"How is she doing?"

"Nothing much has changed." It was Marianne at the other end of the line back home in California. "She'll be fine."

"I don't like the sound of that." Seth breathed. "I'll be on the next plane to San Francisco right now."

"And that will change absolutely nothing. The nurses here still have everything under control and I got you."

"I need to be by her side, Annie. I'm her only family and this is the time she needs me the most!"

"Will you relax?" Marianne snapped right back. "I get it, your mother is out of it and you want to be there for her like the good son that you are. But, you being here will change nothing at all. Don't beat yourself too hard, Seth. Try to rest on your off days, after all we barely get any."

Seth sighed heavily. "Promise me you'll update me every now and again." His voice was cracking inside his throat.

"I promise babe," Marianne said reassuringly. "So how's your zaddy boyfriend?"

Seth quickly threw a discreet glance at Leonardo who was busy refueling a rental Bugatti in preparation for their two hours plus road trip to Milan.

"Are you still there?" Seth blinked.

He spoke in a low voice. "We both know he's not my boyfriend."

"Yet." Marianne said and Seth rolled his eyes.

"Once he knows the skeletons I'm keeping inside my closet he'll leave and I won't be able to get over it."

Marianne practically screamed in frustration, drawing a visible grimace on Seth's face. "Are you kidding me right now? The guy is so much into you, don't you see? Stop assuming stuff!"

Seth was not taking any of this discussion seriously which explained his laughter. "Don't start with that signs crap. It literally took a full year for you to embrace the undeniable chemistry between you and Ed."

"It's not even funny anymore Seth. You've been sleeping with the same guy for more than a month now, your face lights up whenever his name is mentioned and I'll not even start describing how you look at him. And right now you're going to his hometown? This is a big deal!"

Seth dropped his phone inside a Doritos bag just to mess up the connection. "Such a goddamn drama queen." Maybe I am the drama? He sighed to himself.

For a while Seth stared into space contemplating Marianne's words. He simply did not have that kind of luxury, his mother was not doing too good. Seth was worried sick and thanks to Marianne he now had too much on his plate to digest.

"We're good to go." Leonardo stated bringing Seth out of his thoughts. "Are you okay?"

Seth could see the genuine concern on the attending's face. "Yes," he faked a smile. "Everything is great."

"You don't have to lie to me you know?" Leonardo's dark eyes were burning holes through Seth's skin as if he could see all his darkest sins and deepest secrets. "I hate being lied to."

"I told you I'm good." Seth's gaze was piercing, intense and filled with temerity. "It's nothing I can't handle."

"If you need anything, just know I'm here, okay?"

Why do you care? Seth wanted to ask but aloud he said, "Okay."

Leonardo nodded then they both started for the idling car. "Would you mind if I drive us?" Seth asked sheepishly.

"I don't mind." Leonardo paused a bit, he looked like he was musing on a thought then he continued. "I'll kick your ass if you put a dent on it."

"Whoa is that a threat?"

"No, it's a promise."

. . .

On one of the traffic lights, Leonardo had an exchange with a guy who was next to them in a Corvette, he wanted to race. 

"Think you can take him?" Leonardo turned to ask Seth who only gave him a blank stare. "The guy, he's challenging you into a quick race, can you take him?" he repeated thinking Seth had missed the point at first.

"I wasn't planning on becoming a criminal in a foreign country by the way." Seth's tone was laced with sarcasm but mostly disbelief. How could Leonardo even entertain the idea? "Isn't street racing illegal?"

"It's only illegal when you get caught," Leonardo said in all seriousness and Seth quirked him an incredulous brow. "We weren't planning on getting caught."

"You must be shitting me." Seth muttered under his breath. "Tell him I'm in."

Now it was Leonardo's turn to raise a brow. "You don't have to accept his challenge." Deep down he wanted Seth to accept.

"I want to." Seth's eyes fizzing with enthusiasm met Leonardo's. "Tell the fucker he's on."

Leonardo nodded to the guy then he told Seth the race was going to start after the next green light and finishing at the next traffic light which was less than a mile away.

"Listen, he already has a weight advantage over you since he's not carrying a passenger but that shouldn't be much of a problem. You have approximately 246hp, 1250nm torque, four-wheel drive amongst other things against him. If you win this race I'll buy you a drink."

Seth wanted to scoff but he reprimanded himself. "We have a deal." he said, flaunting his white pearls.

The excitement in Seth's body felt like he was directly plugged on an AC plug. The thought of breaking free on that freeway caused tingles to crawl from his head to toes as he rubbed his hands together in preparation.

Seth's competitor was valiant. It wasn't a trouble-free race in shorter precise wording. Any moment from now there was a high probability of a traffic control breaking out but once the engine started heating up, it was all about the drive, the feel and the speed. Negotiating with all those treacherous corners and curves was going to feel like an unleashed animal that needed to scamper.

"Ready?" Leonardo inquired slightly above his normal voice since both cars were revving.

"Ready than I'll ever be."

The older man burst into a proud smirk, pelting Seth on his thigh and making sure not to let his touch linger. He couldn't risk distracting him. "You got this." 

