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Honestly, Gabriele couldn’t believe that he had let Fiore talk him into this. When he had agreed to go along with this and check out the adoption agency, or whatever it was they were calling themselves, he had thought that it was something normal. To think that he had asked Leonardi for a day off for this was almost unbelievable. He had gone all the way out there with the expectations of coming home with a bouncing little baby and instead they had come home with a vegetable.

“Fi, I still think it’s some kind of hoax,” he said, sighing as he ran his fingers through his hair, the few strands of gray catching light.

“Were you listening to them at all, Gabriele?” she said, a snapping tone to her voice. She had set the plant down on the kitchen table and was busy crooning over the leaves like one might a baby, despite any misgivings Gabriele seemed to have about the beautiful little creation at the moment. “The child comes from this, so we have to take care of it.” She paused what she was doing to look at him, her hand stroking gently over one large leaf. Oh, she knew he could be so skeptical about things sometimes, but she supposed it was his job that put that seed of doubt into his heart. “I know it seems a little crazy, but you saw the other children there, didn’t you? I really think this works.”

Gabriele sighed and pulled out a chair from the table to sit, staring at the green, leafy centerpiece. Fi had really gotten her hopes up about this, which made every second he sat there staring at this thing even worse. What happened if no child ever came out, what happened if it really was all just a hoax? He didn’t know if she’d make it through another disappointment, not after the last time. “Fi, I’m just saying, let’s be a little realistic about it, okay? After all, it’s a giant cabbage.” The skepticism in his voice was hard to hide, but he did try to soften the edge a bit.

Fiore let out an irritable groan, putting her hands on her hips and leaning back and away from the table. She knew this was going to work out just like they had promised, she had all the faith in the world in those people. What she couldn’t understand was why Gabriele was trying to bring her down from cloud nine. Hadn’t it taken her long enough to even let herself believe this was ever going to be possible? Her stance made him shrink back a little in his chair, the frown on his lips creasing his brows, as if he wasn’t quite sure what to expect. The great Leonardi would probably laugh to see one of his best shrinking before his wife, no doubt, and that thought put a bitter taste in Gabriele’s mouth.

“Yes, maybe it is a giant cabbage, but in a little while it’s going to be so much more than that,” she exclaimed exasperatedly, throwing her hands up into the air. She turned on her heels to scoop her purse from the counter, slinging it over her shoulder, and then threw a finger pointedly in his direction. “I’m going to go shopping for some things we’re going to need as soon as the baby arrives, you stay here and watch the cabbage.” Without a second glance, she lifted her chin and started to march towards the kitchen exit, and then the front door.

He stood quickly, a string of incoherently babbled ‘buts’ and ‘waits’ pouring from his lips, but not once did she bother to look back. She merely shut the door behind her, determined to make him take responsibility for the little miracle that was coming into their lives. He would change his tune as soon as he could hold the baby in his arms, she just knew it.

Gabriele groaned to himself, reaching up to rub at his temple as he turned back towards the kitchen table. How on earth does one even go about taking care of a cabbage anyway? It’s a cabbage. Still, he didn’t want to upset Fi, so he simply slumped down into his previously occupied chair and let his gaze rest on the leafy object once more.

“So, cabbage, it’s just you and me now,” he said aloud, even as he criticized himself inwardly for talking to an inanimate object. As he got the silence he expected, he merely grunted and crossed his arms over his chest, then shut his eyes. He really hoped Fiore wasn’t going to be gone long.

"Alright, stop the car."

Leonardi Dell'Amore waved his hand once, not even sitting up in his comfortable seat in the back. The car came to a smooth stop, its engine humming softly in the foggy morning. Everyone was still then, even the small little girl fastened in the car seat. They were all waiting for him to move.

Finally he motioned towars the door and the driver left and came around on the other side. He pulled the door open, holding it so that Leonardi could exit. As he slipped past he murmured, without giving a second glance, "Take her out. This will take but a moment." He waited there then, staring languidly at the building before him.

Melony did her best to stay quiet at the driver unfastened her restraints. She hated being around her father; she felt strangled, sufficated. She couldn't do anything fun when he was around, at least so mommy said. Well, she had learned a bit of it the hard way too. She just wanted him to take her home...give her back to that nurse who's hair was so easy to pull.

