26) Get down to business

The ride back to the Cavallone mansion was excruciatingly silent—not to mention awkward. Mira found herself slouching in her seat with her hands on her stomach, feeling for the telltale bump. Sure enough, there was the slightest bulge to it. She gulped and though: That is so no lunch.

From the corner of her eye, she looked at Dino; he stared straight ahead, driving oh-so slowly. And to think he failed the test twice for speeding. Sitting up, she dug around the glove compartment and finally fished out a CD pouch. Obviously, since she had disappeared, he hasn't updated the CD's much less the whole thing itself. Audio burning had been her thing; Dino was just there to give her ideas. Selecting a purple CD from the lot of them, she popped it in and hit play. Then, Smoke on Water started playing.

Dino cast her a puzzled look. "What?" she said indignantly. "It's totally classic".

"Right".

A smile played upon his lips, but something in his eyes seemed to counter that. Out of nowhere, he asked, "You wanna play 20 questions?"

"Uh, sure, why not?"

"Alright then, I'll go first. Let's see…" he drummer on the steering wheel, "oh, do you have any idea who the father of your baby is?"

Actually, I do, she thought. Unfortunately, he doesn't. "Yep. But that doesn't mean I'm gonna tell you, right?"

He shrugged. "Fair enough. Your turn".

"Did you miss me?"

He scoffed, shaking his head in amusement. "You're silly. Of course I did. Did you miss me?"

She nodded vigorously. As he was about to ask his question, she help up a hand to silence him. "Still my turn. You already used your second question".

"Fine, I'll let you and your hormones have that one".

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Any special ladies in your life I should know about?"

"Nah, you already know all of them", he answered. "What about you? Any special guys—other than me, of course—I should know about?"

You've no idea. "Maybe".

It was her turn to ask, but so many things came to mind. Nevertheless, Mira decided not to tell him about Xanxus. He doesn't have to know it's his child.

My child.

"Hey, Dino?"

"Hmm?"

She slumped back and folded her hand over her stomach. "Can I stay with you until, you know, I start showing?" she bit her lip, waiting for an answer.

For the first time since they into his car, he actually smiled at her like a father who's just found his lost child. "You didn't have to ask, you know", he said, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "You can stay for as long as you want".

She grinned, rubbing a thumb on her stomach. You're one lucky baby, she thought. You can survive anything life throws at you, just like your daddy.

On one hand, Daddy is a hotheaded elite assassin. On the other, she was currently breathing the same air as the man who'd accepted her in his home. She began toying with the idea of him filling in the paternal spot. He's perfect…she thought, but no. He needs to know his real father. "How'd you like to be called uncle?" piped Mira. "Uncle Dino…that doesn't sound too bad, does it?"

"No, not at all".

She beamed at him. "He's gonna love you".

"He? How do you know it's a boy?" he asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow at her.

"Mother's intuition", she said, relishing her newfound role. "I'm gonna name him Angelo. My little angel".

Multiple screams tore through the kitchen and out into the hallway. Soon enough, the chef and staff ran for dear life as Bel's knives pursued them. Cackling madly, he continued on his rampage until they were out of sight. Lussuria, who'd just appeared when they were gone, scolded the psychotic prince. "Shishishishi…", he giggled, "…did you see them scatter like the rats they are? Mira never did that".

"Aw, do you miss her?" queried Lussuria.

"Shishishishi, I miss throwing my knives at her. She was more of a challenge than those weaklings".

The doors flew open and in came a cranky Levi. He looked around, noting the absence of the people who were supposed to be there. "When's dinner gonna get ready? I'm starving".

As soon as the words left hi mouth, Squalo stormed into the kitchen and yelled, "Alright, if anyone in here known how to cook, get started on dinner already!"

"What about Mira?" asked Lussuria. "Isn't she coming home?"

His face turned grim by the second. He had gone to the hospital to pick her up, only to find out that she'd already left. Not anymore. "What the fuck are you waiting for?" he roared. "Make something so we can all fucking eat!"

He knew that once that last bottle was empty, he'd have to snap back to reality. Nothing lasts, he thought. Obviously she didn't.

The Maserati parked in the driveway would never be driven again. Her room would remain as she left it—untouched, unchanging, and collecting dust. Nobody's going to be bustling around in the kitchen and 6 in the morning, either. And no longer can he expect to hear her calm breathing as he slept. Should've known that it wasn't gonna work, he thought. Should've seen that coming. We're so fucking different. How the hell did I miss that?

Grabbing the bottle by the neck, he down its contents and flung the bottle across the study. Time to get back to business.

whaddya think? too much angst? too little? none at all?

omg, I think I'm growing a conscience! but then again, I've never been angstyy as a person myself...

review?