Had to get this off my mind. Enjoy :)

•••••

"SOMEBODY CATCH THAT GROUP OF NAKED CHILDREN!"

"Run! Run! He's coming! Run!"

Tiny pairs of feet scattered in all directions on the corridor. Two headed down the stairs and one ran straight ahead of me. Like a runner who is in a race, I gained my speed and caught the first child by his legs.

"Gotcha kiddo!" I laughed then picked him up and rubbed his wet hair with a dry towel.

"N-No! No! Uncle, stop! Noooo!" Sandro squirmed in my arms, tried to push me away and screamed for help. Cheeky bastard. Nobody is going to help him in this situation.

I put him down on his feet and threw the towel over my shoulder, sighing in relief. "There! All done. One down, two more to go!"

The eight year old naked boy frowned at me. "I don't like you anymore. I will complain to mommy."

I scoffed. "I'd like to see you try, momma's boy."

"I am not a momma's boy! I am a big man!" He posed like a superhero.

Don't laugh at your nephew. Don't laugh at your nephew. Don't you dare fucking laugh at your nephew. Don't try to take this image of your naked nephew posing like a superhero in your head or on your phone. DON'T LAUGH.

I bent down to his height. "Well then, you better go back to your room and wear your night clothes. Call me if you need any help. Don't forget to complete your history homework. I expect that on my desk by 9 am sharp tomorrow."

He nodded obediently. "Yes, uncle."

"Now run. I have to find your brothers."

I took the responsibility of teaching History and common laws (in future) to Alessandro (and hopefully his brothers too) because nobody would teach that better than me and the fact that I completed my Masters and PhD together. Obviously, someone had to carry on my legacy. I'm ridiculously clever and more intelligent than my brother, who teaches his eldest son basic Math and languages. Of course, we had the best tutor in languages for my nephew but due to unseen, unexpected and weird circumstances, our tutor is currently unavailable.

After Alessandro was out of my sight, I began following the trail of water droplets on the floor, down the stairs, to two floors below and right inside one of the spare rooms which had its door half open. I grinned devilishly when I heard muffled giggles from the closet.

"Come out, come out wherever you are, my little munchkin demons. The devil is calling out for you." I made loud footsteps opposite to where they were hiding and opened the curtains. "Gotcha... Oh no, I got fooled. If they are not here then where are they?"

"Shh! Quiewt. He muswt nowt hear us!" One shushed.

"Thiwsh is so fun!" The other giggled.

"I said quiewt!"

Quickly, I opened the closet. "I GOT YOU NOW! MUAHAHAHA!"

I met with shrill screams of my mischievous three year old twin nephews, Angelo and Matteo Agostini. Both of them were named by Mama Louisa and Leonardo respectively and were the full package of naughtiness.

"Again! Again!" Matteo cheered. "I want to play again!"

"Yes! Yes! Me too!" His twin laughed.

I lifted them up and walked out of the room. "Maybe tomorrow. If you both behave for one whole day. You guys up for that challenge?"

"Whawt is chaa-leenge?" Angelo asked curiously.

"A difficult task. Don't worry. You will learn more."

"What is woor-ry?" Matteo asked.

I put them down on a bed and dried their head with the towel turn by turn. "It means concern. Distress. Being troubled. There are many meanings. These are some big words for you both. You need not worry about it."

"Sad?"

I smiled and ruffled his hair. "Good boy. It also means that... in some way or the other."

"Thwen I am woor-ry for mommy. She bwas crywing. I got scwared."

"Me too." Angelo mumbled sadly. "We promiswe we were only playing. We did nowt mean to hurt mommy."

I sighed and bent down to their height, grabbing their small hands. "Your mommy did not get hurt because your toy car hit her toe. She... umm... your sibling wanted to play with you both too so it decided to tell mommy that he or she wants to come out of his or her nest today. You remember what your daddy said to you both about your new sibling having its nest in mommy's belly, don't you?" They both nodded in response. "Good. Tomorrow morning, before breakfast, all of us together, as a family, will make a huge 'welcome home mommy and baby' card and you give it to her when she comes back, okay?"

