18+ Private We Could Live Off of Magic and Maybes

[Wisp]

"Ah, you'll have to wait just a little longer. I'm gonna call Nonno and tell him we're ready so we can eat soon."

Ori's expression lit up along with Seli, only for their excitement on the topic to be put aside so that their father could make his phone call. Still, Orion couldn't hold back his desire for attention, primarily at the mention of Nonno.

Orion followed Rosario to the back door, only to look up at his father in disappointment at the realization that he was not invited to this conversation between father and son. A little huff leaving his lips as he went back to his younger sister and picked up the Ipad.

"Come on Seli, let's wait for Mama."

~~~ Tiny Time Skip ~~~

Once the door was shut, Rina stripped off the t-shirt she still wore. Her scarlet gaze ran over the lines of her figure. She probably needed to go easy on the cake tonight, perhaps the pasta too. She ran her fingers through her bangs as she fixed her hair. Pulling out her cosmetics bag she quickly freshened up her makeup before putting on the blue dress. The lace sleeves fell off the shoulder while the flowy powder blue fabric grazed her curves carefully. Light and simple just like how Wendy dressed in the animated movie. She smiled softly before stepping out of her room.

The realization that the twins were waiting quietly for her spoke volumes about the situation. Ori had a pensive expersion on his little face as he watched the video, though it was Seli that looked up at her first. Rina smiled and walked into the kitchen. She didn't hesitate to make them another plate of fresh fruits and cheese. Though dinner would certainly be soon, it wouldn't hurt them to enjoy some good snacks.

She then sat beside Ori on the couch and placed the plate on the table before picking up some grapes and snacking away herself.

"Mama, look! Justin from Looky Look has a cool dart gun! It looks like the one Uncle Tonio has!! Can I please get it?"

Rina looked at her son with a smile before holding out a grape for him. Ori happily took the fruit and ate it.

"We shall see. You two still have quite a few presents to open after we cut the cake."

Ori's eyes lit up at the mention of Birthday presents. It was very clear that he wanted to skip over the formalities and go straight for the fun, but he understood that self restraint was an important skill for a great man like Nonno to have. Ori would certainly do his best to be the same.

"Why is Papa taking so long on the phone? Nonno doesn't usually talk that much."

Rina just smiled and ran her hand over Seli's small back. She had her guesses, but it would probably be something she had answered later.

"Nonno and Papa have lots to discuss today. They will be with us soon, so just enjoy your video il mio tesoro"

@Ansaldo

 

[Ansaldo]

On the other end of the line, Rosario could hear the stern voice of his father, once again reminding him of how bad an idea he thought this all was. Rosario could even imagine his father's face as he drew his lips into a thin frown, and his brows furrowed. The kind of face a man in deep, troubling thought made. Before, Rosario hadn't understood why his father of all people was so against him meeting his own children. Not after it'd been so long, and he was more than secure on his own. He'd been too angry to ask either. Now though, after everything that Rina had shared with him, he understood a little better. Angry, though he still was, the faint lines of recognition were there.

"Well, it's done. I'll see you when you get here, Babbo."

Rosario thumbed the end call button and stuffed his phone into his pocket, letting out a long exhale of frustration, before closing his eyes and slowly taking a breath in an attempt to calm himself. It only partially worked, but nonetheless, Rosario put on a smile for his kids, and went back inside.

"Alright i miei amori, Nonno's almost here! You'll get to eat soon, promise," the blonde said as he entered, his eyes quickly finding Rina and his children. "Oh, Mamma made you some more snacks," he observed, sitting on an arm of the couch next to Seli. "Are they yummy?" he asked, gently patting his daughter on the back. She was so small, she and Ori both. Precious, the both of them.

