Camelia was the name of the lieutenant's mother. We looked the picture of health. It was nice to see that. She looked at me and said "You 3 are so young, but you are doing so much. Such brave boys." The three of us puffed out our chests at the praise. It was hard not too. She was the lieutenant's mothers, but that only meant she was in her early 40s. Camelia Forte was still a very attractive woman. Her sister, Monica said "I have a pair of daughters that might like to meet you. Emilia and Erica." she said as she gestured to them. Both of them gave nervous smiles. They sisters that were about my age. I smiled and said "I'm sure the 3 of us would love to meet them at some point. It seems that beauty is a trait very common among Forte women." All of the women were basically eating out of the palm of my hand with that line. I was more than a bit smug when all the men at the table gave me weird looks. I made sure to keep relatively quiet for the rest of the dinner. When it was over, the women had to clean up. The men went back to the sitting room. Nicolò and Emilio smiled at me as we left.
You could tell that the feeling towards me shifted a bit. It was Ignazio was the one to bring the topic up for the group. I guessed he had the most balls as this was not his house. "I didn't know you had it in you to know when a girl is pretty or not." he said. "Why wouldn't I? All it takes is just looking at them. I mean no disrespect when I say this. It's just a fact." Auberto nodded his head. "It is a fact. But it is also a fact that you're a massive fag, Martino." he said. I was calm and said "Who said that shit? It isn't true." That made them all take a step back. "But all the shitty whores at the brothel said that you were." Antimo said. I shrugged. "If they all said that I was gay, they were all wrong about me. I am bisexual." I told the room. Nicolò facepalmed. Emilio looked really nervous. "So you are gay!" Ignazio challenged with a triumphant look on his face. I shook my head. "If I was gay, I would say that I was. I am bisexual. There is a huge difference." I responded. "What's the difference!? You fuck guys. That makes you a faggot!" Auberto spat. "The difference is I fuck women too." That made them all go quiet.
Zipping over from where he is standing, Prospero grabbed me by the collar. "Ain't no way in hell my cousin is going to date a fag! Take all that perverted shit somewhere else." I looked him dead in the eyes and said "You are going to let go of me, or we are going to settle this outside. Like men." The gauntlet was thrown. Everyone heard it said too. The ball was in Prospero's court now. He smirked and gave me a playful slap on the cheek. "I'm just kidding with you. You take things way too seriously." he said. He let me go and walked back to where he was. It was clear he did not want a fight. "I am sorry, Prospero. I didn't get the joke you were going for. You trying to fight a stronger guy like me would be hilarious." I said. He red red in the face from anger. It was too late now. He already backed down. I turned to the others. "As we all know, when a man in this type of business is challenged like that, he has to stand up for himself or get stepped on." Ignazio looked upset. Begrudgingly, he said "That is true. I'll be sure to discipline the boy for disrespecting a man without being able to back it up at home."
Usually, I would leave it there. However the chance to twist the knife was too great. "That's okay. You don't have to do that. I was not insulted in the slightest. When boys become orphans like Emilio, Nicolò and I, we tend to get mature faster in order to survive conditions those with parents never have to go through. Prospero just has to learn what the real world is like. This lesson should be enough." I said gently. It was a super condescending thing to say as Prospero was older than me. He nearly lunged at me again, but Ignazio held him back by the collar. Prospero was going to say something, but Ignazio glared him into silence. All the rebellion inside of him died under that withering gaze. Prospero looked pitiful and everyone there could see it. I had clearly won this exchange. The women came soon after. They were putting on some music in the living room so couples could dance and sit and drink some booze in the atmosphere. Some of them were either gambling with a deck of playing cards or dominoes. I went to the domino table. I did not know how to play and they took my money.
