Chapter 8 Rome

• ~~ROME~~
• Rome stood in the nursery, surrounded by the anticipation and excitement of impending fatherhood. The walls were adorned with ultrasound images of his growing child, a constant reminder of the new life that would soon enter their world. He couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion as he imagined holding his baby for the first time, watching them grow and thrive under his care.
• Surveying the room, Rome noticed the array of baby items that he and Georgia had accumulated over the past few months. From diapers neatly stacked in a corner to a collection of unisex clothes hanging in the closet, every detail had been meticulously prepared in anticipation of their little one's arrival. Yet, amidst the organized chaos, Rome couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the back of his mind.
• As he admired the nursery, Rome's phone suddenly rang, jolting him out of his reverie. Glancing at the caller ID, he saw Neo's name flashing on the screen and answered the call with a slight smile.
• "What's up, man?" Neo's voice echoed through the phone, breaking the silence of the room.
• "Just the usual. You?" Rome replied, his tone casual yet tinged with curiosity.
• "I just hooked up with some girl last night," Neo boasted, his words punctuated by a hint of pride.
• Rome couldn't help but scoff at his friend's cavalier attitude towards relationships, wondering if Neo would ever settle down and commit to something more serious.
• "You liked her?" he inquired, his voice laced with skepticism.
• "Nah, just been thinking about Phoenix's sister lately," Neo admitted, earning another scoff from Rome.
• "Don't let the police hear that, or you'll be in trouble," Rome warned, though his words were met with laughter from Neo.
• "I'll wait till she's 18 then," Neo joked, his nonchalant demeanor evident even over the phone.
• Rome shook his head in disbelief at Neo's audacity, unable to fathom his friend's carefree approach to romance. "You think she would even like you?" he teased, though a part of him couldn't help but wonder about the possibility.
• "Is that even a question? Who doesn't like this handsome, sexy guy?" Neo quipped, eliciting a chuckle from Rome.
• "Any girl telling you that is just joking," Rome replied with a hint of humility.
• "You think you're handsome?" Neo pressed, curiosity evident in his tone.
• "Well, I don't need to say it; everybody knows that," Rome asserted confidently.
• "Whatever," Neo scoffed, though there was a playful glint in his eyes. Rome couldn't help but smile; Neo always had a way of lightening his mood, especially since Georgia passed away. He was grateful to have such a supportive best friend by his side.
• "Oh yeah, Chris just opened a new club, and he said he really wants us to be there," Neo mentioned, changing the subject.
• "Club? No. No," Rome quickly disagreed, shaking his head. Clubbing and social events were never his scene; he much preferred the comfort of his own home. He was an introvert.
• "Ah, you're boring," Neo teased, though there was a hint of disappointment in his voice.
• "You can say that again," Rome retorted, unfazed by Neo's playful jabs.
• "Please, I want you to be there," Neo pleaded, his tone sincere. Rome sighed deeply, feeling a pang of longing for Georgia. They always said in every introvert life, they must be an extrovert firend or partner and Georgia has always been the extrovert in hie life,, She had always been the life of the party, and he couldn't remember attending any social event without her by his side.
• Damn, he missed her terribly. Maybe he needed to step out of his comfort zone for a change.
• "What time?" Rome finally relented, willing to entertain the idea of attending the club opening for Neo's sake.
• "9 PM," Neo stated firmly.
• "Fine," Rome replied.
• "Don't arrive by 8; it's set for 9 PM," Neo emphasized, eliciting a chuckle from Rome. Rome was known for his punctuality, never one to be tardy.
• "I'll send you the address," Neo confirmed.
• "Okay."
• ---
• As the appointed hour approached, Rome arrived promptly at the new club, knowing Neo was definitely going to be late. Finally Neo came and they both went inside.
• The club was filled with scantily clad women gyrating to the music, a sight that failed to captivate Rome. Glancing over at Neo, he observed his friend engrossed in a lap dance.
• "Hi handsome," a voice interrupted Rome's thoughts, prompting him to turn and meet the gaze of a smiling woman.
• "Would you like me to dance for you?" she purred, her lips tempting.
• Rome recoiled in disgust, his gaze shifting away from her advances.
• "Oops, are you gay?" she blurted out, triggering a familiar pang of frustration. They often called him Gay when he was in high school because he doesn't like to hang out with girls at all until Georgia came and everything changed.
