Ten years later!

“Dad!!!!” 

“What happened?!” Santiago came running when he heard his son’s loud scream. It had to be serious because his son was too lazy like his mom. However, Persephone was lazy with anything but talking. His son was the complete opposite. He was also with everything! 

“Abella can’t climb down the tree,” Saint said and Santiago sighed in relief that it was not anything serious. 

Wait what? 

Abella? 

Tree? 

Climb down? 

Saint would have rolled his eyes at his father’s reaction if he wasn’t yawning. He gave Santiago the look that says yes you heard it right. “Oh, she is stuck on the guava tree. Said I would not share guavas with anyone because her mom planted the tree!”

“Why did you not help her?” Santiago asked his son who was very adorable but was equally infuriating too. 

“Why should I?” Saint Vitello raised his brow. “I asked her to pass me my iPad, did she?”

“That was forever ago!” Santiago tried to reason with his over smart son. “And your iPad was placed right behind your laptop. Most importantly, you were working on your laptop.” 

“My wrist was sore from writing homework,” Saint replied lazily. 

Yes, this was his son. Why did he agree forever ago that he didn’t mind a lazy son? He did mind now! His son was not cool at all! And his cool daughter pulled dangerous stunts like dating! 

“My dear son, tell me why I thought that you were my favourite kid for a single second?” Santiago said, his hands on his waist. 

“Come on, dad, stop buttering me up. We all know that Eleanora is your favourite,” Saint said. Nope, he didn’t feel bad on calling his father out on his shit. 

“Buttering you up? Boo, are you a toast that I would need to butter you up?” Santiago grinned. His son hated this nickname. 

“Yes, I am toast and my mother’s favourite child is stuck on the guava tree,” Saint said. Oh, only he knew how much he disliked engaging in arguments. Fine, if he was toast. He didn’t want to argue with his dad who liked to get a rise out of him. 

Santiago’s eyes widened and he sprinted towards the garden where his youngest kid was stuck on a damned guava tree. He saw Abella sitting on the branch and chewing on ripe guava. It didn’t look like this girl was in trouble. 

Wait a minute, how the hell did she climb up a seven feet tree? 

And why the hell did he agree with Persephone’s crazy idea of trees around the house? 

“Bella Bear, what are you doing up there?” Santiago very calmly asked. One thing he had understood all too well was that his youngest had a temper. You yell at her, she would treat you like air. You scold her, she will be like a statue. So, it’s always talking to her calmly and politely that works.

“And what’s that in that paper pouch?” Santiago asked when he saw her sprinkling something on her guava and then chewing on it. 

“Salt, Papa,” Abella said with a duh tone.

Look at his cool daughter. He would prefer a very uncool child at this moment. 

“Did you at least wash your fruit?” Santiago asked. Again very calmly and politely. 

“Oh papa, there is no water supply here. I waited for the rain but it didn’t come and so I just eat it straight away. You see, all the bacteria and small creatures that we can’t see with our eyes are making my immune system strong. You must not worry.”

Yes. Yes. This was his seven years old talking. Didn’t it sound like some doctor or stuff? 

“Bella Bear, let papa help you to come down. It’s dangerous up there. I told you that such stunts are banned in our home and you are not allowed to do it?” Santiago said as if he was negotiating a business contract. 

Oh please, those sneaky businessmen were easier to deal with than his hellraiser. 

“Papa, I asked Saint to help me climb up the tree and he did. He didn’t say anything about the lines you just said. But now he refuses to help me climb down,” Abella complained. 

Gosh, he loved this girl to death. She wouldn’t blink an eye while stitching on her siblings. He wasn’t ashamed to admit that Abella kept him all updated on his children’s life. 

“You must have said something you should not,” Santiago narrowed his eyes at her. 

“He called me shorty and I called him Big bro Boo,” Abella sounded very pleased to retort to her over smart brother. “I didn’t say a word. Isn’t his nickname Boo just like Eleanora’s is Norie? Norie like Dorie torie.” 

Santiago rubbed his head in ache. He understood the matter now. Abella made fun of his siblings and they refused to help her out. Very good. Eleanor and Saint were a team while Abella the hellraiser was left out again. And she was retaliating in her own way which was very wrong. 

“Papa, I will jump and you catch me in your arms,” Abella said and jumped down. She didn’t give Santiago a chance to even prepare. Thanks to his reflex actions, he caught her on time.

“You are so strong, Papa,” Abella rewarded him with a kiss and all his initial anger vanished. “You know what, Mr Vitello? You are my absolute favourite hero. You always save me from falling.” 

She was talking like her mother at this time. She knew how much her father loved her mother and so she knew which parentage needed to have in the palm of her hand. Luckily, she could make Persephone dance on her strings. 

Santiago’s chest was filled with warmth as he picked his hellraiser in his arms and dropped a peck on her nose. She was Persephone’s carbon copy. Same eyes. Same hair. Even the same facial features. Let’s not forget their antics! They were otherworldly. 

“And you are my favourite devilish angel,” Santiago said, walking inside the house. 

Abella laughed. “I’m your only devilish angel.” 

“That you are!”

“I better be the only one! I don’t like sharing!”