“I wasn't sure if you guys even liked soccer or not.Or, I guess they call it football here, right?”I smiled.“But I figured with a father as tall as Carlo, your kid will have as good a chance as any at being the captain of Team Italy.Oh, and I got it a little big.I wanted to make sure it fit.From the size of your fiancé—” I shrugged.“I figured it would be better to be safe.”I pointed to the bag.“There's more.It's not much, but—” I shrugged.
Next, Giselle pulled out a larger book.“That's a baby book.I wasn't sure if you did them for your other kids or not.I just thought this one looked so sweet.And there's extra room for pictures in the back.”I flipped to the back and showed her.“There's another book in there that I thought you guys might like to give Dani after the baby's born.”I smiled and pointed at the bag again.“It's so stinking cute.”
Giselle reached in and pulled out a pink book with two bunnies on it.“The lady told me it's about a bunny who becomes a big sister.I bet you have a ton of books like it already.But I wasn't sure if you had any bunny ones.And this one's in Italian.I don’t know if you speak it or not, but Carlo or Stefan can always read it to her.”
Giselle looked at everything and then looked at me.
But didn't say a thing.
Uh, oh.
I quickly started picking everything up and shoving it back into the bag.“Oh, you hate everything, right?Did I overstep?Shoot.I overstepped.”I chastised myself as I grabbed for the onesie.But Giselle grabbed it, too.“I should have asked Stefan if it was okay to get you something or not,” I rambled on and on.“But he wasn't always right at my side.Which is strange because it feels like he never leaves me alone.”
Oh, gosh.
The rambling was real.I just couldn't stop.
Giselle pulled on the onesie, yanking it out of my hand.“Come here,” she said, her voice completely choked up.Somehow, she moved forward and pulled me into a hug.“Thank you, Francesca,” she sobbed into my neck.“This is so thoughtful of you.”She sniffled and took a few deep breaths.“You had a day to be with your new husband,” she sniffled again, “and you took the time to think of Dani.And me.And the baby.That was so very kind of you.”She held onto me for a while.Hugging me.Crying.
When she finally let go and sat back, Eve handed her a few tissues.
“I love the onesie,” Eve laughed and gave me a glassy-eyed smile.It was smart to get it in a bigger size.”
Giselle blew her nose and nodded.“It was all so thoughtful of you.”
My heart squeezed just looking at her.She was beautiful.But she was also the picture of discomfort.
Big belly.Swollen hands and feet.Puffy, red eyes.
I just felt awful for her.
“I almost forgot.”I grabbed the other bag and handed it to her.
“More?”she practically squeaked.“You spent too much as it is.”She pulled out the small bakery box inside.
I shook my head.“I bought it with Stefan's money.He gave me a big wad of cash.You can thank him.”
Giselle sighed and set the box down.She looked at the door for a moment, and then back at me.“I was wrong to talk like that about Carlo's money—” she swallowed and sighed again, “I mean, our money.It's still very weird to think that—I—have money.I think you and I—” she nodded her head at Eve, “and Eve, all grew up with similar backgrounds.”She blinked, but the tears rolled down her cheeks.“It breaks my heart—” she started to say, but couldn't quite get it out between crying jags.
I picked up the box and opened it for her.Hoping that this might help to stop her tears.“I wasn't sure if you liked these or not.If not, I can take them downstairs.I'm sure someone will eat them.”
Giselle's eyes went wide—and she stopped crying.
“Sorry, no.”Eve took the box from me and closed it.“She has to watch her blood pressure.And her weight.”
Giselle's face dropped.
“Oh, crap.I'm sorry.”I took the box from Eve and stuck it back in the bag.“I'm such an idiot.”Then I looked at Eve.“Can she have a fresh fruit smoothie?It's all natural.I think I might have left it in the car.Can you go ask Stefan to check, please?”
She looked at Giselle and then nodded.“Sure.I'll be right back.”
Giselle wiped her eyes and blew her nose one more time.As soon as Eve was out the door, I pulled the cannoli box out of the bag.I opened it and let her have the first pick.
She looked at me hesitantly.“I probably shouldn't.”
I smiled and laughed.“Oh, you definitely shouldn't.But go ahead.One cannoli isn't going to make any difference.”
She smiled and let out a small giggle.Then she picked up a cannoli and bit into it.“Oh, my gosh.”She chewed and then took another bite.“So good.”
