Pietro clears his throat. "Giulia, please sit. I have something to tell everyone."
She takes the empty chair beside Bruno.
The table falls quiet. Everyone watching Pietro.
He stands. Reaches for Nora's hand. She looks up at him with something like nervousness flickering across her features.
"I know the past few weeks have been difficult," Pietro begins. "The attack. Vittoria's kidnapping. The funeral. We've been fighting to keep our heads above water."
He pauses. Swallows.
"But tonight, I wanted to share something good. Something worth celebrating."
His grip on Nora's hand tightens.
"Nora is pregnant."
Silence.
Then Vittoria screams.
Pure joy. Unfiltered. The sound rips through the dining room like a thunderclap.
She launches from her chair so fast it nearly topples. Whatever darkness clouded her eyes vanishes instantly. Whatever made her cry is forgotten.
"Oh my God!" Vittoria practically tackles Nora, wrapping her arms around the Irish woman. "Oh my God, oh my God!"
Nora laughs, tears streaming down her face. "Careful, careful?—"
"A baby!" Vittoria pulls back just enough to look at Nora's face. "You're having a baby!"
The room erupts.
Lorenzo is on his feet, pulling Pietro into a fierce embrace. Sophia claps her hands together, beaming despite the pain the movement must cause her healing wound.
Nico rises more slowly, but his smile is genuine. He clasps Pietro's shoulder. "Congratulations, brother."
Kristen hugs Nora next, murmuring something that makes the Irish woman laugh through her tears.
Even Bruno's expression softens. Just slightly. Just enough.
Giulia crosses herself, lips moving in silent prayer. Then she's crying too, dabbing at her eyes with her apron.
"A grandchild for Aria," she whispers. "Finally, a grandchild."
I watch Vittoria bounce between hugging Nora and hugging Pietro, her earlier tension completely dissolved. This is what she needed. Good news. Hope. A reminder that life continues even when darkness threatens to consume everything.
Pietro catches my eye across the chaos. Nods once.
I raise my glass to him.
Vittoria returns to my side, cheeks flushed, eyes bright with happy tears.
"Can you believe it?" She grabs my arm. "A baby! There's going to be a baby in this house!"
I pull her close. Press my lips to her temple.
"I believe it."