The driver lifted her out and carried her to her father's side. Another of Leonardi's men had already stepped out and headed to the door of the residence. There he knocked swiftly and waited, passing his boss a sideways glance.

"Who's at the door so early?" came the curious words of Gabriele's often gentle wife, her gaze turning up to look at her husband where he stood in the doorway of their living room.

That very thought was crossing Gabriele’s mind as he turned away from watching Fiore bouncing little Marcello on her knee, and towards the doorway. As soon as he was out of Fiore’s sight, his entire posture changed. He always appeared to be a coiled snake on the verge of striking, but at times he was noticeably more at ease. Now, as he approached the doorway and their unexpected visitor, he was obviously walking on eggshells. His right hand reached for something concealed just beneath the waistband of his pants as his left reached for the door. As he yanked it back and let the scene before him wash over his thoughts, a silent sigh of relief passed his lungs.

It wasn’t exactly a good thing to be receiving a home visit from his boss, but he would much prefer him than someone more threatening to his family. His gaze passed once to the man that had knocked on the door before he shifted his eyes to Leonardi respectfully. He moved out of the doorway, so that Leonardi could see him, and stood there with cross arms.

“Is there something I can do for you, Boss?” Him showing up here was suspicious, especially with that bratty kid of his in tow.

"You'll be watching my daughter until I return, I'm afraid I have some sudden business to take care of," Leonardi answered easily. He didn't bother to ask; what he said got done, that was just how things were. There was no need to bother with the details either. He had some special business, Melony's nanny had been...suspicously involved, so he needed her taken care of until he was finished. Nothing else really mattered.

Right after his annoucement Leonardi motioned for the driver to take Melony inside. He wasn't going to follow; he didn't plan to stay any longer.

The driver obeyed without question, stepping past Gabriele and into the house. He set Melony down there and removed himself from the building just as swiftly. Melony stood there quietly, her expression distant with tinges of sulkiness in the corners. She was being left again, she knew. Good. She hated being around daddy. She really did.

Gabriele knew better than to question his boss; he always did what he was told without even the smallest complaint. It was what had kept him in high regards with Leonardi so long, it was what kept him on the higher end of the food chain, and what ultimately put food on the table for his wife and child. Thus, when Leonardi said he’d be watching Melany for a while, Gabriele simply nodded and moved aside to let the driver take her in.

“Yes, Sir,” he said, nodding again to his boss as the man turned back towards his car. He waited until the driver was out of the way before he turned back and shut the door behind him, dark eyes falling down onto the little Princess Dell’Amore. It was at that exact moment that Fiore’s curiosity got the best of her as well.

“Gabriele, who was it?” She called as she came around the corner, summoned by the sound of the door closing. “Oh!” she exclaimed as her eyes fell to the tiny child standing in the doorway, almost the same age as her own son. It didn’t take her long to figure out who exactly the child was – she’d heard Gabriele speak of the Dell’Amore child that had been adopted from the same process, around the same time as Marcello. Her mouth formed into a silent ‘O’, even as she let her eyes drift back up to her husband.

As if summoned by his mother’s thought, the young Marc tottered around the corner, in search of his parents – he never did appreciate being left alone. His eyes fell instantly upon the young girl, and his little arms came up to cross over his chest in an imitation of his father when he was irritated. He said nothing, but for someone so young, he certainly looked displeased.

Melony was used to those unhappy glances. Everyone seemed to look at her that way, except for Momma. But Momma was there and gone within seconds, so her flighty smiles were very fleeting in Melony's memory. She was much more used to frowns.

"What can we play?" she asked. For someone so little, she was very articulate. But then, it wasn't too much of a surprise, knowing the Leonardi probably had her being schooled by some form of tutor already. If she was going to be his daughter, she had to fit certain expectations, even at an unfair age. "Daddy and his friends aren't very fun," she continued, eyeing both the adults and the other little boy, "Are you fun?" If they weren't, she was going to have to make them fun...which usually meant causing some trouble. Daddy's men were always fun when they were frustrated with her.

Gabriele saw the look his son was giving the little girl, and for the first time since the little boy had graced their lives, he wished he actually was a little more outspoken and outgoing. It was nice to have a quiet, well-behaved child when they just had to deal with him alone, but Melany’s happiness at the moment depended on how well she was entertained. Gabriele knew what she was like when she got bored.

