Epilogue 2
Apollo
Vaughn’s first month at home is a whirlwind.
The days fly by, filled with late night feedings, diaper changes, baths, and outfit changes after spit up spills.
He’s an unusually calm baby, only really crying when he needs something or occasionally if he wants to be cuddled.
But according to my father, he has the same temperament as I did when I was born.
This evening is going to be the first dinner party we’ve hosted in our new house, and Vaughn’s first family dinner altogether.
Everyone is coming from what I know, sans Melani for obvious reasons.
Rayna refuses to see her while Sienna is still being held in a safe house.
Abramo has been slowly taking over his territory, and she’s needed to stay hidden in the process.
My wife’s grudge toward Melani would cause more of an issue within the family, but according to Emilio, Melani doesn’t want to see her either. So for now, no one is trying to mend that fence. It’s something that the Bianchi sisters will need to address themselves.
“Are you sure that this looks okay?” Rayna asks, wandering into the kitchen with a worried expression. She rubs her hands down her stomach, smoothing her sweater down as she fidgets.
“You look beautiful,” I assure her for the third time.
Her sweater, leggings, and slipper combination is cozy, and more put together than she thinks it is. You’d think she was wearing a ripped T-shirt and faded sweat pants the way she’s worrying about it. She could be wearing a garbage bag and still look stunning.
I knew that Rayna was gorgeous when I met her, and my attraction to her only grew as we became closer. But the way she looks when she’s caring for our son? It’s indescribable. Even when her hair is a wreck and her clothes are stained with spit up, she makes my heart fucking race.
She blushes. “I just feel underdressed for a dinner party.”
“I’m literally wearing a baby,” I tell her, chuckling as I gesture to our son who’s wrapped up in a sling, sleeping peacefully on my chest.
“And a designer suit,” she points out stubbornly.
“And I’m sure Jade will be wearing something very similar to you.” I reach out, catching her hand in mine to hold it.
She grumbles but squeezes my hand in return. “Yeah, but she only had Viktor two weeks ago.”
“And you only had Vaughn less than five weeks ago,” I remind her softly. “There’s no deadline on comfort for postpartum mothers, micina. You should wear what makes you feel good. I love the way you look like this.”
“If you say so.” My wife sighs, but it’s a happy one. “I’m so excited for this. Catering was a great idea. Having everyone over doesn’t stress me out, but the idea of cooking for our big ass family does.”
A satisfied smile curls my lips. “I love when you call them our family.”
“I love it too,” she admits. “I’m getting used to it, but it’s easier now with Vaughn. He’s surrounded by aunts and uncles and cousins, and he has a grandpa that would do literally anything for him. It feels natural now.”
“Good.” I press a kiss to her forehead.
Quick knocks on the front door are our only warning as people start to trickle in. Knowing there are two infants in attendance tonight, it’s not as loud as it would typically be as the house fills up. Friendly faces flood the space and warm greetings are exchanged.
“Aunt Rain-uh,” Leo bursts out, prattling on over to us and running right into my wife’s knees. He hugs her tight and grins up at her as she pets his soft blonde locks.
“Hello, sweet boy, I’ve missed you,” she coos down at him.
“He talked about you and baby Vaughn the whole ride here,” Leon says, chuckling as he joins us, Bastian glued to his side.
“My baby Va-awn,” Leo confirms, nodding happily. “Here?”
Rayna giggles and nods, pointing to me at her side. “Uncle Apollo has baby Vaughn. He’s hiding from us to nap right now, but he’ll wake up soon.”
“Shhhh,” Leo says, putting a finger to his lips. “Sleeping.”
“You’re such a smart boy,” Rayna praises, smiling big at him.
“Kitties?” he asks, looking around for the next best thing.
“Manners, Leo,” Leon reminds him softly.
“Kitties, please?”
Rayna gets down on his level to speak more directly with him. “The kitties are upstairs in their room so they don’t get scared with all of the people around. But if your daddy takes you and Bastian up there, you can go visit them, okay?”
