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“Honey, how are you feeling?” Gio asks as soon as I bring the phone to my ear.
It’s been almost a day since I’ve seen him. The first night we’ve spent apart since before we married. He’s been tied up in some complex business dealings that kept him from coming home. He made sure to FaceTime me before bed, promising he’d meet me at the clinic this afternoon for the prenatal appointment. I can tell before he says the words that he won’t be able to make it.
“I’m doing fine,” I say softly. I don’t like worrying him, which is easy to do when the doctors keep emphasizing how high-risk I am. Even the slightest ache or pain concerns him. The faintest security risk. “Is everything going okay at work? You sound stressed.”
Gio rarely gives specifics about what’s going on, but his tone usually tells me all I need to know. Right now it’s tighter than usual. Something’s going down.
“Lots to handle,” he answers vaguely. “I’ll do my best to tie it up today. I’m going to call Doctor Chambers and ask him to pay you a personal house visit. I’d feel better than you going without me.”
“Gio, it’s a doctor’s visit. It takes an hour. Louis will bring me straight home, won’t you, Lou?”
Louis snaps to attention in a military-like fashion and presents a perfect salute. I giggle at his silliness and return to the call.
“You can’t see him, but your best soldier is at your service—ormyservice, I guess is more accurate,” I say. “Focus on your work. Everything here is fine.”
“I’ll be by her side for every moment,” Louis adds dutifully from over my shoulder. “You don’t have to worry, Boss.”
Louis means it. He’s always been a close ally of mine. Even when I was just some stripper-escort who had been stashed away in Gio’s penthouse after witnessing a Mafia hit job. He had no reason to be kind to me. He could’ve easily been an ass, being as cruel as many other soldiers in the Mafia. Instead, he looked after me, as if trying to make the uncomfortable situation as tolerable as possible.
I don’t have many friends, but other than Tasha, Louis is it. My fiercest guardian, second only to Gio himself.
Gio lets a second of silence pass, his deliberation clear. “Louis, straight there and back. I want a full crew to go with you. Understand?”
“Yes, Boss. We were already bringing the calvary. More security than the Queen of England.”
“My Queen is more important than the Queen of England,” Gio says sternly. “Keep me updated during the visit. Call me on your way back.”
Louis hangs up and then offers me his arm. The rest of the security detail surround us as we cross the front of our property and head toward the cars we’ll be taking. A protective car drives in front of us and another behind us as we pass through the circle driveway and enter the roads outside.
I use the travel time to ask Louis about his latest date. He’s surprisingly soft when it comes to dating and relationships, borderline shy asking women out. I’ve encouraged him to join some dating apps to meet more women, but he hasn’t had much luck.
“She’s not my type, Mrs. Falynn,” he says of his latest date. He shakes his head and glances at me in the rearview mirror. “She was smoking like a chimney right outside the restaurant. I don’t like the smell.”
“Oh, c’mon, Lou. She can always quit.”
“She said her ex-husband still lives with her.”
I falter explaining that mess away. “Well…thatcouldbe kind of awkward.”
“I’m about to delete the profile. Maybe I need to listen to my mother. Go to a small Italian village and pick up a simple girl there. She doesn’t even need to know English. I know enough Italiano for us to communicate the basics…and I can use Google for the rest.”
“Aww, don’t give up. You’ll find someone.”
He doesn’t ask, but I can tell by his mopey expression that Tasha’s on his mind. He’s had a crush on her for months now, always bringing her up in conversation and throwing secret glances at her whenever she’s been around. Since we’ve moved back east, those times have been fewer and farther between, but even the distance hasn’t been enough. He’s as interested as ever.
I’ve tried talking him up to Tasha. She’s just not interested in any kind of real relationship with a man. She claims it interferes too much with her work at the Dollhouse.
“How am I going to hustle men out of their paychecks if I have a man myself?” she says anytime I’ve brought it up. “We’ve been over this, Fal. I only want them for their money. Strictly business. Nothing more, nothing less. Keep the romance.”
I don’t argue too much with her on it. Tasha has her reasons for why she is the way she is.
I rub my belly out of habit more than anything. My hand glides over the bump that Doctor Chambers says is still undersized for how far along I am. I’m underweight, but I’ve been eating more than ever, ensuring I’m taking in enough calories and nutrients for both me and our little one.
“Are you hungry?” I ask in a soft coo. I reach into my purse and dig out the crackers and cheese I had the staff pack for me. “Me too. We’ll have a big lunch when we get home. Carlotta said we’re having a yummy lemon chicken salad. You love your chicken and veggies.”
“Have you guys discussed any more names?” Louis asks from the driver’s seat. “You can always name him after me.Louisis a very respectable name. You can call him Lil’ Lou.”
I laugh before I bite into my cheesy cracker. “I don’t think Gio would go for that one. If it’s a boy, he’ll be named Giovanni after him. If it’s a girl, we’ve toyed with naming her after my late Grandma Vivian. She was my favorite growing up.”
