My Husbands

Chapter 37: Patreo

"Sir Patreo, your family misses you back home," said Dylan.

Patreo did freeze and turn at that.

He looked at them.

"You know me, well, you both do look familiar," said Patreo.

"I am Damon, son of Abernathy and Melissa Knight," said Damon.

Patreo's eyes widened. This is his kin. Melissa is a distant cousin and now he was seeing a child of the next generation. Melissa was one of his favourites. He remembers holding the little one.

"You have grown," said Patreo.

"I am Dylan, son of Daniel Zaned and after my mom Jennifer Hallen died, my dad married Eliza Arcari, so essentially son of these three people," said Dylan.

Patreo froze at that. This here is Daniel's son, a direct link to his past. Jennifer- she was a distant cousin too.

"Daniel married Eliza?" asked Patreo shocked and then started laughing.

"We should have known, I always used to tell Alme that they were like a married couple," said Patreo and then he stopped realising what he just said.

There was silence.

"I am Zenon, son of Almero Arcari," said Zenon and at that Patreo looked at his face. The clear shock was written over his face even as he tried to etch the face into his memory.

"I was adopted. I did not know about you. If I had I would have come looking before now," said Zenon.

"I was your father's good friend. That is all," said Patreo still etching the face of the child in his mind as he spoke. He had heard about Zenon Arcari, but seeing him was something else.

"After all this time, with nothing to lose, are you still going to repeat that lie?" asked Zenon.

"God, I can't believe he managed to give you his DNA and attitude also. Is it catching now! That's how your father talks," said Patreo, but it was said fondly, like how a parent would, thinks Zenon.

"I have a life here now. I have a stable life, son, I am doing good. I- I am so happy I saw you all, all three of you, Now go back and stay happy. Write me letters, mail me or call me or something. I am good here," said Patreo, hugging all three into his arms and dropping a kiss on each of their foreheads.

"So, who is married to who?" asked Patreo.

"We are a trio," said Damon.

Dylan blushed at that. Patreo just smiled.

"I am happy for you three. You won't believe how happy I am to see you. Just, I have seen you, now, go back, get on with your lives," said Patreo.

"Are you married or with someone?" asked Zenon.

"No," said Patreo with a small smile. Then his son woke up.

"Yuve, say hi to the young men," said Patreo, introducing each of them with their names.

"Yuven, you named him Yuven," said Zenon slowly.

Patreo looked away.

"Dad added Alnessi as my second name," said Zenon.

"Did he," said Patreo. It was not a question.

Then Patreo asked after all the elder ones and when Damon's and Dylan's attention was on Yuven, he turned to Zenon.

"How is he?" asked Patreo, his voice low, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"Killing himself slowly now that I am in safe hands," said Zenon slowly.

"That doesn't sound like him. He is a fighter," said Patreo.

"He was a fighter. Now though-" he left it unsaid.

"Can you imagine the Almero Arcari you knew adopting a kid as a single parent?" asked Zenon.

"No," snorted Patreo smiling a bit and then looked at Zenon.

"Did he actually, truly not marry or find a partner?" asked Patreo.

Zenon shook his head.

"I think he is punishing himself and I also think he realised you are irreplaceable in his life," said Zenon.

"I- I was not that important," said Patreo looking away.

"You were his existence," said Zenon.

Patreo looked at him.

"He let me go," said Patreo.

"Do you think you will be able to forgive the 20-year-old Almero who never spoke up against his dad?" asked Zenon and Patreo felt his eyes well up and he looked away.

"I don't know," said Patreo.

"Please think about it. I don't want my dad to get hurt again, but if you can forgive him, give him that one chance. He took me up from the streets of Malone. I grew up with one parent, but I would also like it if I had two or if you don't like me then that is fine too. Just don't hurt my dad," said Zenon.

"How can I not like you kid?" asked Patreo and dropped a kiss on his forehead.

"It is my baby shower next week. Please attend," said Dylan.

Damon nodded.

Patreo just looked at them.

"I will think about it," said Patreo.

All three nodded and then Zenon shook hands with little Yuven before they left.

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Almero sighed as he walked through the fields. Dylan's flowers were beautiful. He felt better now. After Zenon left the nest, like every parent he was also beginning to feel the strain. On those lonely days, as he sits in the hall of Arcari mansion, he wishes that the twenty-year-old him had the courage to stand up against his dad.

Then, he and Patreo would have brought up Damon together and he would have had more siblings probably. And he can imagine Patreo chasing him with a gun when he called the child services to hand over Zenon first. If Patreo was there, Eliza and Daniel would have never left and he would have seen them all grow up before him. Maybe Damon and Zenon would have fought less as they grew up.

He doesn't know. He wishes things had been different but he absolutely loves every person in his life now and is glad he has them. He just wishes Patreo was here too to share this with.

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It is Mathew - Almero