Finally, a new chapter! It's kind of short, but it also sort of wraps up this part of the story. I know some one said that lately this story has just been like one 'unfortunate event' after another, and I agree. But after this, it's gonna get happier, I promise. So, I hope you like this!

Chapter 15 Paternal Betrayal

"Ma! I'm back!" Marco burst into the front door. "Where are yo-" Marco walked in his living room to find his mother sitting on the couch crying. "Ma, don't worry. We'll go out and look for Pa." He sat down next to his mother. "We'll find him."

Rosina shook her head. "No, Marco." She handed him a piece of paper. "We won't."

Marco took the paper and looked it over. It was his father's handwriting written in Italian. He roughly translated it. "Staying here isn't worth this, him." Marco's voice caught in his throat as he realized that "him" meant Marco. "I'm leaving. Don't bother looking for me. I'm long gone."

"I found it on the table after I called you." Rosina looked at her son. She could see the pain in his eyes. "It's all right Marco. It's not your fault." She leaned over and wrapped her arms around him.

"What are you talking about!" His voice was cracking and she knew he was beginning to cry. "Of course it's my fault! He said that staying here wasn't worth me. He hates me…" Marco just stared at the paper.

"Marco, look at me." Rosina sat up straight and put her hands on Marco's temples. She turned his head towards her. "You listen here. I don't care what he thinks. I've said it before and I'll say it again. If he can't accept you as you are, he will be no husband of mine." Her eyes shone with tears as she spoke. "It is not your fault that he is so arrogant and can't see the blessing that is right in front of him." She smiled.

"I love you Ma." Tears ran down his cheeks as he hugged his mother.

"I love you too son."

"It's all right Paige. Calm down." Dylan unsuccessfully tried to comfort his little sister. Paige had just blurted out what had happened with their father. Now she was sobbing on his shoulder. Though Dylan was in shock, he felt it was his duty as her big brother to put Paige ahead of himself. "Maybe… maybe you got it wrong." He tried to leave a little bit of doubt for his father's sake.

"I saw them in the hotel room!" Paige sobbed, her voice muffled by Dylan's shirt. "I'm not that stupid! I know what I saw!"

"Shh… It's all right Paige. I believe you."

"How could he Dyl? How could he do that?" Paige pulled her head up to look at Dylan

"I don't know Paige," he sighed. "I don't know."

Suddenly, Dylan heard a shuffling at the door and he looked up. He face hardened and his voice growled. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Surprised by Dylan's outburst, Paige looked up. Her father was standing in the doorway in tears.

"Son, I-" He started.

"Shut up!" He yelled. "I am not your son! I don't want anything to do with you."

"But…" He was at a loss for words. He looked over at Paige. "Paige? Honey?"

"Go." She looked away.

"But-"

"She said, go!" Dylan cut him off.

Awkwardly looking around, he backed away. "I-I, I never meant to hurt anyone."

"Little late for that!" Dylan snapped as he held his sobbing little sister in his arms.

With nothing more to say, Greg hung his head and walked away.

A few minutes later, Rose walked into the room. Her face was red a puffy and it was obvious she had been crying.

"Mom…" Dylan's face softened and he almost started crying at the sight of his mother.

She walked over to her two children and they all hugged each other, all of them in tears.