67 • A Nudge In The Right Direction

◆ MAXIMILIANO ◆

I flumped down in my chair and glanced around the quiet patio beside the backdoor to my kitchen, a glass of red wine in hand, squinting at the sun as it dipped below the horizon.

Beside me, my cousin unbuttoned the top part of his shirt and sat back in his chair, savoring his own wine. "Good stuff?" Ricchar mumbled, breaking the comfortable silence.

"This one's not too bad."

"Yeah. Just don't tell Cloe."

"Duh..." I glanced around. The soft glow of the evening enveloped us, casting long shadows that danced across my backyard. I hadn't been here in months. I kinda missed it. The peace and quiet. The remoteness. The total privacy. "Don't want your hormonal wife to spank me, too."

"Stronzo." Ricchar chuckled.

I looked behind. Next to my dimly lit kitchen, Alessio seemed engrossed in his first Hacking 101 class with Niccolo, both of them wearing dark t-shirts and sitting at my rarely used dining table.

"Heard anything about your Pappa lately?" Ricchar asked when th