Papa

Trigger Warning: Some themes of abuse

A 10-year-old Riccardo fed his three-month-old sister Francesca as his four-year-old sister Bianca and two-year-old sister Roberta played roughly.

“Don’t play so roughly!” yelled Riccardo as he went to the girls’ room and put Francesca inside her crib. He suddenly heard Roberta crying and rushed to the living room. “Didn’t I say not to play roughly? Now you hurt yourself!”

Riccardo picked Roberta up and tried comforting her, but Francesca woke up because of Roberta’s loud crying.

“I JUST PUT HER TO SLEEP!” thought Riccardo frustratedly, putting Roberta down and going to the girls’ room to calm Francesca down. Riccardo’s father, Lorenzo, went to the living room and yelled for Riccardo. Riccardo put Francesca back in her crib and went to the living room. “Yes, Papa...?”

“Why is it so loud? I thought I told you to shut your sisters up!” growled Lorenzo.

“I’m sorry, Papa. I put Francesca to sleep, and Roberta hurt herself and started crying. It woke Francesca up,” whimpered Riccardo.

Lorenzo threw his wine bottle, walked over to Riccardo, and vigorously slapped his face.

“Non fai mai niente di giusto!” yelled Lorenzo in Italian as Riccardo cried. “BATHE YOUR SISTERS AND MAKE US DINNER! YOU’RE NOT GETTING ANY FOOD TONIGHT!”

Riccardo sniffled, then stuttered, “Y-Yes, Papa...”

Riccardo gave Bianca, Roberta, and Francesca baths, then made some spaghetti.

“This spaghetti... La salsa è così acquosa,” grumbled Lorenzo as Riccardo sighed and put his hand on his arm. “I have a son who can’t take care of his sisters and can’t cook.”

"Why does Papa hate me so much?" thought Riccardo sadly. He cleaned the kitchen after everyone finished dinner, then went to his room to sleep. However, Riccardo struggled to sleep because of how hungry he was. He groaned and put his hand on his stomach as it growled. “Ho fame...”

Riccardo got out of bed and crept to the kitchen. He dug through the trash can and tried to find any thrown-away food. Riccardo found a half-eaten slice of pizza and slowly ate it, disgusted by the taste. He tried closing the trash can but accidentally made it fall over on the kitchen’s hardwood floor, creating a lot of noise and waking Lorenzo up. Riccardo gasped and ran toward his room as Lorenzo left his room.

“What’s going on?” grumbled Lorenzo, wiping his eyes. Riccardo panted in bed as his heart heated quickly, and he sweated. Lorenzo saw the trash can on the floor and put it back in place. “Must’ve been a rat.”

The Next Day

Riccardo ate breakfast at school before going to class. Four boys named Samuele, Roberto, Giovanni, and Francesco walked toward Riccardo.

“Ehi idiota!” yelled Samuele in Italian, getting Riccardo’s attention. “You always look like you just came out of a dumpster.”

“What do you expect? He wears the same clothes every week,” grumbled Giovanni.

Roberto saw the slap mark on Riccardo’s face from Lorenzo’s slap yesterday.

“Aww. That’s a nice slap mark on your face, Richy,” jeered Roberto as the other boys laughed. “Someone else must hate you as much as we do.”

“That’s a good one, Roberto!” chuckled Francesco.

Samuele looked at Riccardo’s hair.

“A mutt like you doesn’t deserve that beautiful, long, dark brown, and silky hair either!” laughed Samuele. Riccardo instead smiled and stared straight at Samuele’s face. “What’s so funny, idiot?”

“Il tuo taglio di capelli con la riga in mezzo è orribile,” said Riccardo in Italian, smirking as Samuele widened his eyes. “It’s the worst haircut I’ve seen in a while.”

“He really said that in Italian,” chuckled Francesco as Giovanni elbowed him. “OW!”

Riccardo looked at Giovanni and said, “Giovanni, your teeth look like they’re from a skeleton that’s been underground for years; Roberto, your buzz cut makes you look like an alien from another universe, and Francesco, your breath smells like goat’s milk and expired cheese.”

Samuele, Roberto, Giovanni, and Francesco stood frozen and stared at Riccardo, shocked by how mean he was.

“Let’s go. Let’s not waste our time with this idiota,” grumbled Samuele as he and his friends left.

Later

Riccardo took notes in class but started feeling sick.

"Why do I feel like throwing up? Is it because of that rotten pizza I had last night?” thought Riccardo. He looked up at the clock and realized class ended in two minutes. ”Recess is in two minutes! I can hold it until the bell rings and go to the bathroom!”

However, Riccardo’s stomach started growling, and he put his hand over his mouth as he started gagging. Riccardo vomited all over his desk, getting the class’s attention.

