Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 91238 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91238 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
“I want to tell Maddie myself.”
“Which means I can’t tell Renzo either. Ah, well. See you both later.” Carlo salutes and leaves.
I pull Allegra into another hug. “I almost can’t believe it,” I whisper. “I know we’ve been fucking like crazy and haven’t worn protection, but still.”
“I know. I’m kind of surprised it took this long, if I’m honest.”
“You’re happy, right? We didn’t really talk much about this, but—”
“I’m happy,” she confirms and kisses me. “I love you, Gian. With all my heart and all my world and everything, I love you.”
“I love you too.”
I kiss her again and decide Carlo’s right. It’s time to celebrate in private for a while, which will definitely include licking champagne off every inch of my wife’s body.
Chapter 43
Allegra
Six Months Later
I roll a ball to little Brando and he kicks it back. Maddie and Renzo’s kid is a little firecracker, a total ball of energy, and sometimes I can barely keep up. “That’s such a good kick, buddy,” I say, rolling the ball again. He laughs and kicks it past me into a bush. “Wow, you’re so strong.”
“You don’t have to do that, you know.” Maddie wipes her forehead with her sleeve and retrieves the soccer ball. I take it from her and shrug.
“It’s fun. Brando and I are buds.”
“Mommy,” he says, teetering over. “Legra likes when I kick!”
“Yes, she does,” I say, scooping him up.
Maddie sighs. “You’d better be careful with that. He’s not a little baby anymore.”
She’s not kidding. Brando is rock solid. “I’m seven months pregnant, not incapacitated.”
Maddie only smiles knowingly and takes Brando away. He squirms until she puts him down and he teeters away when I toss the ball for him again.
Over on the porch, Gian’s mother rocks back and forth. She’s watching with a little smile, and though I’m not sure she really knows what’s going on or who we are, she seems happy. I smile at her and she gives me a little wave, which I return.
“She’s been good,” Maddie says softly. “I don’t know how long it’ll last. The nights are getting harder.”
“You’re so damn patient. I don’t know how you do it.”
“Renzo needs me.” She laughs when Brando kicks the ball over. I roll it away, aware that I’m playing fetch with him, but the kid’s happy, so whatever. “The war’s still going on. He thought it would be done by now.”
“We all did.” My smile fades. When my father joined, everyone figured it would be weeks before the Russians and the Irish begged for peace. Instead, they’ve only fought harder.
“That’s why I take on as much as I can. To make sure Renzo’s taken care of, since God knows he won’t take care of himself.”
“On top of being a mother?”
“Well, it’s my job, and anyway, I like looking out for him. And for Stella. She’s a good person, just… sick.”
“You’re a more patient person than me.”
“No kidding.” She goes back to pruning as I return to playing with Brando. I love spending time with this little boy, and I think of it as practicing for when my own baby’s here.
I feel happy. It’s not hard to identify the emotion. Joy suffuses everything these days. I’m comfortable at the Rossi house with Maddie, and I’ve even struck up a decent friendship with Gian’s brothers. Saul and I are pals, which nobody saw coming, definitely not me. But he’s a decent guy.
I miss my family. I haven’t spoken to my father since that night at the bowling alley. None of my uncles have called, and none of my cousins have reached out, except for Sophia. She’s the only Rinaldo still talking to me. The ex-communication remains in place, and everyone’s too afraid to go against my father’s wishes. It breaks my heart, but there’s nothing I can do about it.
At least I found a place for myself here.
“Allegra.” I look over as Gian comes down the back steps. He’s carrying a water bottle and wearing a scowl. “What did I tell you?”
“It’s not even hot out,” I complain as Brando runs at him, shouting like a little monster.
He bends down and scoops the little boy up without breaking stride. The kid kicks and thrashes, laughing wildly as Gian tickles him, and barely escapes when Gian puts him back down. He runs over to me and grabs onto my leg.
“The bad man!” he yells.
“Drink this at least,” he says, shoving the water into my hand. I roll my eyes, but secretly I’m pleased.
“Fine. You fuss too much. I’m pregnant—”
“Not disabled, yeah, I know, you say that like a dozen times a day.”
“She really does, doesn’t she?” Maddie adds from over near the bushes.
Brando runs circles around Gian, taunting him. “Bad man! Bad man!” It’s a game they place. Gian’s the villain and Brando’s the good guy, and Gian has to chase Brando down and tickle him.