25. Epilogue Blake
Life with Angelo is more than I could’ve ever hoped for. He is the most amazing man and husband in every way possible. The joy I feel on a daily basis is truly immeasurable. And knowing that I have a family now…
Well, it makes me teary just thinking about the way the Rossi family has welcomed me into their inner circle. My entire childhood, I moved from place to place, family to family, and I never fit in anywhere. Finding a family has always been about discovering a place where I fit and with a group of people who accept me for exactly who I am.
The Rossi’s have done just that and I get emotional whenever I let myself think about it for too long. It’s what I’ve always wanted, always yearned for, and now here I am. And, I’ve discovered that a found family is even better than a family who’s related by blood. We’ve chosen each other and it’s such an amazing feeling.
I’ve also inherited a group of sisters, something I thought I’d never have. Alessia, Hannah, Gabriella and Carlotta are my girls, and I can tell them anything. They don’t judge and we love hanging out and bonding. We also have a standing dinner date every Thursday evening which may or may not usually involve one too many drinks. Of course, Carlotta is the only one drinking right now and we all tease her about it. Alessia is currently pregnant with number two and big as a house and, while Hannah and Gabriella have both had their babies, they are still producing milk and not yet able to indulge. These Rossi men are damn virile. And all very insatiable from what I hear.
But, I am not complaining. My world is more beautiful than it has ever been before.
As the weeks and months fly by, I find myself learning so much more about Angelo and, even though I’m not sure how it’s possible, I fall in love with him a little more every single day. He’s become the sun, moon and stars in my universe. How I ever survived without him is beyond me.
I’m also growing bigger. It’s the oddest thing to have a living creature inside your body, moving around and making me feel flutters. It’s also pretty cool. Angelo and I were debating about whether or not to find out the baby’s sex. We want to be surprised, but we also want to be prepared. I was talking to my girls about it and Hannah suggested we wait until the baby shower and then incorporate a big gender reveal party, too. I told her I didn’t know what to do and have never even attended a normal baby shower. Hannah and my girls told me they would take care of everything. All I needed to do was let them know the baby’s gender without finding out myself.
After one of my doctor’s appointments, I pulled up Hannah’s phone number, set up the text to her and asked my doctor to tell her whether I was having a girl or a boy. She excused herself, turned around and sent off a quick text message. Then with a smile, she handed me my phone back.
As tempted as I was to look, I maintained my self-control. Angelo, on the other hand, well, that’s a different story. He’s dying to know.
“We should look,” he says. “Hannah is going to tell Vin and my brothers. They’re going to tell their wives and Carlotta. And we all know that Lottie can’t keep a secret to save her life. Everyone is going to know but us.”
“I thought you wanted it to be a surprise and we’ll find out at the party.”
“I’m re-thinking that,” he says, and I chuckle.
“The party is this weekend. We’re going to know very soon.”
“I guess,” he grumbles.
“Hannah needs to know ahead of time so she can get a cake or whatever she’s planning for the reveal. And she promised that she isn’t going to tell anyone else.”
“Yeah, well, we’ll see about that. She and Vin tell each other everything.”
“Not this time,” I assure him.
And, true to her word, Hannah keeps her lips sealed. Even when I break down during our dinner and tell her I’ve changed my mind. “I need to know, Hannah,” I plead. “Blink once for a boy, twice for a girl.”
Everyone bursts out laughing when Hannah blinks repeatedly like she has something caught in her eye. Then she sends me the biggest, most mysterious smile. She and Vin had twin girls, and I can’t even imagine. At one point, she was bigger than a house and so damn uncomfortable. By the time she gave birth, she was more than ready to get those two little girls out of her body. But Rosa and Bianca are the sweetest blessing, and we all coddle and spoil them endlessly.
“Well, that’s certainly no help,” Gabriella states. She and Enzo had a baby girl, Luna, not very long ago, and I can’t help but wonder what that would be like. I’ve never been very girly myself, but the idea of decorating a tiny baby girl in pink ruffles makes my heart skip a beat. I think I’d like that very much. But, I also plan on teaching her to defend herself and shoot a gun.
“So that makes three girls and one boy,” Carlotta says. “Blake, you need to even up the score and give me another nephew.”
I laugh. “I have no idea what I’m going to give you.” I look pointedly at Hannah who presses her lips together and shakes her head. Wow, she’s really not saying a word.
