“Ricky,” Chase cautioned.
“No, I think we have been a little grumpy, and we should remember our manners,” Papa said and then smiled. “What do you like to do for fun?”
“I play with Legos and draw pictures. And Bianca teaches me Italian.” He grinned. “Ciao, mi chiamo Ricky e il mio cibo preferito è la pizza.”
“That’s very good,” Antonello said. “I like pizza too, and so does Mamma.” He winked, trying to get his mother to open up a little.
“Grazie,” Ricky said and then continued on about how gelato was the best and the time they’d seen a frog by the river.
“I want Ricky to be able to speak as much Italian as possible while he’s here, and Bianca has been a big help. She’s his nanny during the day while I’m working, and she’s studying to be a teacher.”
“Why?” his mother asked.
“I want him to have the best experience possible. I know he’s young, but I hope he’ll remember being here and that it will be good. I never got this kind of chance when I was a kid. My familycouldn’t afford to travel like this, so I want to make the most of it for him.”
Ricky wandered over to the small windows, looked out, and smiled. “That’s the Pity Palace and the river.”
Antonello went over to him and lifted him up so he could see better. “Can you name other landmarks?” he asked, and Ricky explained what everything was.
“But we can’t see the dome where we climbed. That was the most funnest of all,” Ricky added, and when Antonello put him down, he hurried back over to Chase.
“You climbed the dome?” Mamma asked, and Ricky bounced with excitement.
“I got to see everything. It was fun, but Daddy was scared, so I held his hand.”
Chase smiled, and Antonello sat down next to him and took his hand. “It was an amazing day.” He held Chase’s gaze, letting his folks think what they wanted. “We’ve had a lot of fun since you came.”
“Yes,” Chase said before clearing his throat. “You know, I didn’t want to come here. I didn’t want to uproot our lives, and after Tio returned from college, I never wanted to see him again. I felt abandoned. Both my sister and I did. We had plans, but Tio felt that it was his duty to be here and do what you needed him to. I loved him then, but I guess it wasn’t to be. At least then. But now we know who we are… both of us… and coming to Florence has been a life-changing experience.”
“But what happens when you have to go home?” Antonello’s father asked.
“I don’t know. I don’t have any answers about what the future will hold. But that is up to Tio and me.” He cleared his throat. “I know I should keep my mouth shut, but I can’t. I know that I’m not the kind of person you ever expected to be involvedwith Tio. He only told you recently about his attraction to men. I get that.”
“Are all Americans so direct?” Antonello’s father asked.
Chase grinned. “Probably. But I like to say what I mean. Tio and I like each other, and we’re figuring things out.” He turned to him, and Tio’s belly fluttered at the deep attraction that shone in them.
“I see that,” Mamma said flatly. “But….”
“There are no buts. Chase and I will work things out.” He squeezed Chase’s hand. “He is well aware of my obligations here, and I know he has some of his own.” He could tell his mother wanted to ask about Ricky, but she had the grace to hold her questions in front of her probable grandson.
“Ricky, do you want to see the rest of the rooms?” Antonello’s father asked, and Ricky turned to Chase, his eyes huge.
“You can go,” Chase said, and Ricky bounded away. To Antonello’s surprise, his father held out his hand, and Ricky took it, the two of them heading for the dining room. Tio couldn’t help watching them go, and then he turned to Chase, seeing him watching as well.
“We need to know for sure,” his mother said more gently than Tio would have expected. “All of us.” Ricky’s laughter floated in from the other room.
Chase said nothing but nodded softly, his eyes filling with fear.
“No one is going to try to take Ricky away from you, no matter what happens,” Antonello said.
“But she called the police on me,” Chase told him.
“I know, and it won’t happen again. I can promise you that,” he said, aiming the words at his mother. “You are Ricky’s daddy, and I have no interest in changing that. No one is going to try to take custody away from you.” He had decided that no matterwhat, that would be true. Taking Ricky away from Chase would be wrong, and he and his family had already done enough wrong when it came to Chase and his sister.
“But if he’s your son… our grandson….”
“Then he will be raised by his daddy,” Tio said, holding Chase’s hand once more. For the moment, he ignored Chase’s surprised expression and concentrated on his mother. “I blame this whole mess on you.”
