Chapter 13
Lucrezia knelt next to Maria in the spare room where endless wedding presents were stacked.
She came bouncing in less than half an hour after Romero gave his order to the maid.
Maria wore a simple, buttercream-colored day dress. She was still neatly made up, with her bright red lips and rouge.
When she flew up the stairs, Maria happily embraced Lucrezia and thanked her for calling. In her own words, she never knew what to do with herself on her days off.
The two of them set about organizing and neatly disposing of the wrapping.
”Oh, look at this! A fine china plate with your names!” Maria pointed a red tipped finger at the beautiful piece complete with a stand.
She admired it but couldn”t help but think it would only collect dust in a display case.
There was also silver as far as her eyes could see; silver spoons, silver tea sets and trays, and more.
Lucrezia balked when she found a small price tag accidentally left in one of the boxes.
”This is all way too much.”
”Well, it”s what”s expected in your social circle now. Romero doesn”t do business with any other families, as far as I know. So, this is how people in his corner show their support or get on his good side, if you will. ”
Lucrezia nodded and inspected a small, leather box. When she opened it, a ruby broach glimmered back at her.
”So, all of this isn”t necessarily for us but more as a means of...trying to move in on him for their own interests?”
Maria shrugged.
”Well, maybe not all of it. But some, very obviously yes. Like this?” She plucked the box with the broach out of her hands. ”This is just gaudy and ridiculous. Besides, anyone who”s actually paid attention would know that he calls you his pearl. Not his ruby.”
Maria playfully nudged her, making Lucrezia smile.
Lucrezia and Maria dug their way through until they found a massive box with differently-colored wrapping paper; baby blues and baby pinks with delicate white ribbon.
”Ohh, I think I know what this is.” Maria helped her unwrap it and jumped up and down while clapping her hands.
Lucrezia dropped the ripped paper when the picture of the baby cradle became visible.
It was carved wood, promising a shiny and sleek finish. The directions stated that the baby could be rocked in it as well.
”Oh, this is just darling! What does the card say!”
Maria inspected the box, measuring the width with her arms and hurrying to the other side of the room with her makeshift numbers.
When Lucrezia read the card, it nearly brought tears to her eyes.
”Dearest Lucrezia,
please allow me to give you this cradle so that you and my son may pass down generation to generation. The pair of you will make the finest parents.
All my love, Giulia.”
”Romero”s mother,” Lucrezia sniffed and dabbed the corners of her eyes.
This woman had barely known her for more than a day and a half and had already shown her affection that Lucrezia”s own mother couldn”t scrounge up in all the twenty-six years of her life.
Maria read the card further.
”Oh, it says to open it up, she included some surprises in the cradle!”
Lucrezia and Maria carefully opened the box and peeked inside.
There were several knitted baby blankets, stuffed toys, bottles, and anything else a newborn would need.
Lucrezia picked up a warm blanket and pressed it against her face.
The tag that was sewn onto it bore Giulias name, and Lucrezia”s heart soared.
”She knitted these blankets.”
Maria hugged a baby pink blanket to her chest.
”Aunt Giulia can knit anything. It looks like she has you prepared for a boy and a girl. Or even both at once!”
Maria said it casually, but the thought nearly made Lucrezia choke.
Two babies? At the same time?
The two decided to separate the baby items and the more materialistic items, resorting to picking which wedding gifts were more practical and which didn”t seem to be Romero”s taste. Maria helped with that, of course.
After some time, a knock on the door frame caught their attention.
Romero was leaning against it with one hand in his pocket, almost shocked at the scene.
”Well...it seems you two girls made a bit of a mess in here.” He laughed and strolled in.
”If it helps, we both think some of these gifts should be given away. I mean, really?”
Maria lifted a brow and held up a small marble statue of two half-naked lovers entwined in each other”s limbs.
Lucrezia blushed so hard she felt her ears go pink.
”Yikes. You”re probably right. And my mother wasted no time, I can see.” He gestured to the crib with a grin.
”You”ll be thankful once the time comes!” Maria stood up and cleared one large box. ”Put whatever you don”t want in here, and I”ll get it out of your hair. How about some tea?”
She bounced out of the room, wisely giving the two of them their privacy.
Lucrezia realized she was still kneeling on the floor, sorting.
”Little girls don”t belong on the floor.” Her husband offered his hand and helped her up
He brushed off her dress and stockings, straightening her skirt.
”Maria”s right. I”m not sure we need all of this.”
”Besides the baby gifts. I say we keep those in here for safekeeping. If anyone asks about the other presents, we”ll tell them we liked it all so much that it all lives up here in a secure room locked away. I”ll leave it up to you to choose.”
He brought his hand up to the side of her neck, stroking her jaw with his thumb.
Lucrezia nodded, accepting his lips against her own.
His kisses never failed to make her body tremble.
”How was your meeting?”
”Very good, thank you, la mia perla. But it”s over now. And I”m all yours for the rest of the day.”
He let his hand drag down her shoulder, then her arm until he encircled her hand with his.
Romero kissed her knuckles.
”What about...forever?”
”Oh, I”m most certainly all yours forever, perla.”