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The door clicked.
Pete entered the room....and his face instantly lit up looking at a giggling Venice being swung around in his Uncle Macau’s arms, who looked completely enthralled at the amusement of his nephew.
The view was precious.
He was glad that Macau’s mental health was improving each day ever since he was diagnosed with depression...He was getting better with communicating with both Vegas and him...whenever he did not feel okay.
He was healing well.
Pete's eyes met his...and he gleamed back at him, the freshness of a new day twinkling in his eyes. The frolic with the baby was put to rest, making Venice jolt himself in Macau's hold and make little noises, as if asking for the see-saw to keep going.
“Hi baby!” Pete crooned from the entrance, shuffling closer, making Venice look around and spot his father with glowing eyes.
Two chubby little hands raised in the air, beckoning to him.
“da..da”
Pete turned into a marshmallow.
This wasn’t the first time Venice had spoken...his first word had been....“Pete”... probably because his name is the most repeated word in the house on a daily basis...
Vegas wasn't happy about it.... Ironic because he was the one responsible for getting the name on his tongue, considering how he ran around the house carrying the crying baby, screaming Pete's name to save him from the mayhem.
He had moved heaven and earth to get the child to call Pete 'dada' and not by the name...pouting and complaining that he was trying to replace him... Pete had only exhaled in disbelief.
Yet he couldn’t digest the fact that his baby had started talking already....even if it was still just a couple of words. Venice was ten months old now....such an early talker....he’s growing up so fast.
Pete wiped a tear.
“why are you crying Phi Pete?” Macau asked nervously.
“Nothing...." he took a pause "I don’t want him to grow up so fast....Look at him.”
The younger doubled up in laughter.
“He’s not even a year old yet, Phi. Save your tears till his marriage at least” he said, returning the child to his father’s arms where he rested comfortably.
A tiny hand reached out to Pete’s cheek and placed there gently.
“See? He doesn’t want you to cry too.” Macau remarked.
Pete patted his head with the hand that wasn’t holding his son, smiling. “Come downstairs for breakfast.”
“it’s almost 12 already, Phi. Auntie An already served it to me at around 10:30. Both of you didn’t come downstairs so she went up herself....but the door was probably locked...she told me that.”
Oh right...
They had been..... busy....
Pete sighed in relief....glad he had been conscious enough to ask Vegas go lock that damn door before they went any further ....Or he would never be able face Auntie An ever again, not to mention that she would have to wash her brain with holy water upon realizing that he is not the innocent sweet boy that she babies.
Pete averted his eyes, rummaging around his head looking for a suitable excuse to make in front of his someday-in-future-to-be-brother-in-law..... “Yeah right that-”
“you don’t have to tell me, Phi”.
He looked at the source of that voice, who was smiling calmly as he continued, “It’s your privacy. You don’t have to make excuses. I understand.”
Wow.
This kid had had some serious development. Pete felt like he had watched him grow from a little brat that he remembered from his own bodyguard days to the mature young adult he has become after his father’s death....It’s surprising how something as small lending an ear to someone or giving them a shoulder to lean on can be life changing. Treating someone with just a little affection and care after them having been deprived of it for way too long....can truly....thaw frozen hearts and mend broken souls. He had noticed that with both Macau as well as Vegas.
Pete felt content that he was a witness to the change that a sweet simple thing as love brought about in these two siblings.
“Mhm...thanks” he replied, “Come see me if you want to talk about anything...okay?”
“yep...i actually have a presentation I have to prepare for. It’s tomorrow.”
“ kay..i’ll stop bothering you then... do well!!” The older said enthusiastically while exiting the room, hearing a “Thanks a lot” before he shut the door on his way out.
His heart felt full...Macau had a future....a future that every child in the mafia world craves...a simple one.
Pete made his way down the long ass corridor and descended the flight of stairs leading to the dining area with a skip in his step.
Venice kept babbling meaningless words.
“yes....dodo....absolutely correct...it’s a bird that went extinct” he also kept answering as if the both of them were having a deep, intellectual conversation. "You're a genius...my little sweet sugar fuzzy cinnamon honey pie"
Vegas was already seated on the table in fresh clothes right after shower.
Pete walked towards him, leaning down as if to kiss....but then set the baby in his lap to go assist Auntie An in bringing out the tableware.
Vegas had started accepting this very familiar behaviour of Pete without batting an eye. Sigh. he turned the infant in his lap around to face him. “Morning buddy” he said in English and Venice cooed, raising two fat fists in front of his face and trying to fit the both of them in his mouth at the same time.
“We’re having breakfast way too late, Vegas” Pete commented as he reappeared with two dishes in both the hands placing them on the table and having a seat right beside him, “we won’t be able to have lunch on time and then Macau would have to eat alone again. We messed up the routine”.
Ignoring Pete’s nagging, he looked at the food on the table. In one dish there were waffles for himself, he assumed...and in the other was rice and Kua Kling with a bit of gravy, which isn’t usually the part of the actual recipe, so Pete must have had it made in a different way for himself....perhaps with extra spice....
Oof...Vegas internally asked the holy spirits to bless Auntie An for making the waffles for him and having mercy on his poor taste buds. He doesn't want to be a fire spitting dragon. Human is fine. Thanks.
“Did you listen to me, Vegas? I'm talking here” Pete questioned, sounding ticked off.
“Yes, bae. I heard you....I'll do better at finishing quicker the next time....you try your best too.” he winked at the other while lifting up the little one who had managed to turn around once again in his place, trying to get his hands on the food.
“That’s not for you..” He rubbed his nose into Venice’s soft plump belly, making weird noises which made the baby giggle hard, flapping around his arms and kicking his little feet.
One particularly hard kick landed straight on his chin, making him groan.
“Deserved.” Pete said through his laughter while taking Venice away from Vegas’s hold who was now rubbing his own chin comfortingly.
“Good job, Dada’s boy” he said and gave him a light sniff on the cheek.
Honey dripped from Vegas’s eyes as he looked at Pete laugh while cradling their son securely. His family.
No wait...oh.... Macau was probably busy....so Vegas mentally added him there.
Hmm. Perfect. His family.
His world was complete. He wouldn't dwell on the past anymore. This...in the present....is what he had longed for....since forever.
And he got it...before forever ended.
-end-