Chapter 25
I wasn’t prepared for the sight that filled my eyes when I entered the living room. I froze in place for an instant, paralyzed. Instant joy filled me.
“Giovanna? Pennelope? Oh, Dio mio!… Is it really you?”
They stood from the sofa, smiling.
“Of course it’s us, little doll!” Gio exclaimed. “Come here and give me a hug, girl. I’ve missed you so much.”
I wrapped my arms around Gio, hugging her tightly. “I can’t believe you’re really here,” I murmured, emotional. “I missed you so much.”
“We missed you too, darling,” Pennelope said tearfully. “Come here… I missed you terribly too.”
Gio pulled us into a group hug.
Dio, I felt so good to be there.
Suddenly, Pietra joined us too.
“But look at you… and this belly,” Gio said, holding my hand when we pulled apart, her gaze moving over me.
“I know. I’m round as a ball.”
“You’re beautiful,” Gio said.
“The most beautiful pregnant woman I’ve ever seen,” Pennelope said.
“Grazie mille. You’re both beautiful too.”
I sat between Gio and Pennelope, and Pietra in an armchair.
“Dio, I see it, but I still can’t believe you’re here.”
“I can pinch you,” Gio proposed.
I rolled my eyes.
“I’ll pass.”
Pennelope fixed her eyes on me. “How are you?”
“I’m well, Aunt. Better than I’ve ever been, to be honest.”
“I can see that, my love.” Pennelope smiled. “Love does that. And if I know you a little, I’d say you’re radiating love from every pore.”
I really was. It was shit, but I was.
“And sex,” Pietra, the bitch, pointed out, making them all laugh.
My cheeks turned scarlet.
Gio clicked her tongue.
“And where is the stud?”
I glanced at Pennelope, who answered my silent question with a look that said, Humor her insanity.
It can’t be helped. I looked at Gio, who was waiting anxiously for my answer.
Truly, she seemed exactly the same, and I almost groaned at the realization.
She might be crazier than Pietra. Actually, she was.
The two of them together meant trouble. Proven fact.
“Heithor is showering. He’ll be down soon. And for the love of God, don’t call him that. Besides killing me with embarrassment, it makes me feel like a cow.”
“Zero sense of humor, huh?”
“It isn’t funny.”
Gio stood.
“In that case, I’m going to see if the cake Martha was making is ready and get some iced tea. Behave and don’t start the gossip without me.”
“I’ll go with you, Aunt,” Pietra said, jumping from the sofa.
“Great! I want to dissect this relationship of yours,” Gio assured her in a sinister voice. If there was one good thing about her madness, it was that she cared for the people she was attached to, and she adored Pietra. “This Nathan, what is he like? How old is he? What does he do for a living?”
When I lost sight of them, I turned on the sofa, sitting sideways and pulling my legs up. Pennelope held my hands in hers.
“I like what I see here. You’re happy, and you look very well. That relieves me so much, especially… well…”
“I know, Aunt.” I squeezed her hands. “I’m fine and happier than I can say. Thor is wonderful. Everything is much better than I dared dream.”
“Who would have thought, huh? That little girl who said she would rather die single than fall in love because she didn’t want to share a bed with anyone. I can hardly recognize you.”
“Guilty. I admit it.”
Pennelope caressed my belly, then touched my chin.
“You know something? That same little girl who said those things also had a longing gleam in her eyes when she looked at the couples in the house. And I could see her wondering if one day she would have a love like that too. You were always romantic here.” Her hand rested on my chest. “In your own way, you are romantic, and I’m sure you found someone romantic in his own way too, didn’t you? ”
“It’s frightening,” I confided. “But it’s so good.
The feeling is so incredible that sometimes I think it isn’t real, and that scares me.
And then there’s the baby. The pregnancy only makes everything more intense, but I try not to think too much about it, although sometimes it’s impossible.
When they say pregnancy hormones make us crazy, it’s the absolute truth. ”
“I believe it. Your mother was a disaster.”