• "Oh, my Loss. You're quite handsome, but perhaps one of those guys over there would be more to your liking," she suggested, gesturing towards a group of men dancing together.
• Rome brushed off her insinuations, focusing his attention elsewhere. But the persistent woman continued to pester him.
• "Can't you talk?" she pressed, moving closer.
• Rome finally turned to face her, his irritation palpable.
• "Don't come any closer," Rome warned firmly.
• "Why not, handsome?" she persisted, still biting her lip in an attempt to be seductive.
• "Perhaps because I'm allergic to low life girls like you," he retorted, abruptly changing the tone of the conversation.
• "Wait, what?" she stammered, taken aback by his response.
• "You're incredibly rude," she muttered before storming off, leaving Rome to exhale in relief at her departure. Finally peace.
• "Hiii," a voice interrupted Rome's moment of peace. He inwardly groaned, recognizing the impending intrusion.
• "Rome," he heard his name called, turning to find a woman beaming at him.
• "It's Jessica," she announced, though Rome struggled to recall her.
• "Jess," she added, still smiling. Suddenly, a memory clicked in Rome's mind—Jessica was Georgia's best friend from high school.
• "Jess," he echoed, a hint of recognition in his voice.
• "Nice to meet you," he offered politely.
• "Likewise. It's been so long," Jessica remarked, taking a seat beside him.
• "Yeah," Rome agreed.
• "So... I lost touch with Georgia a while back. Are you two still together, or..." Jessica trailed off, her gaze fixed on Rome, awaiting his response.
• "Um, Georgia is no more" Rome replied softly, the weight of the words hanging heavily in the air. Jessica's expression shifted to one of shock.
• "Oh Lord, I had no idea," she murmured sympathetically. He went quiet obviously thinking about Georgia.
• "Are you okay?" Jess asked, her touch gentle on Rome's shoulders. He flinched at the contact, his emotions still raw.
• "Yeah, yeah," he mumbled, trying to suppress his feelings.
• They sat in silence for a while, neither knowing quite what to say. Eventually, Jess broke the quietude.
• "Are you married?" she inquired, studying his face.
• "Yeah, I was. I was married to Georgia," Rome disclosed, causing Jess to fall silent once more.
• "I'm so sorry about her. I really wished I could have seen her again," Jess expressed, her hand still resting on Rome's shoulder.
• "It's okay," Rome reassured her.
• "So..." Jess began, but her sentence was interrupted by Rome's phone ringing.
• He glanced at the screen to see Phoenix's name flashing. Why was she calling at this hour? And why was she awake?
• "I have to take this," Rome informed Jess, who nodded understandingly.
• "Hello," Rome answered, concern evident in his voice.
• "Rome..." Phoenix's voice came through the phone, laden with distress.
• "What... what is it?" Rome asked, his worry deepening.
• "I need your help," Phoenix pleaded, prompting Rome to spring into action.
• "What's wrong?" Jess inquired, her concern mirroring Rome's.
• "Family emergency," Rome responded abruptly, his mind already racing as he rushed out of the venue.
• As he sped towards Phoenix's apartment, Rome's thoughts raced. What could be wrong? Was it something with the baby? Panic threatened to consume him.
• Arriving at Phoenix's door, he frantically rang the bell until she opened it, revealing her troubled expression.
• "What's happening?" Rome demanded, searching her face for clues.
• "I woke up and I really needed ice cream," Phoenix confessed, causing Rome's confusion to skyrocket.
• "You wanted ice cream?" he repeated, baffled by the anticlimactic nature of the emergency.
• "Yes! It's not like it's me who wanted it; the baby needs it," Phoenix explained casually, brushing past him into the apartment.
• Rome watched her go, a mixture of relief and irritation washing over him. She had nearly given him a heart attack over ice cream.
• Wow!! This was going to be a long and hard ride.
• ■~~■
• "We ran a background check on her, ma'am, and it seems she is a smuggler and also a thief," the man reported, prompting Mrs. Dante to nod in agreement.
• "She's the one who stole the necklace," he added.
• Mrs. Dante's suspicions were confirmed. From the moment she first laid eyes on Phoenix and witnessed her shock, she knew Phoenix was the thief.
• And now, she was carrying her grandchild. I really needed to do something about it.
• And she would!!!!
• To be continued...