𝑂𝑛𝑒 𝐿𝑎𝑠𝑡 𝑀𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛

𝟺𝟷. 𝙲𝚞𝚝𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚍𝚎𝚎𝚙

They say we must not look back, but I know the past follows us. -The present

"Ace baby"

"Yes, mammina," I look up from my book. My hands finally growing to hold the book properly.

"Come with me" she reaches her hand out, waiting for me to hold it.

The book slips out my hand as I stand up, thump. I look back to pick up my book but mammina tugs my hand so I just leave it.

We walk out of my room and she looks around before turning to the opposite hallway. I'm not allowed to come to this side of the house.

"I can't be here mammina, father will get mad" I whine tugging at her hand.

"Don't worry baby, mammina wants to show you something" her smile melts away all thoughts of father's wishes.

I nod my head quickly following her as we make our way to the room. Mammina is always in here but she won't tell me what she's doing.

Father always says I don't have to listen to anyone but him, but when I ask to go to the room he yells "what did I tell you about questioning your mother?"

"I get to see what's in the room" I try to contain my excitement so father won't come and take me away.

"Yes baby you get to see everything" she lets go of my hand, standing at the tip of her toes to grab a key from the ledge of the doorway.

I can't reach there.

She unlocks the door, putting the key back on the ledge. But I can't reach it, how will I get the key?

"Don't worry baby, soon you'll have your own key" mammina always knows what I'm thinking. She says it's her only gift but I don't believe that.

I walk in first; the room is filled with different canvas, large paintings, buckets of paints, stacks of different sized paper, then to the right there are two stand thingies...... easels that what it's called.

She lifts me up, making me giggle, sitting on the small couch. "Mammina wants you in here too doing it together. You wanna learn?"

I nod my head almost immediately. I get to be in room with mammina, I get to be in happy room.

"What's he doing in here?" father's voice makes me look up. I get off mammina lap standing up to look at him.

"Lucious, please just a few hours a week" mammina pleads, making sure to shift behind me.

Romano's don't beg, Romano's don't beg "Father I want to stay here" I try talking like him but my voice isn't as loud.

He doesn't say anything just looking at me, for a moment I think I see a small smirk but it's gone. "If you miss training I'm taking all this away"

Then just as he came he's gone, his footsteps getting quieter the further he goes. "I get to stay I get to stay"

"Yes baby" she closes the door and locks it, click.

I look around as she gets everything ready, grabbing paper and putting it on the easel. She only grabs two pencils, I want color.

"I want color, no pencil" she just laughs at me.

"Only pencil for now okay?" before I know it she lifts me up putting me high up on the stool. The pencil in my hand and the blank paper in front of me.