Chapter 284 - Two Hundred And Eighty-four

She knocked on the door and waited just like the day before.

"What?" She heard again. 

Alexis breathed in for courage quickly before saying, "Breakfast?"

For a few seconds, she did not hear anything and rejection came to her mind.

"Just come in child."

And she did. As soon as she had the words she twisted the doorknob open and enter the room closing the door shut behind her. 

Gabrielle's grim and gloomy face came to sight as he said, "Why are you here? You should take care of your family well. I am a grieving man and I will take care of myself, you don't worry."

She shook her head. "I don't think it works that way." She took a seat at the end of his bed. "I have one member less at my dining table and I felt his absence."

"Do people not do that when grieve?" He laughed and it felt sad to her. 

She nodded. "They do but you have your family to fall back on which is why I am requesting you to have at least two meals a day."

"Just two?" He asked with an eyebrow raised knowing that there must be a catch.

She nodded and a cheeky smile came to her face. "Okay, maybe those two meals could be with us at the dining table."

A smile came to his face but disappeared just as quickly. Gabrielle shook his head. "I don't think I am ready to have dinners yet but the child I assure you, I will come out soon."

"Should I have them send it to your room then?" She asked politely to which he nodded and then she came to a topic of even more importance. "Gabrielle, Angelo told me something last night."

He nodded for her to continue.

Her eyes reached to the floor in shame as she revealed. "The bullet was aiming for me and Angelo saw in the cameras that Isabelle shifted to the side for which she got shot instead of me. " She gulped as her voice cracked, "So, she died when it was supposed to be me." Her voice died at the end completely and she looked up slowly.

He had his eyes closed and was leaning against the wall of the bed.

"I'm sorry."

He tsked. "Don't be." Then opened his eyes, looking at her he said, "I can be angry with you and yell at you throw things at you for the bullet was meant for you and not for my wife but it happened. I cannot go back in time and change it and also, it was purely incidental. I would say that I am proud of Isabella for taking the bullet for her family even when she did not know of the danger," he laughed slightly, "but I know if she was alive what would she have said about it, Alexis is a young mother who needs to take care of her family and three little children, on the other hand, I 

have made sure that mine can survive on their own."

He smiled at her who had tears in her eyes and moved closer to her. Pulling her to him, he kissed her forehead. "It's alright, child. It was not your fault but whoever it was I will make sure that the crime more than any of us are."

Alexis nodded and revealed the truth further.

***********

Alexis was folding the kid's laundry and they were all talking with her. Messing around as they babbled about their day.

Salvatore had been quiet and Alexis had noticed it.

"I went to the gun range today," Lucas revealed. "Papa took me and we learnt how to handle a gun."

"That's a good baby." She kissed his forehead. "Try to do even better next time okay?"

He nodded with a smile on his face.

She turned to Salvatore, "Salvie, come with mama for a second?"

He looked up with his big innocent eyes and followed his mama out as told to. She took him to her room and closed the door beckoning him to sit close.

"What's up with you? You are never that quiet."

He shook him and she elaborated further. "Usually Salvatore my baby, is competitive with his siblings to make sure that his story is heard as well on the top of his voice and today, he was quiet while they were telling their stories, so what is wrong with him?"

He sighed. "I just love you, mama." His voice cracked and tears came to his eyes as she pulled him close to her and hugged him.

"What are you thinking baby, tell me about it." She hugged him and rubbed his back.

He sniffed and cried out the words, "I did not like the way pa-papa yelled at you and it even pushed-d you out of the room. I w-want to take revenge for you mama."

She sighed and pulled back. Staring into his eyes she said, "The best revenge you can take in this situation is to never be like him. Also, I want you to understand that at times people fighting and yelling can be okay. Fighting happens in couples, between mums and dads which is okay but like I said pushing someone out and using violence-"

"-Is not the answer." He mumbled. "I get it."

She smiled and picked his cheek. "Well done baby." She poked his tummy and Salvatore erupted into giggles. "There's my baby!" She squealed as he did.

His face read and she stopped letting him breathe and collect himself together. "Go on, enjoy with your siblings."

They both stood up and walked back to the room where they had gone previously only this time, Agatha stood there for her.

Salvatore turned to look at her but she nudged him inside. "Go inside baby, I'll be there shortly." She smiled confidently and he took her word for it.

"What is it now?" She turned to Agatha who looked grim.

"The master calls for you."

She raised a brow to that. What else did he know? "Let's go then.." She sighed and moved to his office.