AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I was thinking that maybe you want to join me?”
“Oh.” A weekend in Lake Como with my favorite people in the world? “Sure, I could do that.”
“See, I knew you would. All our other dear, dear sisters turned me down because they’re tired. Can you believe it?”
I rolled my eyes. “Not many people can keep up with you, Becca. I’m surprised my brother does.”
“He’s doing just fine. Oh, by the way, I have a present for you.”
“Ah, it’s an apology for not inviting me to vacation with you?”
“Amore, we wanted to, but Giovani thought you’d get bored while we went to all those couple activities. You know how much your brothers love you.”
“Yeah, yeah. I was just kidding. When should I be ready to leave?”
“Tomorrow morning. I’ll send a car to pick you up.”
“Ok, then. I’ll pack a bag, but I have to be back by Sunday. I have a ballet class first thing next week.”
“Yes, of course. Ok,Amore, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
This was just what I needed. A few days to lay in the sun with a drink in my hand, away from everything that was going on here. I needed that. Desperately. Rebecca threw me a life line and I grabbed it with both hands, eager to just get away and feel free from everything for a while.
~~~
Giovani ended up picking me up and driving me to the private airdrome outside the city. He was my favorite brother. I knew I wasn’t supposed to pick one, and God was witness that my heart was equally split between them, but Giovani was always the one in my corner. Maybe because he was older and was raised to be a fair leader, but he was the one who always listened. I knew that whatever problem I had, I could bring it to Giovani and he’d still have my back. If I’d open my mouth right now and tell him about Salvatore, he’d be mad, but he’d still look out for me. He was the best brother anyone could have and he brought me coffee, so he got extra points for that.
“Thank you for going with Rebecca, Grazia.” He said and stroked my cheek.
“Going to Lake Como for the weekend is not exactly a chore. Don’t thank me.”
“Still, I appreciate it. I don’t want her traveling without me right now, but she couldn’t say no to her mother.” His words triggered an alarm in my head.
“Why can’t she travel alone? Is everything alright?”
“Yes, don’t worry. It’s just… Rebecca is… she’s in a delicate state.” Maybe I was groggy because it was so early in the morning, but I didn’t understand him right away.
“Is she ok? Giovani, if something happened…” and then it hit me, “oh, my God! You’re going to have another baby?!”
“Yes.” His smile was beaming. “In seven months.”
“Gio, that’s… wow. Baby number three. Can you pull the car over so I can hug you?”
“We’re almost there, just hold on for a few more minutes. Grazia, no one knows about this and Becca doesn’t want me to tell.”
“So you want me to keep my mouth shut.”
“If you could. She wants to share it with the family after the first trimester.”
“I get it. Do the kids know?”
Emi and Victoria were only one year apart and were very close, but this was going to be an adjustment for them.
“Not yet. Just you, me, and my wife.”
I covered my mouth to stop the sounds of excitement while Giovani parked the car next to the hanger where my father’s plane was waiting for us. Rebecca and the kids were already there waiting in her SUV and Giovani went straight to her, taking his wife in a protective hug. Oh, this was going to drive her crazy for the next seven months. With every pregnancy, I’ve watched my brother grow more and more protective, but Rebecca didn’t particularly like to beprotected. She and I had that in common. It was going to be fun to watch her once again bicker with Giovani about how many men had to stay outside their house if he was not there.
While they were in the middle of a kiss, the kids jumped out the back seat of the SUV and came running to me for hugs. I went down on one knee and opened my arms.
