is not going with you anywhere, she is still a baby and you are still a boy.
Even though Romeo said this I noticed Valentine's gaze in his direction, the same gaze that Dario had when he wanted something, I immediately tried to solve the issue before it became a problem.
- My boy, what Uncle Romeo means is that Leandra is still very small and needs him and her mother, so she can't go with you yet. How will she be without her father and mother?
- Sorry, mama, just don't be mad at me, please!
Leandra looked at him smiling which made the tense atmosphere that had become that breakfast end, soon I gave Leandra back to my sister-in-law who started to breastfeed her while we finished breakfast, the children went to the pool with Mama and Luana while Romeo asked to talk to me in the office.
- Cecilia, that boy wanted to take my little girl with him, what kind of upbringing did Dario give this boy?
- Well, you see, Dario is a don of the Albertini Mafia, so he already had a bad upbringing, imagine what he would do with Valentine's upbringing? My brother, the little one is not to blame, now that I am close to him I can try to mold him in a different way, now you understand why we never wanted our children to have contact with the Mafia before their time, you saw how he looked at you when you said you would not take Leandra.
My brother ended up giving me reason, Valentine had this attitude because of the upbringing he had, if he hadn't been raised this way, I am sure he would have been very different.
- You are right! I am grateful that you and Luana have made me see this, now tell me how this trip with Dario will be? I hope you won't give in to him so quickly.
- I don't intend to give in to him, this trip is an opportunity for him to get closer to Valentine and to get to know Melina better.
There were many things involved in this story including the fact that assuming Valentine would have obligations that I could not run away from, this boy already has a very difficult life so that after giving him the glimpse of having a mother, I would abandon him without caring about his feelings.
- Sister, I always knew that even though you loved Tomas very much, you still had some feelings for Dario Albertini, but I know that you will make him suffer to get you back. Dario doesn't deserve the rare gem that he is but in the end the choice is yours and whatever it is I will be by your side!
I hugged my brother knowing that I would have his support no matter what choice he made, and that was enough for me.
- Furthermore, I hope you have a good trip and that you give Don Albertini a lot of trouble, he needs a good lesson after having done what he did to you!
- You can be sure, brother, that I will teach him a lesson!