“RICCARDO! Are you all right?” yelled the teacher, rushing to Riccardo’s aid. “Let’s get you to the clinic.”

Lorenzo received a call from Riccardo’s school about what happened. He saw a guilty Riccardo sitting down at the school’s clinic.

“What did my son do?” asked Lorenzo angrily.

“Your son didn’t do anything wrong. He threw up in class,” explained the school nurse.

Lorenzo grumbled, grabbed Riccardo by the hand, and then walked out of the school.

“How did you throw up? You didn’t eat anything last night!” growled Lorenzo. He widened his eyes when he realized something. “So you were being a sneaky rat last night, huh? You took rotten food from the trash can and knocked it over!”

“I was hungry, Papa! I couldn’t sleep!” whined Riccardo.

Lorenzo grabbed Riccardo’s ear and grumbled, “You know what? No more food in the apartment for a month.”

“B-B-But Papa! School ends soon! I’m going to be h-” Lorenzo cut Riccardo off.

“I DON’T CARE! You’ve lost my trust,” grumbled Lorenzo as Riccardo cried.

Six years later

A 16-year-old Riccardo made breakfast for the house before he and his sisters went to school.

“BREAKFAST EVERYONE!” yelled Riccardo as Bianca, Roberta, and Francesca ran to the kitchen.

“Yay! Pancakes!” chuckled Francesca, getting a plate.

“They look so fluffy!” chuckled Roberta.

After making her plate, Bianca noticed Riccardo made a plate for Lorenzo, and there was no more food for himself.

“Richy? Do you want my other pancake? I’m not that hungry,” said Bianca.

“No thanks, Bia. I’ll eat breakfast at school,” chuckled Riccardo as Bianca nodded.

Lorenzo entered the kitchen and saw the girls’ happiness, making him smile.

“Riccardo? Can we talk?” asked Lorenzo, getting Riccardo’s attention. He and Riccardo sat on the couch. “I wanted to apologize.”

“Apologize for what, Papa?” asked Riccardo.

“For the way I treated you when you were younger. I shouldn’t have neglected you like you were a piece of trash,” sighed Lorenzo, wiping his tears. “Even after the way I treated you, you still loved me. You’re a great brother to your sisters and a successful student, mio figlio.”

“Grazie, Papa,” chuckled Riccardo in Italian, hugging Lorenzo.

Later

Riccardo went to school and put his stuff in his locker. However, Samuele came along and softly pushed him.

“You still have that beautiful hairstyle, huh? Cut it off. It doesn’t look good on you,” grumbled Samuele as Riccardo rolled his eyes.

“I do cut it if it grows beyond my shoulders,” said Riccardo, crossing his arms. “Also, you still have that horrible middle-part haircut. It makes you look like you have no hair on the sides of your head, and you think you look cool with it.”

“I’m surprised you even keep your hair clean. You lived like filth for most of your life,” laughed Samuele as Riccardo scoffed. “And what about your crazy fidanzata? You two are a great match.”

“Idiota, I broke up with Maria before Thanksgiving!” growled Riccardo. “If anything, you two are a perfect match!”

Samuele scoffed and walked away.

Days later, on the weekend, Riccardo and his sisters ate breakfast until the house phone started ringing.

“Bia, can you get that?” asked Riccardo.

“Okay,” said Bianca, walking toward the house phone and picking it up. “Um... It’s from Maria, your ex.”

Riccardo widened his eyes. He hadn’t talked to Maria since they broke up, and he broke up with Maria when he found out she had dropped out of school and cheated on him with another boy.

“Girls, can you finish breakfast in your room?” asked Riccardo nervously.

“All right,” said Roberta.

“Okay, Richy!” chuckled Francesca.

Riccardo took the house phone from Bianca as the girls went to their room and talked with Maria. He was shocked by the news Maria had.

“Cosa? Un bambino?!” exclaimed Riccardo in Italian. “You’re pregnant? You’re having a baby?”

“Yes, and I’m sure it’s yours,” grumbled Maria. “I found out two weeks ago.”

“What about your other boyfriend, huh? You were cheating on me!” growled Riccardo.

“I never slept with him! I only slept with you before we broke up!” argued Maria. “Besides, he’s not my boyfriend anymore. He dumped me after I told him I was pregnant.”

Riccardo sighed, put his hand on his face, and asked, “How far along are you? And when’s the baby due?”

“I’m two months in, so the baby’s due in July,” answered Maria, chuckling nervously. “You’ll be out of school then, so you don’t have to worry about missing school to go to the hospital.”

“Maria. I’m going to be a senior, and I’m going to college after I graduate. I also have to take care of my sisters, and I know how unfit you are. Caring for a baby is serious and is a lot of work.”

“Well, we’re this bambino’s parents, and it’s our job to take care of it,” grumbled Maria, hanging up on Riccardo.

