Page 51 of Vice

21

Dele

I get a call from Viper a month after I last saw him. After using our code to ascertain our identities, he tells me to come to his estate. Alone. It doesn’t take me long to figure out that it’s because he found something in the information we stole from Harp.

I try not to let on to where I’m going to the twins. As far as they know, I’m going on yet another business trip. At least, that’s as far as they known until Bella figures out where I’m going. And as much as I like to try to keep the twins in the dark about anything to do with their father beyond their relationship with him, they aren’t stupid. They understand that their mom and dad have a relationship that’s nothing like the more… normal relationships they see in the their favorite shows or that their schoolmates have or even Bella and Bond. They also know that whatever that relationship is, it doesn’t please their aunt, and they’ve become fairly attuned to the look she gives me when she knows I’m getting into something with Viper.

This time is no different. As soon as they see that particular expression. The steel in her eyes and the thin line of her pressing her lips together so she doesn’t say anything, Leon and Lady know.

“Are you going to see Daddy?” Lady asks. She doesn’t wait for a response. “Why aren’t you taking us? We want to see him.”

“It’s for business,” I say vaguely.

Lady and Leon have enough understanding and comprehension to understand that they shouldn’t talk too much about their Dad in the open. To not give away too many details beyond the talking points I’ve given them. Talking points that I’ve corroborated with the media when I’m being Addy Bianchi. That he’s back home (people assume that’s Italy), and when we can, we coordinate visits for him to see the children, and he prefers to stay out the limelight and media.

But the only thing the twins know about ourbusinessis that some people think it’s wrong so we have to be very secretive about it. That some of the people who know about our business but don’t think it’s wrong are mad because their mom and dad are better at it than them. And one day, when their old enough to understand, they’ll know what the business is and be part of it if they want. Hopefully a very long time from now.

“You still get to see him,” Lady counters.

“Yeah. But not for anything fun.”

At the other end of the table, Bella doesn’t even bother to hide her laugh, gaining all the children’s attention.

“Sorry,” she says. She’s not. She reaches out a hand to Velia, “Come on, darling. Let’s let Aunt Dee talk to the twins.”

Velia exchanges a dubious look with the twins before sighing and following her mother. God help us when they’re all teenagers. Only seven years old, and already doubting us.

“When do we get to see Dad?” Leon asks once they’re gone.

“Soon.”

“That’s not an answer,” Lady says.

“It’s not one you like.”

“Whatever Dad’s business is,” Leon grumbles, “I don’t like it. We never get to see him.”

“It’s just really busy and complicated right now.”

“That’s what adults say when they don’t want to do something,” Lady says giving me a wry look.

“He wants to see you,” I say immediately.

“Sure,” Leon grumbles.

“He does. I promise you. I’d never lie to you about this. Everything he does when you’re away from him, he does for you. Just like I do when I have to away.”

“Maybe. But you’re also here,” Leon says with a deep sigh.

I don’t know what I expected when I decided to raise Leon and Lady, but I certainly didn’t expect such keen observations from them until they were closer to being teens. I didn’t expect them to begin to experience the feelings of isolation and abandonment that I warned Viper they would hate him for if he got so caught up in what he thought was best for them to keep them safe and not what they needed to trust him to do that…

But also, I don’t not understand where Viper’s coming from in his stance.

And if they’re this observant about that now at this age, what are they going to think if I have to bring myself to do what I think I may have to and kill Viper at the end of all this and they figure it out one day?

I push the thought out my head. It’s something to consider later. We’re not at that point yet. Here and now.

“If he could be here and didn’t want to, I would tell you.”

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