Chapter 26

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The door opened and Santino walked in with a food tray. He placed the tray on side table and looked at my side. "Here's your food princess."
I didn't reply him because my whole focus right now was on the food tray that was sitting beside me on the side table. I tried to lift it with my right hand but failed terribly. Nonno saw that and took the tray and put it in her lap.
"Do you mind if I feed you?"
"Ummm.... " I don't know what to say so I just shook my head like a dumb idiot.
She smiled and took the spoon from the tray and start stirring the soup.
"You are damn lucky girl." Niccolo spoke.
"Why?"
"This bad wolf made you food and now my nana if feeding you. WITH HER WOWN HANDS"
I choose to ignore him and instead shifted my focus to Armando and spoke " Is he always like this or he hit his head recently that's why he's reacting like this?"
I was just curious but it seem it was funny to all of them except Niccolo and I. I kept looking at their faces and waited patiently for them to complete with their course of laughter so they can answer my question.
"She's too funny" said Edwaldo
"Okay cara, here" nanna pushed the spoon full of soup bite towards me. I took the bite but kept waiting for their answer which they never answered by the way.
"How's it?" Nonno asked
"It's good" but then I thought let's have some fun. "But the salt is little less plus Santino you could have added more basil I can hardly taste any."
"I'll remember for next time." He replied.
What? that's it?!! Won't he fight over it? I thought. Everyone was looking at me like I was a candy and this thing was making me very uncomfortable so I decided to dig up some information from them.
"Nonno....."
"Si cara..."
"How old are you?"
"I'm turning 75 next month "
"Wow!! That's great. What about you nana?"
"I'll be 71 in November " she replied with a smile and kept feeding me.
"To be honest nana you don't look like 71 at all. You look much younger. Are you sure you'll be 71 by the end of the year?"
"Si cara."
I was about to ask something else but someone's phone rang. Nana put the tray down and took out her phone.
"It's okay mom, you take the call I'll feed her." Armando spoke to her mother.
"What is going on today? First Santino, then nana and now you dad!!. Now I seriously think I'm dreaming. Gabs pinch me." Niccolo asked and Gabs pinched him hard.
"Ouch.... that was very hard." Niccolo complained.
"You asked for it." Gabs replied.
"Here cara, these idiots won't stop ignore them." Armando said.
I smiled and took the bite. I kept looking at him and as he was feeding me I looked at him up close. If I'm related to him somehow then there must be something that can give me a clue but couldn't find any. I looked at everyone in the room, they all were kinda busy in something. Some on phone, some with each other while some looking at me. As I was glancing everyone I saw all boys had their sleeves rolled up except Armando and Santino and then I saw something.

Achille have a birth mark on his left arm

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Achille have a birth mark on his left arm. I looked carefully and it is same as the one that I have but in pink color and I'm glad it's covered under plaster right now. To confirm, I checked it on other's too; they all have it.
"What are you looking at cara?" Nonno asked.
"Ummm.... Nonno do you also have that birth mark on your arm?"
"Sì cara, every male member of this family have one." Nonno replied.
"Really!!! But why all male members?"
"I'm not sure about that but I do know that my grandfather and my father had it. Then I have it, my son have it and now all his sons have it."
"Wow!!! Interesting."
I didn't even realised that while talking I have finished all the soup. And I'm super full right now plus sleepy. I yarned loudly and rubbed my eyes like a baby.
"Nana, can I sleep now please? I'm feeling very tired"
Nana was about to reply but Santino butted in "hold on..."
"Why?" I asked looking at him with sore eyes; I hope he's having a valid reason for that otherwise God know what I'll do with him.
"You need to eat your meds before sleeping."
"I don't want to. Plus I'm perfectly fine. I'm not feeling any pain seriously."
He didn't listen to a single word that came out of my sweet mouth and kept taking out pills from the bottle.
"Here... take it." He said while handing the pills. I was seriously not in mood to eat these stupid pills right now. Plus every time I eat these pain killers I always gets very bad headaches. I kept looking at him with a puppy face but I guess he was very adamant on his decision because even my puppy face was also not working on him.

"Take it cara, you'll feel better." Armando said. He said it so sweetly that I couldn't even say no to him.
"Okay" I replied and took the pills from Santino's hand and put it in my mouth and I swallowed it with glass of water that he handed me.
I handed him the glass back and he put it back on the side table. Achille cam forward and fixed my pillow so that I can lay down. I thanked him with smile and closed my eyes. I was so sleepy that I didn't even saw who covered me with the blanket. I heard someone walking out of the room and closing the door.
But not everyone went out I guess because I heard someone saying then
"She looks so cute while sleeping."
"Hmm"
"Are you okay Arlo? You seems very concerned about her. You know you can share it with us." I guess Armando said that.
"Something is not right dad." Santino said
"What you mean?" Gabs asked
"I keep having this feeling that we all are missing out something and it might be very important for us." Santino replied.
"We'll take this conversation outside." Said Nonno and everyone started walking out.
I was almost in lulled to sleep but then I felt a hand stroking my head.
"I don't care if you are related to us or not but from now on you are my responsibility."
That was the last thing that I heard before falling into deep sleep.

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