And then he looked to Rina as well, the mother of his children. It'd been so long, and things were so different now. In so many more ways than he could've ever imagined. She was different too, but in many ways it seemed she was still the same. Rosario would not have dared to believe she might still love him after all this time, but after everything she'd shared, the man began to wonder. He would be a part of their life, no matter what, but...Best not get ahead of himself, Rosario decided, and set his thoughts aside.

@Wisp

 

[Wisp]

The twins now seemed to be lost in their own little worlds. As the minutes ticked by with Rosario outside in the back and the twins occupied on the ipad, Rina couldn't help but feel a bit more peaceful than usual. The sleepy feeling she was so used to fighting against was starting to creep up on her as Ori and Seli focused on the video they were watching. These peaceful moments in her home were precious even though they would hopefully become a more common experience for her.

Ori was the first to perk up as Rosie made is way back into the house. The small boy glanced up only long enough to grab some grapes and go back to his video. His interest in the male only half as he was entralled by the people on the screen. Seli on the other hand leaned in to her father's touch as she felt his hand on her back. Her equally dark amethyst gaze moving to look at her father as he spoke.

"The snacks are always yummy. Mama is a very good cook! Have you not tried her snacks Papa? We can share."

Seli held up her hand full of grapes and cheese for the older blonde to try. Her lips curled back in a grin as she waited to see what her father's response would be.

Rina pressed her fingertips to her lips as she fought back a yawn. It was becoming clear that all of the anxiety about today which kept her bustling about the space in the hour or so before ex's arrival had now escaped her body and merely left a worn out shell.

"Should we play a game? Or will your father will be arriving too soon? I might fall asleep before dinner if he makes us wait much longer, so kicking some butt at Uno might be a good way to pass the time."

Rina grinned as Ori and Seli's gaze lit up at the idea of beating both of their parents at the game they'd instructed their father in some time ago and was still scattered on the table next to their snacks.

"What do you say, Rosie?"

@Ansaldo

 

[Ansaldo]

It was impossible for one not to smile when a child happily offered to share anything with you, even if it was just a handful of grapes and cheese. Least of all when the child who was offering to share was your own child, Rosario thought as he took a grape from the girl. "Oh, why thank you Seli. Your mother's raised you well," Rosario chuckled with a sidelong glance towards Caterina, the comment meant more for her benefit than for Selena's.

"Yeah! Mama's the best!" Seli said with innocent joy. "She's always working hard for us!" Rosario's smile faltered, if only for a moment, regretting not being able to help the mother of his children take care of them. Only a moment. "Well, I'll have to work just as hard then, won't I? That way, Mama can finally take a break and spend some more time with you two."
"Are you gonna spend more time with us too, Papa?" Ori spoke up, only tearing his eyes off the screen for a moment with a hopeful expression. "I'd like to. But we'll have to see. I'll definitely come see you two though."

Apparently, both children found that answer satisfactory, as Seli went back to nibbling on her food, leaning into Rosario, and Orion was drawn back in to his moving pictures. Their temporary calm was ruined almost immediately though as Caterina suggested playing some more Uno, and Rosie smiled at the woman. "Sure, I think we can sneak a game in before my dad gets here." A chorus of cheers from the children rose up in the room as they scrambled to gather up all the cards and messily mix them up, almost knocking over the little bowl of fruit. Rosie pushed the bowl back towards the center of the table as he sat on the floor opposite the couch.

@Wisp

 

[Wisp]

Rina couldn't hide her smile as Rosario and Ori settled themselves on opposite sides of the table. Her son clearly favored his father's mannerisms as they seemed to adjust in their siting positions and even their expressions. This game would certainly be a sight to behold as Seli also took a seat on the floor across from her while her mother picked up the cards and began to shuffle the deck.

"Okay so, we're keeping it fair. Uno rules, so no stacking your draw twos or draw fours. Your father is still new to this game, remember that."

Rina spoke with a knowing smile as she glanced at Rosie. The twins nodded as they began excitedly collecting their cards.

