Lev and I got into my car. He almost seemed shocked that I had a legal license here. He relaxed into the passenger seat. I backed out of the side garage and he was pretty comfortable. I was glad he trusted me, or at least looked like he trusted me to drive.
“Are you comfortable? You can change the seat round if you’re not, and there are seat warmers to—-”
“I’m alright Alessio. Thank you for your concern, though.”
“Alright.”
“Are you ok after your good cry?”
“Yes. I still have my damned headache, though. Now it’s got larger and has names.” I sighed.
Lev laughed lightly. He was dressed in jeans and a sweater. He was a pretty good looking man. I wondered if this was the point where I should pray to Caleb for all my upcoming sins if something happened between Lev and I. Lev had piqued my interest before Caleb even died, and despite that it sat like lead in my stomach, it was the truth. It felt like betraying my feelings and relation with Caleb then, and it still does now.
“My grandmother is going to go up one side of me and down the other about all this.” I sighed.
“I hardly think she will. If anything, she’s worried about how you’re handling everything.”
“Probably.”
“Having a family unit is an excellent support system. Don’t take them for granted.”
“I try not to.”
Lev flicked out his phone and showed me a photo while we were waiting at a red light. It was of him, a woman and a small child. Everyone in the photo looked happy, and it was clear it was taken years ago.
“This is my sister and nephew. This was eight years ago. I haven’t seen either of them since then because I don’t want to put them in danger. I speak to them as often as I can, but most times I miss their calls because I’m working.”
“I’m sorry. That must be so rough.”
“Sometimes it really is. I’m her older brother. She rarely takes the money I give her to help. I don’t want her or my nephew to want anything, ever.”
“She probably wants your time more than your money, Lev.”
“That’s probably true.”
Pulling into the diner, Lev had gone quiet.
“You’re damn lucky my dad let me drive and we weren’t stuck in the SUV with him and Lukas.”
“Your father is giving you space.”
“Please, don’t act like the moment he gets you alone, he will not grill you about the fact we are sharing a bed. Even though we aren’t doing shit together.”
“Oh, I looked forward to it.”
“Lev.”
“I like to work up you Mihail’s. It’s easy and amusing.”
“Glad our temper problems are amusing.”
“Alexi is the easiest to work up.”
“Yes, he really is.”
Remembering what happened here with Creed, I shook my head, smiling a bit before opening my car door.
“Let’s go.”
“Coming.”
He took a little to get out of the car, but once he was standing and the car door was shut, he was on the move. We barely made it through the door when my dad switched to Italian as if I didn’t understand it. He was clearly speaking to my Nonna about Lev and I.
“I find it amusing you switch to Italian to gossip. You are aware it’s my first language and I understand it perfectly.” I sighed.
He turned to me and narrowed his eyes at me. Nonna looked at me, too, but not for long. She looked Lev up and down and then back at my father.
“What is she saying?” Lev whispered in my ear.
” I don’t know. I can’t hear her from here. But I’m positive it’s about you.”
“Oh, I got that much.”
Creed walked over, a beer in his hand, and passed it to Lev.
“You’re going to want this.”
“What the hell did she say?” I hissed at Creed.
“Nope, I like you, but not enough to rat her out.”
She looked at him again and she smiled softly at him. I wasn’t sure if she was doing so because she liked him or wanted to cook him for dinner. Lev went to bring his beer to his mouth, and I snatched it. Only for him to take it back before I could get a drink.
“You’re driving. No alcohol.”
I sighed.
My father finally made his way over and spoke in Italian. It was low, but not enough that I didn’t hear him. He wanted to talk later.
“We could talk now.” I said in English.
“Now really isn’t the best time.”
“Right. Got it.”
Nonna finally came over, and she smothered me in the largest hug. She bitched about my dark circles and how it reminds her of Alexi when he was younger and his dark circles.
“Good dick and sleeping pills. Fixes everything.”