Leo lights up, gasping with excitement.
My brother smothers a smile. “What do you say, Leo?”
“Fank you, Aunt Rain-uh!”
“Thank you, Aunt Rayna,” Bastian echoes, almost shyly.
“You’re welcome,” she replies happily. “Anything for two of my favorite boys. Give Moonlight and Midnight extra head kisses for me, won’t you?”
“Yes!”
Before they can disappear, Rayna’s lips turn down. “No, Cleo?” she asks Leon, keeping her voice down so as not to alert the kids.
“No,” my brother replies, voice devoid of any emotion. “She has a migraine today.”
No, she doesn’t.
“Oh.”
Before she can inquire more, Leo is moving. He practically drags his father and brother upstairs, determined to get his hands on the cats he’s come to adore. He’s surprisingly gentle with them for a toddler, and they don’t mind hanging out with kids as a result.
“Our turn with the hostess,” Jade sings softly, coming up to us with a tiny bundle in her arms.
“Oh my goshhh.” My wife closes the space between them and gives my sister a gentle hug from the side. “I can’t get over how precious he is. And you look so good, and rested. Is he sleeping well?”
“He is,” Jade agrees with a happy sigh. “He’s still doing every two hours for feedings of course, but Dmitri wakes up with him most of the time and gives him what I’ve pumped. He’s the best. He has the twins right now, too. He wouldn’t let Ivan or Matteo take one, he’s in full dad mode tonight.”
“Apollo does the same with the feedings,” Rayna tells her blissfully.
“Of course he does.” Jade grins at me, nodding to Vaughn. “He’s always been a good dad, he’s just been waiting for a baby of his own.”
“Quite right, sweetheart,” Dad agrees, suddenly appearing at my side. “How’s my grandson this evening?”
“He’s currently in a milk coma,” I report, lips twitching. “He had four ounces instead of three and it knocked him right out.”
“Ugh, milk drunk babies are the best,” Jade declares, looking nostalgic. “Cesar used to do it to himself all of the time. Isobella would be done minutes before him and totally alert, meanwhile he’d be zonked out on my chest.”
“One of the few ways you could get him to sleep without him fighting the nap.” Dad chuckles. “That boy still doesn’t like to miss a thing, does he?”
“He certainly does not,” my sister agrees with a playful huff. “Hopefully Isobella will keep him in line as they grow up. His energy levels concern me sometimes.”
“At least he’ll be able to keep up with a family this big,” Rayna jokes. “I think Vaughn and Viktor are going to get up to mischief together too, they’ll just be more subtle about it.”
Jade hums, looking down at her newborn son. “They are pretty quiet so far, aren’t they?”
“So far,” I agree.
“With this family, that could change at any moment,” Ana warns, greeting Rayna with a hug. “Matteo has been giving the twins chunks of steak to gnaw on and even shy little Isobella growls while trying to devour them.”
“It’s true.” Jade sighs. “But I mean, don’t we all feel like growling when sinking our teeth into a big juicy steak? There seems to be something primal about that.”
Ana nods thoughtfully. “Hmmm, you might be on to something.”
“Speaking of food,” I pipe up. “We have plenty of it. We should dig in before it gets cold. We ordered from Falcone’s.”
Jade gasps. “Their garlic bread is the stuff of dreams. Tell me you got some?”
“A bunch,” I confirm. “Rayna likes it too.”
“I do,” she agrees dreamily. “I really really do.”
“Falcone’s is a good choice,” Martha compliments, taking Jade’s place as she darts off in search of the famed garlic bread. “If I’m not cooking, they are the next best choice.”
“Thank you for coming,” Rayna tells her, happily accepting Martha’s cheek kisses. “You deserve the night off. You’ve been spoiling Jade and I with food for weeks and weeks now.”
“A small price to pay for more children to brighten my days.”