"Bwupht... Bwupt... I don't want more brothwers. I have Angie, Sandy and baby Nico." Matteo complained, whining.

"And Nico does not play with us. He slweeps and stawers at us all day." Angelo added.

Tell that to your Mr I-have-no-control-over-my-sexual-urges-when-it-comes-to-my-sexy-mamma-wife.

"I can understand, but your father wants you to have what he couldn't have when he was your age."

"He had you." Matteo said innocently.

"Our situation was different. He only had me but he wants you to have many." I finished helping them wear their night clothes. "So tell me where do you want to sleep tonight? Here or with your big brother?"

"Sandy!" They cheered together and ran out of the bedroom. I went in the other direction and inside a bedroom where the youngest member of the Agostini family babbled in joy when he saw me.

"Ah, Nico. My baby boy. You should be sleeping." I picked the thirteen month old baby and smelled him. Oh my goodness. Fresh baby smells should be illegal drugs. They would skyrocket in the market and I would be the first person to turn into an addict. "I see one of your aunties already gave you a bath. Are you excited? You are going to be a big brother like me today! Who's going to be a big brother, huh? Who's going to be a big brother?"

The boy squealed in joy. "Maa... Maa!"

"Yes, you are! My Nico is going to be a big brother! He's so sweet and charming that he is his uncle's favorite nephew and he will keep this as a secret because Nico cannot speak properly. If he ever dares to tell this to his siblings, his uncle will make his life a living hell in many physical ways because that's what he's good at doing. He's the best in it." I cooed in a childish voice and laid him down on his crib. "Big day for you, Nico. Sleep well. Your uncle has to check on your hyperactive elder brothers again."

Nico rubbed his eyes groggily and drifted off to sleep. I switched on the baby monitor, turned off the lights and left the door half open.

"Matteo! Angelo! What are you doing?!" I shouted when I saw Alessandro crying on his bed with his notebook on his lap, half torn and coloured with crayons. The twins were colouring on the wall, not bothered by his elder brother's cries.

"U-Uncle..." Sandro wailed and grabbed hold of my leg. "My h-homework... they tore it!"

Oh shit. "Matteo! Angelo! Say sorry to your brother this instant!"

"NO! I didn't dwo it! It was Angie!"

"NO! It was Mattie!"

"Say sorry. Now. Or else no card making tomorrow morning."

"Daddy didn't say sworry when he took grween pweas from your plwate today!"

"Because your uncle doesn't like green peas!" I hissed.

"Then why did mommy twell us to finish them? We don't like it ewi...her! Daddy shwould have twook ours too!"

"Because you are kids. You need green veggies for health."

"Grweenies are bad!"

"They are baaaaad!"

"I don't want them in my room! Uncle Adrian, tell them to leave me alone!"

Heck, I was supposed to be on a hunt to find a woman to warm my bed for the weekend but here I am, babysitting my nephews who are now giving me a headache. It's Saturday for God's sake!

I massaged my temples and sighed loudly, mentally bracing myself for the future lecture I will receive from their father if he ever finds out about this.

"So who wants to eat ice cream?"

*****

I should do this every time I get the opportunity to spend my time with these tiny demons alone. Give them sugar to their heart's desire and silently watch them fall into sugary, sweet sleep.

"Story time! Story time!" Angelo exclaimed.

"Yaay! Story time!" His twin joined.

I was about to close the door when I heard that my demons were not exactly asleep yet.

"Story? I'm sorry to disappoint you guys, but I don't do bedtime story telling." I smiled apologetically.

"Grandpa used to twell us stories."

I swallowed a lump. "He sure did."

"... Grandpa?" Alessandro yawned. "When? He never told me any bedtime stories. Uncle, why did he never tell me any bedtime stories? Does that mean he never loved me? I have never been a bad boy. I'm a good boy."

