Chapter 25–Atine
Chapter 25 – Alice
“And that’s Rainbow Dash! She likes to fly, so she will stay on your lap where it is highest.” Millie skipped across the garden until she reached where Massimo was, placing her little plastic pony on his knee.
“Uh… Thanks. I will take care of her.” Massimo promised hesitantly, taking the toy between his hands as if he didn’t know what to do with it, and Alice wasn’t very successful in containing her laughter, as he immediately turned to her, irritated “I think I’ve already had a sunbath long enough. Why don’t we continue this game inside?” he offered to Millie, as careful and gentle as if he were dealing with a soap bubble.
“But we just arrived.” Millicent blinked, confused “We still have plenty of time to play!” She clapped her hands, running to get one of her baby dolls, but instead of giving it to Massimo, she took the pacifier and tiny bib off the toy
“Let’s play house. I’ll be the mommy, mommy will be the daddy and you’ll be the baby.” Millie announced excitedly, holding out the toy pacifier to him, and Alice doubted that one day she would see anything funnier than the face Massimo made at that moment.
“What?! Why can’t I be the daddy and you the baby?” he asked, in shock.
“Because mommy already calls me baby.” Millie snorted, as if it were obvious “I want to be mommy now! Take your pacifier, baby! I’ll make your bottle!” she left the toy on his lap “You can play until mommy brings the food.”
“This…” Massimo seemed to be trying to find the right words to say, but Millie was faster and ran to the small wooden toys that simulated a kitchen, pretending to stir something in the pans “How did I end up here… ?” he grumbled, but not enough so that Alice couldn’t hear him.
“I don’t think babies can talk.” She teased him, sitting next to him to get out of the shade of the trees and let the sun reach her too.
“Don’t think you can use a child to convince me to do whatever you and Dr. Lewis want.” Massimo grunted, almost pouting “I’m only here because I really wanted to get some sun. This has nothing to do with…”
“Here, baby…” Millie screamed, running over to them with her plastic bottle “Eat well.”
“Uh…” Massimo pursed his lips, as if he was trying to gather the strength to disagree with Millicent, but his expectant smile wouldn’t let him go “Alright…” he picked up the toy, giving a crooked smile as he put the bottle in his lap, along with the pony “Thank you. I will.”
“Silly baby. That’s not how you take a bottle.” Millie laughed, standing on tiptoe to try and get the toy back “You have to put it in your mouth.”
“What? I don’t…” he hissed, but the words died as soon as Millie looked up at him, looking scared “I mean… Listen… Mommy…” Massimo took a deep breath as a rumble of laughter escaped from Alice “Could you make me some other food? Anything that goes into the pot, who knows?” he practically begged, his smile now desperate.
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Chapter 25. Aber
“Of course, baby. I can make you some banana porridge!” Millie opened a huge smile “But put on your bib, otherwise you’ll get dirty. I’ll be right back.”
“What an obedient baby.” Alice muttered under her laugh.
“Shut up.” He growled, watching the doll bib as it were his worst enemy “I’ll be out of here soon… As soon as Millie is done playing.”
“So kind… I can take you out of this ordeal and volunteer to be the baby, as long as you don’t mind being the mommy.” She laughed, making film frown even more.
“Do you think I’m some kind of clown or…?”
his
“Mr. Bianchi…” Joshua’s scream caused them both to freeze, looking up to see him running, his hat in his hand and a distressed expression on his face “We… We have a situation.” “The bulls got scared and destroyed the fences again…?” Massimo straightened up, expression changing completely “Have you ordered the cowboys to contain the damage yet? Tell them to catch the horses and stop them from going too far. The boards from the last renovation are still in the stable, hurry up and try to get the bulls to calm down while I fix it…” Feeling a tightness in her chest, Alice watched Massimo rest his hands on the chair, putting strength into his arms like any other person would do to get up… Until he was forced to stop, practically petrified in place, an emptiness taking over his face as he stayed in that position for a moment, his legs completely limp beneath him. And, after what seemed like an eternity, Massimo let his body slump against the back of the chair, his shoulders slumped and that same bitter frown on his face.
“Fuck it.” He muttered, between his teeth “Gather everyone together to resolve whatever it is and do what is necessary. I’ll be in my fucking room.”
“Massimo…” Alice murmured, although she knew there was nothing she could do to comfort him at that moment.
“It would be great to have you mending those fences with us again, Massimo…” Joshua lamented, clutching his hat in his hands, but Massimo didn’t look at him again “But… Maybe the problem out there is even worse. You see, since your wife’s sister came here and your ordered the gates to remain closed at all times, even during business hours, I personally took care of it. What happened is that a car parked nearby a while ago and…
“Get away from me, you brutes. Tommaso may have tried to reverse it in that ridiculous will, but that farm still belongs to the Bianchis and that’s exactly what my son and I are!” a felnale voice spoke, making Massimo straighten up instantly, his face going from dark to furious “If Massimo doesn’t want to welcome me, then let him have the decency to welcome his own brother!”
“Mrs. Bianchi!” Joshua gasped, running over to where several of the cowboys were surrounding two figures that Alice still couldn’t see “That’s private property that belongs to Mr. Bianchi! I made it very clear that we will take the necessary legal action if your security
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Chapter 25 – Alice
guards continue to intimidate my men to try to enter…!”
“Don’t speak to me. I didn’t come here to talk to an underling.” The female voice growled again, full of superiority and, as if all those huge men were afraid to touch her, the wall of cowboys dissipated, letting Alice see who was there.
The man in the suit was like a younger version of Massimo, almost on the threshold between adolescence and early adulthood, with the only difference being that his eyes were not green, but blue and sharp as ice. However, it was the middle–aged woman next to him that made Massimo grunt, with her impeccable white clothes and eyes the same color as her son’s, but much more callous and cold, seeming capable of freezing Alice’s blood.
“There you are, Massimo.” She stood before them, crossing her arms over her chest as she ran her disdainful eyes over the body of Massimo and his wheelchair “As always, your stubbornness forced me to travel to this place.”
“Emma…” Massimo growled, his teeth gritted and his face distorted with hatred as he glared at his stepmother.
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