In the end, I did what I had to do, and I vowed to take those secrets to the grave with me. All that mattered was that my family was safe and would never be in danger again. My ultimate destruction of the DelVechhio family finally closed that chapter of my life for good.
The helicopter descended onto the island, and the security team was there to greet me. I talked with them for a little while, congratulating them on a job well done. I told them their paychecks and bonuses for keeping my family safe and alive had been deposited into their accounts, and then I started up the hill with my luggage.
I had no idea what I was going to tell Rose, nor did I know how she was going to react.
I couldn’t wait to see everyone again. It was Christmas Eve, and I could smell the holiday in the air. The morning sun draped across the island as I walked all the way up the hill, taking the time to think instead of having someone drive me to the front door. I knew Rose would be curious, and I knew she would see the bruises and stitches I’d tried to cover up with my clothes. I winced with every step I took, reminding myself that they were safe, healthy, and cared for.
I came through the front door and dropped my luggage to the floor. I could hear the boys chattering and my sweet Ana giggling, and as I rounded the corner, I saw them all at the table. The chef was placing a variety of foods in front of them while Cassie mindlessly sipped what was probably her third cup of coffee. Then, my eyes descended onto Rose.
She looked haggard and worn, her eyes heavy with exhaustion as she slowly panned her gaze toward mine.
Her shriek sent the boys flying at me. They wrapped their arms around me, but Rose stayed rooted to her seat. Cassie smiled, and Ana giggled, and I finally made my way to the table to place multiple kisses all along Ana’s face. I smelled the top of her head, committing her scent to memory as I shut my eyes, and all the while, I could feel Rose’s eyes on my body, clocking my every movement, as if she could read me like the pages of a book.
Ana lifted her arms up to me as I lifted her up from her highchair. Her hands clung to my suit, and she buried her face into my neck. I breathed deep and said a silent prayer of thanks that I was still alive to hold my precious little girl.
And then I felt Rose’s hand on the small of my back.
I propped Ana up onto my shoulder and wrapped my tight grip around Rose. She felt soft underneath my grasp, like the petals of the flower she was named after as her face pressed into my chest. I could feel her sigh with relief against me as my hand stroked her back, relaxing her tense and taut body into mine as I held my family in my arms. I bent down, burying my face into her neck, trying to wash away what I’d just gone through.
I kissed the side of her neck, and I felt her stiffen. I knew the boys were watching, and I knew I was holding our daughter, but I didn’t care. I no longer cared what they saw. This was my family, and I was in love with Rose, and hell be damned if the boys were uncomfortable with me kissing her.
I planned for us to be together the rest of our lives, so they just had to get used to it. I released Rose and put Ana back into her highchair, but I could still see the uncertainty in Rose’s eyes. I sat down and had breakfast with them, stuffing myself with eggs and toast and jams and fruit. I hadn’t eaten a meal like this in days, surviving on nothing but portable meals and caffeine to keep my body humming. Alert. Alive.
I stared at Rose all through breakfast, noticing the fact that she wasn’t eating. Her shoulders looked slimmer, and her cheeks were a bit more hollowed out. I cast my eyes over to Cassie, silently asking her if Rose had been okay. But all Cassie did was shake her head, and my stomach plummeted to the floor.
“Camillo!” Kevin said. “Wanna see the Christmas tree Junior and I decorated?!”
“You guys put up a tree?” I asked.
“Yeah! Come see it!”
Kevin hopped up from his chair and took my hand. He pulled me into the living room with Junior hot on my heels, and that was when I realized how much decorating had actually occurred. Green garland lined the walls and doorways of the home, peppered with red and silver decorative balls. The Christmas tree was massive, with twinkling white lights and ornaments I kept in the attic. I smiled at the beauty of it all while the boys rattled off all they did while I was gone, but the only thing I could think about was Rose and how she hadn’t followed us into the room.