An Apology - Part II

An Apology - Part II
Antero’s eyes widened at the tone. He grinned up at his father and whispered too loudly, “I think Bastiano wants to punch Raniero in the penis. This is funny.”

“You’re not scared of people arguing?” Torq asked curiously and a bit worriedly.

“No. You’re here. Why would I be scared?”

Torq considered his heart was growing by leaps and bounds as of late. “That means a lot to me.” He leaned down and kissed the boy’s forehead. “I love you and I love knowing you think I keep you safe.”

“You do keep me safe. I’m safest here with you.”

“You sure are.” He looked to Bastiano, “would you like the room? We can leave.”

“No. He owes this entire room apologies. Why should we make it comfortable for him?”

Raniero exhaled loudly, “you’re still very angry.”

“You think?” Bastiano glared at him. “You insulted everything this family has ever stood for and for what? Did you think you could walk back in here today and it all be forgiven with a few words and a pat to the head of a child?”

“No. I didn’t expect it, but I did hope for a chance to make things right.”

“Did your mother ask you to? Let me guess. She’s already blown through the nearly billion dollars in liquid assets from Corrado’s estate and now you need back in.”

“I’m here because I love my family, I love you.” Raniero pled as he stepped closer to Bastiano.

“You love your mother, and she loves money.”

“That’s not fair.”

“Isn’t it?

“I am allowed to love my mother. Antero loves his mother. Torquato loves his mother. You love yours. I love my mother.”

“Then why are you here?”

“It is not mutually exclusive, Bastiano. She gave me life. She raised me on her own. She had no help from family. Yes. I agree. She is a gold-digging pain in the ass with a chip on her shoulder and an attitude which makes me cringe most of the time, but she loves me, and she is my mother. Short of her doing what Corrado did and putting a hit on the family, I will not disown her.”

“Then you’ve made your choice.”

“I have not made my choice.” Raniero threw his hands up in the air. “You are being pigheaded. So, you won’t have mother-in-law of the year the way Alcee will but for the love of God, can you at least let me –”

“Let you what?” Bastiano finally rose from his seat to walk towards Raniero. His fists were clenched at his sides and his jaw set. “Let you twist words? Let you lie? Let you suck up to the family and then once you’re back in, you decide to throw your mother another bone and let her come back and spew her hatred? What is it you want me to let you do?”

“Apologize! I agree. I was out of line when I was here last. I was jealous. I admit I was jealous. Look at him,” he waved at Antero. “He’s fucking adorable and he’s everyone’s favorite and I admit it. I was jealous of a five-year-old kid because I’m a giant asshole but I’m working on it. When the word first came out about Antero and Torq ordered all of us to do some research and talk to the therapist, I brushed it off but this week, I did it. I actually called the damn therapist.” He rubbed his forehead, “Christ Almighty, I went to fucking therapy this week, Bastiano because I know I fucked up. I prebooked eight more sessions. All here. In person. In the city. I’m not leaving.”

“You booked in with the therapist?” Torq commented with a half-smile.

“Yes. I felt it was needed and I’m not ashamed of it. I was fucking jealous of the relationship a child has with his father. I was jealous of my brother’s relationship with his son. I was jealous of the way Bastiano clearly likes Alcee. Everyone likes her and him. She’s incredible and amazing and she struts like she knows her power and I was jealous because I don’t know my place in this family. I don’t know it. Am I the secret brother? Am I the secret lover? Am I the son of the bitch who ruined your family? I don’t know, Torq. All I know is, I’m terribly jealous of both of them and terrified I’ll lose my place in your hearts, and I acted like a child.”

Bastiano folded his arms over his chest and regarded the man coolly. “You’re a brat.”

“I know I am.  I’m terrible for it and I’m sorry. I will do better. When I see Alcee, I’ll apologize to her too.” He stepped closer to Bastiano, “please do not say this is the end of us. I love you. You are my world, Bastiano and I’m not willing to let us go without a fight.” He put a shaking hand on Bastiano’s forearm, “please. Don’t give up on me.”

“Where is your mother? I know you removed her from the house we told you to take her to.”

“I did. I took a chunk of the money from Corrado’s estate, and I moved her. She is my mother, and I love her, but the town is too full of people and friends she’s made over the years. She was already shooting her mouth off about how she didn’t need to be part of Lozano now that she’s rich. She’s not rich. I’m rich but she was telling everyone who would listen how Corrado left her a fortune.”

“Jesus Christ.” Torq grunted.

“So, I bought an island.”

“You what?”

“I bought an island. Only a handful of inhabitants and the staff. I put her in a huge villa overlooking the sea on an island she can’t get off. No internet. The phone is landline only. You need a boat to access the island, and I stationed a pair of guards to ensure she doesn’t manage to call someone to come pick her up. There are gardens there for her to plod around in. I left her some chickens and a cat. I told her if she tries to leave, the next house I put her in might not have glass windows or more than dirt floors.”

Torq snickered, “you put her on an island in the middle of the sea?”

“More off the coast but it was interesting to me how fast things could move when money isn’t an object.” Raniero shrugged carelessly, “all I know is, she is my mother, and I love her, but this is my family, and I love you all too,” he stared at Bastiano, “I love you. I will limit my contact with her. I will not let her influence me to betray this family again. My blood is Lozano, by birth and by choice.”

“You chose her over me!” Bastiano snapped furiously. “You chose your mother over me, over us.”

Torq watched his brother, smoother than a cat, slide his head up under Bastiano’s arm and wriggle into his embrace and blink up at him.

“Forgive me, please? I love you. I will accept any punishment you put on the table, except leaving me. I can’t let you leave me.”

“Did he just purr?” Antero made a face of disgust as Raniero rubbed his cheek on Bastiano’s chest. “That’s weird.”

“I agree.” Cicciu made a shivering movement and sighed, “forgive him already, Bastiano. We have to get to the church, and your pet cat still needs to get into his suit.”

Bastiano sighed loudly and wrapped his arms around Raniero, “brat.” He kissed the top of his head. “I love you. Pull this shit again and I’ll strangle you to death and bury you on your mother’s island.”

“It’s my island. We can go there and make her uncomfortable any time you like.” He pursed his lips for a kiss.

Torq smiled at the lovebirds and clapped his hands, “alright then. We have a wedding to attend!”

Antero folded his arms, “not without Avalanche.”

Torq closed his eyes and groaned, “fuck.”