Forbidden Fruit

CAPITOLO QURANTASEI- April Fools

"I'm sorry Papa, I know this is not a thing to joke about but seriously, you worry too much sometimes, you need to relax before you worry yourself into early retirement." Cataleya chastises with a smirk.

"Last time I checked, I was the parent and you are the child, Cataleya. My worry trumps your worry." Antonio argues.

"See now, when you say things like 'remember who is the parent and who is the child' but you follow up with phrases like that... I don't know sir, sounds a little childish to me." Cataleya smirks, causing Antonio to roll his eyes.

"Rheah, since your sister is clearly trying to wind up my nerves, I'm speaking to you. If you guys want to come home now without the heads of Anderson brothers, I will not hold it against you two."

His words briefly shock the girls. Could this be the escape they were looking for from actually completing the mission?

A chance to save the boys?

"You won't?" Rheah questions sceptically, "Hmm, what's the catch? Because we technically only have less than two months remaining here."

"There is no catch." He says. "I'm a father concerned about the wellbeing and safety of his daughters and granddaughter. I will rather have you guys home and fly down to do it myself than have you two grow to be more than a 'minor threat' on the Anderson clan radar."

Instantly, panic shoots through the girls. That option was not possible. It was the exact possibility they were trying to avoid from happening. But how could they respond? Being too defensive would raise suspicion and being impartial would lead Antonio to make the decision for them. So they did what they knew to do best in rough situations; Deflect.

"Antonio Giovanni is asking his most equip and successful assassins to not complete a mission over a minor threat?" Rheah teases. "What happened to rule numbers 5 in La Cosa Nostra training? 'No mixing business with pleasure?'"

"Two things. Technically you two, though connected, have never been formally initiated into the Mafia so that rule doesn't apply and it especially doesn't apply in the case of my children."

"Hypocritical, Antonio, and very poor behaviour coming from the Mafia King. Rule number 3: Do not allow family ties to cloud judgement." Cataleya recites.

"Signore, questa punizione è troppo buona per insegnarli? (Lord, is this punishment for teaching them too well?)" Antonio sighs, shaking his head which causes the girls to chuckle.

"No, questa è punizione per essere un grande padre. (No, this is punishment for being a great father)," Rheah beams, causing Antonio to chuckle.

"So tell us old man, what's the real reason you want us back so early?" Cataleya raises her eyebrow in amusement.

"Sono stato catturato (I've been caught)." Antonio sighs. "7 months have been the longest I've ever been away from you two since the moment I adopted you both, and not a day goes by where I don't miss you all a little more than the previous."

The girls could feel their hearts burst with an array of emotions. Love, sadness, joy and guilt all fighting for a solidified place in this moment. As much as they loved the freedom and life they were experiencing, they too, had been missing their father and their original family beyond belief.