“Why don’t you play with Melany, Marcello?” he suggested, offering his son a pleasant smile. Fiore turned a happy smile down on the both of them, her hand reaching to brush through the thick, dark locks of her son’s hair. She wasn’t ready to believe that the little girl was such a brat until she actually saw it, and she certainly seemed much more pleasant towards her – not that Gabriele was trying to be rude, simply detached as usual with his job affairs.

Marcello made a small pouting face at his father, and though he said nothing, that alone said it all. He didn’t enjoy his father trying to force him to play with the little girl – she was already being rude. When his mother ran a hand through his hair (a calming gesture, no doubt), he sighed and turned his dark brown eyes onto the little brat. “What do you wanna play?” There, he was being nice. Sort of. His tone could probably improve a little.

"I don't know," Melony said simply, twirling her skirt a bit as she gave Marcello a sideways glance. Well wasn't he just peachy! He was like a miny version of father's men; grumpy and uninspiring. She wasn't sure he could be much fun at all...but she'd let him try a little first, before she did any of her usual games.

"I don't know what toys you have," she told him, "So, what can we play with?" She watched him expectantly. She didn't think he'd have any toys at all like hers (mother did ever so like buying her toys), but something was better than nothing, right?

He frowned again as she asked after his toys, inwardly groaning that he had to share his stuff with her. He lookd up helplessly at his parents, but his mother had moved to stand next to his father and they were both smiling down at him like he was about to do something amazing.

Fine.

"I don't have any girl toys," he said cutting his eyes at her even as he turned his back and started to make his way towards his bedroom. It wasn't a long walk, but he made a point of sulking the entire way there. Why did he have to play with a girl? As he arrived, he pushed the door open, and looked towards his toy box.

He sighed and walked that way, scuffing his foot on the carpet a bit as he went and nearly tripping. He caught himself in a toddler-like stumble, then glared down at the carpet accusingly. After his little staring match with the innanimate object, he moved to his toy box, and after a couple of pointed little heaves he shoved the lid off.

"I have trucks and trains and toys guns," he was rummaging through at this point, leaned over as far as he could, only really standing on his tippy toes as he reached for things.

Melony followed along behind him, keeping a rather chipper attitude despite his lack of enthusiasm. She swung her arms lightly along as they went, she almost looked as if she should be humming a tune. When he tripped she only stopped, her hands clasping behind her back, and smiled. She stayed that way until he divulged the contests of his toy chest.

"Is that really all you have?" she asked. Well, she had thought it before; something was better then nothing. She moved forward, leaning over into the toy chest herself, inspecting the toys with a careful eye. Were any of them interesting enough to make a game out of? Hmmm...

He turned his eyes towards her with a set mouth, glaring a little at her demeaning comment. She was lucky he was letting her play with his toys at all - if it was up to him, he would have just let her sit out there and do nothing with his parents. He didn't owe her anything.

"Sorry, I don't need a million toys," he commented, picking up one of his guns and playfully toying with the trigger before he flopped unceremoniously onto the floor. His mother never did like him having toy guns, or anything that was too awfully similar to his father's line of work, but Marcello loved it.

He brought it up and pointed it at her, pursing his lips out of his irritation with the girl. Then, as his lips faded into a childish smirk, he pulled the trigger and let go a loud popping noise.

He didn't need a million toys? That wasn't the point. He didn't HAVE a million toys. She doubted he'd ever be so lucky. She couldn't say having more toys usually made her very happy but...in this instance, faced with his meager supply, she felt quite proud. Yes, she had far more toys than this silly boy.

A frown flitted across her face as he "shot" at her. The nerve! No one would ever do anything like that to her. She always won her games. She'd certainly show him. Rummaging around among the toys she looked for something better...and pulled out a gun much like his, although it was longer in the barrel. She fired off two wizzing pops in his direction, expression triumphant, "This one's bigger."

Her frown was a moment of triumph for him, and he couldn't help the small little grin that flickered over his face. His dad had asked him to play, and even though it wasn't exactly the nicest form of play, he was playing. However, as soon as she started to rummage through his toys again, that frown returned. Just what was she doing now?

