Emilio

It was getting on my nerves now. The stuttering. The fucking stuttering was getting on my nerves.

After I pulled into the driveway of my house, Aberto, one of the soldiers who worked as a guard there threw open Nico's door, and Nico ran inside the house. He went on to open Bethany's door, but I stopped him.

I went to her side and opened the car door. "Come out." She stepped outside gingerly, her eyes downcast. I grabbed her by the arm and dragged her along with me. She was so weak and frail, I was afraid I'd break her bone mistakenly. I slowed down, looking at her face with her tear stained cheeks.

"Carla!" I yelled when I stepped in. "I've bought you a new maid."

Maya, the other girl who worked in the house came out of the kitchen. "Consigliere, Carla can't come out right now. Can I help you instead?"

"This is Bethany." I told her, tugging on Bethany's wrist till she stepped to my side from behind my back. "She'll be helping you both here. Get her a room in the servant quarters and run her a bath. Give her some clothes. She'll be eating with Nico and I."

Maya nodded, then smiled at Bethany. "Hey! Come with me."

Bethany looked up at me, seeking permission. I nodded at her to go. Man, I wished she didn't do that, looking to me every fucking thing. 

Bethany made her way to Maya, and I was surprised to see her talk to Maya without stuttering, even...confidently. Normally. Not like the little mouse she was around me. I guess I scared her or something. 

Maya left with Bethany, and I searched for Nico. I knew exactly where he'd be. I found him in the living room, still in his uniform, lying on the couch, watching Spongebob Squarepants.

"Nico." I called.

He didn't seem to notice.

"Nico." I said a little more forcefully. He turned to look at me. "Yes, Papa." He acted like he didn't know what this was about.

I sighed. "Go get changed. Then we'll have lunch together."

"I'm not hungry, Papa." He told me, turning back to the TV.

I shrugged. "Okay then, guess I'll eat the cake Zia Isabelle sent on my own."

Nico thought for a moment. "I'm a little hungry, actually. Papa? Why was Bethany crying in the car?"

I sat down next to my son. "She just misses her family."

"Can't she go back to her family, then?" He asked. 

"They're not nice people, Nico."

I didn't know the details, but it wasn't hard to guess she had been mistreated by the Russians. I wondered how she ended up with them. 

"But isn't family supposed to love you? Like Zio and Zia and Dante and Gramma and Grampa?"

I nodded. "Yes." But it doesn't mean your blood family will always love you, Nico. "Now go get changed."

While Nico went to his room, I went to mine and quickly freshened up. I made my way downstairs and sat down at the head of the dining table. Carla had already set the table, and out of the corner of my eye I saw Maya and Bethany walk in.

"Thank you, Maya." I told her. "You can eat with Carla."

She nodded, and went away.

"Sit down." I ordered Bethany.

She took a second to process it, then sank down to the floor.

"What the fuck are you doing?"

Her eyes grew wide in fear. "Si-sitting."

I shook my head. "Sit on the fucking chair, Bethany."

"I-I'm allowed on fu-furniture?"

"Yes!" I exclaimed, exasperated. 

She quickly got up and sat down on the chair to my right. "Eat." I ordered. 

She served me first, then took a small portion for herself. When Nico came down, she served him too, and only then did she start eating. 

I watched her take small bites and drink a lot of water. She was so small. Fragile. 

"Bethany." I asked. "What all do you think you can do?"

She dropped her fork at my voice, then apologized profusely till I held up my hand.

"What can you do to make yourself useful?" I asked again.

"I-I can cook and cl-clean, sir."

Fuck it. The stuttering. The 'sir'.

"Did you go to school?"

She shook her head. "I got my GED."

I raised an eyebrow. 

"How old are you?"

"Tw-twenty."

Her food was finished now, and she stared at me with parts curiousity and fear.

I sighed. "You'll help Carla in the kitchen however she deems fit." I told her. "And you'll look after Nico when he gets back from school, and get him ready in the mornings. Maya will give you his schedule."

"I-I just have to be his n-nanny?"

I shrugged. "If that's what you'll call it."

"Papa!" Nico exclaimed. "I'm seven. I don't need a nanny."

Fucking hell, I'm stuck between a literal child and an adult who is like a kid. I should be getting a Daddy Emilio tag soon.

"I know, I know. She'll just be your caretaker."

He seemed to buy that, and resumed eating. 

I looked at Bethany whose eyes were downcast as she fiddled with the hem of her dress. 

I wondered if I should have just left her at the Central instead.