He wrangled her into her clothes amid a great deal of negotiating and, “Me do!”
The bell rang as Vito carried her down the stairs a few minutes later and Toni’s excitement soared as Bianca and the boys entered. She spared a moment to hug and kiss the adults, but her adulation was reserved for her true hero, Roberto, her partner in mischief, Arturo, and her dearest and most beloved Bianca.
“Bea.” She hugged the girl who knelt to hug her back with every warm and sweet bone in her body.
Gwyn was almost as excited as her daughter when family came over. Henry now saw the advantage of a tablet and connected with them online when he wasn’t actually staying at the apartment he’d bought nearby, so he could visit in person and watch his granddaughter grow up. He was flying in next week, anticipating the new baby would be with them. Even Travis had made a point of coming with his father for Christmas this year, since Gwyn had been too far along to travel.
Tonight it was Vito’s turn for having family over. All of Vito’s relations had made her feel welcome, Vito’s parents especially, but Lauren was like a sister to Gwyn. Now that they were both pregnant, they were even closer than ever.
As for the man who was her boss again, after contracting her for a special project he’d offered to her a year ago? She didn’t find him nearly as formidable.
“You’re as much of a comedian as your cousin, aren’t you?” she said to Paolo as he set a bag she recognized inside the door. It was the birthing kit he’d prepared when they had come to the house on Lake Como and Lauren had delivered Arturo. “I’m warning you right now, if your wife has her baby in my home, when I am already eleven months pregnant—” It was an exaggeration, but that was how she felt.
Paolo cut her off by kissing her cheek. “I brought it for Vito.”
“Ha!”
“Bite your tongue,” Vito muttered.
“The doctor said I’m at least two weeks away,” Lauren assured them and they all groaned and rolled their eyes. “But honestly, Gwyn. The second one comes faster.”
“So I can count on thirty-six hours reducing to thirty?” Gwyn joked.
“Cara,” Vito protested. He had been appalled, genuinely upset that all the pleasure they gave each other had resulted in so much pain for her, but Toni was such a gift Gwyn was more than willing to go through it again to meet the next addition to their family. In fact, she had a feeling it would be sooner than later. One of the reasons she had invited them for dinner was because she had that low, dull ache in her pelvis that had sat with her for two days before her labor had started for real with Toni.
Soon, she knew, she’d be tied up with a newborn and not entertaining for a while, so she wanted a proper visit with this family she enjoyed so much while she had the time.
Sure enough, a few hours later, as she and Lauren were drying dishes, the first pain hit, a nice strong one that took her breath.
“Vito,” Lauren called as she took the plate from Gwyn’s hand. “We’re going to take Toni home with us. You and your wife have a date with a midwife.”
They made that date, with no time to spare. Second babies did come faster and Vito almost had to eat his smug words to Paolo as they’d left, about how some men got their wives to the hospital before their children delivered. His son arrived as Gwyn was being admitted, caught by a startled ER nurse who barely had time to pull the curtain.
“Do you mind?” Gwyn asked Vito when she was settled in the maternity ward, pronounced healthy along with their son, but staying for overnight observation. “That he’s a boy, I mean?”
“Why would I mind?” he asked, lifting a sharp gaze from studying the boy.
“You wanted a girl with Toni. I thought...” She had taken it to mean he believed girls were less likely to develop undesirable behaviors.
“Because I wanted to name her Antoinietta. I knew my mother would be touched to have her sister remembered and she is.”
“You’re not worried your son will be like—”
“Me?” he cut in, mouth twisting into a wry smirk. “I’m counting on it.”
She had to chuckle at that, and leaned forward to kiss him. “Me, too.”