Creed choked on his beer, and Nonna chewed out Alexi for almost harming poor Creed. You would have sworn Creed was her grandson, not Alexi. He just shrugged and continued on. Nonna pivoted her attention to Lev. He set his beer down and spoke.
“Pleasure to meet you. Ma’am.”
“Please, call me Nonna. I appreciate you looking after my grandson. He is precious.”
“Of course, I don’t mind.”
I watched my father’s face screw up. He was clearly uncomfortable with this. I found it very amusing. He seemed more uncomfortable with Lev being close to me than he had with Caleb. Nonna suddenly spoke my name, making me look up at her.
“Condolences on Caleb. Each day will get easier, it won’t always hurt.”
“It’s the small things I miss the most.”
When we all sat down to have dinner, Lev sat beside me and set his hand on my knee. He did it to get my attention, and it was enough to irritate my father.
“Keep your hand—----Ouch you little bastard.”
Alexi drove his elbow into my father’s ribs. Lukas snickered from beside my dad.
“Andrei. Behave.”
“Lukas! He’s the one—-”
“Darling. How old are you? Three?”
Both Alexi and my father were in happy relationships. I was happy for them. They both seemed to be happier each day that passed. Dad was glaring at Lev. Lev didn’t seem to even notice it, as he had a conversation with Creed and Alexi. Remembering about the stitches in Lev, I spoke.
“You giant fuck! I have a fucking bone to pick with you.” I hissed, pointing at my dad.
“Oh, do you?” He said, matching my tone.
“Yeah! I do. What the hell is your deal? You should have brought Lev to me when he popped his stitches! Not fix them in your gross bathroom, of all freaking places! He could have got an infection!”
“Do you think this is a wise time to get in my face about this, Alessio?”
I was going to say something, but Alexi booted me in the shin under the table. The look on his face told me not to go there right now.
“You’re right. We can talk about this later.”
Lukas leaned over and whispered something in my father’s ear and settled down at least a little. He stopped glaring at Lev and I could relax a little more after that. Nonna spoke.
“Come help me in the kitchen Alessio, I need a hand.”
“Coming.”
I knew this was code for get your ass in the kitchen and let’s talk. It wasn’t the first time she had asked this of me. I was barely in the kitchen when she yanked me by my arm into the walk-in pantry.
“Your father is a whole new level of ugly about Lev and you.”
“Oh, I got that.”
“He is worried this is too soon for you to make choices like this.”
“Nonna, We haven’t done a damn thing. Lev is only sleeping in the bed because he is wounded. Dad has this large fantasy that Lev and I have done things we really haven’t.”
“Your father is protective of you. You are his only—-”
“He has Alexi.”
“Alexi is different, and you know it.”
“He is all uptight about something I didn’t do, Nonna. My god.”
“Give your father a break. Don’t push it. I know it’s hard, and I know you’re an adult.”
“I’ll try but I;m not promising anything. He is hardheaded, and it’s like speaking to a wall.”
“You three are the same. Just different degrees of it.”
“Ugh. Don’t remind me.”
“Lev seems nice, though. If something comes from the time you spend together, make sure it’s for the right reasons and think it through. I don’t care who you’re with as long as you are happy and healthy.”
“Don’t let dad hear you say that, Nonna. He will flip his lid.”
“I birthed that. I’m not scared of his temper tantrums.”
“They aren’t as bad now that he has Lukas. Lukas does good things to that man.”
“Oh hun, you do not know how much your father had changed since Lukas came into the picture. They are lovely together.”
We finished talking in the kitchen and went back out to the dining area and everyone was getting along smoothly. Lev and dad were finally talking about things, like whatever issue he had with Lev had been resolved. Lukas just smiled at me softly and tapped the screen of his phone. It was a sign to check my phone. I had a text from him saying he had told my father to be on his best behavior or else. And that I shouldn’t have any more problems with him, at least for today.
Nonna brought out lunch, and that became the focus of everything. And I was thankful.
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