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Angelo walks around the table and presses a kiss on the top of my head. “Sabella.”
Not knowing what to make of the caress, I clear my throat. “This is a surprise.” He’s never visited during the day before.
“I’ll get another plate,” Sophie says with much excitement before running to the door.
Angelo takes a seat next to me. “How are your brothers, Johan?”
“Good, I guess.” Johan slouches in his chair and spreads his legs. “They were okay the last time I saw them.”
“Sit up straight, please,” I say. “No lounging at the table.”
He makes a face. “Another rule?”
“You don’t want to give people the impression you don’t have manners.”
He mutters a protest but straightens in his seat.
“How did you get here?” Angelo asks.
Johan smirks. “Same way we got to the camp.”
“Hitchhiking is dangerous,” Angelo says. “You shouldn’t trust random drivers.”
“I’m here, ain’t I?”
Angelo’s tone turns sterner. “No more hitchhiking.”
The line of Johan’s jaw grows hard. “You can’t tell me what to do.”
“In fact, I can.” Angelo folds his hands on the table. “Your great-grandfather gave me custody.”
Johan jumps to his feet. “He did not.”
Angelo’s gaze is level. “He did. The paperwork has just been completed. As of yesterday, I’m your legal guardian.”
The boy’s eyes glimmer with suppressed tears. “You’re a fucking liar.”
Angelo clenches his hands into fists. “Do not take that tone with me, boy, and you better watch your tongue.”
I get up quickly and go around the table. “Sit down, Johan.” I put a hand on his shoulder and gently push him back into his seat. “We’re all going to have dessert, and then you can talk about this calmly.”
They hold each other’s gaze in a stare-off across the table until Sophie returns with another plate and a cake fork that she sets in front of Angelo.
“Did you see the frosting, Angelo? That’s the best part.”
I cut thick slices of cake for everyone.
“You know as well as I do that you can’t carry on living with your great-grandfather,” Angelo says carefully when Johan digs into his cake.
He stops chewing and casts his gaze down.
Angelo continues in a reasonable tone, “I’m still looking for your parents. When I find them, we can talk about your living arrangements, but in the meantime, I want you to live with me.”
“Why?” Johan bites out, lifting a rebellious gaze to Angelo.
“Because you’re family.”
Johan stills at that.