Classic old trick of that man. He used to do the same with me and Leonardo. He used to spend hours with me at night, telling me stories, some real, based on his travels and some from story books he used to buy while in the other room, his own son would sleep alone and feel neglected of the attention he was always meant to have.

I stroked Sandro's hair. "No. It doesn't mean anything like that. He loved all of you equally and he still does. He is just not here with us but he is watching us. Always remember that, okay?"

"I miss him. I didn't even get to say goodbye to him. He left so suddenly."

"We all do, buddy. We all do." I tucked him in properly and pecked his forehead.

"Where did he go?" Matteo asked sleepily.

"Hell." I answered with a sly smile.

I heard snickers from all three of them.

"I remember grandpa speaking of it. He said it's a torture but he was meant to go there. He was ready for it."

"Good boy, Sandro. See now? There is no need to be sad. Your grandpa was well prepared for everything and you know he would get upset if he sees that his first grandson is awake at this hour. And that includes you both too, so off to sleep."

After a final check that the kids were fast asleep, I closed their door and headed for the top floor, to my new office. I still don't deserve that space. It was papa's. It will always belong to him but he wanted me to have it before he left. Not Leonardo. Not Alessandro or any of his brothers when the time comes. Not even Amelia who used to spend hours with him in afternoons even when she was heavily pregnant with Alessandro, the twins, Nico and the new baby till she couldn't climb stairs. In those days, papa would come down and simply sit in front of her with a newspaper or a laptop. I never questioned it and neither did Leonardo. It wasn't our business.

That clever, old bastard had it all planned. It's been a month now since he left us all on our own.

I loosened up my tie as I entered my office and stopped on my track when I saw her sitting in front of my chair.

"Hi." She smiled evilly.

"I am in no mood for entertaining your daily questions. I've got work to do, Carina. Go back to your room."

She rolled her eyes. "Ugh. Still no news about them?"

"Even if I had got some information, I would still be in no mood to inform you." I grumbled and took my seat.

"You men are the same. Funny. Your brother said a similar thing last week. You know I will not rest until I know she is safe. At least do something so that I could talk to her."

"A flight to Maldives would perhaps help you?" I said sarcastically.

She scowled. "And just like you, I am in no mood of receiving dumb answers, Agostini. You and your brother and especially that mediocre, foolish man you call as your father are tricksters!"

I gave her a bored look. "Done?"

"Did you even make an effort to get in contact with them? Ask how they are? She is not even my real mother but I genuinely care about her more than any of you. She practically raised me here!" She hissed.

I opened my laptop. "You should consider yourself lucky for not being sent out like your other old lady friends. Besides, my concern is not my runaway parents at this point."

"Your father kidnapped Mama Louisa. You and your brother helped. Amelia kept her mouth shut and they both vanished in broad daylight. What's not to concern?"

"Ah, you're absolutely right. Next time when the kids ask where their grandpa went away without informing them, I'll correct myself and say that he actually took Hell with him, not that he is in Hell, though I can pretty much say that is quite a possibility too now. Mama is a handful."

"Ha! So you're saying that I should be worrying about that man instead of Louisa? That is hilarious." She said blatantly.

"That man, which you speak so fondly about, happens to be my father. So I suggest you stay within your limits." I warned.

"Awww. That's so sweet of you." She cooed. "And no wonder why I spend half an hour daily with your mightiness, asking questions I'll never get the answer for. Maybe I'll ask Amelia to join me next time. We've grown quite fond of each other ever since she found out that I'm the only woman left after Mama Louisa."

"Carina..."

"Lalalala. Why don't you just call and ask how she is. We know where that man took her away but it was all done against her will. I'm pretty sure she must be upset with you all. Nobody wants to get on her bad side."

I sighed loudly. "Even if I did, he won't pick up. Papa had clearly given us instructions to not to disturb him. Nobody has heard a word from him in over a month now. Just go back to your room or your work or whatever, Carina. We've got a big day tomorrow."

Her nose scrunched up. "I lost the count of children here."

