CHAPTER 64
“Wake up, sweetheart.”
“Mama!” Finn whisper-yells.
“Ragnetta… No, Finn, no hitting.”
I can’t hold back my laughter. Father and son are in front of me, both smiling. Finn holds a cupcake with a little candle in front of him.
“Mama! Appy biday!”
My heart is going to explode. “Thank you, little monster.” I kiss his cheek and try to hold the cupcake, but he grips it tightly. “You want some?”
“Yeeeeeeesss!”
I smile and help him take a bite.
“Is there a kiss for me too?”
I roll my eyes. Dante leans towards me and gives me a peck.
“Were you able to sleep?”
“Yes. I slept like a baby.” He takes Finn in his arms and gives me the cupcake despite our son’s whines. “Take a bath and dress up; take as long as you need. We’ll be waiting downstairs.”
“You have something planned?”
“Maybe.” He kisses me once more and walks to the door. “But, as I said, take the time you need. There’s no hurry.”
“I forgot this.” Javier, who was about to leave, turns around and takes a present from his backpack. “Happy birthday, Lana.”
We spent the whole evening together—him, Dante, Finn, Greta and me. I didn’t think he would give me something.
“It wasn’t necessary—”
“It was, for me.” He smiles. “I’ll be back tomorrow. Goodnight.”
I laugh and say goodbye as well.
When I tear the paper, I find a recipe book. I think the smile on my face couldn’t be wider.
A few weeks ago, I talked to him about how I would like to be a good cook, like my mum. Greta offered to teach me, but I wanted to learn by myself as well, though I didn’t know how.
This book is huge. My mum would have loved it…
With that thought, happiness fades away. I sit on the couch, my phone in hand and tears pricking at my eyes.
It doesn’t matter how good today was, how much I ate and got distracted; it doesn’t matter that it’s my first happy birthday. I waited all day to be alone to cry because my mum didn’t call me. Not even Tara did; she didn’t even pick up when I called. I don’t know what’s going on, if they’re okay...
“What’s wrong, cucciola?”
Greta’s head peeks from her door. I wipe my tears. “I’m fine.”
“Tell me, bella.”
She sits by my side, and I want to dig a hole and bury myself. I thought I could cry alone. I didn’t want her to see me cry because I miss my mum. I’m twenty four! I’m an adult!
She takes my hand and squeezes it.
“It’s… my mum. She hasn’t called. I… She always tried to do something for me on my birthday. She either baked a little cake, or she gave me jewellery that was hers. I didn’t know at the time. That was all she could do that day.
“When I got married to Stefan, I didn’t get a thing for my birthday. I couldn’t even talk to her… And I haven’t seen her since my wedding. She doesn’t even know Finn… The last time we talked, I told her some awful things. I was pissed.”
“You miss her.”
I nod. The knot in my throat grows. “And she hates me.”
“Don’t say that.”
“What if something happened? The last thing she’ll remember will be what I said… I made her cry.”
She sighs.
“Push those bad thoughts away, dear. It’s your birthday!”
“I want… I need to talk to her and tell her I’m sorry,” my voice cracks. “I wanted to see her at least once… She was all I had before Finn. She always took care of me.”
“I did what I could,” she said, and it wasn’t enough for me just because I was pissed. I wanted another answer. I wanted to keep talking to her. Maybe if she’d told me face-to-face, I would have hugged her. Maybe she would be with me today.
That can’t be the last time we talked.
“I’m certain you’ll be able to fix things. Just give her time.”
I smile sadly. “Would you be mad if you shared the house with her? Dante told me she could live with us once we get married.”
“Are you kidding? I’d love to. I haven’t had friends my age since Aurora!”
I laugh and wipe my face. Dante comes into the room with Finn, sound asleep. “You want to go out, ragnetta?” he whispers.
I open my mouth to say no; I don’t want to bother Greta, but she nudges me with her elbow.
“Go and have fun, bella. You deserve it.”
“But Finn—”
“Finn can be with his nonna,” she replies with a smile. “We all have to make up for lost time.”
“But—”
“I insist.” She takes Finn. “Go and relax. It’s your day.”
Dante smiles, and I can’t help but do the same.
“I warn you both, if he wakes up, I’ll give him sugar, so he’ll be a little menace around the house.”
“We can handle it,” we reply at the same time.
Heat gathers in my cheeks, and he holds my hand.
“You forgave your mom?”
I smile sadly. “Yes, but apparently, she hasn’t forgiven me.”
He takes my hand and kisses it. “I’m sure she did. I’m sorry you haven’t seen her since the wedding.”
“You listened?”
“A bit, yes.”
I sigh and look out of the window. “Anyway, thank you for today.”
“Don’t thank me. I would’ve done something bigger, but I know you don’t like that.”
I huff and shake my head.
We went to a restaurant, and then Dante found a cinema open. Later, we made love in the car again.
At one point, I forgot how sad I was.
Whenever I’m with Dante, I’m happy and content…
But as I said, happiness is a frail thing, especially in a life like mine, and this time it lasted even less than I expected.