She wanted to try on my wedding rings. She had gotten into a stage where she loved princesses, and if it was shiny, like something they wore, she wanted it, or to at least try it on.
I rarely took my rings off. The last time was when I made meatballs, but only so the meat wouldn’t get stuck between the facets. I put it in a special place until my hands were washed. It took ten minutes, tops, and they were back on. Sometimes I even left my wedding band on and just used a brush to scrub the ring after.
For our ninth anniversary, Capohad given me a diamond band to wear on my right hand, third finger, and I never took that one off either. Four butterflies circled around my finger, as they would forever circle around my heart. Each butterfly represented one of our children.
Evelina often asked to wear that one, but this was the first time she asked to wear my wedding rings. They were symbols I’d never get tired of.
Him. Us. Spending this life together. Living it.
“I give ’em right back.” She batted her thick lashes at me. “Pweetypeeeeeeassse.”
I laughed at how sweet she was being. Miss Subtle. That was our daughter—Evelina Noemi Maria. “All right.” I sighed. “But you have to sit at the kitchen table. And you can only wear them for a second. These rings are like important clothes to mamma. I need them to feel dressed and ready for the day.”
She giggled, taking my hand and leading me to the table. I picked her up before she could climb up, and she wentweee!as I sat her chunky little bottom down on the chair.
We were at the villa on the outskirts of Modica. It wasn’t a large house, but we had made it comfortable for our family. We made it into a home. The kitchen was my favorite room. We spent most of our time there.
I took both rings off and slid them on her finger. They were so big that they almost slid off, but she held them together. I kissed her hand before I stood, watching her eyes shine at how pretty they were.
“Dese are so pweety, mamma,” she breathed out. “I luv dem.” Then she hugged herself, like she couldn’t get any happier than she was in that moment.
The timer went off on the oven, and I turned for a second, remembering that I had to take the red pepper tart out. Family was coming over to have dinner in our garden for our anniversary.
“Evelina.” My voice was sharp with warning. “Sit right there and don’t move. Do you hear, Mamma? I’m just going to take the tart out of the oven.”
She nodded her head frantically, excited that I was going to let her wear the rings for a second longer. I hurriedly took out the tart, placing it on the stove, mentally calculating what else I had to do.
“What dis says?” Evelina asked.
I turned to find her staring at my engagement ring. She had taken it off and was holding it up to the light.
“Here.” I held my hand out, giving her my left finger. “Time to put them back on. I can’t go without pants, can I?”
She giggled, like it was the funniest thing in the world, kissing me on the nose when I bent down for her to slide the rings back on. She put my band on first, but before she slid the engagement ring back on, she showed me the metal.
“What dis says?” she asked again. Her little eyes were narrowed on whatever she saw, her eyebrows furrowed. When she did that, I could’ve sworn Capo possessed her.
She couldn’t read, but she recognized words. I wasn’t sure what she was talking about, though. “It doesn’t say—”
Anything, I was going to say, but stopped when I noticed what she had pointed out.
For the first time in ten years, I noticed an inscription on the inside of my engagement ring.
“Fucka me,” I breathed.
“Wat that, Mamma?”
“Ah.” I realized what I’d said. “Fudgeme.”
“I luv fudge!”
I gave her loud smooches on her cheeks, trying to play off my sudden mood. “I know you do, baby girl! How about this? How about we find Papà and your brothers? I bet you’ll see a butterfly in the garden!”
She had refused to stay outside with the boys because she wanted to help me cook. She loved to get her hands dirty in the kitchen, but it was more than that. She wanted the first jump on the sweets.
“Ooh!” she said excitedly, jumping down from the chair before I could stop her. She took off toward the door, only stopping when Capo opened it and lifted her up, turning her upside down, making her squeal with delight.
“Say it, Evelina. Say the magic word.”
