Page 179 of Unravel Me

Gianni approaches shyly and crouches beside my chair, glancing at Silvio.

"Congratulations, Jared! He’s absolutely adorable!" he whispers, gently stroking my son’s tiny cute foot.

But I catch the unexpected scent he has brought with him: a delicate hint of vanilla, still faint, barely perceptible, and yet definitely there.

"Am I right in guessing that someone new will be joining your life too… in nine months or so?" I smile warmly at him, and he blushes deeply. He looks truly beautiful, so much younger and fresher, his cheeks flushed and his eyes shining with a new light.

"Yes. A… miracle happened for me too."

I lean over little Silvio and wrap an arm around Gianni, then plant a kiss on his cheek.

"Congratulations! I’m so happy for you! What wonderful news on this incredible day!"

I am so excited I feel like I might burst.

My energy just needs to expand, so I turn around and meet Mauro’s eyes as he watches me with such tenderness and affection, and suddenly it comes pouring out of me, for the first time saying out loud… I feel it in my heart, this new feeling for another man.

"I love you," I whisper.

His face changes slightly, as if something passes across it, a mix of surprise, joy, and immense… relief.

For so many months, I was afraid to say it out loud. I had never known this feeling before, so I kept holding back, unsure of what to make of it, how to put it into words. It grew inside me slowly, through our everyday life, our sweet, tender interactions, through the way Mauro treated me and the wonderful bond he formed with Tommy, until… my wounded, frightened heart finally opened up to him.

Now I feel it saturating me, filling every part of me, present in every breath I take. I could scream it out loud, but instead, I do the opposite. I send it to him once more through our telepathic connection.

"I love you so much, Mauro!"

He closes his eyes for a second, as if savoring the words themselves, then raises his hand and makes the sign for "I love you" toward me.

Tommy immediately picks it up and raises both his little hands, showing the sign to both me and Mauro, then waves one of them toward Silvio as well.

What more could I ask for?

After all these years, my story has a happy ending.

Taking advantage of the cheerful music sweeping everyone onto the dance floor, I walk closer to the Silvio tree that calmly rustles over the estate and over everyone celebrating today.

I place one hand against the bark of the extraordinary tree while holding my son with the other.

"Your great-grandson, little Silvio, is finally here. Thank you for giving him a chance at life through your sacrifice. It’s the most beautiful gift anyone could give."

The tree answers with a quiet rustle, and one small leaf falls from a branch and lands softly on little Silvio’s cheek, as though his great-granddad were sending him a kiss.

But all the trees in the surrounding forest seem to answer those words as well, and I can hear the soughing of the wind in their canopies.

I close my eyes, leaning my back against the rough bark as I stand there holding my son, feeling that my soul, just like Silvio’s tree, has put down its roots.

My life is healed, my dreams have come true, my wounds have been mended.

I raise my hand and close it around the pendant I still wear around my neck, the two halves of the heart joined together. I take it off and gently place the family necklace against my son’s chest. It belongs to him now, and I believe that one day it will bring him happiness too.

Then I see Mauro approaching me with Tommy in his arms, my little boy clinging tightly to him, his fair head resting trustingly against the neck of my True Mate. I’m so happy to see the father-son connection between them, to see how much love Mauro gives my son.

I walk toward them with a wide smile, and there isn’t a single worry left in my heart. There is only love, hope, and joy.

And my family. The family I’ve dreamed of for so long is finally here. And I know it will grow even more with time.

Mauro’s arm wraps around me, and we share one of those adorable family hugs. I’m now exactly the way I’ve always wanted to be. Unapologetically happy.