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He sweeps me into his arms and spins me around. My whole universe is spinning. A song soars in my heart. I never knew happiness like this could exist. I never knewIcould experience it.
“Wait, the ring.” Elio chuckles, taking my hand and slipping it onto my finger. It’s a large, beautiful diamond in a silver band. It glistens on my finger. Elio leans in and kisses me. I can feel the hunger in him, the desire to make the kiss deeper, more real, but he’s holding back. He doesn’t want to let himself go in front of everybody.
“Oh my God, Leo!”
We all turn. Leo has my phone in his hand.
“Did he catch it?” Luca says, in shock.
Elio steps forward. “Dad?”
Slowly, a smile spreads across Leo’s face.
EPILOGUE
TWO WEEKS LATER
Elio
“There’s a system to everything,” I tell Luca, leading him through the office. There have been times in the past when Luca would say he wanted to learn about the business more. Then he’d come in hungover, stinking of booze, and not paying attention. Now, though, I see how alert he is. “Far more than half the business is legit now. That takes real skills. Not street bullshit.”
Luca nods, leaning against the pillar. The city is behind him, shown through the floor-to-ceiling windows.
“I can handle it,” he says.
“I noticed you weren’t drinking on the night,” I reply.
He grins. He doesn’t have to ask when I mean bythe night. He knows I’m talking about asking my woman the most important question of our lives. He knows it was the most memorable moment of my life.
“Yeah, I’ve been cutting back, and I quit smoking.”
I nod. “Good.”
He tilts his head. “You knew?”
Honestly, I didn’t, but it never hurts to seem smart in front of my little brother. “Of course I did. Hang on.” I reach for my phone.
He chuckles. “Look at your face light up.”
My face lights up even more. My whole world does. Scarlet has sent me a photo of a pregnancy test. It’s positive. Then a text comes through.This is it, Elio. We’re going to have a baby. Sorry for texting. I know you’re at work. But… I HAD to let you know. When you’re done with your meetings, call me.
I’m on my feet. I’m cheering. Luca rushes over with a little kid’s smile on his face, melting years away, happy just because I am, even if he doesn’t know the reason. “What is it, bro? You look so happy! It’s freaking me out.”
When I tell him, he lifts me into a bear hug and picks me up right off my feet. I laugh and pat him on the back. It’s happening. Our lives are beginning. I’m going to be a father.
EPILOGUE
TEN MONTHS LATER
Scarlet
I stand over Molly’s crib, our daughter sleeping peacefully with a soft smile on her face. I could watch her for hours. Idowatch her for hours, and I never get bored. I never stop being fascinated that my husband and I made something, somebody, so beautiful.
When she opens her eyes and starts crying, I keep singing. I thought she was asleep. I sing softly, without words at first, humming some of it. Her face is so cute when I do this. It’s like she’s trying to sing when she opens her mouth with that adorable smile.
I add some words when she starts crying again. It’s weird. Even if she can’t talk—she’s a long way off from that—I know what she’s telling me. She likes it when I add words to the songs.
“My little baby, an angel so bright, my little darling, my perfect light.”I lean down, gently kissing her on the forehead. She closes her eyes and starts sleeping again. She’s so warm. She fills me with so much love. It’s like reuniting with somebody I met long ago rather than meeting somebody new. She’s a piece of me.