~~~Small Time Skip~~~

"Uno!"

Seli cried out as she laid down a red number card on top of the pile. A toothy grin showing her excitement as she looked up at her mother. Rina couldn't suppress her chuckle though as she placed a draw two down on the deck and looked towards her son. Ori's own expression shifted to one of intense focus though as he looked at the cards in his hand.

"Mama no! Seli is gonna beat us if you make me draw cards...."

Ori couldn't hide his intentions as he looked up at his mother with the best puppy dog expression he could craft. Even at barely six years old this boy knew how to charm a girl. Rina let out a little laugh and ruffled the boy's hair.

"Draw your cards, Ori. Daddy's turn is next."

Ori let out a little huff before picking up his cards. Though the irritation seemed to subside as a definitive knock came at the door. Both twins looked at each other with excitement in their expression.

It seemed that their grandfather had finally arrived...

@Ansaldo

 

[Ansaldo]

Rosario let out a low chuckle as Ori complained about being forced to draw more cards. Rosario didn't know when it'd become a team game, but the boy's antics were amusing to say the least. Seli's just as much, as she stuck her tongue out at her brother. "Be nice to your brother," Rosario said as he brushed his fingers through the girl's hair. "Don't worry Ori, you're about to beat your old man, I think."

But the knock sounded off the door, and it drew the attention of everyone present. The twins were excited, but Rosario's lips drew themselves into a thin line as he stared at the door for just a moment. Caterina, he didn't look. "I'll get it," Rosario said, standing and walking over to the door.

The knob turned and Rosario pulled the door open. And there standing, was his father. The blonde-haired man had faint streaks of white in his hair now, and his clean shaven faced was wrinkling with time, but his eyes were sharp. In all honesty, Aurelio Amantea wasn't even that old yet. In his mid-sixties only, a good age when people were out to put bullet in your head, a knife in your belly, and a bomb in your car.

And yet he'd thought he could protect his grandchildren better than their own father. That their father wasn't smart enough to sort things out for himself.

The thought played at the edge of Rosario's mind as he stepped to the side to let his father in with only a: "Hey dad," by way of greeting.

The children couldn't contain their excitement any longer though, and bolted towards their grandpa, shouting "Nonno!" all the while. "Oh, my grandchildren!" the man said with a grin on his face as he knelt down and scooped them both into his arms. "How have you two been? Behaving yourselves?" he asked. Both the twins nodded vigorously. "Yeah!" Ori said, "I helped Mama do the dishes last night!"
"And I helped set the table for today!"
"Oh, siete così bravi, bambini,"

Finally, Aurelio stood, and look at Caterina first, then at Rosario. "So, shall we?" he said, gesturing towards the dining room. "I'd hate for the food to get cold."

@Wisp

 

[Wisp]

Rina observed the exuberant response the children had to their grandfather's arrival. The twins moved light tiny streaks of yellow and silver as their small bodies crashed into their grandfather's larger frame. Rosario clearly inherited his father's stature and from the way their genetics worked, Orion would eventually have a similar build as he grew.

A soft smile graced her lips. Seeing the twins so overjoyed brought a light flutter to her heart. It was always like this when they got to see their grandfather and now the joy was doubled for them with the arrival of their father in their life as well. Still, she hesitated to do much beyond nod her head in greeting as the twins were lowered to the ground and rushed towards the table at their grandfather's mention of the dinner.

Seli was quick to grab her father's hand as the door was closed behind their grandfather's form as the family's patriarch made his way to his seat at the head of the table. Ori mimicked the same with his mother as Rina followed the child's lead and took a seat to the left of Aurelio where the table sat full of delicious selections and the cakes that she'd prepared in celebration of the twin's birthday.

