"It's just a dog, Grandpa. Stop stressing yourself out." Dante said to his old man, who has woken up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, after still not receiving a report from the police over his missing dog.
Apparently, Grandfather had gone outside for a walk which he ended up losing the dog, while being on call. Since last night, no one has been able to sleep without him fussing about that goddamn mutt.
Now, their breakfast was being ruined with the talk of that dog again, a stranger would wonder if the missing report was about a missing family member, with the way Grandfather was so serious about it, but it was none other than an animal.
A fussy one at that, since Dante could recall that the little thing wasn't friendly with him. It always barks at him like he's a thief that wants to steal it, he just couldn't explain why his grandfather kept such a thing around him and even treated like a human.
He had taken a huge amount of space in his quarters to build an expensive dog house for it, and entitled it to a particular maid to take care of its daily needs, on occupations when he's not at home to care for it. At some point, it was obvious to everyone in the family that the old man loved his dog more than his grandsons.
So, why won't he be happy over his loss? It's uncanny that someone like Romano, his grandfather, has a caring and soft side to him, and only a dog was to see that side of him, whereas, he's hard on his family especially to him.
A deafening silence fell among everyone that was present in the dining room, as the only thing that could be heard was the sound of Grandfather's spoon being placed back down on the plate.
"It's just a dog you say?" The old man glared at him, daring him to say something bad about Mia. He doesn't need his opinion about her, and clearly doesn't need him to help him in looking for it.
Dante has always been such a hothead, even marrying his wife and having a little girl didn't get him to see that there was more to life, than being bitter everyday. Why waste your whole life working your ass out when there's no one in your life that can bring happiness to your life?
That person to him is Mia, and the old man would do anything to find her.
Rocco interfered instantly when he noticed the tension in the room was getting serious. "Grandpa, it was some joke, he couldn't have meant it, right Dante?" Rocco asked him, coming closer to pat his grandfather's hand since he was the one that was seated closer to him today.
All Dante did was roll his eyes at the both of them, which made Rocco to hiss at him. "Stop it, you know how much Mia means to Grandpa. You are such a bully." Rocco said to him, which earned him a snare from his mother because of the way he was talking to his older brother.
"What mother? He was being too harsh on Grandpa, the least he can do is to stop insulting Mia, even if he's not interested in helping Grandpa to look for her." Rocco said to his mother, he's a bit angry at her taking Dante's side. She always does that no matter if he's wrong or right, Dante is her golden boy.
"Fine, I'm sorry for speaking ill of the mutt." Dante said, apologizing in a sarcastic way that made it known to everyone that he wasn't real with his apology. "Maybe Nathan can find you instead, Grandpa?" He suggested, looking at Nathan to give him a side eye.
Which made Nathan choke on his drink, he dropped the cup of water down to explain. "Hey, what are you talking about, you know I'm scared of dogs." Nathan looked at Dante, clearly he's trying to tease him but not this way.
"Such a man you are, it's just a little animal you can kill with just…" Dante sighed, going further to get his grandfather riled up the more with his words.
"Dante!" Rocco called for his attention, but by the time he was done talking about killing Mia, their grandfather had already stood up to leave but paused at his next statement.
"Or he could just ask his favourite grandson, Alexander to go find it for him instead. I bet he will be able to do that since he's an animal, they would surely recognize each other."
Nathan bursted out laughing at his statement, except Rocco and his mother who seemed not to be interested in what's going on. Thankfully, his father was on a business trip. He would have been the one to have issues with him for disrespecting his father, but he didn't mind, the old man started it first.
The disrespect started the moment he took Alexander to make him part of the family.
"I suggest you watch your mouth, son. You might never know the trouble you could get talking like that." Romano warned Dante. It's his fault that he ended up like this. The boy was spoiled crazy while growing up, but his parents did a bad job at raising him too, especially his mother, Diana.
"Why take offense for someone that's not here grandpa, even if he was, I bet he could agree with me that what i said is true. He's nothing but a wild rabid dog looking to bite the hand that fed him with all his innocent goody two shoes acts around you." Dante spat.
He could care less that he ruined breakfast this morning, but it needed to be said.
Natnan snickered at his comments, doing nothing to stop his brother, for he was walking on thin ice around his grandfather.
"Mother, do something." Rococo turned to their mother, since she's the only person Dante will be willing to listen to, to stop this madness and bantering against Alexander.
"Do what exactly, Rocco?" Diana asked, supporting Dante. "To stop your brother from taking what belongs to him? It's well known that Alexander isn't welcomed here, and would never be regardless of what your Grandfather makes him out to be. He's still a filth, with the blood he's carrying. So, why don't you for once look up to your brother and be a better man for my sake." She chilled Rocco.
"Nathan?" Rocco called for him too, but he was busy eating his food acting like he wasn't seeing what's happening.
"Listen to mother, Rocco." Nathan said, relaxing against the chair while watching the drama between Dante and their grandfather.
It was the most entertaining shit that he's been anticipating for a while.
"You all are sick in the head." Rocco said, before standing up from his chair to go to his grandfather.
"Let's go, Grandpa. You need to rest." Rocco said to his old man.
"Rocco, come back here." Diana yelled after her son, watching him depart with his grandfather for his room.
"Don't worry about him, mother, I have something for his ass too, he's been too naughty." Dante said, talking about Rocco.
"So much for trying to be a family by coming for this stupid breakfast every morning." She added, before coming closer to pat Dante's cheeks.
"You did good, son. Your mother is proud of you." She smiled at him.
"Is it just Dante or you don't see me too as your son, mother?" Nathan complained from where he sat, eating his breakfast.
"I love you all, despite Rocco's stupidity. You all are my precious sons, but as you all know Dante is my golden boy. He's born for great things." She smiled at Dante, who was cheesing at their mothers approval of him like he was a little kid who needed his mothers love.
"All we have to do is to keep pressuring your grandfather not to register that fool's name in the family's registry. The Knights family only has three grandsons and it will continue to be that way till the day i die." Diana said with every seriousness in her.
Alexander can never be family!