amongst the pale, light hair boys. The ir Sicilian blood ran deep . Nico smiled when a pair of much older girls sashayed to the group, whispering and giggling to each other, their eyes on the twins. Of course, his boys didn’t see it, they were engrossed in a make- believe killing game and from the looks of it, Aaron ruled.
Nico hung back with the bags, betting one of the girl’s would make a move. Girls were bolder at that age . T hey were less inhibited and he wondered why this changed when they reached maturity. There were other parents on the outskirts; some even disappeared to finish shopping . Nico took the opportunity to make a long distance call.
“Hello?”
“Hey, it’s me.”
“Wow, I thought the planet absorbed you. How’s the world?”
“Still spinning on its axis and yours?”
“Being struck by meteorites.”
“Everything okay, Selange?”
“Yeah, just have a nasty hang-over.”
He laughed at her, “Hang-over…you…that’s a first.”
“I know. Jessica and I went out last night. I’m paying for it. ”
“Did you have fun?”
“I did, until a guy decided to crash our girl hour.”
“What happened?” Nico’s eyes were on the girl in the blue sweater. She was moving in. She was close to Aaron, smiling, then she said something and he turned in annoyance.
“It’s no biggie. The drama ’s squashed. Hey, enough about me. When are you coming for an official visit, the babies are growing and you’re missing it?”
“I’m missing a lot of things,” he answered. “I can’t give an exact date but I hope to see you guys soon. Do you need anything?”
“A dad’s presence is all a child really needs from time to time.”
Nico smirked. Boy, did Aaron look pissed. The girl made him lose the game. Another kid slid in the seat and Aaron walked away followed by Darren. They were talking, making faces as they headed in their father’s direction. “Listen, I gotta ’ go but I’ll call when I’m on my way. Take care sweetheart and kiss the twins.”
“Alright, bye.”
Nico shoved the cell in his pocket and waited for the boy’s. They stopped in front of him . T hey were already at his chin. Aaron spoke first, “Stupid girl m essed me up.”
“She was only trying to be nice. What’s the matter, you don’t like girls?” Darren teased.
Aaron took offense, “You asshole, I got a girlfriend. You’re the one who hasn’t dipped your stick in honey yet!” Then they were wrestling, right there in the crowded toy store. Nico let them go at it. Fuck it, they had to learn to solve their own problems, some time.
“No horsing around in the store!” Security shouted.
“Yeah, no horsing around in the store,” Nico chuckled. “Come on guys, let’s get the hell out of here before you break something.” He said grabbing Aaron by the collar and shoving him forward. “And what’s this about you having a girlfriend big-guy?”
“Come on dad, I’m in high school.”
His brother volunteered the information, “ They’ve been going out for t hree months.”
The trio walked down Fifth Avenue toward Fifty-Ninth Street and the subway station. There were ‘oh they’re so cute’ smiles from women as they passed, which Nico ignored. He was accustomed to the superficial attention. “How long you been putting your stick in honey, son?”
“Dad, stop with the questions.”
“When you’re a grown man and not relying on your parents for financial support then I’ll stop, how about that? Now answer the fucking question.”
“Not long.”
“How long is not long, a week, a month, what?”
“Two months.”
Nico frowned. “Does your mom know about this girlfriend?”
They were jogging down the steps to the R train. “She knows I have a girlfriend.”
“Are you using protection, boy?”
The noise of trains rumbling in and out of the station muffled the boy’s answer, but Nico’s mouth clenched tightly when he heard, “Of course, I am dad. Do you think I’m like
Nico hung back with the bags, betting one of the girl’s would make a move. Girls were bolder at that age . T hey were less inhibited and he wondered why this changed when they reached maturity. There were other parents on the outskirts; some even disappeared to finish shopping . Nico took the opportunity to make a long distance call.
“Hello?”
“Hey, it’s me.”
“Wow, I thought the planet absorbed you. How’s the world?”
“Still spinning on its axis and yours?”
“Being struck by meteorites.”
“Everything okay, Selange?”
“Yeah, just have a nasty hang-over.”
He laughed at her, “Hang-over…you…that’s a first.”
“I know. Jessica and I went out last night. I’m paying for it. ”
“Did you have fun?”
“I did, until a guy decided to crash our girl hour.”
“What happened?” Nico’s eyes were on the girl in the blue sweater. She was moving in. She was close to Aaron, smiling, then she said something and he turned in annoyance.
“It’s no biggie. The drama ’s squashed. Hey, enough about me. When are you coming for an official visit, the babies are growing and you’re missing it?”
“I’m missing a lot of things,” he answered. “I can’t give an exact date but I hope to see you guys soon. Do you need anything?”
“A dad’s presence is all a child really needs from time to time.”
Nico smirked. Boy, did Aaron look pissed. The girl made him lose the game. Another kid slid in the seat and Aaron walked away followed by Darren. They were talking, making faces as they headed in their father’s direction. “Listen, I gotta ’ go but I’ll call when I’m on my way. Take care sweetheart and kiss the twins.”
“Alright, bye.”
Nico shoved the cell in his pocket and waited for the boy’s. They stopped in front of him . T hey were already at his chin. Aaron spoke first, “Stupid girl m essed me up.”
“She was only trying to be nice. What’s the matter, you don’t like girls?” Darren teased.
Aaron took offense, “You asshole, I got a girlfriend. You’re the one who hasn’t dipped your stick in honey yet!” Then they were wrestling, right there in the crowded toy store. Nico let them go at it. Fuck it, they had to learn to solve their own problems, some time.
“No horsing around in the store!” Security shouted.
“Yeah, no horsing around in the store,” Nico chuckled. “Come on guys, let’s get the hell out of here before you break something.” He said grabbing Aaron by the collar and shoving him forward. “And what’s this about you having a girlfriend big-guy?”
“Come on dad, I’m in high school.”
His brother volunteered the information, “ They’ve been going out for t hree months.”
The trio walked down Fifth Avenue toward Fifty-Ninth Street and the subway station. There were ‘oh they’re so cute’ smiles from women as they passed, which Nico ignored. He was accustomed to the superficial attention. “How long you been putting your stick in honey, son?”
“Dad, stop with the questions.”
“When you’re a grown man and not relying on your parents for financial support then I’ll stop, how about that? Now answer the fucking question.”
“Not long.”
“How long is not long, a week, a month, what?”
“Two months.”
Nico frowned. “Does your mom know about this girlfriend?”
They were jogging down the steps to the R train. “She knows I have a girlfriend.”
“Are you using protection, boy?”
The noise of trains rumbling in and out of the station muffled the boy’s answer, but Nico’s mouth clenched tightly when he heard, “Of course, I am dad. Do you think I’m like
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