Coming Home For Christmas

Chapter 5 - Arriving In Italy.

Lacey's P.O.V.

"Do we have to get off our boat, mummy?" "Yes we do, Teddy Bear" "But why? | don't wanna leave" Teddy whines as she buries her face in my chest.

"But | thought you wanted to wear your princess dress and throw pretty flowers at mommy and daddy's wedding?" | chuckled at my daughter as | ran my fingers through her hair.

"I do but | wanna stay on our boat as | well" "It's only for a few days, Teddy and then we'll be back on our boat heading home" "I know, | just don't wanna leave" Teddy says as she snuggles even closer to me and | smile as | kiss her head.

"We have to get off it eventually honey, we can't spend forever on here" "Yeah we can, we're rich" Oh god.

My worst nightmare has happened, we've created rich. spoiled monsters

"Where are your siblings, Teddy Bear?" "Vito and Valentina are napping, Joseph and Sophia are in the play area with Poppy and Lola, Dayton and daddy are playing golf, so boring’ She says the last part whilst rolling her eyes.

"And Lo is having some alone time" Oh no.

| hate it when my eldest child has 'alone time' because he always looks so sad and lonely when he does even though | know he's not.

"Where's Logan Junior having his

alone time, Teddy?" "In his room" She says and | nod my head.

"Can you do me a favour, sweetie? can you go and hang out with your dad and Dayton or Joseph and Sophia for me, please? | wanna go and spend some time with Lo" "Ok, mummy" Teddy kisses my cheek before running off towards where her dad and brother are.

| then let out a breath as | stood up and headed upstairs towards the boy's bedroom.

| At first, | was concerned when | was met with silence but then | understood why it was so silent when | opened the door and | saw my son was sitting on his bed with his ear defenders on and he was reading something on his tablet.

| stood in the doorway and just watched my son who has changed a lot in the past three years, not in a major or dramatic way, he's just more silent and likes to be on his own now which | don't like.

| understand he's got a lot going on and his world is completely different to mine and his dad's, | just want him to know that he's not alone and we're more than

happy to enter his world or we can blend his world with ours so that he won't-fegl as lonely or feel like he has to be alone all of the time to get some peace.

| walked over to the bed and gently placed my hand on his shoulder so that! wouldn't startle him.

Logan Junior looked up at me with a smile and | smiled back at him.

"Hey, mummy" "Hi, baby, can we talk?" "Sure mum, what's up?" Logan Junior places his tablet and ear defenders next to him on the bed as | sit down in front of him and grab hold of his

| little hand.

"I've noticed you've been having a lot of time to yourself lately and mommy's feeling a little concerned...is everything ok, baby?" "Everything's fine, mum" "Are you sure? you're not the same Lo anymore" "What do you mean?" He asks confused.

"Well, you're even more quiet and reserved than you usually are and you also like to spend a lot of time on your own and | don't like that, honey"

| say whilst gently caressing his hand.

"Logan, you do know that if something is bothering you or if you wanna talk about what's going on with you then you can always come and talk to your dad and me, right?" .

"Yes, mummy, | know" "Good" | say with a smile.

"Our family is an open book with each other, ok, so don't ever and | mean EVER hesitate if you wanna talk to us, do you understand me?" | ask him and he nods his head.

"I miss it, mum"

"You miss what, honey?" | ask confused and he lets out a breath.

"I miss when it was just me, Teddy, Dayton, you and daddy, it was easier and simpler when it was just us, mum...you had more time for us back then as well" He says and my heart broke.

fly dl "Don't get me wrong, mum, | love my brothers and sisters and | wouldn't change them for anything, | mean, I'd change how loud they are, especially Valentina, she screams so freaking loud"

He says and | chuckle.

Valentina is the loudest of our babies and I've gotta feeling she's gonna be our spoiled little princess when she's older, especially with how much Logan wants to spoil his little girls.

"Anyway, back then you always had time for us, you did everything and for us and now you're too with dad or with work or the other kids and it's like you don't have time for us anymore" "Oh, baby" | whimpered as | cupped Logan Junior's face with both of my hands and rested my forehead against his.

"I am so sorry, son, | didn't realise | was neglecting you all, | really thought | was being the best mom to you all" | say whilst trying to keep a tight leash on my tears which wasn't easy for ime (© do, especially when | saw the look on my son's face.

Logan Junior's head snapped up and he looked at me with a sad and panicked expression.

"You're not neglecting us, you're the best mum ever, please don't be sad" He panicked as he rested his little hands on my arms.

"Well, clearly I'm doing something wrong if you feel this way, son" "You're not doing anything wrong, mum, you've only got so much love to give and you've got more people to love now" Oh, Lo.

"Baby, it doesn't matter how babies your father and | have, always love each of you one hund percent and unconditionally" "| know, mummy" Logan Junior says with a smile which | reciprocated.

"Come here, my love"

I opened my arms for him and he happily embraced me in a hug. oe | wrapped my arms around my boy and kissed his head.

"I know there's been a lot of change in our lives in the past three years, Lo which hasn't been easy for you and | promise you, I'm gonna do everything | can to be there for all of you and make your lives easier" "You can't always be with us, mum, you've got to work" "Work isn't as important as you guys are to me, sweetheart, actually, the most important things in my life are you kids and your father...besides, |

worked twice as hard as | do now when we were in London and | still managed to always be there for you guys" I said and | swear | felt Logan Junior's arms tighten around me.

