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Not the legacy, necessarily. Not the money or the properties.
But this.
“So, Elio. How was your mermaid day?” Gia asks, sipping her wine with her eyebrow raised.
I grunt. “Luna is a strong swimmer. I’m surprised she was able to last as long as she did.”
Caterina snorts. “You’ve seen nothing yet. Wait until you bring her to a birthday party and she mainlines sugar, then runs around the play area for an hour.”
“Mainlines sugar?” I prompt.
She nods. “There’s so much sugar at those things. Cupcakes. Candy. Cake. Literally the whole thing is just a sugar-filled haze, and then we release them into the play area like small angry hornets.”
“Sounds intimidating,” I rumble.
She nods again. I think she might be a little drunk; her face is flushed, and I know she’s had a couple of glasses of wine. I steal a glance at Gia, hoping to get some confirmation of my theory.
Gia catches my meaning and gives me a tiny nod.
I’m not going to take advantage of Caterina, by any means. However, I may use this opportunity to press… a little more.
“What kind of cake does Luna prefer?” I inquire politely.
“Marble cake,” Caterina sighs.
“And what is that?”
She giggles. “I guess that might be an American thing. It’s just white cake mix with chocolate mixed in. You kind of run a knife through the batter, swirling it around and making it marbled. Marble cake with chocolate frosting.” Caterina sighs.
I make a note.
I have missed five of Luna’s birthdays. Her sixth is approaching in a matter of months.
I will get her a cake, and a gift, for every birthday that I have missed.
“I think Luna had fun today. Has she ever been to the beach?” Gia prompts.
I narrow my eyes at her.Where are you going with this, sister?
She narrows hers right back at me.Trust me.
I do.
Gia is many things, but most among them, she is loyal. I do not always know how or why she arrives at that place, as sometimes she is merely a pain in my ass, but she always seems to know what the best option for us in the end is.
I choose to follow that logic now.
“Oh she loves the beach. We’ve only been once, but she thought it was the bee’s knees.”
‘Bee’s knees?’I mouth at Gia.
It’s an expression,she mouths back.
To Caterina, Gia smiles. “Elio owns a nice beach nearby. Maybe tomorrow he can take us all there for a little beach day.”
“Oh that would be so fun! Luna loves to make sandcastles and dig. She would be delighted,” Caterina claps her hands with excitement.
I notice she didn’t register the part about me owning the beach.
