Chapter Twenty-Three #3
“Yes. I did my best.” He grimaces. “But even as hard as I worked, it was impossible to get ahead. I’d work a double at whatever job I had for the holiday pay.
Then I’d rush home and wrap whatever I’d managed to buy and get it under the tree as fast as possible.
I… I wanted Fabio to wake up and see the presents first thing. ”
My eyes sting as I listen to him. I can hear the stress in his voice. I can hear how he thinks he failed his brother somehow. “Elio, Fabio turned out great. That’s because of you. That’s because of how well you took care of him.”
He laughs gruffly and wipes roughly at his eyes. “Maybe. I… I did try really hard.”
“Of course you did, mio.” I pull him against me, kissing his soft hair. “And Fabio loves you so much. He respects you and looks up to you. You know that, right? He knows how much you sacrificed for him.”
“I hope so,” he whispers. “Not because I need accolades, but because I’d do anything for him. I hope he knows that.”
“He does,” I say firmly. “Family is important to both of you and to me as well.”
“Yes.” He nods.
“And on that note…” I reach into my coat pocket, where I have a small box wrapped in candy-cane paper. I pull it out and hold it toward him. “I got you something,” I say softly.
He frowns. “But you already gave me gifts earlier.”
“Yes, but this is something different. This is more about healing.”
“Healing?”
I shrug. “Trying to save Fabio, you gave away a piece of your family history. I wanted to fix that for you and put things back where they belong.”
He blinks at me, obviously confused. “I don’t understand.”
I smile. “You will when you open the gift.”
He laughs and tears open the paper, tugging at the flap of the small box. He opens it and gasps, his mouth hanging open in shock. “What… how… but this is impossible,” he whispers.
“Not if I had anything to say about it.”
Tears fill his eyes as he lifts his mom’s engagement ring, her pearl earrings, and a gold bracelet from the small box. “My God, I thought I’d never see these again.” A tear streaks down his cheek as he meets my gaze. “How did you find them?”
I lift one shoulder. “I’m Marcello Foschini.”
He lunges forward and hugs me so hard I can’t help laughing. I hold him close, feeling his body trembling in my arms.
“Marcello,” he whimpers, sniffing. “I’ll never be able to repay you for this kindness. I truly thought my mom’s things were gone forever.”
I curl my lip. “Maybe if you’d married Pete, they would be. But you were smart and you married me instead.”
He laughs, wiping roughly at his face. He kisses me, and I kiss him back, thrilled he’s as happy as I’d hoped he’d be. When the kiss ends, I say softly, “It didn’t sit right with me that you had to pawn those items. I had Carlo scour every single pawn shop in Millhaven until he found them.”
“Thank God they hadn’t sold.”
I smirk. “Like that would have stopped me? If I’d had to break into someone’s house, we’d have gotten them back. They belong with you and Fabio.”
He laces his fingers through mine, looking bemused. “I honestly thought when I first met you I was making a deal with the Devil. But sometimes I think you’re actually a saint, Marcello.”
I chuff. “Whatever you do, don’t spread that nonsense around. You could get me killed.”
He smiles and rests his head on my shoulder, holding up his mother’s engagement ring. “Your secret is safe with me.”
****
January the temperature drops and stays down. The harbor even freezes at the edges for the first time in years. Elio enters the third trimester and his back hurts constantly. He can’t sleep in any position for longer than an hour, partly because he needs to pee so often.
He doesn’t suffer quietly, which I find adorable.
He complains to me, to Fabio, to Carlo, to Dante, my sisters, to Mama, and even to Ornella.
There’s definitely swearing involved, except around Mama.
The list of complaints includes his pants not fitting, his feet swelling, indigestion, and his eyebrows growing too fast. It’s a long list.
By February his mood improves a little. He’s relieved that the nursery is finally ready. Elio chose the colors, a warm gray with white trim. I worried the color would be depressing, but the end result is inviting and yet sophisticated.
The due date is late March. It felt like the day would never arrive, but we’re close now.
The stress grows with each passing day. I know I’ll feel better once the baby is here.
Then I’ll be able to stop obsessively worrying about whether or not Elio will be safe during labor.
I worry about the baby too, but Elio is always my priority.
By the end of February, the baby bag is packed by the front door.
Dr. Vasquez is on speed dial. Our bed has so many pillows, I sometimes lose Elio in them as he sleeps.
I’m distracted at work. Carlo is having to take on more things because instinct won’t let me leave Elio’s side.
I never thought I’d be this kind of clingy alpha, but I won’t let Elio out of my sight.
I feel anxious when I don’t have eyes on him, or when I can’t smell his scent.
I’m ready for this pregnancy to be over. I’m ready to meet our baby. Now all we can do is wait for the baby to make its appearance.