The comment was unintentional, but it made me uneasy.
“She didn’t…?”
“No, darling. We have a show in less than three weeks, and she stayed behind to take care of the store and the sewing progress on the designs she drew herself. Which, by the way, are beautiful.” I smiled faintly, masking my sadness.
I knew it was an excuse. She still didn’t want to see me. “Selena loves you very much.”
“I know. I love her very much too.”
“It’s hard for her, darling,” Pennelope said softly. “Everything came at once. It needs time to process it, capisci?”
“I understand her, Aunt. I swear I do. It’s just hard for me too.
We’re talking, but it isn’t the same as before.
She’s distant. I feel like we’ll never go back to what we were, as if something that can’t be fixed has broken between us.
That kills me, because I know she has reason to feel hurt, wounded by me… ”
She touched my face, making me look at her.
“In a family where there is love and unity, everything can be fixed. And despite the details surrounding ours, our family has both. Never doubt that.” A stupid tear slipped from my control, and her thumb hurried to wipe it away.
“You’re going to be a mother now, and you know a mother’s love is unconditional.
Unbreakable. Immeasurable. No matter what happens, she will always love you the same way. ”
I hugged her with another round of stupid tears.
“Grazie mille.”
“Shhh… Don’t cry, darling.”
I smiled weakly, wiping my face with the backs of my hands. “It’s these crazy hormones making me emotional. But tell me. How is everyone?”
“Missing you terribly and very happy about the baby’s arrival. Donna, now and then, joins your mother, and they look at pictures from when you were little. I don’t know who is more smitten. Actually, all of us are a little silly.”
Not everyone.
“Rocco?”
“Your father is well.”
“Good.”
“He still doesn’t talk about the subject, and we don’t force him.
But don’t think that’s because we agree with him.
We’re only respecting him, giving him time to process it.
Rocco is a difficult person. I honestly don’t know who he took after to have all that old-world rigidity nailed into his soul, but it wasn’t your grandparents.
I believe it’s like Donna says. He spent too much time around your great-grandfather, Pepe’s father, may God keep him.
From what she and Pepe say, he was an extremely difficult man to deal with, and Rocco admired him very much.
Anyway… But nothing is forever, is it? And, well, just look at your mother.
He supported her in the partnership. It’s true there were some points of friction, but today he even asks questions and offers to help with whatever is needed.
Which is good progress when it comes to Rocco.
” Pennelope wasn’t lying, but she was hiding part of the truth, maybe so she wouldn’t hurt me, and honestly, I was grateful for that.
“He’s your father, darling, and a human being, and as such, he makes mistakes like anyone else.
I’m sure Rocco already regrets what he said to you here, but he’s too proud to admit it.
He must be working himself up psychologically before taking any action. ”
“I destroyed his dreams. That isn’t so easy to forgive.”
“The only person who can destroy his dreams is himself, darling. Who is the son of a bitch who thinks he’s so superior that he can decree his children are obligated to fulfill their parents’ dreams?”
“I know, but…”
“But nothing, Antonella. Parents dream about and plan their children’s future.
You must already do the same with Lucca, and look, he isn’t even born yet.
But that’s what parents do, based on what they believe is best. But what if your child thinks your best isn’t best for him?
Will you stop loving him? Will he stop being your child because he didn’t follow the path you planned for him? ”
“No.”
“There’s your answer.”
“I’m so happy to have you here.”
“It’s mutual, darling. It’s so good to see you again, well and happy, after so long. That was always our greatest concern—your well-being.”
“You seem different…” I observed after the initial shock had passed. There was something different in the air around Pennelope. “Is there something I don’t know?”
She smiled. A smile that started shy and gained brightness, lighting her entire face with an emotion that wasn’t unfamiliar to me…
…Another baby was on the way.
Pennelope and Romeo had decided to expand the family.
For the next few minutes, we talked about pregnancy and our experiences.
“Hello, ladies.”
