Page 81 of Mafia And Maid
“What’s wrong?”
“Uh… Hi to you. Nothing’s wrong. I just…” Fuck. Asking for help shouldn’t be this hard. I should be able to figure this all out on my own. But I don’t know the first thing about kids, and I haven’t got a clue where to start.
“Camillo?”
“Sorry. I just need some advice.”
I hear my cousin, Lorenzo, settle into his chair as the creak of leather sounds over the speaker.
“And you’re asking me?”
“Yeah. I asked Marco and Alessio already, but their advice wasn’t helpful. It’s about kids.”
He pauses for a few moments. “Did you knock someone up?”
“What? Fuck. No!” I drag a hand down my face and lean forward so my elbows rest on my knees. “It’s complicated.”
The next twenty minutes are me filling Lorenzo in on the whole Ethan situation. I purposely leave out the fact that I want to impress Rosa and that I want to show her I can be there for both of them. From the amused tone as he asks questions, I’m sure he already knows.
“So, any advice? Because I know how Clara was pretty quiet and withdrawn when she was younger.” Clara is Lorenzo’s oldest daughter. He had a lot of issues with her after his first wife died, and it wasn’t until he remarried that things started to improve for his family—although things were pretty rocky with his new wife to start with, especially as it was an arranged marriage. It’s hard to comprehend everything he went through when you see how happy he is with his wife now.
“Yeah, I think I can help.”
I pace, making mental notes as Lorenzo offers some suggestions. Crafts and games. Read stories together so that we have something to talk about. Take it slow—baby steps. Let Ethan dictate the interaction. Talk about what we’re doing instead of asking direct questions. Keep it all low key so as not to increase his anxiety.
It’s all solid advice. I can do this.I hope.
“Is she pretty?”
“What?” I bluster.
“The girl you’re trying to impress, Camillo?”
“Wow, look at the time,” I say in a rush. “I gotta go.”
Lorenzo’s laughter fills my ear, and I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face.
“Good luck.”
“Thanks, Lorenzo. I owe you.”
I make a mad dash to my room, knowing Ethan and Rosa are downstairs still. After a quick shower, I dress for the meeting atthe casino, my mind whirling. On the way back, I’ll stop to get the necessary things.
I feel my heart racing in my chest. Because if this doesn’t work, and if this blows up in my face, I don’t know what I’m going to do.
***
I’m standing in the living room, and I see Ethan hovering in the doorway. His small hands are gripping the doorframe while he looks into the room through his eyelashes.
He’s still skittish around me, and I want to make this work for Rosa’s sake, but more than that, I want Ethan to feel comfortable around me. I’ve got Lorenzo’s advice now, but I still need to take that first step. And although ways to break the ice keep running through my mind, none of the ideas ever seem quite right...
I look at what's caught Ethan's attention. Mr. Fluffy is lying on the rug in front of the fireplace. Although the dog is a lazy greedy guts, he’s also gentle, patient, and cuddly. Could he be the way to reach Ethan?
I crouch down onto my haunches next to the dog, rubbing his ears, and then I look up at Ethan. “Hey, Ethan,” I say, deliberately keeping my voice light. “Have you petted Mr. Fluffy yet?”
Ethan barely moves, but his eyes flicker from me to Mr. Fluffy and back again. He follows this with a slight shake of his head, just a tiny movement, but he doesn’t take a step forward. I can see the hesitation in him, the uncertainty. “He’s friendly, you know,” I continue. “He loves meeting new friends.”
I bring my hand down to pat Mr. Fluffy’s side, and his tail thumps against the floor, his eyes half-closed in contentment. In this relaxed state, I’m hoping that maybe Mr. Fluffy will help put Ethan at ease. “You can come closer if you want. You don’t need to be scared of him,” I add. “He’s just like a big fluffy teddy bear.” I make sure not to liken him to a grizzly bear this time.