Roberto Part 5
We sat on a bench in utter silence. 'I wonder what he wants to talk about?' I thought looking at him through a side glance. 'This is awkward.'
"First of all," Roberto finally spoke up. "I want to apologize to you about what I said at the ball. I wanted to protect you but for some reason that came out. I don't know what I was thinking. I saw you with that guy before the guy who sued you, I felt funny in here." he taps his chest. "Your face looked like you were not interested but it still bothered me for some reason. I'm sorry for putting you in that rough position when that man started to yell at you and then proceeded to sue you." his hung his as he apologized clinging on his chest.
"It's...okay, Roberto, but it is not okay to spout nonsense in situations like that. I was handling it, you know."
"I know, I know that you were, but I just...I don't know. Something came over me and I just completely made you a fool." he covered his face with his hands and shook. I gently grabbed a hand a pulled it away from his face. There were tears in his eyes. I took my other hand and wiped it. He gawked at me as I wiped every little tear.
"It's okay. Don't cry over something so little, alright? Now, is there anything else you want to tell me?" I raised an eyebrow. He sat up straight and slowed his breathing.
"I'm also sorry for pulling you around like a toy." he bowed to me and then proceed to lay back on the bench. He looked very distressed like he's forcing himself.
"You don't have to force yourself."
"No, I want you to know." he said grabbing my hand and then intertwined his fingers through mine. "You see….my mother died when I was young. She was my whole world! My father was busy being the king and all and my mother was sick most of the time. Sometimes she wasn't even able to leave her room. Even though she was that sick she still came to me and loved me. One day her sickness took her away. After her death my father doesn't come home very often so I grew up alone with Alberto as my only friend. Since then I have a tendency to look for something to fill that void in my heart by chasing women. I know that isn't a good excuse, but I'm just so lonely." his voice was cracking and some of his words were hoarse but he continued.
"Girls chase me because I'm a prince, but you treat me differently. It's like you don't see me as a prince. I've never experienced that before so I decided to proceed you to get to know why. That's when I discovered you have children to take care of. It didn't stop me though so I invited you and your children to stay the summer. I got to discover so many sides I've never seen with the other girls. They were always whining, acted high and mighty all the time. You, however, you're smart, funny, loving to your kids, and can be very aggressive towards those you don't like." he chuckled. "I was so confused and I made myself keep my distance from you because of my feelings. So I'm sorry for treating you like that." he finished squeezing my hand tightly.
"I...kind of understand how you feel." I spoke up. I could feel his eyes on me as I talked. "Like you, I lost my mother at a young age." I said remembering my life flash in my mind. "She was my only family I ever knew. She worked all the time though so I didn't see her much but when she found the time we would watch crappy tv shows and laugh together sitting on the floor of our little apartment. One day, she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. But she had to work and provide. And she did until she passed away in her sleep when we spent our last day together doing what we always do." I smiled fondly at the memories of my mother.
"What about your father? Any grandparents?" he asked.
"I've only heard about my grandmother but she passed away a long time ago. I've never met my father until my mother's funeral. He took my to Charles to his other family. Then he left and never came back. His wife looked after me and his teenage son spent his time hanging out with me when he didn't have too. We used to play together, nap, help each other. The hours would just pass by when we were together. He was my best and only friend in a country I didn't understand at the time."
"What happened to them?"
"His wife had an sudden aneurysm when I was in middle school so I lived with my half brother and his so-called wife. His wife left him for her rich boss a few months after Kai was born. Oscar died in that explosion right months ago. All I have are those three kids to look after and to do so I dropped out of college and got multiple jobs to get by. In a way I understand how you feel. Someone to love and be there for you. I know all those feelings for so long but I guess I used a different route than you."
"Like what?"
"I became a delinquent I'm high school."
"A delinquent!?" he choked and tried to stifle his laughter.
"Oh yeah, laugh all you want. I had piercings, dyed hair, falling in every subject, beat up others, the works."
"In trying to imagine you but I can't! Though, did you really punch that guy in a playground?"
"Damn straight I did." he burst out laughing.
"No way!"
"Yes way!" I smiled along with him.
"So that's the reason he's suing you." he said cover our hands with his other hand. "Please let me help you."
"You know you can't."
"And you know that you can't pay it off." He looked at me seriously squeezing my hands. "Leaving everything won't help you."
"But what else can I do? I can't take care of them, I can't take care of myself, I can't do anything to make it go away unless I pay it off."
"That's why I have an idea." he grinned. "You can work for me as a temporary personal assistant. And working for a prince means big money for the smallest of errands. What do you say?"
"I can't accept that. You let us stay over the summer and been taking care of us. You've done enough."
"No, I haven't." he said hugging me. "I don't want you to go back. Not just me but also Alberto. He has taken a liking to you and your kids. He likes children so it makes his job more fun. And your children want you to stay with them. They never want you to go, ever." when he said that I heard multiple footsteps coming behind us.
"Aunty!"
"Aunt Marika!" the kids were running at top speed towards me. The went around the bench and jumped on me rubbing tears in my clothes.
"Don't go!" Naru cried.
"We never want you to go! Even if it is for our sake!" Haru cried too.
"You promised us that you will never leave us behind! Are you going to break your promise!?" Naru yelled.
…
"It's okay kids. I'll be here for all three of you. I promise you that I will never go away and leave you guys all alone." I said gripping their little hands in the hospital, six hours after his death. "I will always be here for you, no matter what."
…..
My memory of that day filled my thoughts until a little tug on my pants pulled my back into reality. I looked down and see Kai attaching himself to my leg.
"Don't...go…" He spoke softly. It was faint and muffled by my pants but I heard it. I picked him I and squeezed his whole body like I am never letting go. My heart thumped as his little voice echoed in my ears. 'He spoke….he spoke.'
"I won't go. I promise. I will never go again." I sniff and buried my head into his shoulder.
"So do we have an agreement?" Roberto asked touching my head like fragile glass. I peaked out of Kai's shoulder and nodded my head. He smiled, a smile that I have seen before, spread across his face.
"Are you ready to go back then?" he asked. I nodded and slowly got up with Kai still in my arms.
"I'm glad." he put his hand on my back gently. We slowly went back to the road where a limo was waiting. Alberto was standing There with the door opened. We all went inside And Alberto drove us back to the mansion.
"Roberto, thank you." I said leaning my head against his shoulder. I felt him stiffened but then casually leaned his head against mine and pout his arm around me, pulling me closer. He kissed the top of my head and played with my hair. My heart was thumping so loud that I hoped he didn't hear it.
'Roberto…' my last thought before falling asleep against him.
