The lost mafia princess

Ch23

NICO:
I held Nadia closer to me when I noticed she fell asleep. She is slowly gaining a little bit of weight which is good for her. She needed to since she was severely malnourished.

Dad walked over and picked her up, bringing her to bed. I had a feeling we were forgetting about something big I didn't think much of it.

Today was enjoyable, Nadia got comfortable in the water and she had a lot of fun today. Once Dad walked back down, he sat down back beside Mom and it was only when we went to bed, I remembered.

Nadia forgot her stuffy.

I ran up to her room and looked in. She was sharing with Eli so I knew she was going to be ok, I slowly closed the door over and walked into my room with Noah.

Eli walked past me and I told him about Nadia not having her stuffy with her. When he walked in, he changed quickly and instead of going to his bed, he gets into Nadia's and hold her close to him.

I smile again before closing the door and walking it's my room and falling asleep myself. I'm glad she's getting back to her old self.

Flashback: a year before Nadia was taken
"Toni put me down!"  Three-year-old Nadia giggled while Antonio was walking around with her over his shoulder. He stopped walking and turned around, looking at all of us.

"Has anyone seen Nadia?" He asked with a small smirk on his face, Antonio, being the oldest, and nine years older than Nadia, he could easily pick her up.

Alexei was on the couch with Mom, Noah was playing with Eli on the floor and I was beside Dad. Antonio walked up to grab Nadia from her nap.

We all shook our heads and Antonio walked into the kitchen and heard Nadia's giggles. Eventually, Antonio walked in with Nadia now in his arms. She had a cute smile on her face and her brown-blonde Hair was all over the place.

Mom laughed at the sight of Nadia's hair and held her arms out for Antonio to give Nadia to her. Once Mom fixed Nadia's hair, we walked out of the cabin and down to the lake.

Only Antonio, Alexei and Noah could get in since us babies were too young, me and Eli were only four and Nadia was three.

Mom and Dad got us water guns so we could join in as well when the boys were in the lake, none of us cared that we couldn't go swimming because we knew that if we tried we would have failed.

Nadia ended up falling asleep on Dad and we stayed out all day outside in the water and eventually, when we all got tired we went back in.

That was one of the best days that I could remember before my sister got taken I don't exactly remember the day that she was taken but I remember Mom sobbing saying that her princess was taken and Dad was very angry, I couldn't believe the news and neither could any of my brothers.

I remember when Mom left because of Nadia had been taken from us, Dad got more into his work and soon after a few years Antonio and Alexi got into the family business as well.

We only found out about the family business recently and as in we, I mean me and Eli were not telling Nadia about the mafia business because we don't want her terrified.

We eventually will, but not soon. She's only starting to trust us now and I don't want her terrified of this family because of what her foster parents did to her. I'm still horrified to know and see what her foster parents could do to a child.

When Dad told us that the police station in Chicago had found Nadia, I didn't believe him, because I thought that Nadia was dead. It was over 12 years since her disappearance, and we all thought she was dead, so when Dad told us that she was found

None of us believed him until we saw her with our own eyes. She was our princess, and she is our princess.

"Nico? You awake?" I heard from behind me I looked over and saw Noah with a worried look on his face, which made me worry. I slowly sat up and looked at my older brother with pain and guilt in his eyes.

"Yeah, what's up" I asked quietly enough, so no one else could hear our conversation. Noah sighed and sat up in his bed, not looking or making eye contact. "I just feel so guilty about how I've treated Nadia recently. I am still in shock that it's really hurt because I thought she was dead Nico" Noah sighed gently.

I went over to my brother and hugged him, because I knew what he was going through. He felt guilty because the day Nadia was taken, he was there, he was with Mom and Nadia when she disappeared, and he has never forgiven himself

"You can't keep blaming yourself for her disappearance Noah, it's not your fault you were what? eight at the time? And you thought you could protect Nadia from being taken by a God knows who" I explained.

Noah kept his head down, but I could feel tears against my shoulder, I didn't judge him I didn't get him off my shoulder I just held him, because I know he was now grieving all the grief and all the girls that he has felt since Nadia disappeared, and since Nadia is back with us.

That's why he's been so odd around Nadia and that is why he doesn't want her going to school, because he's scared that the same thing is going to happen to Nadia.

But I can promise him it is not going to happen. Under any circumstances. We have an idea for good and she's not going anywhere.
(((((
Poor Noah :(