Finally, the moment of celebration was upon them after such a long wait.

~~~~~Small Time Skip~~~~~


Mamma, mi sembra che la pancia stia per esplodere. Posso finire adesso?

Seli put down her spoon as she looked up from her half finished plate of pasta. Her violet orbs shown with a bit of exhaustion as well. It seemed the weight of the food was enough to begin wearing down the younger of the two. Ori on the other hand was still eating with a quickness that could only rival a ravenous animal, though it wasn't a surprise since he tended to love her homemade pasta.

"Seli you gotta finish your food! Nonno already said we gotta eat it all before we can open our presents!"

The silvery haired boy looked up at his sister with an urgent expression. The last thing he clearly wanted to do was miss out on something so important, not that the cake was forgotten either. Rina smiled and observed as her daughter's gaze kept drifting to the delicious strawberry topped dessert that was waiting for them to finish their meal.

"Three more bites. If you can do that, I'm sure Nonno and your daddy would love to open gifts with you before we have cake."

She looked up at Rosie and gave him a knowing smile, she certainly hoped that he would agree with her conditions for their daughter.

@Ansaldo

 

[Ansaldo]

Ori rushed past Rosario, who's eyes were still locked firmly on his father, and grabbed Rosario's hand, dragging him along towards the small dining room. Stiff necked, Rosario allowed his son to drag him towards the table, his gaze hardly lingering on Aurelio.

The meal was delicious. Rosario hadn't realized how much he'd missed Rina's cooking. There was little that beat a homemade meal, and frankly, her pasta was second to none. His mother might've loved the girl on that fact alone. The way Aurelio had always talked about her, Rosario had garnered that his mother was both a proud woman, but one who felt no shame in admitting when someone had bested her. Or matched her cooking. Matched. Rosario wished he'd gotten to know her.

At least the good food made the awkward near-silence more bearable. Neither of the Amantea's had said a word since grace, and the quiet was broken only by the sounds of forks on plates and the chatter of the children. Rosario spent most of his time watching his children.

The way Ori practically shovelled his food in his mouth, not a care in the world about decorum or how messy he might be, while Seli barely managed to restrain herself, perhaps in an effort to mimic her mother, or maybe just make her Papa and Nonno proud.

"Three more bites. If you can do that, I'm sure Nonno and your daddy would love to open gifts with you before we have cake."

Rosario blinked and looked over at Rina, feeling her eyes on him. He gave a smile as he shifted his gaze towards the children again. His heart wasn't in it this time, though they'd not notice. "You heard your mother, Seli. Altri tres morti."

The poor girl (oh, how she suffered) took a deep breath, before choking down three more bits. To her credit they were big bites. Bigger than necessary. Ori had, somehow, managed to devour the rest of his food in that time. Rosario still managed a genuine chuckle watching the two.

"Alright. Go play in the other room until your mother, Nonno, and I are done," Rosario said to the children, who leapt out of their seats (or in Seli's case, slid out of her chair) and made their way to the living room again.

Rosario's smile faded as the children left the room, and he turned towards his father, frown deeply set upon his face. "So? Anything you'd like to say for yourself?" the man asked with an unmistakable accusatory tone.
Aurelio seemed unfazed as he said, "And what would I possibly have to say?"
"You kept my children, your grandchildren secret from me. You paid Rina not to tell me," Rosario gestured with a hand, as he spoke.

@Wisp

 

[Wisp]

She picked at the food on her plate in silence as the children worked to finish their meals. Rina let a soft smile cross her lips as she watched Seli's expression of excitement at the mention of playing. It seemed the little blonde's second wind had settled in as she jumped down from her chair and rushed after her brother. Ori was well out of the room and across the small home to play in their rooms.

Rina twirled her fork around a stray pasta noodle as she assessed what to do in this situation. Rosario, though a patient man, was not one to chew on his anger for long.

Aurelio on the other hand was calm. With a soft clink he sat his fork down on the plate and wiped his mouth as Rosario spoke. His posture was perfect in the chair. Rina had to admit the man carried himself with an air that even a super classy movie villain couldn't quite match.

"Mio dio figlio. Non hai decoro."

Aurelio crossed his arms as his gaze seemed to sharpen upon his son's statement. Rosario seemed to be agitated, but those feelings were not something the elder could ignore. In many ways he understood his son's feelings on the topic. It was a conversation that he had once hoped would not come to pass so soon.

"I will answer your questions, but keep in mind the walls here are thin. I do not intend to ruin my grandchildren's day with an argument. I am aware that Caterina has already explained the story to you then."

Aurelio's gaze shifted to Rina before going back to his son.

"I had no intention of involving you, Rosario. I merely did what any parent would to protect their child. I understand your anger, but you must also understand my decision. Would you not do the same with the life our family leads? Caterina and the children need to be protected, that is the sole reason I am involved now."

Aurelio motioned for Rina to speak up with his hand. The gesture a clear indication of what she still held back even now.

"O-oh...I....got into some trouble." Rina hesitated and looked down at her plate. Her expression was uncertain of what else to say on the topic. She bit her lip and turned her head away from the eyes looking towards her.

Aurelio let out a sigh before pulling a small stack of papers from his jacket's inner pocket. He placed the contract down on the table and slid them over to the space in front of Rosario. The papers clearly outlined a contract concerning Rina's debts and the other information that Rosario had not yet been informed of.

