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“I see…” A pout forms on her full lips.
“Sloane has a point. Even though you would benefit from hearing her screams more than I would, I like the idea. A lot.” Tácito arches his brow and I respond with an evil smile.
I rise from the chair, lifting Sloane in my arms. With a tilt of my head, I signal Tácito to follow.
“Now, wait a minute you two. I wasn’t issuing a challenge. I’ll give you all the I love yous you’ll ever need. I have a speech to give tomorrow. You don’t want me showing up unable to talk, do you? Tácito?”
I chuckle at her attempt to stop what will be happening, already anticipating the sweet sounds her screams will make as she shouts how much she loves me to the heavens.
This is one instance where all her imploring won’t work. Tácito and I share the same goal.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Tácito
It’s after midnight on a Friday night and none of us are tired enough to sleep which is why I’m in the kitchen preparing a snack. I left Sloane and Valentino poring over one of her photo albums from when we were kids. It was one of the many wedding gifts her parents handed down to Sloane.
I glance at the tray in my hands to ensure I haven’t forgotten anything. Wine, cheese, fruits, and other snacks fill the large tray. Satisfied, I return to our bedroom.
Sloane rests in Valentino’s arms in front of the fireplace. “I bet you can’t remember when this was taken.”
Valentino peers over her shoulder and frowns in concentration at the photograph. “No idea. I give up.”
“Let me take a shot.” I set the tray beside them and take the album.
Sloane points out the picture in question while Valentino pours the wine. All of us are in the photo. We look to be ten-years old. The quality isn’t the best, but nothing from my memory of the Mitchell household appears in the background to help me put the pieces together.
Instead of focusing on the background, I turn my attention to what we’re doing in the picture and it clicks.
“We’re at Valentino’s. Oh my God, this brings back memories. You’re stuffing the door.”
“Let me see that.” He rests his glass on the ground and takes the photo. “Now I remember. I’d put everything and anything I could get my hands on to make sure the light never escaped into the hallway.”
“We thought we were so smart when we snuck over, didn’t we?” Sloane snatches the picture, a soft smile on her face.
“We had a blast getting one over on the grownups. But every time we ended up panicking because we fell asleep and needed to sneak back into our own houses.”
“I can’t speak for your parents, but we never fooled my mom.” Valentino rests his arm on his upraised knee and looks into the burning fire.
“But we were so careful. How’d she find out?” Sloane catches Cielo before she steals from the food tray and plops her into Valentino’s lap. Then Sloane pops a raspberry and a cube of cheese into her mouth.
“At ten, we never mastered the art of the inside voice. She heard Sloane as soon as she tumbled through my window.”
“Of course it was Sloane. It’s a miracle she learned how to be as silent as I am.”
Sloane gasps, but I kiss her to take the bite out of my criticism.
Valentino’s shaking shoulders draw our attention to him.
“You were the worst. Just because you can’t hear doesn’t mean you were silent as a kid. Of the three of us, you spoke the loudest. But my mom only cared that we were safe and happy. God, I’ve forgotten how much fun we had.”
Sloane pushes my shoulder with a triumphant grin which fades away in an instant. “The times I spent with you and Tácito made living in Springfield bearable. I wish we had more time together.”
“Yeah, after you left, Valentino, life had a bittersweetness to it until you started visiting again.” I stare into the fireplace as silence descends between us.
Sloane shoves at my shoulder. When I round on her, she says, “No sad thoughts tonight. I want to be surrounded by the men I love, looking forward to happy times.” A shadow dims the light in her eyes.
“I get the feeling changing the subject won’t bring us back to minutes ago when we were laughing up a storm. What’s going through your head, principessa?”