Seth flashed Leonardo a thumbs up sign before focusing on the lights blinking in front of him. As soon as the traffic light turned green, Seth accelerated the engine with buoyancy. He felt the skin on his face being tugged backwards. Racing was a solitary experience like a wizard taught you how to fly, a thing of beauty and precision.

Seth would've described the feeling as a combination of exhilaration, fear, relaxation and pleasure that changes your life forever. Things started happening quickly, adding to the thrill was how the vehicle would feel so light in turns, almost seeming like defying the general laws of physics. Both doctors were at the mercy of the world. Their lives could sniff out of them as quickly as snapping a finger.

They were nervous, keenly aware of their own mortality but that was at the bottom of their worry list. The other guy was drifting at a menacing speed. The competitor's agenda was clear; he wanted to get away with a win as much as Seth wanted to. Seth analyzed how the racer was flying and predicted his fate. Missing a blind spot ahead paved the competitor to suddenly turn into gravel.

"You did it baby!" Leonardo was literally yelling on top of his voice.

On the other hand Seth's chest was almost bursting with emotion, he couldn't even wipe off the triumphant grin on his face. Suddenly he felt soft lips moving against his, it didn't take much time for him to respond to the impulsive kiss. It was slightly rough, uncoordinated and fueled with adrenaline but Seth wasn't complaining. He couldn't have had it any other way.

"We should leave before we become Italy's most wanted." Leonardo warned after breaking off the kiss.

"You know for a moment I thought he was going to fry your ass?" Leonardo said.

"You did not!" Seth laughed. "The guy missed a blind corner, twice."

"I'm glad you won." A small sigh of contentment left the Italian's lips. "I don't know how to take losses."

"Do you accept street racing challenges often?" Seth was curious to know.

"I'm too old for that. But when we were younger my brother and I used to go for street races. I loved the thrill."

They were now traveling at a normal speed since traffic had suddenly become a nightmare. "You're full of surprises."

For a while they drove in a comfortable silence until Leonardo decided to break it off. "You seemed to know what you were doing back there, have you ever raced before?"

Seth chuckled. "Let's just say I've played a couple of video games."

"You still play?"

"Sometimes," Seth nodded. "Do you play? Or you're too old for that, grandpa?"

Leonardo gasped. "I'm not that old and of course I do play, sometimes too."

                   . . .                          

"Holy shit, man is this a mansion?" Seth fought for breath asking the obvious. "Dude are you part of an Italian monarchy?"

"The monarchy set up was abolished like a thousand years ago?"

"This is just—wow." Seth was failing to find a word close enough to describe what he was seeing.

The whole place was like a fortress, tall iron gates with a tight security surveillance system than any barrack would ever have. The mansion was ornately crafted in architecture and ultimately splendid in its perfectly manicured hedges that looked like different animals. The gurgling water fountain that appeared like glass was just a cherry on top.

Seth was speechless.

"My grandparents spent most of their lives here." Leonardo mentioned as they were now walking to the main entrance. "They named this place piccolo paradiso, it means little paradise."

"It's magnificent." Said Seth in awe.

"Daddy! Daddy!" It was Mia, bursting out of her skin as she ran toward Leonardo and Seth's. "I missed you daddy."

"I missed you too Topolina," Leonardo took her in his arms. "But guess what?"

Seth was observing the cute exchange. Mia's eyebrows instantly scrunched up. "Tell me!"

"Daddy won't be going to work for a while and we'll have lots of fun harvesting!" Leonardo told her excitedly.

Mia's mouth dropped open. "Are we going to harvest grapes?"

"Yes Topolina and strawberries too."

"Yesssss!" She cheered, then looked up at Seth. "Do you like grapes too?"

Seth couldn't refrain himself from smiling. "I do love grapes and I can't wait to harvest them with you guys."

Mia threw both her arms in the air like a bird about to take off. "Nona also said it will be fun!"

"That's the plan." Leonardo ruffled Mia's hair while letting her down on her feet. She always made a cute pout whenever he did that, which she did.

"You're just in time for lunch." A woman with oak-brown eyes matching her flowing hair appeared. "And he finally brings a guy home, I was starting to think your ugly face was failing to attract a decent partner."

Leonardo groaned. "Mamma! Basta! Mi stai imbarazzando."

"I'm your mother so I can embarrass you whenever I want." She grinned.

Seth was having a hard time stifling his laughter. He had totally missed the fact that she'd insinuated him and her son were actually a couple.

"Yeah, I love you anyway." said Leonardo hugging his mother as well as kissing both her cheeks with so much affection.

Seth felt a slight pang of jealous as he watched them. Leonardo's life was simply perfect. He had everything, unlike him.

"I'm Isabella," Leonardo's mother introduced herself to Seth, she caught him completely off guard by engulfing his body into a tight embrace. "You're most welcome here my dear." She kissed both his cheeks as well.

Seth turned red. He was not used to people showering him with affection like that. "Uh, It's nice meeting you, ma'am." He stammered. "And I'm Seth."

"Oh please, call me Isabella," she smiled gesturing them to follow her inside. "Come on in, we are about to eat."

"Your mom is nice." Seth whispered so that only Leonardo could hear him.

"You won't be saying that when you meet my father. He can be...a lot."