It takes a while for everyone to get settled into our formal dining room. But it’s surprisingly peaceful once we’re all seated. Plates are piled high with good food, drinks are flowing, and conversations are being sparked all around.
“Does anyone else feel like one day there won’t be a table big enough for all of us?” Matteo jokes, looking around the almost-crowded space. “We’re growing at an almost alarming rate.”
“I love it,” Jade declares happily.
“Me too,” Martha cheers, lifting her wine glass.
“Hey, I’m not hating,” Matteo defends. “Honestly, I’m trying to imagine what it’ll look like when I have my own kid to hold while I try to shovel pasta in my mouth before they start crying.”
“Terrifying,” I quip. “For us all.”
Instead of being insulted, my little brother grins. “I hope so.”
The table shares a laugh, and Rayna dabs her mouth with her napkin.
“Thank you all for coming, this has been so nice so far. I’m really glad to be a part of this family.”
“Awwww,” Jade exclaims. “Rayna, we’re so happy to have you too!”
Everyone throws in words of confirmation, and my wife beams.
“I don’t know if I could be any happier.”
“And there’s my cue! Perfect timing, buttercup.”
Rayna spins around in her seat and squeals. Sienna is standing behind her in the doorway, her hands thrown up.
“Holy shit, you’re here!” My wife scrambles out of her chair and rushes into her best friend, flinging her arms around her. “How are you here?”
“Elio jail broke me,” Sienna jests, hugging her back. “Abramo finally got his shit together and I’m officially a free woman.”
“Oh my God, Elio!” Rayna blurts, pulling back to find him behind Sienna. “I didn’t even notice you weren’t here, how awful of me!”
He snorts. “I probably wouldn’t have noticed either, you have a whole football team in your house right now.”
“This is the best surprise ever.” Rayna has tears in her eyes as she pulls Elio into a crushing hug, along with Sienna.
“Keeping this secret sucked.” Yordan breathes out like a weight has been lifted. He’s been quiet for most of the night for exactly that reason.
“You knew?” Rayna cries.
“Hey, so did your husband!” Yordan protests.
“Sneaky, the both of you,” she replies in a halfhearted reprimand. “But, ugh. I can’t be mad at such a good surprise. Oh! You get to meet Vaughn, and well, everyone!”
Turning on her heels, Rayna pulls Sienna into the room and gestures to the table. “Everybody, this is Sienna. I know a few of you have met her over the phone, but here she is!”
“In the flesh,” Sienna quips.
Most of the table lights up with greetings and pleased smiles.
But not Emilio. No, he looks like he’s just seen a ghost. This is the first time he’s laid eyes on his wife’s sister, and he’s realizing with his own eyes that Rayna wasn’t exaggerating.
She looks like Melani’s brunette twin, rather than her sister several years her junior.
Matteo, being kid free and mostly done with his food, pulls up an extra chair for Elio and Sienna, welcoming them both with his regular humorous charm. Once they’re seated, he grabs them plates and tells them to dig in.
Sienna is on Rayna’s other side, and she turns to me, eyes longing. She’s looking at the lump of cloth I’m wearing, searching for the baby she’s only seen pictures and videos of up until this point.
“Do you want to meet your godson?” I ask, nodding down at Vaughn. He’s since woken up from his nap, but he’s still attached to my chest.
“Godson?” she rasps, eyes welling up immediately. “Really, Rayna?”
“Really,” my wife tearfully agrees. “Leon is his godfather, but we wanted to wait to ask you until you could see him in person.”
“I accept, of course I accept.”
I watch carefully as my wife passes Sienna our son, the two friends sharing a caring moment together while everyone looks on happily.
It’s moments like this, days like these, when I can’t believe I lived so long without these things.
I went thirty-three years without Rayna, and none of them were as happy as this.
There was nothing wrong, but now that I’ve had this? I could never go back. Not for anything. Having Rayna as my wife, and the mother of my child…It’s the greatest gift I’ve ever received.
And I can’t wait to make her feel the same way everyday.
For the rest of our lives.