“Yes, Ethan, I want to marry you. But I have a request.”
“Anything,tesoro.”
It was my turn to be hesitant. Feeling a blush bloom on my cheeks, I asked, “Would you let me take your name?”
“God, of course I want you to take my name, baby. And I really want to do the proposal properly with the ring and all.”
“No Daddy, please don’t ruin this moment. I definitely want a ring, but this is when we became a family. I don’t care that we’re sitting in cum and sweat, doing it again would be false and mock the here and now. I love our journey, and I want to continue doing things our way.
“Considering Isa is not ours, when are we able to take her home? Because I’d like to sleep here after tomorrow, I need Mamma to mentor me with everything I need to know before I feel comfortable enough to take on full responsibility.”
“I’d looked into the rules after Gabby said she didn’t want her. Until the adoption papers are legally submitted and finalized, there’s a thirty-day waiting period. Will that give you enough time?”
“Yeah, that would be perfect. Are we telling Frank and Mamma today?”
“We’re going to have to, since Mamma is her caretaker. And if you don’t mind, I’ll call Gabby and take her to dinner tomorrow after work. I don’t want to stretch it out until Saturday.”
“I think that’s the right thing to do. How about the fact that you proposed to me?”
“That’s up to you,tesoro.”
“An adoption and a proposal are big events so I’d like to celebrate them separately. And in the meantime, we can get the ring.”
Daddy shoved me onto my back. “Are we done with talking?”
My cock was taking interest as Daddy’s bobbed against mine. “What did you have in mind this time around?”
Never breaking eye contact with me, he slid down my body and swallowed my growing erection in one fluid move. “Daddy,” I gasped, my head spinning with both the physical pleasure and the floaty, emotional feelings of being in love with two people. In love in ways that didn’t make one feel less than the other. God, I’d been so naïve to think that I’d be in second place to an infant. Which made the turnaround so much more ironic. “Daddy, fill me up. I love you. Make me yours.”
“Anything, baby,” he said, hovering over me. “You are my one and only. The love of my life above all else—from now through eternity.”
Daddy’s sentiment came as if he’d read my mind. And maybe he had because he always knew what I needed. “Say it in Italian, Daddy.”
“Ti amo da ora fino all’eternita.”
“One day I’ll be able to repeat it in Italian. But for now…” Gazing up at Daddy, I saw the depth of his deep love for me and felt his words settle in me, assured that we’d be declaring our love for all the years of our lives. “You are my one and only. The love of my life above all else—from now through eternity.”
TWENTY-SIX
ETHAN
Six Months Later
The dayof our departure had finally arrived. Frank and Mamma had taken us to the airport, and we were huddled together waiting for our boarding call. Mamma’s eyes were already watery even though we’d stayed at their house for a long weekend while the movers came and took everything to the storage facility. Jude and I had stood in the empty apartment with our arms around each other’s waists.
“Who knew?” He said, sounding weepy. “This was where we began our life together.”
“We’ve done well,tesoro,” I said and kissed his temple.
“We have, Daddy. Do you remember trying to figure out what names we’d teach Isa for each of us? I refused to relinquish my hold on calling you Daddy…”
“Which I supported one hundred percent,” I said, pulling into his chest so I could hold him tight, my head pressed against his.
We’d finally decided on Papá for me and Babbo for Jude. We were going to give Isa the option when she got older to call him Dad.
Gabby had been eager to sign the adoption papers, making the whole process go smoothly. She was not herself yet and hardly visited, but I made a point of having breakfast with her both with and without Jude. I’d encouraged her to visit Italy for a new start. Like me, she was fluent both in our Southern dialect and formal Italian.
As for Jude’s parents, he sent monthly photos to his dad via text with a short message. He’d reply with an equally succinct message with no interest in meeting Isa, which drove Jude crazy. I’d warned him that he needed to cease all communication if he was going to act out on a monthly basis. He’d finally agreed. They fucking did not deserve to see our daughter grow if they had no real interest.