The father then sat in silence as he waited for Rosario to take in the information before him.

@Ansaldo

 

[Ansaldo]

There it was. That infuriating calmness his father had honed over many years. Like he knew he was in the right, and he was playing role of a wise mentor. When Rosario had been younger, it'd been sobering. Because of course his father had been right. But as he'd gotten older, and his father became less and less infallible, it became infuriating. Now more so than ever.

"I merely did what any parent would to protect their child. I understand your anger, but you must also understand my decision." Aurelio has said before Rosario fired back. "How can I when I was never given the opportunity?" His father gave him a level stare as he ignored his son and continued, the kind that said to tread lightly.

The stare was overshadowed by the words. Rosario's eyes slowly slid over to Caterina's, his gaze caught somewhere between asking if there was more, and an accusation that she hadn't told him everything. The sounds of papers striking the table stole away the man's attention. He picked them up and began to examine them closely. Numbers, debts. The kind Caterina would've never been able to pay on her own. Even together they would've hardly made a dent in them while they were both still in college. "The childbirth was...difficult," Aurelio explained with something that approached caution. Rosario's eyes flickered towards Rina again, this time laced with pain and apology. "Your cousin took it upon himself to pay Caterina's medical bills. At an exuberant rate." Rosario tossed the papers back onto the table and leaned back into his seat, arms crossed as he looked at his father again. "I'm sure you can imagine what that would mean for Caterina. What he was really trying to do."

Rosario was silent as he turned over this new information in his mind.

"And you couldn't pay it for her? Or make him clear it?" Rosario asked, the hint of accusation tempered by the sense for reality his father always had.
"No. Not without angering those that feel estranged from the Family. The best I could do was help to keep her out of his hands. We needed friends, Rosario, not enemies. We still do."
"So you played the net-zero game," the younger man sighed.

He picked up the papers again, quickly doing the math in his head. Now, so many years later, at the rate that had been set, there was no hope of paying it off.

Rosario turned to look at Rina again. "Why didn't you tell me about this?" Why not, after she told him everything else?

@Wisp

 

[Wisp]

Rina exhaled softly, her fingers tightening on the hem of her sleeve as she met Rosario’s gaze. His frustration, she had expected. His anger, she could have handled. But the hurt, no that cut deeper than she was ready for.

"I wanted to tell you," she admitted, her voice quiet but steady. "I almost did. So many times. But what good would it have done, love? The damage was already done. The debt was already there, and I was already drowning. And I knew you. You would’ve tried to take it all on yourself. You always do." She shook her head, frustration flickering across her features, not at him, but at herself. "It was supposed to be my burden. My mistake. But it wasn’t even mine to begin with, was it?"

Her hands curled into fists against her lap, but then she unclenched them, rubbing at the base of her thumb as if to soothe an ache that never quite left. She swallowed, glancing away for a moment before forcing herself to meet his gaze again. "My brother did this. He sold me, nearly sold my children, to pay his debts. Yes, my medical bills, but also the gambling. Every bad choice he made, every risk he took, and when he ran out of options, he put me on the table like I was just another bargaining chip....And my mother let him. She let him, Rosario! She stood by while he signed away my life, our children’s lives, like it was the only logical conclusion. And that’s why they’re not in my life anymore. Because if I had let them stay, I don’t know what would’ve been left of me."

Her voice dropped lower, steadier now, though something raw still lingered beneath the surface. "And then the twins, well suddenly, nothing else mattered but them. But making sure they had everything they needed. But making sure he had everything he needed."

Her throat tightened, but she forced herself to push through. "Orion was so fragile when he was born. The doctors weren’t sure he was going to make it through his first night, let alone his first year. Every second felt like a gamble, and I couldn’t afford to lose. So, I pushed everything else to the side. The debt, the fear, the weight of it all pressing down on me. Because Selina and Orion had to come first. They always had to come first."

She let out a slow breath. "And for a while, it was manageable. Barely, but I told myself that as long as I kept my head down, as long as I kept going, I could keep carrying it. That I should carry it. Because telling you. I would be dragging you into it after everything...what good would that have done? You would have done something reckless. Something dangerous." Her voice wavered, but she steadied herself. "But I couldn’t fix it. And I should have told you. I know that now."

Aurelio’s voice came next, his tone measured, calm in that way that had always grated on Rosario. "It is easy to condemn the past with the clarity of the present," he said, fingers drumming against the table. "You think I didn’t want to pay it? That I didn’t consider every path that would keep Caterina safe? That would keep you safe?"

He leaned forward, gaze unwavering. every path that would keep Caterina safe? That would keep you safe?"
"You were young, Rosario. The world you see now is not the world I had to navigate then. I chose the path that would not endanger you. That would not make enemies where we could not afford them." His voice softened, though the weight of his words did not. "You may not agree with my choices, but do not mistake them for inaction. I did what I could with the power I had. And I would do it again if it meant keeping you from bearing a cost you weren’t ready to pay."

@Ansaldo