Epilogue
Enzo
Four years later
Two tiny dark-haired children run around the kitchen, not caring that they can barely walk straight let alone sprint around a crowded room.
It’s complete chaos, but I love it.
“Come to Nonna,” Meredith calls out to Albi. He wiggles in her arms the moment she picks him up.
His dark hair is a mess on top of his head, haphazard and maybe a little dirty from playing in the pasta sauce.
I grab Alania, who squeals when I swing her around. “Are you causing trouble?” I say.
She laughs, a bright, sweet noise that tugs at my heart.
Christina is standing with Albert in the corner, reviewing some paperwork that looks too serious for family dinner night.
“Hey,” I shout in their direction. “No work on family dinner night.”
She flashes me a bright smile. “Almost done.”
Christina starts law school in the fall, something I can’t imagine undertaking while pregnant again. She’s glowing with happiness.
Her hand cups her small belly as she leans over and looks at the documents.
We would have been more than content to keep her at home, but this is what she wants.
A big family and her degree.
We’ve compromised and told her that she can’t use her law degree for anything dangerous.
Something safe and sound like contract review is where her future lies.
She fought it for a while, but eventually accepted. Nico and I were firm: nothing that puts her at risk. Not now, not ever.
Alania must agree because she holds me tighter.
Christina will do contracts and negotiations. She’s tough as nails, and the only one of any of us that knows Italian and Spanish, so she’s our savior.
“You know, I wasn’t sure how this was all going to work out,” Meredith says, walking closer to me. Albi yawns in her hold, resting his head against her chest. “But you were right. You both were,” she says, looking over at Nico.
“Don’t let him hear you say that,” I laugh.
“I heard that,” Nico shouts across the room, making everyone laugh.
He walks over, in his half apron, his white shirt covered in red sauce.
“You’re supposed to be making us dinner,” I tease.
“I am.” He grits out between his teeth.
Alania holds out her hands, gesturing for Nico to take her. I slip her tiny body into his arms.
He holds her tight, kissing her hair.
“Your turn,” he says, laughing as he uses our daughter as an excuse to get out of dinner. I roll my eyes.
“Here, take Albi,” Meredith says, shoving him into my arms. “If we leave dinner to you two, we’ll all have food poisoning for the entire week.”
I laugh, knowing that she’s right, moving over to save Christina from work talk. With a smile, I wrap an arm around her, Nico doing the same.
In the end, that’s all that matters. Our family.