I let out a short laugh, my eyes fixed on my screen. "You have time to do a quick head count. Nobody will know."

"Yeah, yeah." She waved her hand nonchalantly. "I'll do that later."

"Then you can leave. Enjoy your new promotion."

She got up from the chair, clicked her tongue in a playful manner and winked. "Sure will, boss. And get in touch with the old ex-couple."

"Old?" I gasped. "Who the hell are you calling old? Look at yourself, you fifty reaching something aunty."

"Shut up. You're no less than forty too."

"Excuse me." I snapped. "I'm thirty six."

"Liar. Amelia is thirty six so that would make you around... forty two, forty three years old? Ha! The pot is calling the kettle black!" She laughed.

I will not get mad at her. She is just trying to provoke me into telling me some answers. After all, she is Mama's minion. Expert in lying and twisting words.

"Whatever. I don't look a day over thirty. Now go away."

"Fine." She muttered and left my office.

The old portraits of my father, grandfather, his father and his father were staring at me, displeased.

I made an ugly face. "Don't look at me like that or else I'm gonna turn you around."

Kneeling down behind the desk, I took out the half empty boxes which I had been filling with old papers and documents my father had previously personally ordered me to pack in order so that no paper shall ever misplace and burn in the backyard. I don't like that man now. Maybe I used to adore him to a certain point but now I just don't like him. He left us all high and dry, and most importantly, he hijacked my Maldives bungalow and turned it into his own personal hostage holding place. I bought that place with my first two months' salary when I first joined working for the family. After I finished transferring the papers from one box to another, I picked it up.

The documents fell on the floor after the box tore open from the base.

Casually I reached out for my phone and dialled a number. My assistant picked it up after a single ring. "Hey, man." I greeted. "Can you get me triple of what I usually have?"

"Long night, boss?"

"You can say so." I answered, eyeing the mess on the floor.

*****

In between six short cups of coffee and a half eaten dinner, I managed to make most of my rearranging skills and slumped on my chair. At the exact same time, my phone started ringing and I switched it to speaker mode when I saw the name.

"So is it a girl or an adoption?"

"Adrian." My little brother said in a warning tone.

"What?" I snapped. "I'm sick and tired of your carbon copy miniatures running everywhere."

"They are children, Adrian. My children. At least show some care and adoration towards them just like you do to me."

I snickered. "Oh trust me, brother. I show it just enough and I adore them more than you."

"I am going to pretend that I am hurt by your words." He said flatly.

"Whatever. And? What's the news?" I asked expectantly.

"Nothing. I got bored so I called you."

My lips twisted nastily. "You piece of shit. I'm asking about the baby and you're telling me about yourself. I have no interest in you."

"It's been six hours already. I think this one's gonna break Nico's record." I heard some shuffling from the other end.

I sighed. "How's Amelia?"

"She's fine. The doctors are doing some checkup on her."

"So you left a woman in labour alone? How husbandly of you." I said sarcastically.

"Adrian, the doctors told me to leave. Besides, I'm starving. I had a granola bar for dinner. Might as well get a sandwich or something to eat from the cafeteria for both of us."

"Hmm hmm."

"You're busy?" He asked.

"Not exactly. Gotta burn some papers and stuff."

"And the kids are asleep?"

"Yeah yeah. Tucked them in together. Your twins tore away Sandro's homework. You better start being a little strict with them."

Leonardo laughed heartily. "You wish. They're kids. It's obvious that they got all the fun traits from their mother."

I stacked some papers I have to start working on and arranged them properly on my desk. "Alright. Whatever you say, daddy Leo."

"Don't. Call. Me. That."

This time, I laughed. "It's so fun to tease you. I can never stop."

"Right. Get one for yourself then we'll see who's teasing and who's not." He said dryly.

My nose scrunched up and I clicked my tongue. "Not gonna happen anytime soon, brother. I'm fine just the way I am."

"Adrian, you're already forty two..."

