“Ahh.” She stuck her finger in her mouth, using her other arm to strong-hold the lion. She was concentrating hard, thinking this over. “I dove flowers,” she whispered finally.
“Papàloves his heart,” I said. “More than the sun, the moon, and all the flowers in the world. He always will. Mamma, you, and Matteo. I will love you always.”
Mia smiled, resting her head against my shoulder.
Scarlett came out, her heels softly tapping against the stone, Matteo propped against her shoulder. She had dressed him in all blue with an anchor pattern, making his skin seem tanner, the black of his hair even blacker. A drift of sea air surged, stealing the soft pieces, making them rise around his head.
“Who will you always love?” Scarlett came to stand next to us. She puckered her lips, turning them up for me to kiss. “After last night,” she whispered so Mia couldn’t hear, “itbetterbe me.” Her eyes pushed the memories to the surface, a mischievous glint making them even more feline.
“Always you,” I said, kissing her. “Always.” I kissed her again. “Sempre.” And again.
Mia pulled our heads together, kissing us both, making us laugh.
“Ora fratello,” she said, fixing Matteo’s hair.Now brother.
Then we all had to kiss him.
“What’s going on out there?” Scarlett nodded toward the men, narrowing her eyes. “Are they—”
“You should have roses here,” I said. “The man came highly recommended.”
“Grazie, mio marito,” she said, resting her head against me. “I’m sure they’ll be beautiful.”
“They’ll do,” I said, urging her toward the massive table.
Mia was anxious, wanting her breakfast.
Once we were seated, Matteo in his portable seat, Mia with a croissant to pick on while the rest of the breakfast was being finished, I leaned over and whispered in Scarlett’s ear, “It wasn’t only the chocolate cake that made the sex dirty last night.”
She wasn't expecting it. She let out a whoop of laughter that sent Mia into mimic mode. She whooped with laughter too. I didn't mean to make either one of them laugh, but after, I realized that it wasn't for their benefit. It was for mine. I needed to hear it. To bring some levity to my world. This thing with Maggie Beautiful was weighing heavy on my heart.
I went to open my mouth, went to speak on it, but voices floated out. The villa was up, its inhabitants emerging in clusters, close to chaos ensuing as the parents attempted to control it all.
Luca pulled out Maggie Beautiful’s chair for her before he took a seat. His suit and his hair were impeccable after the night he had. He even bothered to put on cologne.
Conversational chatter moved through the open air, along with steam from the varieties of food, plates being passed around, and the scent of espresso and orange juice.
While Maggie Beautiful busied herself with Mia, sharing her grapes, I eyed her without making it noticeable.
She caught me at one point, smiling at me. I smiled back at her.
“Be still, my beating heart,” she said, pretending to swoon.
Luca glanced between us, surprising me by smiling too. He took her hand, squeezed, and then brought it to his mouth.
“We have beautiful sons,” she said in Italian, making eye contact with not only me, but my brothers. She’d fallen in love with them too.
Since Luca’s first wife was more of a pawn, my brothers never truly had a mother figure. Out of all the women that could have filled the role, somehow Maggie Beautiful did. Ever since Luca married her, I had seen something in her that was never there before. Maturity. It was like she’d been waiting for him so she could finish growing up.
Our wives lifted their glasses, clinking glasses to Maggie Beautiful’s words. Mia lifted her plastic cup, the kind that can’t spill, attempting to get in on the action.
Laughter rang out, the table reacting to her parroting, but I’d caught it, a split second in time, when Scarlett paused, her eyes frozen, her face losing all blood. The beating of her heart resembled a frantic bird caught in a cage. I could sense it.
Luca had caught it too. He stood abruptly, looking at my wife like she was about to deliver news to him from the devil himself.
I glared, daring him to come closer. Taking her cold, trembling hand in mine, I squeezed to remind her that she wasn’t alone.
After a second or two, she shook her head, the spell broken. She lowered her glass and then squeezed back.