Riccardo groaned and put his hand on his head.

“Merda. Sono nei guai,” whimpered Riccardo in Italian.

Lorenzo was furious at Riccardo when he told him the news.

“UN BAMBINO? STAI AVENDO UN BAMBINO?” yelled Lorenzo angrily in Italian as Riccardo slowly nodded. Lorenzo punched Riccardo in the face, giving him a black eye and making one of his teeth fall out. “YOU’RE THE SAME BOY FROM SIX YEARS AGO! I CAN’T BELIEVE I GAVE YOU BACK MY TRUST!”

The Next Day

Samuele, Roberto, Giovanni, and Francesco saw Riccardo with his hair messed up, wearing a gray tank top with holes and some old jeans with holes.

“That’s the worst I’ve seen that mutt look,” grumbled Roberto.

“Ehi idiota!” yelled Samuele in Italian. Riccardo ignored Samuele and put stuff inside his locker. Samuele grumbled and walked over to Riccardo. “Oh? So you’re ignoring me now? You can’t even take care of your hair.”

Riccardo looked directly at Samuele and his friends. They gasped when they saw Riccardo’s black eye.

“Shit! Someone else really hates your ass!” laughed Giovanni.

“It’s deserved, honestly,” said Francesco.

Riccardo smiled, revealing his missing tooth.

“Well, you guys are handsome,” complimented Riccardo, leaving and going to class. ”I’m going to be a father in a few months. I can’t be mean to Samuele and his friends and get into a fight.”

“That mutt complimented us? Something’s wrong with him,” growled Samuele, crossing his arms.

Six Months Later

After the last day of his junior year, he went to Maria’s apartment to check on her. Maria’s parents kicked her out of the house after she dropped out of school, so she moved in with her 21-year-old brother, Lucas. Riccardo knocked on the door, and Lucas opened it.

“Riccardo? What are you doing here?” asked Lucas.

“I’m here to see Maria. I want to see how she and our baby’s doing,” grumbled Riccardo as Lucas rolled his eyes and let Riccardo inside. Riccardo saw Maria, who was eight months pregnant, watching TV. “Maria...?”

Maria turned off the TV and grumbled, “Where have you been? Why haven’t you come to see me for the past few months?”

“Well, my papa grounded me after I told him I got you pregnant, so I wasn’t able to leave my house until the school year ended. I answered your phone calls at least,” explained Riccardo. “Have you been going to the doctor?”

“Yes, I have,” said Maria.

Lucas brought a wine bottle and some glass cups.

“I got some grape wine. Want some Riccardo?” asked Lucas as Riccardo widened his eyes.

“I’m 17,” grumbled Riccardo.

“It’s not even that strong, softie,” growled Lucas.

“I’ll have some, Fratello!” chuckled Maria.

“NO!” screamed Riccardo, scaring Lucas and Maria.

“Qual è il tuo problema?” asked Lucas angrily Italian.

“Che diavolo vuoi dire? SHE’S PREGNANT! SHE CAN’T DRINK ALCOHOL! It’ll hurt the bambino! We’re both 17! We’re not supposed to be drinking it anyway! The last thing I want is for Maria and I to become parents and get caught for underage drinking!” yelled Riccardo as Lucas and Maria rolled their eyes. “Did you guys even make space for the baby or get any clothes or necessities? I could only get diapers.”

“What space?” grumbled Maria.

“WHERE’S OUR BABY GOING TO SLEEP?” yelled Riccardo.

“It’ll sleep with me,” answered Maria as Riccardo put his hands on his head.

“IT CAN’T SLEEP ON YOUR BED! THE BABY NEEDS A CRIB! Do you guys even have a stroller and a carrier for the baby? How will you bring it home from the hospital?!” growled Riccardo.

“The baby can go home with you since you have a problem with how we live!” yelled Lucas as Riccardo left and slammed the door. “I can’t believe he was your boyfriend, Maria. He’s such a softie.”

“SÌ,” agreed Maria in Italian.

Riccardo arrived back home as the girls watched TV.

“Richy! You’re-” Bianca stopped her sentence when Riccardo ran into his room. “Riccardo...?”

“I think he’s upset,” whimpered Roberta.

“We should make a card for him to make him feel better,” said Francesca, getting some markers and paper.

Riccardo sat on his bed, put his hands on his face, and started crying.

“I’m bringing a baby into a world where it’s own mama’s unfit to take care of it, my father doesn’t love me, I have to take care of my sisters, I don’t have a job, I’m still in school, and I get bullied in school,” whimpered Riccardo, crying more. “And it’s all my fault.”

Bianca, Roberta, and Francesca knocked on the door of Riccardo’s room.

“Come in!” said Riccardo as his sisters went inside.

“Um... Richy, we saw how upset you were, and we wanted to talk to you,” said Francesca nervously.