"And age is just a number. Stop using that against me. You found somebody from the inside, somebody who never cared about the fame and money you come along with. If I start, hypothetically speaking, if I start dating and even have a thought of settling down like you... it's not meant for me. Women will come attracting to me like fucking magnets except the only attraction they'll have is towards my name, fame and money."

"Then find someone from the inside, if you want."

I burst out laughing. "That's... that's hilarious! What do you want me to do? Get down on my knees for every twenty women working here and ask them to marry me?"

"No. You obviously love your life. You ask one here and the rest will revolt against you. I don't want things to go back the way they were before. That's my home we're talking about."

"Exactly. End of discussion."

"But... but my boys would love to have a cousin to play with—"

"Leo?"

"Yes, brother?"

"Fuck you."

"It's your turn to name the child and fuck you too."

"Excuse me?" I snapped and got up from the chair. I glared hard at my phone as if it were my little brother. "Did you say something about naming something?"

"Hey! That something happens to be my unborn child."

"Yeah, right. Why don't you try vasectomy since you are already in a goddamn hospital, waiting for your fifth child's arrival?"

"Adrian!"

"I swear to our family's name, if this one turns out to be another boy and a carbon copy of you, I'm putting one of your kids on adoption while you and Amelia are in process of making a sixth one."

"Adrian, don't make me shout in a hospital!"

"Oh yeah? I'd like to see you try, you big old boss-daddy."

"Adrian! You will not touch my boys!"

"Then why the fuck are you telling me to name this kid, huh? You had nine months to inform me about this!"

"Don't make a scene out of this, brother. It's a family tradition. We all took our turns to name the children. It's your turn now."

I scoffed. "A weird ass tradition which started eight years ago."

"It feels good to have one. Weird or not, we never had a family tradition before. I know you agree on this with me, brother." He voiced out.

I crossed my arms sternly. "And what if I don't agree on naming the child?"

"Then the opportunity will pass on to the next closest person to us. Amelia wants her friend to be next. She's the only person who has been with my wife during her early, tough years here. She's basically family."

The hell?!

"So if I don't... I will be replaced by... her?" I sneered.

"Replace is a strong word, Adrian. Nobody is replacing anybody here. If you don't want to name my child, it's fine by me. I know it's a big responsibility and I informed you late. Amy and I were just discussing it."

I picked up my phone, turned off the speaker mode and pressed it against my ear. I let out a frustrated sigh. "I don't know, man... I mean, naming a kid? That is a huge responsibility and pressure you've put on me. Unprofessionally. What if I choose to name the kid something I like but you and Amy don't like it? That's your kid, Leonardo. Your kid, your responsibility."

He snickered. "Nice motto."

"Thanks." I replied smugly.

"You don't worry about us liking the name or not, brother. We trust you enough with our kids alone, naming one is nothing compared to that. We owe you for everything. Without you, none of this happiness in my life would have been possi—"

"Alright! Alright!" I yelled. "Don't pull that emotional little Leo card on me. You're too old for that."

"I'm never too old for that." He grumbled.

"Tell that to your wife and children."

"As if I will. Think of a nice name for your nephew or niece, Adrian. I will not tolerate stupid names." I heard a lot of shuffling from the other line and heard him speak in a hushed whisper. "If we are finally blessed with a healthy baby girl, Amelia and I are stopping. No more children. Nobody in our family has a history of having a girl. Not father, grandfather or his father and before that. God, Adrian, I want to give my wife a baby girl so badly but that kind of power to make choices is not in my hands. I don't like being helpless and silently watch that longingness for having a baby girl in my wife's eyes."

"I understand."

"It's not that I don't adore my boys. I love them all equally very much, but I want them to have a sister. Amelia wants it too. Is it too much to ask for a daughter?"

I shook my head. "No, of course not. You're a good man, brother. Well, kind of. You're real nasty when it comes to business in all ways. But you're a good husband and father. I've seen it myself. You deserve what you want."

He sighed loudly. "I guess I needed to hear that."

I laughed softly. "No worries. We all have our low days."