Thor was looking at us curiously, his hair still wet.
“Hello,” Pennelope said.
She stood, and I copied her, then crossed the distance between him and me.
“You took a while,” I murmured only to him.
“I was solving a little problem in the South,” he whispered back, making me blush as he turned his gaze to Aunt Pennelope.
I cleared my throat and made the introductions.
“Pennelope Vicenti, Heithor Castellammare.”
“Charmed,” Pennelope breathed, extending her hand.
Thor took a step forward without letting me go and accepted her hand.
“Likewise, Mrs. Vicenti.”
“Pennelope, please.”
“Heithor,” he offered. Seeing the empathy between them and the approval in her eyes left me satisfied and happy. Thor added, “I hope I haven’t interrupted anything. If so, I can leave you alone and come back later.”
“That’s very kind of you, Heithor. But I’d like to get to know you too. After all, you live with my beloved niece and soon you’ll have a baby.” Pennelope was as subtle as a mare. “So I want to be sure I can be at peace at home knowing Antonella is safe with you. That she wasn’t blinded by passion.”
Thor didn’t change, agreeing with an amused, unconcerned gesture.
“In that case, let’s sit, then. I feel more comfortable being interrogated when I’m seated comfortably.”
Pennelope gave me a meaningful look before sitting. I followed her. Thor moved as if to follow me, but before he had the chance, Gio entered the room with P.
“Girls, Martha cooks like a goddess. I am… Dio Santo! Don’t tell me this is the stud?
” I wanted to put my head between my knees while my crazy aunt moved toward Thor, who looked at her with apprehension and was clearly wondering whether he would have to call the nearest asylum.
“Pleasure to meet you, Giovanna Sartori.” She hugged him and gave him two kisses on the cheek.
“Little doll, you didn’t tell me he was a walking sin.
” Gio gave him a look. “No wonder you got pregnant. Now this is a man worthy of…”
“AUNT!”
She waved a hand in a dismissive gesture.
“Relax! It’s not as if I’m going to be interested.
Besides, I’m completely and irrevocably in love with Paolo…
” Gio looked at him. “…Paolo is my husband.” She looked back at me.
“Let’s be honest, sweetheart, I have eyes and I’m not blind. You have one hell of a man here.”
I was going to protest, but Thor took the lead.
“May I call you Giovanna?”
“Of course! But don’t even dream of calling me Aunt. You’re far too much man for that.”
Gio was a tiny thing capable of making the devil blush.
“All right, Giovanna. Heithor or Thor, if you prefer.”
She looked at me with bright eyes and a wide smile, full of herself.
“Little doll drew the winning ticket, didn’t she, Penne?”
I huffed, though I felt happy and relieved that she approved of Thor. But the dog would never let me hear the end of it now that he had gained another fan.
Thor sat behind me, passing an arm over my shoulders so I could lean against his chest, his other hand resting on my thigh.
“Did you hear what she said?” Thor whispered only to me, his voice full of masculine pride. “One hell of a man, huh?”
Martha joined us. Thor was at ease and seemed to be enjoying Pennelope’s not-so-subtle interrogation.
Of my two aunts, Pennelope was the most suspicious and hardest to please.
She analyzed Thor the whole time, and although she didn’t declare her approval to the world, it was there behind her analytical eyes.
Gio, on the other hand, was easy to deal with and very spontaneous, the kind who didn’t hide her feelings and was very frank.
Thor had won her over from the first moment.
The room filled with cheerful voices and laughter.
I loved that they were here and that they approved of my new life and Thor. And I loved even more Gio’s idea to throw me a baby shower.
When the exhaustion of the trip began to weigh on them, especially on Pennelope, my aunts announced they were going to the hotel and would return the next day.
I was ready to refuse that arrangement…
It was ridiculous for them to stay in a hotel when that mansion was big enough for a soccer team and we had only four days to make up for missing each other before they returned to Italy.
…Thor did it for me. And I loved him a little more.