I smiled to myself, surrounded by family. I pressed my palm against my belly and after a moment Nino covered my hand with his. This was worth fighting for. Every day, every hour, every minute.
EPILOGUE
NINO
Greta and Nevio ran through the garden hand in hand. Nevio was in the lead as usual, tugging his sister along. Their laughter carried over to the pool where Kiara, Alessio and I were enjoying a warm April afternoon.
Kiara smiled and said to Alessio, “Soon you can run with them.”
Alessio was sitting in his shark floaty that looked as if the thing was going to swallow him whole. He gave Kiara a toothless grin. I pushed him through the water because two weeks from her due date Kiara wasn’t as mobile. She leaned against the edge and watched everything with a happy expression.
Remo and Serafina lounged on the sunchairs, keeping an eye on their children.
Sometimes I wondered how things would have been, if my brothers and I were alone. Would we have moved on just as easily?
With the children and Kiara’s pregnancy, the future beckoned stronger than the past ever could. We still worked our asses off to guarantee the Camorra’s success but we tried to spend as much time as possible with our family. Savio had taken over more responsibilities, which allowed Remo and me additional free time.
Kiara released a sharp breath and cradled her belly under the water surface.
“What is it?”
She shook her head. “False labor.”
I pushed the floaty towards her and touched her shoulder. “Are you sure?”
“Yes,” she said with a small laugh. “The pain hasn’t changed. It’s still that strange pressure.”
“Waterbirth might be less painful, but you’ll have to clean the pool when you’re done,” Remo said.
Serafina slapped his shoulder. “You’re impossible.”
Remo gave her a twisted smile.
“Cleaning the pool will be my top priority after giving birth, trust me,” Kiara said, rolling her eyes.
“Come on. Let’s get you out of the water,” I said, lifting Alessio out of his floaty and pressing him to my chest. Holding Kiara’s hand, I led her out of the pool.
She pressed a palm to her belly as she took one step after the other. “I’m being so slow. I love being pregnant but now I’m counting the days until he’s here.”
Fabiano and Leona came over from their house, already in swimwear. Their wedding was scheduled for the end of May.
“Aria called me,” Fabiano said, settling on a sunchair. “Adamo’s doing well. He works hard and has finally learned to keep his mouth shut.”
Remo shook his head. “If people start to think that Adamo’s more scared of Luca than of me, I’ll have to make a fucking bloody statement to set things straight.”
“You are his brother. It would be horrible if he feared you,” Kiara said, lowering herself slowly on a chair. Leona went to her and touched her belly.
“You’re still feared like a crazy madman in the Famiglia, don’t worry,” Fabiano said.
Serafina got up. “I’ll go check on the kids. Nevio’s been too quiet. I bet he’s up to something.”
“The most important thing is that Adamo’s clean,” Kiara said. “I can’t wait for him to come home.”
Remo and I exchanged a look. While we were glad that Adamo had found the structure he needed, we weren’t sure if once back in Vegas he wouldn’t revert to old habits.
Leona came over to me and stroked Alessio’s cheek. “Hi, little man.” She looked over to Kiara. “I love his chubby cheeks.”
Kiara smiled proudly. It was mostly thanks to her patient care that our son had gained so much weight. She kept every member of this family fed. “Why don’t you hold him?” I asked Leona and handed her Alessio. She cradled him against her chest, looking worried.
“What if I drop him?”
“Why would you drop him? He’s not that heavy,” Remo muttered.
Leona’s cheeks turned red and Fabiano threw one of the empty Coke cans littering the table at Remo’s head.
Remo raised his leg, blocking it with his foot.
“Damn your quick reflexes,” Fabiano said, shaking his head.
“Quicker than yours.”
“Right.”
Serafina returned, carrying the twins. Her face was flushed. After she set them down, she held up a permanent marker. “That’s what I found in Nevio’s hand. He was painting Greta’s nails with it.”
Remo sat up and turned to Nevio. “You did?”
Nevio gave a sharp nod, trying to hold back a grin and failing.
Greta stretched out her hands, showing off her black nails. Her fingers too were covered in marker.
Serafina gave Remo a meaningful look.
He lifted Nevio on his lap. “Don’t paint your sister.”
Nevio pouted and pointed at Remo’s Camorra tattoo then at my inked skin. “Greta got dattoo.”
Kiara choked on a laugh and covered it with a cough. I went over to her and wrapped my arms around her from behind, my fingers splayed out on her bump.
“Greta is too young for a tattoo and so are you,” Serafina said sternly.