A Mafia Man's Chains

33

*3 years later*

"Daddy!!!" The young boy screamed from the garden. I looked over the balcony and saw him on the floor,crying. And the nanny I hired trying to shush him by putting her hand over his mouth. Fuck. "Everythings fine sir! It's just a scra- your fired. Get out." I interrupted her. I began walking down the stairs untill I reached the garden. Crouching down, I examine the boys knee which he was clutching onto as tears ran down his face.

"Okay buddy, come here. Let's put some ice on it.." I mumbled while lifting him up. I sat him down on the kitchen counter and walked over to the freezer and reached for an ice pack, "Okay what one do you want: Paw patrol or peppa pig?" I turned round to face him and saw him pointing at the paw patrol one. Once I'd shut the freezer I walked over and placed it on his knee.

"There we go.. you had lunch yet?" He shook his head no, "neither have I. Wanna go out somewhere?" I watched as his eyes lit up making me laugh.
"Can we go to McDonald's and eat it at the park?" I nodded my head, "let's just wait 5 minutes so you can make sure your knees better... do you need a drink?" I questioned and watched as he turned round and grabbed his sippy cup from the side and showing it to me.

I laugh at how proud he looks, "it hasn't got much in it though.." he handed it to me so I could fill it up. "What do you want? Water?" I rinsed out his cup and waited for a response, "can I have this apple juice?" I turned round to see he was holding my scotch, shit I left it out last night.

I began laughing at him as he stared at me confused. "Thats an adult juice buddy" I took it out of his hands and put it I'm the highest cupboard. I turned around to see his bottom lip trmebling and tears fill his eyes.

"Uh oh, it's fine! We have normal apple juice! You can have that! Please don't cry!" I quickly rushed to the fridge to show him the apple juice. He calmed down once I'd poured it into his sippy cup and gave it to him.

Kids ay..

"Alright how's your knee? Is it all better or do I need to kiss it better?" I questioned, lifting the ice pack off his knee. I saw a small graze and it was slightly red. "Does it hurt?" I looked up to see him shaking his head no, "I'm a big boy! It doesn't hurt!" He grinned at me making me chuckle.

"Alright then come on let's go get lunch, you wanna go on my shoulders?" I put the ice pack on the side and grabbed my phone and wallet. I lifted Grayson onto my shoulders and began walking to the garage. I began walking to the bmw which is the one that's safest and has his car seat in.

"Daddy when can we go in your fast cars?" The boy on my shoulders questioned I lifted him off and helped him into his seat, "when your tall enough to go in the front since none of them have a back seat.." I shut the door and got in the front seat. I began driving to McDonald's when I came to a stop in traffic. Thats when I realised where I was. Its the same road as Grace's bakery. It was given to me in her will. So I still owned it.

"Hey Grayson, do you want to see where your mummy used to work?" I looked in the mirror and saw him nodding 2 minutes later I pulled over infront of the bakery. Looks the exact same..

I reached into my pockets for my house key, warehouse key etc where I had a key for the bakery. I unlocked the door and opened it. A familiar scent that had been trapped in here for the last 3 years hit my face suddenly. A small smile appeared on my face as grayson ran around.

Grace wanted him to practically grow up here. "Hey uh how about we bake one of mummys cakes? She has a notepad with all her recipes around here somewhere and there's a store down the road.." I suggested and watched as the boy happily jumped up and down.

"Alright let's look for the note pad first, yeah?" I ducked behind the counter and looked around, there it was. Under 100 million different things. I pulled it out and wiped away the thin cover of dust. "Alright let's sit down and we can look through them." I smiled and picked him up, sitting him on my lap at a table. We were reading through the recipes when I heard the bell ontop of the door ding signalling someone had judt walked in.

"Grace?" I turned to see Grace's bestfriend, Laura. Fuck. No one told her.. "Oh Danilo, hey! Oh my god is this little baby Rodriguez! He's so grown up, what's your name little man?" I looked towards grayson to see if he was going to respond but he buried his face into my chest.

"His names Grayson.." I replied and watched as Laura stepped forward and crouched down. "Hiya, I'm your aunty Laura. Me and your mummy are bestfriends!" She chuckled before standing back up and looking at me, "Where's Grace? Is she going to get ingredients? And why did you guys dissappear all of a sudden?" She asked a load of questions and each one just made me feel awful. I should have told her.

"Uh Laura.. Grace passed away... 3 years ago.. just after giving birth to greyson from a pulmonary embolism.. I'm sorry.. I was distracted from sitting in my own self misery all these years.. It never occurred to me to tell you.." I looked down, ashamed of myself.

I heard a quiet sob from Laura. Greyson suddenly stood up and hugged her legs. "Did you hurt yourself? I can get you an ice pack if you want! I have a paw patrol one and a peppa pig one!" He looked up at her with a smile.

"No I'm fine thankyou for offering though... your just like your mummy.." she smiled and crouched down and hugged him properly. I feel awful. Am I that selfish I didn't tell her own bestfriend about her death.

"Uhm I'm gonna go, I'm so sorry Danilo.. if I had known I would've been there to help you and greyson.. and if you need anything... call me.. wether its baby sitting or just wanting to talk to someone.." she left quickly before I could say anything.

Greyson and I ended up making fairy cupcakes before getting lunch and eating it at the park before going home. I looked at my watch and saw 3pm. "Alright buddy nap time. Let's go. Or you'll get all cranky. I know what your like." I said while carrying him upstairs as he whined.

Soon enough he was asleep... and I was aline once again.. I hated being by myself nowadays. Because I end up hudt thinking about Grace and watching videos of her. Which is exactly what I was doing right now. Watching cctv of us at the bakery having a food fight.

I watched as I pulled her in ny her waist and kissed her, told her how much I loved her and then nudt holding her. God I'd kill to be with her right now. Or for her to be here right now. I just want to hold her once more. If I knew the last time I hugged her would of been the last I'd never let go.

As I turned off ny computer I picked up my phone and looked through my voucemails, playing the last one Grace sent me.

"Hey sweetie uhm I'm really bored... when are you coming home? I know you said it'll be a couple of hours and you only left an hour ago but I miss you... uhm anyway.. call me when you see this. I love you so much, bye!"

She sounded so happy that day... there wasn't really many days when she wasn't happy to be fair..
And when I was with her, I was the same.. but now.. now she's gone... everything's fake.. I'm hanging on by a thread, for Greyson.. she wouldn't of wanted me to leave him.. so I'm doing this for her..