When Saturday arrives, I’m dying to find out if this baby in my belly is going to be a boy or a girl. The anticipation is killing me. Angelo seems just as anxious and when we arrive at the Italian restaurant where the girls are holding the party, I pull in a deep, steadying breath.
“This is it,” I whisper and look over at my husband. “Are you ready to find out?”
“I’ve been ready,” he states. “You?”
“I can’t wait.” We reach for each other’s hands and he pulls me in for a kiss.
“It really doesn’t matter, though,” he tells me. “As long as our baby is healthy, that’s the most important thing.”
“You’re right.”
We share another kiss and then get out of the car. Anticipation fills me as we step into the restaurant and I look around, taking in all the beautiful decorations. Pink and blue balloons float everywhere and matching streamers twine around poles and hang from every crevice and corner. Fresh flowers, all pink peonies, fill vases on the large, round table and light blue confetti is sprinkled between the dishes and silverware.
“Oh, it looks so pretty,” I say, and Angelo presses a kiss to my temple.
“Not as pretty as you,” he murmurs, and we squeeze each other’s hands.
Everyone is already here and they all rush over to greet us. My girls give me huge hugs and Angelo’s brothers slap him on the back.
“Congrats, bro,” Miceli says. “Can’t wait to see how you adjust to fatherhood.”
“If you can do it then there’s hope for me,” Angelo replies. “I think, anyway.”
Everyone chuckles and I’m looking forward to this evening and spending it with the people I love most. Even though it’s hard not to be antsy, I manage to make it through dinner and then it’s finally time to find out.
A boy or a girl? I wonder. I seriously couldn’t be any more excited to find out and Angelo’s leg was bouncing up and down with obvious nerves all through dinner.
“Okay, let’s do the reveal,” Hannah announces. “Angelo and Blake, come over here.”
We dutifully follow her over to the side table where a large cake awaits. Hannah hands us each a glass and I realize my hand is shaking.
“Angelo, you do this side and Blake, you do that side,” she instructs us.
We each lift our glass, exchange a look and then flip it over and push it straight down into the cake. It cuts right through the moist fluffiness and I scoop mine up and look to see what color of cake is in the glass.
Pink! My heart thunders and I lift my glass and announce, “A girl!”
Beside me, Angelo does the same except shouts, “A boy!”
Confused, I look over and see his glass is full of blue cake. Wait what? Did the bakery make a mistake? We glance over at each other and then at Hannah.
“So which is it?” Angelo asks, scratching his head, his dark brows drawn together in a frown.
“Both!” Hannah screeches in absolute delight. Then she lifts a little canister, hits a button, and blue and pink confetti explode in the air, showering us.
“Both?” Angelo and I exclaim at the same time, and everyone bursts into laughter and applause.
“Twins?” I ask, in a state of shock. “But—how?”
“They run in the family, but…” Angelo’s stunned voice trails off and he looks over at Vin and Hannah. “I thought you guys took care of that with Rosa and Bianca.”
“Welcome to the club,” Vin says, clapping Angelo on the back.
“Congratulations!” Hannah says and hugs us both.
Suddenly, everyone surrounds us, extending their good wishes and love. So damn much love fills this room and surrounds us that my heart nearly implodes. This is what it feels like to have a family. This is what I’ve been missing. This is what I’m so incredibly grateful for—all thanks to this wonderful man who I now have the privilege of calling my husband.
“What do you think?” Angelo asks, pulling me close, his hands closing around mine. He searches my face and grins like an absolute fool. A very happy, very proud fool who loves me more than I ever thought possible. “Are you happy?”
“I’ve never been happier in my life,” I whisper.
“Me neither. Thank you, la mia farfalla, for making me the happiest man in the world.”
“I love you, Angelo.” My eyes fill with tears as the celebration continues around us. “So damn much.”
“I love you, too.” He leans down and captures my mouth in a kiss. As our mouths meld, I can hear champagne corks pop and a can of sparkling cider twists open. Everyone is so excited and I don’t think my heart and soul have ever been this full—of love, gratitude and that beautiful feeling of belonging.
I have a family. It may have taken twenty-seven years of searching and longing, but now I have a family of my very own. One that is big and imperfectly perfect and expanding right before my teary eyes.
All because I made a mistake and kidnapped the wrong man.
And, thank God for that, I think, dragging Angelo’s face back in for another kiss.