After the birth of Greyson I had never felt more alone, Rain was effectively dodging all my calls and I knew it was because she didn't want to explain what she had said. This made me all the more cautious around Vincenzo, because I couldn't just deny what Rain had said.
"Padre," I heard Leviticus excited voice call one morning.
I sighed turning to face Luciano who walked through the door, "Where's Rain?" I asked him before any pleasantries could be swapped.
"She volunteered to handle some of my business back in Italy, I assumed she told you," Luciano replied, seeming genuinely surprised.
"No, she just goes and leaves. I can't get hold of her and she said something that I need her to explain," I rambled to Luciano upset.
Luciano's face hardened, "What exactly did she say?" he questioned me.
I didn't want to tell him but something else compelled me to speak, "That it was Vincenzo's fault Kai got me pregnant," I admitted.
"I assure you it is nothing to worry about and when Rainflower returns, I'll make sure you know exactly where you fit into our lives," Luciano promised me.
Yet, something about the way he said it, made me worry slightly.
Bending down he picked up Luciano who had stalked over and looked him over, "He looks ill Larnika," he commented.
I had known that, he wasn't the same as before and I had a doctor's appointment tomorrow.
"Yeah I know, we're going to the doctor tomorrow, it should have been sooner but I couldn't find a babysitter for Greyson," I explained.
"What have you been feeding my son?" Luciano questioned me, all of a sudden making me feel like it was my fault.
"Oh I've just transitioned him onto solids," I told him.
"I see, he will be accompanying me today," he told me not asking, just told.
"I don't think," I started but I didn't get very far before Luciano interrupted, "your other son needs your care as well."
Faintly I could hear that Greyson had begin crying, "I suppose, just not to late," I told him.
"Of course," Luciano agreed, disappearing with Leviticus out the door.
I ended up taking Greyson for a walk down to the park, needing to just clear my head.
"See I thought my friend was lying when he said you can meet pretty girls in the park, but I guess I owe him a twenty now," a voice said from above me causing me to look up.
"Pretty girl with a baby?" I question, nodding my head at Greyson, nobody ever hit on me I had baggage and they had no idea how much.
"I don't mind, Jessie," he said holding out his hand.
"You don't mind?" I asked him in disbelief.
"Grew up as the eldest of ten," he explained.
"Wow," I said, "I was a only child, Larni," I finally introduced myself.
"Beautiful name, Larni," Jessie told me.
"You new here aren't you?" I guessed, everybody in Bridgeport knew who I was when I told them my name.
"Yeah, how'd you guess?" he questioned.
"Luck," I said shrugging. Jessie nodded, "I guess I'll stick by you then."
My phone rang before I could answer, "Just a sec," I said seeing the caller Id.
"Hello," I said. "Larnika, I'm dropping Leviticus off, where are you?" Luciano asked me.
"Just at the park, I'm on my way back," I told him, hanging up. "I have to go," I told Jessie.
"Boyfriend?" he guessed.
"No more of an ex," I explained.
"Oh, any chance of me getting your number?" he questioned me.
"I'm not really looking for a relationship," I admitted to him.
"How about a friendship?" he offered.
I looked up at him, truth be told all I really wanted was friend, not connected to Luciano or Vincenzo. "Friendship sounds good," I told him.
A couple of days later Luciano and Vincenzo told me they were moving back to Italy and they were unsure of when they would be back. Rain wasn't going to be coming back anytime soon either. I asked Luciano about Leviticus but he simply replied by saying that he would be there for his son when he needed to be. Rain at least called me and simply said she was angry and all she meant was that Vincenzo didn't stop Kai from leaving with me. The only reason I accepted her explanation is because I didn't want to lose my best friend. The first year passed as a lonely one for me and was marked by Greyson's birthday who only had Jessie in attendance, we were quite close friends now even if I felt like he wanted something more.
"Larni, I need to ask you something?" he told me when I had put the two toddlers to bed.
"Sure anything," I said.
"You’re my friend Larni, but I'd like to believe there was something more between us," he said pulling me into a kiss.
At first I was so shocked I didn't know how to respond. As he broke away he looked at me for my reaction, Jessie was my first real friend, but I couldn't deny there was something between us.
Sure it wasn't the spark that existed between me and Vincenzo or me and Luciano but at least it was real. So I responded but kissing him back and put everything into that kiss, "I'd love to be with you," I murmured when we separated.
Jessie's face reminded me of the little boy who had finally got his favorite toy for Snowflake Day. Touching my cheek he replied, "Me too."
"Even with all the baggage," I joked.
"Definitely with all the baggage," he agreed.
Moving on had never felt so good or right, I didn't tell Rain about Jessie because to be honest I wasn't sure how'd she take it. He helped me with the toddlers and even Leviticus who was cold to him ended up warming up to him.
I suppose I should say he was back on the formula as well as solids because without it he would get sick. The day for his birthday was fast approaching and it was then I discovered something that for the first time I was happy about.
"Jessie, I'm pregnant," I blurted out one day.
Jessie grinned from ear to ear, "Larni that's great."
"Actually I was also wondering if you wanted to move in with me," I proposed.
Jessie's smile grew, "I was hoping you were going to ask," he told me.
I pulled him into a hug, happy that for the first time everything was working out for us.
Leviticus turned five and I smiled at my firstborn that only thing that hurt was how much like his father he looked.
"Do you want me to take you to get some new threads tomorrow?" Jessie asked him.
Leviticus looked over at me smiling, "Only if its okay with Mema," he said.
"Of course it is," I told him giving him a hug.
"Are you having a baby?" he suddenly asked me.
I looked at Jessie puzzled wondering where he had got that from, "Yeah, how'd you know?" I questioned him.
"I can hear its heartbeat," he explained simply listening to my tummy.
"Honey, you can't hear people's heartbeats," I tried to explain.
"Yes, I can," he countered. I wasn't sure how to explain it to him because Leviticus was sure he heard everyone's heartbeat.
Jessie kept to his word and took Leviticus out clothes shopping while I stayed back trying to teach Greyson how to talk, something he absolutely hated.
A knock on the door startled me, "Coming," I called picking myself up.
The three faces at the door, weren't ones I exactly wanted to see. "Hello Larnika," Vincenzo greeted me, followed by a simple, "Larnika," by Luciano. Rain looked like she'd rather be anywhere else.
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