Little Game

Chapter 02

Anthony looked like he wanted to snatch the poor baby in the man's arms. Isabella shouldn't even be suffering like she was right now. Obviously, Rafael was rattled by his words.

But why would he be? If it's not true, it shouldn't have affected him.

Elois looked like he was about to combust. The young man obviously wanted to help too but was holding himself together.

Lucius looked like he was actually considering murdering Rafael by how petty he was acting. Maybe Elois could even help if Rafael's actions continued.

Dante stood up suddenly, causing everybody to jump at the sudden action. The Torres brothers gazed at their father with scrutiny. Rafael was bothered by the older man's actions and had a look fear again.

He was obviously regretting his distasteful actions of pettiness.

The man treaded towards Rafael with a blank look plastered on his face. The guard backed off in instinct.

Though, before he could speak up and apologize for his distasteful actions, Dante already took the baby from him.

Dante gazed down at Isabella's face. The little girl's cheeks were damp with fresh and old tears, and she was gumming sadly on Dante's shirt in between high-pitched whines. A sharp pang went through the man's chest at the sight, and he turned his head to kiss his little baby's scrunched-up face briefly

"I know, sweetheart. I know." He murmured, gently caressing her damp cheeks. He walked over to his seat, avoiding the gazes of the people around him.

He couldn't take the silent bickering around him. All he could hear was Isabella's painful wails and he couldn't take it anymore. Isabella doesn't deserve to be pulled in a fight that she didn't have any part in.

He tried to think of a song he could sing. He heard that singing helps. It can help, right? It soothes a baby, they said. Dante rarely got any lullabies growing up since his parents were always busy. But they weren't bad parents, they were just rarely home.

He remembered his nannies. Dante shuddered at the thought. They were not all that kind. They complained all the time and had told Dante that if he were to tattle on his parents, they would hurt him. He didn't much enjoy those days.

Feeling helpless, he tried to think again for something that could help his little darling in his arms.

Dante internally shake his head in dismissal. If singing could help then he would do it. And if it doesn't then he will find whatever it is to stop Isabella from crying because he can't see his baby like this.

A sudden thought entered his head. Dante remembered a day, when he was just a little boy, where his mother was singing a song to him while she was tucking him in for bed. Both his parents were home for once and all was good, Dante thought before when he was little.

Isabella's grandmother. 

Dante smiled at the memory. He shifted in the plane seat until his back was against the wall and his legs were propped up on the seat next to him. He shuffled Isabella down to rest against his chest.

Isabella whimpered sadly, clutching onto her father in a sad embrace.

Edelweiss, Edelweiss
Every morning you greet me
Small and white, clean and bright
You look happy to meet me.

By the time Dante had gotten to the last verse he could fully remember, Isabella's poor whimpers and sniffles were turning faint and her teary eyes had slid closed.

Dante smiled softly and gently kissed his daughter's forehead. "May you have the sweetest dream, my little Bella."

***