Lucio’s eyes sparkled with the memory. “Then there’s how much she’d always worry we’d catch a cold being on the sea every weekend. But if we didn’t want to go, she would throw a fit.”
“She was the best,” I responded, my feelings mixed. “I miss her singing those songs while she cooked.”
Lucio nodded, his smile fading a bit. “Especially the old ones, while she’d be stirring sauce and dancing. I miss them.”
I reached across the sofa, giving Lucio’s hand a reassuring squeeze. “Talking about them like this helps and keeps them with us.”
Lucio smiled, squeezing back. “Yeah, it does. I’m glad we can share these memories. They’d be happy to know we haven’t forgotten them.”
“Never,” I declared firmly. “We never will.”
Remembering our parents brought both warmth and a sharp sting. Even with our inheritances, the void their absence left was never filled. Losing them shaped us in ways we never anticipated, leaving us to navigate a world that always felt incomplete.
“You think they’d be proud of us, Ro?”
I nodded, conviction in my eyes. “Of course. We made quite the name for ourselves, so much so that you have been traveling for three years.”
“You’re right,” he conceded, his voice weighted with a trace of resignation. “Perdere loro è terribile.10”
“Mio caro!11” Marina’s warm call drifted over, clear and affectionate. “Where are you?”
“Right here, baby,” he replied, his expression softening as he turned to face her.
Ah, the lovely Marina. The woman who, with her auburn hair always swept into a bun and a pair of piercing hazel eyes that could slice through any façade, had captured my brother’s heart since he was eighteen.
“Is everything okay?” she asked, her gaze flickering over to me with a warm smile. “Hey, Ronan.”
I let out a long, weary sigh. “Women troubles.”
She nodded knowingly, one brow arching as though she’d heard this a hundred times before, and she had. “Women? Or a particular woman?”
“Exactly, Mar,” I admitted, a slight smirk tugging at my lips.
“Good luck with that, Ronan,” she said, flashing a grin before spinning back toward her husband. “See you when you come to bed, okay?”
He reached up, pressing a gentle kiss to her lips, and for a moment, the unguarded happiness on his face was infectious. Seeing him so in love stirred a feeling I couldn’t quite shake.
“Okay, baby,” he murmured, watching her as she swayed gracefully up the stairs.
Once she was out of earshot, he turned to me with a grin. “Did I tell you we’re trying for a baby?”
I blinked, momentarily stunned. “No.”
He nodded, taking a sip of his drink, “We’ve been married for fourteen years. I think having a baby or five right now would begood.”
“Well, Luci, I wish you all the best. If you ever need medical or any other advice, your big brother is here.”
He scoffed. “Big brother by like two seconds, Ro.”
I released a hearty laugh. “Still older.”
“Whatever,” Lucio stood up, signaling the end of our conversation. “You know where to find me if you need anything. But seriously, be careful.”
I nodded gratefully. “Thanks,fratello. I appreciate it.”
Later, in the quiet sprawl of my living room, I let myself sink into the leather couch until it seemed to swallow me whole. My jacket slid off my shoulders, and from its pocket, I pulled my wallet.
The photo slipped out easily, its edges worn soft from years of being handled.Nina.