“We even made a card for you!” chuckled Bianca, giving the card to Riccardo.

Riccardo opened it and smiled at the drawing inside. It was a drawing of himself and his sisters as stick figures.

“Aww. Questo è così dolce,” mewled Riccardo in Italian as his sisters hugged him. “Grazie, sorelle.”

“What made you upset, Richy?” asked Roberta.

“Well, it’s the baby I’m having. It’s putting a lot of stress on me,” sighed Riccardo.

“Don’t worry, Riccardo. You’ll be a great papa!” chuckled Bianca.

“Thanks. Do you think my bambino will be a boy or a girl?” asked Riccardo.

“Una bambina!” answered Francesca in Italian.

“I think it’ll be a baby girl, too,” said Roberta.

“Well, do you have any name ideas?” questioned Riccardo as the girls thought.

“What about Isabella?” suggested Bianca.

“Isabella Calafiori... That’s a beautiful name,” said Riccardo, smiling.

“Where is she anyway?” asked Francesca as Riccardo chuckled.

“Hehe. She’s coming soon,” chuckled Riccardo.

One Month Later

Riccardo ran off a public transit bus with a bag full of necessities as it stopped at the hospital. He went inside the hospital and checked in at the reception desk.

“I’m here to see Maria Rossi,” said Riccardo.

“She’s in room 207,” said the receptionist.

In room 207, Maria impatiently laid on the hospital bed in a hospital gown.

“I’m not having my baby now! My due date’s in two weeks!” growled Maria.

“Maria, the due date’s an estimation. Your water broke, and you literally had a contraction an hour ago,” grumbled Lucas.

“Well, can someone take the baby out of me now?” whined Maria.

“That’s not how it works,” said Lucas. Riccardo nervously entered the room, immediately getting Maria’s attention. “You’re finally here, softie.”

“What’s he doing here?” asked Maria angrily as Riccardo scoffed.

“I’m here to see the birth of our child! You should be grateful that I’m even here!” growled Riccardo as Maria rolled her eyes. “I’m taking our baby to my apartment, so I have to be here anyway.”

“I don’t want to see your soft ass!” yelled Maria.

“STOP! All of this arguing will cause too much stress for the baby!” yelled the doctor. “Separate if you can’t handle each other.”

As Riccardo left the room, Maria stuck her tongue out and flipped Riccardo off.

An Hour Later

Riccardo anxiously waited outside room 207 until one of the nurses said he could come back inside. He saw Maria sweating and out of breath and heard a baby crying. The doctor held a baby wrapped in white cloth with pink stripes and wearing a pink hat.

“Congratulations! It’s a girl!” chuckled the doctor, giving the baby to Maria.

“She’s beautiful,” said Riccardo, smiling.

“What’s this ugly thing? Get it away from me!” growled Maria as Riccardo glared at her.

“The hell do you mean ‘ugly thing’?! IT’S OUR BABY!” yelled Riccardo.

“Idiota, didn’t you say you were bringing your baby to your apartment? She’s your problem, not ours,” grumbled Lucas, crossing his arms.

“SHE’S YOUR NIECE! You two are 17 and 21, yet you guys have the mentality of five-year-olds!” growled Riccardo.

The baby started crying in Maria’s arms, frustrating her.

“Così dannatamente rumoroso!” grunted Maria in Italian as Riccardo clenched his fists. “Get this thing away from me!”

Later

Riccardo stood in a room where he could see his baby sleeping with other babies.

"Her mama doesn’t even want her,” thought Riccardo as a nurse came inside holding a clipboard.

“Um, Mr. Calafiori? Your girlfriend seems a bit disgruntled with her baby,” said the nurse as Riccardo.

“I understand. She didn’t even want to hold her. Honestly, I don’t think she wanted to be a mother,” whimpered Riccardo, putting his hand on his arm. “I’m the one who’s taking our baby anyways.”

“I don’t believe your daughter has a name yet. Would you like to give her one?” asked the nurse as Riccardo nodded. The nurse went to the NICU to pick up Riccardo’s baby, then returned to the room and gave the baby to Riccardo. “I’ll leave you two be.”

As the nurse left, Riccardo sat down and looked directly at his daughter in his arms. He thought about the name Bianca suggested a month ago.

“Bambina, do you like the name Isabella?” asked Riccardo. Isabella smiled in her sleep as Riccardo smiled, too. “You’ve only been here for a few hours and already have a beautiful smile.”

The nurse returned and asked, “Did you choose a name yet?”

“Yes, Isabella,” answered Riccardo.

“Isabella Calafiori,” said the nurse as she wrote Isabella’s name on a clipboard. “That’s a beautiful name.”

“Thanks,” sighed Riccardo as the nurse left. Riccardo kissed Isabella on the head. “Ti amo, Isabella.”