Out of the shadows

Chapter 10

He often stayed in his room.
If they were out of their rooms they were doing their own things.

Giovanni was always in his office doing nothing but working. Often reviewing the contract trying to find a loophole but he never seemed to be able to.

Dimitri was always in the gym or out fighting in the underground. Most of the time he came back covered in blood. Everytime they asked he always said it wasn't his.

Alexander was always in his room and Alessa's making sure it was clean. He wanted her room to be spotless for when she came home.

Viktor was silent. He ate and got dressed in the morning and then occasionally spent time with the boys. Other than that he stayed in his room.

Finally Nickolai. He didn't do anything. He just stayed in Alessa's room the whole day. The only time he left was when he needed to shower and occasionally eat. That's usually when Alexander came in to clean. The boys often found in sitting at the piano just staring at the keys.

Finally one day Andrew couldn't take it. He was angry that the boys were acting this way. He decided to confront them at dinner which was the only time the everyone was together.

"Boys it seems like you all have been having a rough time since Alessa left. I have given you all time but enough is enough"

"-" mumbled Stefano.

"Speak up Stefano I can't hear you and you know I hate it when you boys mumble." He's spoke in a stern voice.

"I said don't call her that.'' he responded.

"Call her what?" Asked Andrew in confusion.

"Alessandra. Your daughter you sent away. Don't call her Alessa. You don't have the privilege." He responded.

"She is my daughter I think I have the right to call her what pleases me." Spoke Andrew. He was begining to lose his temper.

"Please. You are simply a sperm donor. You never once have been a father to Alessa and this little stunt you pulled has erased whatever little amount of respect I had for you to begin with." Stefano spoke. His voice was loud and firm. Leaving no room for argument.

Finally one of the brothers spoke. Namely Giovanni.

"Well it seems that dinner is over. We shall return to our room. Enjoy the rest of your evening."

With that all the brothers got up and began walking towards the stairs leading upstairs.

"You know all she ever wanted form you was one thing." Called out Viktor.

He continued before they could speak.

"Alessa's our sister and we love her.to death. Spending time with her had made us understand her and we realized watching her interact with you all versus us is that she only ever wanted one thing." Spoke Dimitri.

"And what's that?" Asked Matteo.

"To know that you care." Said Alexander.

"What ?" Asked Lorenzo.

"Alessa knows we care for her obviously" stated Adolfo.

"Does she ?" Asked Giovanni.

"..."

"When was the last time you all spent time with her. Asked how her day was going or even if she was okay?" Questioned Alexander.

Again they remained silent. They had nothing to say. They couldn't remember the last time they did any of those things.

Finally Nikolai asked them one last question that seemed to freeze them with regret.

" Better yet when was the last time you all simply told Alessa that you all loved her." Nikolai spoke. 

"Alessa likes simple things. She likes when you ask how her day is going and she likes to read and play music." Said Giovanni. Smiling bitterly at the memories of his little sister he missed dearly.

"She sings and dances when she cooks. She has an amazing voice and loves to paint murals that have meaning behind them." Said Alexander softly.

"You know what she asked us the first time we got her something.?" Asked Viktor.

His mind flashing to the first gift they had gotten her.

(Flashback )

"ALESSA!!!!!" Yelled Viktor practically buzzing with excitement.

"Yes Vik" asked Alessa a little confused as to why he was yelling

"Calm down idiot. Your freaking her out." Said Nikolai

"Ugh idiots. I told mom not to bring you guys back from the damn hospital. That women never listened to me and now we are stuck with you too. Not to mention the amount of times she dropped you both." exclaimed Alexander.

" Anyways.... We have a gift for you Alessa." Spoke Stefano finally ending the argument.

"Um not to be rude but why would you guys get me something.?" She asked.

"It's because we care about you silly. You get gifts for the people that you care about." Said Dimitri.

"Don't tell me none of your brothers have gotten you a gift before" said Nikolai in a joking tone

"..." She simply looked away in silence.

They boys simply looked at her in sadness while stefano looked away in shame.

"Well thats going to change starting now. You will be the most spoiled child ever" exclaimed Giovanni.

"Now moving on we got you something!" Said Alexander.

He held up. A small box covered in wrapping paper that said happy birthday on it. It was horribly wrapped and she could see the box was a little torn up.

"It's not my birthday though ?" She said in confusion.

"Viktor picked out the wrapping paper. He was supposed to pick out a blue wrapping paper but got distracted by the balloons." Said Gio.

Alessa simply shook her head in amusement. That sounded like Vik.

She began carefully unwrapping the paper and pulled out a picture frame.

Inside was a picture of her on her bed asleep while her brothers were surrounding her. They were all asleep also.

"Mom apparently took a picture of us all asleep like the creep she is." Said Nikolai adding in an eye roll.

"She sent me the picture and we all went to get it printed and Nikolai picked out the frame." Said Stefano.

It was a beautiful silver frame with music notes woven in like roses on vines.

It had brought tears to her eyes. It was something that she would cherish for the rest of her life.

(End flash back)

"Thanks to your amazing  parenting skills Alessa thinks she isn't worthy of things like gifts and affection. Simply because she had been deprived of it for so long." Said Viktor anger clear as day in his voice.

"It's sad really. Simply because the truth is Alessa deserved the world and instead she was kicked out of yours." Spoke Nikolai.

"Make no mistake. We are going to do whatever it takes to make sure Alessa knows she is loved by all of us. No matter what"

And with that the boys made their way to their respective activities leaving behind what was left of the Ricci family in nothing but a mixture of sorrow, guilt and shame.

Wheeeeeeewwwww. I'm so sorry that this chapter took so long I had writers block. But it's finished. And remember COMMENT!!! I LOVE READING THEM THEU MOTIVATE ME!!!!!!! 💞💞