We’re hosting our first barbecue. Besides my family, only Augusto, Yuki, and Adriano have been invited. I want to ease Nina into the Cosa Nostra.
Nina comes down the stairs, wearing a pale green dress that reaches all the way to her feet.
“You look stunning,angelche moe.”
“Thank you.” She smiles, then glances around the living room and foyer. “Where’s Simi?”
I gesture at the castle. “She’s drawing.”
I tip my head to the kitchen. “I have something to tell you.”
A curious expression forms on her face as she follows me. I lift her to sit on the island, and brace my hands on either side of her.
“Dr. Milazzo called. I got your results, but I wanted to wait until we were done with the past.”
“My results?” she asks, confusion flickering across her face.
“Your blood work and scans.”
“Oh...” Worry creeps into her eyes. “Am I okay?”
A smile curves my lips up as I nod. “You’re more than okay. There’s nothing wrong, and he says you should be able to have children.”
Gasping, her hands fly up to cover her mouth. “Really?”
“Really.” My expression turns serious as I continue, “So, I will continue using condoms. I’d like to wait a while before we even start talking about having more kids.”
“I could get birth control,” she offers softly.
“Whatever you’re comfortable with, baby. It’s your choice.”
“Georgi!” Simi calls out. “Where are you?”
“In the kitchen,malkata mi printsesa,” I reply before pressing a tender kiss to Nina’s lips. I help her back onto her feet, then turn to Simi as she comes in with a page in her hand.
“I made you this.”
Taking it, I look at the drawing. There’s a tall stick figure, the legs three times as long as the body. It kinda looks like a scarecrow, with two other stick figures sitting on its arms.
“That’s you.” Simi points at the picture. “You’re holding Mama and me.”
“It’s the most beautiful picture ever!” I scoop her up as I climb to my feet and walk to the fridge. “This is a big moment, Simi.”
“Why?”
“Because only the best pictures get stuck on the fridge door.”
“Yay!” She kicks her legs. “And it’s mine.”
“Baby, come help,” I tell Nina.
She hurries closer, a wide smile on her face. “What do I do?”
“I’m going to pin the page to the fridge, and you’re going to put the magnet over it.”
“Got it.”
“And me?” Simi asks.
