Alessandro's POV
The door opened and suddenly... something small slammed straight into my legs.
I barely had time to react before little arms wrapped around me, clinging tight like I might disappear if he didn't hold on properly.
"You're here!" he shouted into my coat.
"You're really here!"
My breath left me in a rush. I dropped down immediately, catching him before he lost balance, my hands gripping his back as if instinct knew him before my mind did.
"Hey...… hey," I said softly laughing in disbelief.
"Easy there."
He pulled back just enough to look at my face eyes wide and bright, smile too big for his cheeks.
"You're taller than I thought." he said seriously.
"Mama said you were very tall."
I swallowed hard.
"That's… that's me," I managed.
He gasped suddenly and spun around, running toward the table.
"Wait!" he yelled.
"I have something!"
He grabbed a wrinkled paper and came running back, almost tripping over his own feet.
"I made this!" he said proudly shoving it into my hands.
"Mama helped me write the words but I did the drawing."
It was chaos...… Crayons everywhere..... Three stick people holding hands... A sun with a crooked smile then on top, in messy letters...
"DAD MAMA ME"
My vision blurred instantly.
"That's you," he said tapping the tallest stick figure.
"And that's Mama.... I'm in the middle because I'm the baby."
I laughed softly, a broken sound stuck halfway to a sob.
"It's perfect," I said.
He beamed.
"You gonna put it in your room?" he asked quickly.
"So you don't forget us?"
My chest caved.
"I won't forget," I said lowering myself fully to his height.
"Never."
He nodded like that settled everything.
Then out of nowhere, he climbed straight onto my lap like it was the most natural thing in the world, wrapping his arms around my neck and pressing his cheek against my shoulder.
I stiffened for half a second then my arms closed around him, firm and sure, holding him like I'd been waiting my whole life to do exactly this.
"You smell funny." he said scrunching his nose.
I huffed a laugh.
"Is that good or bad?"
"Good." he decided.
"Like outside."
I buried my face in his hair, breathing him in.
"I asked Mama when you were coming," he murmured
"She said soon, so I waited."
"I'm sorry it took so long," I whispered.
He shrugged.
"It's okay. Youre here now."
He pulled back again, studying my face like he was memorizing it. Then his hands trail over my long hair.
"WOW!"
" you look pretty dad."
I chuckled lightly as my gaze flicked to Aria standing frozen by the doorway, tears slipping silently down her face.
"Thank you." I said firmly.
He grinned, missing tooth and all. And just like that he rested his head on my chest, completely at ease.
......…
I finally kicked off my coat and sank onto the bed, letting Lorenzo crawl into my lap like he owned the space..... which in that moment he absolutely did. He rested against me comfortably, arms loosely draped around my chest, his head tilted up like he was about to tell the world every little thing he'd been holding in.
And he did.
He rambled. Stories of school, of his friends, of the little adventures he'd imagined us having together. Where we'd go, what we'd do, and even the games he wanted to play. I let him speak, soaking in every word, committing every syllable to memory.
Then he paused for a second, looked up at me with wide, earnest eyes.
"And Mama….… she missed you too," he said softly.
I froze.
He wasn't fishing for information, hewasn't trying to pry, he was six, Innocent, believing what he said with all the certainty of a child.
I swallowed hard and tried to change the subject.
"Oh? Did you—uh—tell her about your football game?"
But he didn't stop.
"She used to cry every night..... she wrote it in her diary sometimes."
My chest tightened painfully, like the air had been pulled straight out of my lungs.
I felt a tear slip down my cheek I didn't even realize was coming.
She… she was just a girl..... Nineteen... Scared..... Alone... terrified and I….… I had caused her so much pain. I should've done more, searched more, maybe it wouldn't have gotten to this. I shouldn't have believed that damn letter.
I should've done better in showing her how much I loved her. Maybe she would've seen that she's all I've ever wanted, maybe she would've realized that she mattered more than anything I had and I would've given up anything for them…... my own family.
A sob threatened to escape, but I swallowed it back. I pressed my face gently against his hair.
We've both gone through so much, I thought.
But now...… now I have them back. And I'll do everything I can to protect them, to make them happy, to take care of them, to make up for the years lost.
Lorenzo lifted his head, studying me with innocent curiosity.
"Daddy…..… why are you looking sad?"
I took a deep breath holding him tighter for a second.
"I missed your mom too son" I admitted softly.
"I missed her so much..... so much you can't imagine."
I had never said it aloud.... Never…... But the way he fit into my arms, the trust in his small body it forced the truth out.
Lorenzo blinked slowly, then patted my head gently. His little hand..... so soft, so innocent...…. rested on my hair. And then, shyly, he pressed his face into my chest, hiding like he thought he was doing something important.
"Mom does it when I'm sad," he whispered.
I chuckled softly, a deep laugh that came from somewhere I hadn't felt in years.
"Yeah she does.... Yeah she does….." I whispered sadly.