"Is it Christmas?" she mumbles, half-asleep.
"Not yet. But it's St. Lucia's Day. Remember what we talked about?"
Her eyes flutter open. "Breakfast and presents?"
"Exactly." He leans down and kisses her forehead. "Get dressed. Marta's making your favorite."
Sofia sits up, fully awake now.
She sees me standing in the doorway and grins.
"Mama, Papa says we're having pancakes."
"I heard." I move into the room and sit beside Dante on the bed. "And after breakfast, we have a surprise for you."
Her eyes widen. "What kind of surprise?"
"You'll see." Dante ruffles her hair. "Now get dressed. We'll be downstairs."
We leave her room and head down the hallway together.
Dante's hand finds mine, his fingers interlacing with mine.
We don't often get to have leisurely mornings together, but today is special.
"You were up early," I say as we descend the staircase.
Normally, we wake together and often shower together too, which I miss this morning.
I thought about telling Dante first thing, but his little surprise changed that.
"Couldn't sleep." He glances at me, his expression softening. "I wanted to make sure everything was perfect."
"It will be."
We reach the kitchen where Marta's already working at the stove.
A stack of pancakes sits on a platter, steam rising from the golden surfaces.
She looks up when we enter and smiles.
"Good morning. Coffee?"
"Please." I slide into a chair at the table, grateful to be sitting again.
The nausea is back, stronger this time.
Dante moves to the counter and pours two cups of coffee.
He sets one in front of me, then takes the seat beside me.
His hand rests on my thigh beneath the table.
"You feeling okay?" he asks quietly.
I nod, not trusting myself to speak.
If I open my mouth, I might tell him everything.
