"Damon said our children would carry both names."
"Men say many things when they're trying to get what they want,” Mama says gently. "The question is whether he means them."
"I think he does."
"Do you? Or do you hope he does?"
I think about that conversation at the safe house, about the way Damon looked when he talked about our future. "I think he means them. But Mama, there's something else I need to tell you."
"What?"
I retrieve the pregnancy test from under my pillow with shaking hands. "I'm pregnant."
Mama stares at the test, her face cycling through surprise, concern, and something that might be relief.
"How long have you known?" she asks.
"Since this morning. I've been feeling sick for days, but I thought it was stress."
"And you're certain?"
"I took three tests. They're all positive."
Mama sets the test aside and pulls me into her arms. "Oh, sweetheart. This must be difficult for you."
"I'm sorry," I whisper against her shoulder. "I'm so sorry."
"Shh. There's nothing to be sorry for." She strokes my hair like she did when I was little. "This changes things, but not in the way you think.” She pulls back to look at me. "A pregnancy changes the entire negotiation. This isn't just about honor anymore. This is about a grandchild. Your father's first."
"But I'm not married. Won't that make it worse?"
"In some ways, yes. But in others..." Mama considers her words carefully. "A child makes marriage honorable and necessary. And if it's a boy..."
"Damon told me about that. About male heirs bridging families."
"It's not only tradition, it's practical politics. A grandson who carries both bloodlines becomes protection for everyone. No one would dare to hurt a child from their own blood."
"And if it's a girl?"
"Then you have time to try again. But a pregnancy - any pregnancy - makes you valuable instead of compromised. Don’t be ashamed or sorry. This could be a blessing in disguise for everyone."
I think about what she's saying. "Will this make Papa more likely to agree to the marriage?"
"It makes refusal much more complicated. He can't exile you now, you're carrying his grandchild. He can't punish Damon too harshly because he’s the father of his heir. And he can't ignore the opportunity this represents of a real alliance with the Lombardi family. " Mama takes my hands. "Your child could be the key to ending decades of conflict."
"That's a lot of pressure for someone who doesn't even exist yet."
"Children carry the hopes of their families, sweetheart. It's been that way for generations."
"What if I'm not ready for this? The marriage, the baby, all of it?"
"Were any of us ready for the lives we ended up living?" Mama's smile is sad but understanding. "I was nineteen when I married your father. I barely knew him, and I certainly didn't understand what being a mafia wife meant."
"Do you regret it?"
"No. Because I got you, and your brothers. Because I learned to love your father, and he learned to love me. Because we built something good together despite the circumstances."
"And you think I could do the same with Damon?"