"Get a proper name for the baby, will you? Discuss it with her friend because if this one turns out to be a girl, she won't get her turn. The last thing I want in life is an upset duo of best friends who will keep staring at me as if I had committed some crime."

But our job is to commit crimes. I wanted to say that but I kept my mouth shut on this. Parenting and performing husbandly duties has made my brother more dumb than he already is.

My mood turned sour instantly. "You're kidding me, right? I'm not doing that. I rather give up this opportunity."

"Adrian, for once, just cooperate. This is important. Amelia wants her to be equally involved and she has the full right to do so. Her friend happens to be my children's first aunt out of twenty aunts. Count her as their favorite."

I groaned in frustration. A few minutes or worse, hours of baby names discussion. Creepy glares and smiles along with only cuss words from her mouth for me. Hell, I avoid this woman at all costs and my brother is pushing right towards her. What could possibly go wrong?

Answer: Everything.

"Fine. As you wish, boss. Don't get upset if I name the child Mr slash Ms My-uncle-named-me-pooping-and-sleeping-machine-because-I-poop-and-sleep-all-day-and-my-daddy-is-the-world's-best-diaper-changing-daddy."

"Adrian," My brother warned gravely. "Don't make fun of my talent."

I chuckled. "You didn't deny."

"Fuck you."

"Fuck you too. Anything else?"

I heard him sigh loudly and some more shuffling noise from the background. "Get in touch with our father. I don't care by what means but contact him. He has the full right to know about today."

"You have got to be kidding me!" I snapped. "What is up with you and last moment information?"

"Nothing." He defended. "He just happens to be my children's grandfather."

"I fail to understand how we are so casual about this."

It all started on the night of Nico's first birthday. Father called us both upstairs in the middle of celebration and simply said: "Give me your Maldives' bungalow keys. I am taking your mother away from here."

And just like that, years of non communication between all three of us vanished into thin air.

It was so damn obvious that all three of us knew that we were hiding a simple knowledge from each other which we already knew. We just never talked about it. I never did because I am a man who never exactly had a mother since birth and this man is selfish enough to have all motherly love and adoration to himself and refuses to share. Leonardo never did because he happens to be my brother and a lot more stubborn than me. Papa never did because he is our father and would never speak about her. He had a plan. We agreed to help. We had to. He wanted to make amends. He had been desperately trying to do that for years already. Making weird excuses to see her daily. Be it a lost sock, fake hand injury, forgetting how to make a tie or anything lamer than that. Mama wouldn't listen. A little slip up of sedative in her morning's breakfast by me and a distraction by Leonardo did the trick. In the next hour, they both were gone.

"Adrian, ask how he is. It's been a month now. With Mama on loose with him, I am actually worried about him. We don't know till what extent she can go to get rid of him, though I hope she didn't do it permanently yet."

"I don't keep piranhas as pets so you can strike out father accidentally falling into a pool full of them." I snickered.

"Ha. Very funny." He muttered dryly. "Just do the job."

"I'll see what I can do about it. Tell Amy I said hi, okay?"

"Why don't you say it yourself? Amy, it's Ad—"

"FUCK YOU AND YOUR BROTHER! I HAD TWO CONTRACTIONS WHILE YOU WERE GON—"

The line went dead.

I made an ugly face to my phone. Giving birth is painful.

Quickly, I dialled papa's number and cursed under my breath when I heard that it's out of reach. I dialled my caretaker's number and it was out of reach too. I sighed and decided to pull my last card by calling one of my men.

"Hey man, get in touch with one of our technicians and see if my father has changed his number or not. If yes, I want that number on my desk in less than an hour or half."

"But boss, we were told not to disturb—"

"As soon as you find that number, send him a text on my behalf and tell him to pick up my call. It's urgent. And I want to see his face so it better be a video call."

"We're on it, boss."

"Good. While you're at it, send a message to miss Rylie to see me only after she's done with her dinner and her work."

"Okay, boss. Anything else?"

"Yeah... got any good baby name suggestions for me?"

******