43.

Vincent Giovanni

“Daddy Vincey,” AJ whines.

“What’s wrong little one?” I ask as I help him put on his shoes.

He points at his knee and I look at the little scratch, he scraped his knee while he was running away from his bath time.

I kiss his knee and place a band-aid on it and he smiles at me.

“Thank you,”

I pick him up and turn around, Julie is standing by the bathroom door and she walks towards the both of us. I am always mesmerized by the way she moves her hips when she walks, and her silk gown isn’t helping at all.

“My two favourite boys,” she kisses us both on the cheek and I frown.

“Hey, I’m your boyfriend here, I deserve a kiss on the lips,”

She chuckles, “I’m still mad at you, now shoo, I want to change and start packing for our trip,”

I sigh, “Fine, you see what I have to put up with AJ,”

The boy gives me a confused look, “You’ll understand when you’re older.”

We go downstairs and I prepare his breakfast while he watches Peppa Pig, I get his bottle and porridge and get into the lounge, I put his bib on and I sit him on my lap.

“Time to eat buddy,” I say and he eagerly looks at his plate.

It’s an effortless task to feed the boy, once he’s fed, I give him his bottle and I place him down on the couch and go into the kitchen to pack his things, his parents should be arriving any minute.

“Daddy Vincey,’ AJ calls out.

“I’m coming AJ,” I reply and I rush out to see what he wants he points to the door and I pick him up, not wanting to leave him alone, I don’t want to lie, I’ve grown attached to the boy, I walk to the door and open it.

It’s Mona and Gio.

“Hey guys, you’re here early?”

AJ sequels and jumps into his mother’s arms, who showers him with kisses before handing him over to his dad, who gives him a big hug and a kiss.

“Missed you too, AJ,” Gio chuckles.

“I hope that’s okay, we didn’t wake you, did we?” Mona asks nervously.

“No, no come in, I was just packing his things,” I reply.

I walk them to the lounge and they both sit down, they both seem tired, being social isn’t my thing, so I do the best thing I know, I run.

“Let me finish packing his things, I’ll be right back but make yourselves at home,” I say and disappear into the kitchen and to the staircase.

“Julie, they are here,” I say and I burst into the room.

She looks at me and smiles, “Oh good, I want to hear all the juicy details,”

I roll my eyes, “Yeah, go to that while I get AJ’s things.”

She puts her phone on the counter and walks past me spanking my ass and leaves the room. I rub my ass before picking up AJ’s overnight bag and nappy bag, I pick up his teddy and blanket and leave the room. I head downstairs and find Gio in the kitchen helping himself to my secret bottle of whiskey.

“Fratello, why?”

He gives me the middle finger and stares at him, “I take it date night didn’t go well.”

He nods as he puts the glass down and pours himself another glass of whiskey, “She hates me, Mario, she fucking hates me.”

Shit, I have a feeling that this is my fault.

I go into the lounge and Julie is holding Mona in her arms, she’s crying. Julie gives me a defeated look and I put the bags down and turn my attention to Gio.

“Let’s step outside for a minute,” I say, as I open the door to the garden, “Leave to alcohol inside, I need you sober,”

I groan and he pushes past me and steps outside.

“Talk to me Fratello, what’s wrong?”

He sighs, “Everything was going great last night, the food was great, the wine was great, and she looked gorgeous, like she does all the time, as soon conversation about you and the mafia started shit went sideways,”

“I told her that I have been loyal to the mafia my whole life, that it’s my bread and butter and she told me that I don’t care about her or our son, that I’m being selfish and I told her to offer a better solution, I have a criminal record, where am I going to find a decent job to keep us afloat, she didn’t answer me.”

“Let me stop you there, I love you Gio, you’re my best friend, fuck it you’re my brother and as your brother, I have to admit that I’ve wronged you and I was selfish to force you to stay but that was because a part of me knew that it would be hard for you if you left but I’ve always looked after you and your family and I will never stop,”

He closes his eyes as though he was trying to keep himself from crying.

“I appreciate you saying that and I know everything you do is in my best interest, I just don’t know if Mona and I can get through this,”

“You love Mona, right?”

“Of course,”

“Then you will get through this, tell her that you’ll take care of her, and your son, and start getting involved, emotionally and financially, be there Gio, I know it’s one thing that you struggle with being there emotionally,”

Gio looks at me with tears in his eyes, “I don’t want to lose her man, I love that woman.”

I walk to him and hug him, “It’s okay Fratello.”

I look over at the door and Julie signals for me to come inside, I tell Gio and we go inside and into the lounge, we sit down and Julie sits beside me.

“Mona, Gio, we love you guys and there is nothing more than we would love to see than to see you guys happy we just want to let you know that we are here for you, no matter what,” Julie says.

“I agree with Julie, we are here for you three, you’re family,”

“Thank you, guys,” Mona smiles through her tears.

“Gio, I know that coming back from prison wasn’t easy for you and Julie having Gio back wasn’t easy either, he had missed out on a lot, the birth of his child, his first words and his first everything and I understand why you would feel like he doesn’t understand you and AJ. What I’m trying to say is give him time, let him be, let him adjust and be there for you,”

“And Gio, listen to her, understand her needs, get to know her and her son, but also open up more, emotionally, okay,” I add.

“Right, start small, when AJ goes to school, sit down, talk in a calm mature manner and talk through your differences step by step and you’ll see things start to get better,”

Gio and Mona look at each other and smile, “I’m willing to try that,”

“Me too,” Gio says.

“Good, now get your sorry asses out of here, we have our couples retreat to get to,” Julie laughs.

We all laugh, and we stand up and hug each other.

“Thank you, guys, for everything,” Gio says.

“Yeah, have fun and come back with a baby,”

Julie laughs, “We’ll see.”

We usher them out and say goodbye.

I guess there is no such thing as perfect love, we all struggle and fall, we fight, we make up, we kiss and punch holes through walls because we are all bad at love but as long as we are still together, we can be bad at love together.