"You're the best mummy in the world, mum, we're all so lucky to have you" "Yeah, we are" My husband's voice said from the doorway.

We both looked up and smiled when we saw Logan standing in the doorway with Dayton and Teddy standing in front of him.

"How long have you guys been standing there for?" En "Long enough" Logan said with a smile.

"Mummy, Lo is right, you're tie west mummy in the world" "Yeah, you're so cool and beautiful and...wait, what's that word you used the other day, dad?" Dayton asked whilst looking up at his dad who chuckled as he ruffled our son's hair before looking back at me.

"It was one of a kind, son, | called your mother one of a kind"

"Yeah that, you're that as well, mum" | chuckled at Dayton as my heart warmed at his words.

I've never seriously doubted my parenting and | think I'm a great mother but there are times like this when | feel like | should've been careful with some of the choices I've made, specifically my pregnancies because even though my children hadn't been diagnosed with autism at the time, | still should've known that having more children would've affected our elder kids in some way or another.

"Your mom and | love you guys more

than anything in this world and we'll happily give up everything for all of you" "We love you too, daddy" Our beautiful and affectionate daughter said as she wrapped her arms around her dad's neck and kissed his head.

"We should get ready to leave, we're gonna be docking soon" Logan said earning a scoff from our kids.

"You really know how to kill a mood, dad" Dayton says and we both chuckle.

"| really don't wanna leave our boat,

daddy" = "Don't you wanna see your grandparents, your aunties, uncles and cousins, Teddy Bear?" "Yeah, | do" "Then let's go" Logan kissed Teddy's head before kissing the boys on their heads and kissing me on my lips We all then left the boy's bedroom and went to collect our things before heading to the top deck where we watched our boat docking at Klayton's port behind his boat which makes ours look like a babv boat and trust me when |

say it's anything but.

"GRAMS! "GRAMPS!" The kids shout as they run to greet my parents.

My relationship with my parents has gotten a lot better and | finally found it in my heart to forgive them just recently because it was weighing heavy on my heart, especially whenever we'd attend therapy together and | saw how hurt, pained, sad and most importantly regretful they are for what happened.

My parents have also built a beautiful relationshin with our kids and thev're all

just as close with them than they are with my grandparents and Logan's parents.

"Kiddos" My dad says happily as he crouches down on his knees and opens his arms out for our eldest three who were running towards them.

"Mama, mama, gamps" "Yeah, that's your gramps" | say to Sophia with a smile as | try my hardest to keep a tight hold on her.

"Fia baby, stop wiggling" "Gamps. mama. aamps" oh

| Sophia once again said excitedly whilst putting a little bit more energy into her wiggling.

| sigh in frustration just as my dad comes over and takes Sophia from me.

"There's my other two girls, come here, my princess" "Gamps, gamps, gamps" Sophia cheered for her grandfather as she gently tapped his face.

"Yes, it's gamps" My dad chuckled as he turned to face me.

"Hi there beautiful" "Hiya, dad" | wrapped my arms around my dad's waist as he slung his arm around my shoulders and kissed my temple.

"How are you feeling, baby girl? are you excited for tomorrow?" "Yeah, a little nervous but I'm excited" "Nervous? how nervous are you exactly? because my jet is still warm..." My dad said before being cut off by an angry throat clearing behind us.

I turn my head and chuckled when | saw my very sexy yet extremely pissed-off husband glaring at my dad as our baby Joseph sucked on his fingers getting slobber everywhere.

"| think you should remember who | your nephew and my close friend is, Carpenter because if you carry on making comments like this and putting stupid thoughts in my wife's head..." "Oh calm down, Logan, you'll be the same way when your girls are grown and are dating" My dad said with a smirk which seemed

to anger Logan even further.

"My daughters are never gonna date, James" "That's what | said, son and so did my father in law" : My dad said and his words seemed to shock Logan as | chuckled.

"Speaking of my father-in-law, Giuseppe wants you to meet him and Klayton in his office, as soon as you're settled in, Logan" "Really? why? I'm already married to his granddaughter so I'm guessing it's not some traditional Sicilian mafia leader chat about marrvina into the A

family" He says and we both laugh.

"Don't joke son, Giuseppe takes his chats very seriously, especially when it comes to his girls" My dad said whilst kissing my head.

"Great" Logan groaned as he handed me Joseph and kissed my lips.

"I'll see you guys in a little bit" "Ok, babe" Logan walked away and my heart skipped a nervous beat when | saw him

being escorted away by two guys who looked like they could be extras in the Men In Black movies.

I'm not nervous that my grandfather will do or say something which could result in Logan either running away or worse being left six feet under, I'm just nervous because Klayton is the current head of the Antonelli family mafia and my grandfather is the former leader and they both want to meet with my husband the day before our wedding.

If my husband was a member of our family's mafia then I'd be very worried and maybe even a little scared that something was about to go down and

potentially ruin our big day but he's riot, so why does my grandfather and cousin | wanna meet with Logan?.

oo hE