As she produced the bigger gun, the frown turned into an all out scowl, and before he could so much as stand up, she'd already pulled the trigger.

"That doesn't count," he exclaimed exasperatedly as he pushed himself up to his feet, using his hands. He grabbed his toy gun and waved it in her direction. "You're already dead, so you can't shoot me!" In reality, he really was just sour that she had grabbed a bigger gun, but she didn't need to know that. He huffed and crossed his arms, gun still in hand, albeit awkwardly. "Girls must not know how to play with guns."

"You're just sore cause you lost," Melony said with a pretty little smile. She gestured her hands to the side with a shrug, a motion that said he could have it, she didn't really care anymore. She had won and she was going to stick with that story.

She went back over to the toy chest, the final signal that she was done with the shooting game. "What else do you have in here?" she dug around, unimpressed with his collection. The trucks were boring and she didn't like those anyway (they were always working in the dirt and stuff). The trains really weren't much better, but she did find one that seemed acceptable. It was a red little toy passenger train. She took it out, carefully juggling the dangling pieces, and set herself on the floor to play with it.

He set his jaw, much like he had seen his father doing whenever he received a phone call he didn't like, or saw something that made him mad. He considered maybe tossing the gun at her, or kicking the train away from her - but his daddy always said to play nice with others.

"You just don't know how to play games," he said grudgingly, putting his toy down on his bed (none too gently), and stalked over to sit down across from her. His arms crossed and he commenced glaring at her as she played with the train, trying to think of what he could do that would make her mad. It was irritating he didn't have nice things to make her jealous with.

"I was going to play...all the places the train is taking the people," Melany replied knowingly, as if this was the only proper way to play with a train of this type. Not that she typically played trains...no, most of what she had at home was dollies, kitchen toys, stuffed animals, and other "girly" items. She had a whole big room dedicated to them...not just a silly old box.

"How would you play it then?" she asked him, not even looking in his direction as she continued to pull the train around. It was almost at its first stop, one of his pairs of shoes sitting on the floor. "This stop," she annouced, "is stinky shoe ville. All boys live here."

He rolled his eyes at her irritably as she announced what she was doing with the train. "Just like a girl, that's so boring," he said with a sigh. He pushed himself up slowly, using his hands to propel himself to a stand.

"You need something to pull the passengers," he muttered, moving over to his toybox. He leaned far over it, his toes nearly leaving the floor and his upperbody disappearing as he dug around. He came back out with an engine and another passenger thing.

"They go together," he said with a vague point of his finger, flopping down ungracefully next to her. "And I always play war train, carrying soldiers." Much to his mother's dismay, he was his father's son.

She allowed him to correct her, simply because she really didn't care about the technicalities. How the train ran wasn't interesting, it was where the people on the train was going that was. Besides, when you played pretend you could do whatever you wanted. Maybe her engine had been invisible and he had just ruined it. Whatever.

"That's boring," she told him simply, "Cause all the soldiers are going to go do is fight...normal people will go lots of cool places instead of just being blown up." Being blown up was really not all that interesting to her. Not that she had ever seen anyone blown up or anything...well, she supposed to could count cartoons. The maids let her watch whatever she wanted when they were cleaning.

"It's not boring - watching people get blown up is really cool!" His voice raised a little, his little hand tightening around the train it held. He narrowed his eyes at her, once again resisting the urge to repeatedly bang his train into the floor to get his point across.

"Fine, you stay here and play with the trains," he said, taking a deep breath and using his hands to push himself up to his feet again. "I'm going to go watch TV with my daddy, because girls are boring." He made a frowning face at her before heading to the door. He was really glad he didn't have a sister.

Melany watched him go without a word. At first she felt a little edgy, bordering on upset that she had been left alone. As if anyone would dare leave HER alone when she didn't want them to...but...quickly she scrunched up her face and directed all her anger at Marc. Stupid icky stupid boy! Stupid stupid!

With that anger came a sort of realization...he had been angry when he'd left. She had made him so angry he didn't want to even play with his toys anymore. She felt a grudging sense of pride in this. So...she had won then. Yes, she had shown him! Girls were way better. She didn't need that stinky boy...she didn't need anyone.