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BELLA
Carm leans in for a kiss. “Wish me luck.”
The feel of his lips against mine usually spurs desire, but I swear I could throw up all over him right now.
Not because the thought of my husband’s lips on me make me nauseated but because I’ve felt off for a few days. At first I thought maybe I’d eaten something that didn’t agree with me, but now I think it’s more than that.
I haven’t mentioned it to Carm because I don’t want to disappoint him if I’m wrong. We’ve been pseudo trying for another baby for almost nine months now. When it didn’t happen right away like it did with Dante, I went to the doctor, but he said everything looks good and that I just need to be patient and allow nature to take its course.
“Good luck.” He tries to deepen the kiss, but I pull away. I’d never live it down if I threw up all over him.
He gives me a quizzical look but then bends down to Dante, who’s clinging to my leg now that the crowd has grown. “Be good for Mommy, okay? I’ll see you at the finish line.” Carm pulls him in for a hug then rustles his dark hair.
There’s not much about Dante that looks like me. He has his father’s dark hair and olive skin and matching eyes. Not that I’m complaining—my husband is the most handsome man I know. I see more of myself in Dante’s personality though. He’s more serious like me, less freewheeling and easygoing than his father.
“Bye, Daddy,” Dante says.
“See ya, little man.” Carm straightens and arranges his beard back on his face, studying me.
He knows me well enough to know that something is up. I try to give him a reassuring smile, but I can tell he’s not buying it.
Dom and Enzo say their goodbyes. Poor Enzo. His Santa suit was already too small for him and now he has that fake belly strapped to his waist, poking out down under the bottom of the Santa jacket. It’s late autumn in New York City, so it’s not exactly hot, but I wouldn’t want to run with that thing on.
The three brothers head toward the starting line, us wives and our children watching.
“I’m gonna go grab something to eat,” Ryder says and turns to leave.
“Make sure you make it to the finish line on time,” Val calls after him. “Text me and I’ll tell you where we are.”
He doesn’t turn around but raises his hand in a wave to indicate that he heard his mom.
Annie turns to me. “Do you think they’ll make it through the whole race in those Santa suits?”
I shrug. “Good question. I know Carm will never admit defeat, so he won’t be the one to suggest they remove them.”
“Neither will Dom,” Val says. “He seems to be in this weird phase where he’s trying to prove he can do everything he used to when he was younger.”
“I feel a midlife crisis coming on,” I say and chuckle.
“As long as it involves a sports car and not a mistress, I can deal.”
We all laugh with Val because we know for certain Dom would never step out on his wife. He loves her too damn much, and as he always says, it took him too long to get his head out of his ass and get his shit together so they could be a real couple.
“Mommy, I’m hungry,” Mateo says to Annie, tugging on her coat.
“I brought some snacks. Let me see what I have.” She digs into her monster purse and pulls out a small Tupperware container. “I brought these energy balls for your daddy, but he didn’t have any. There’s chocolate and peanut butter. Do you want one?”
Mateo nods eagerly and holds out his hand.
“What do you say?” Annie asks, giving him a disapproving eye.
“Yes please.” She places one of the small balls in his palm. “Thank you.”
“Do you want one?” Annie holds the container out to Val, and she shakes her head and puts her hand up to refuse. “How about you?”
She holds it out to me, and the scent of peanut butter wafts in my direction. My stomach immediately turns over and my hand flies to my throat when bile races up it. At first I think I have it under control, but after a few seconds, it’s clear I don’t. Without a word, I push through the crowd and over to some bushes that line the path and throw up.
I take a minute to gather myself, dabbing under my eyes because I always tear up when I vomit, then I head back to the group. I know the ladies would’ve immediately taken Dante under their wing when I raced off, but the mommy in me needs to check in.
