I sank down on the chair that Matteo had pulled out for me then tried to help him as he heaved me closer to the table. Eventually my belly touched the edge. I sighed.
“Marianna has prepared your favorite lamb roast and grilled asparagus and cauliflower mash,” Aria said, obviously hoping to lift my mood.
I smiled and sank back against the backrest. “That sounds fabulous.”
My belly became hard, pain radiating all the way to my back. I’d been having these Braxton-Hicks-contractions for many weeks now but they’d become more painful and frequent in recent days, giving me false hope that Peanut would actually evict the premises before the due date.
Marianna entered the dining room in that moment, carrying a massive roast lamb leg surrounded by fingerling potatoes and brussels sprouts. Usually the sight had my belly doing excited summersaults but apart from the tension in my lower back and belly, I hardly felt hunger.
Still, I loaded my plate and pushed the occasional morsel of food into my mouth. Aria eyed me from across the table.
“Are you okay?” she asked quietly.
Matteo slanted me a worried look, ceasing his conversation with Luca.
“I’m fine. I just can’t eat as fast anymore. The baby is taking up too much room in my belly.”
“Tell that to the two veggie-burgers plus sweet potato fries you wolfed down for dinner yesterday,” Matteo joked.
I kicked his calf under the table, causing his grin to widen. Unfortunately, the movement hurt me more than him as it sent a twinge through my back.
Marcella tilted her head curiously. “I don’t know why you don’t want to know if it’s a boy or girl. I’d die from curiosity. And you can’t even buy anything pink!”
“Not every girl likes pink,” I said.
Marcella pursed her lips. “You’re the only girl I know that prefers black.”
“Your aunt is a special snowflake,” Matteo said with a wink.
Marcella laughed.
“I hope it’s a boy,” Amo said. “Girls are trouble.”
“I wish I’d learned that lesson at your age,” Matteo sighed.
This time I only sent him a glare instead of a kick.
Of course, it didn’t have any effect. Matteo even high-fived Amo across the table much to Aria’s disapproval.
I pressed my palm against my belly, wondering when the tension would leave it.
The pressure got even worse before I could decide if I was going into labor, something warm trickled out of me. I froze, clutching the fork in my hand. This definitely wasn’t pee. My bladder was empty.
“Why are you making a face like you’re pooping, Aunt Gianna?” Amo asked.
I didn’t even have it in me to give the little monster hell for calling me “aunt” again.
“Gianna?” Aria said softly.
“Gianna, your expression worries me,” Matteo said. He touched my thigh, my wet pants, and slowly pulled his hand back, his eyes widening. “Fuck.”
“Matteo said ‘fuck’ at the table,” Amo said, looking at Aria.
“What’s wrong with you?” Marcella asked curiously.
Why couldn’t they all stop talking?
“I think my water just broke,” I got out.
“Ewww,” Marcella said, that gorgeous face scrunching up.
Amo put down his fork. “You peed your pants? Can I see?”
I clutched Matteo’s hand. I couldn’t believe we were going to get one of these small monsters ourselves.
Luca rose, his expression stern. “Marcella, Amo, up to your room.”
“But Dad,” Marcella whined.
Luca shook his head. “Now.”
Finally, the two went upstairs but not without a considerable amount of protesting. For all I cared they could watch. I doubted there was a better way of contraception than having someone watch a kid being squeezed out of a vagina.
My belly cramped and I gasped at the sharp pain that seemed to last forever. I clutched Matteo’s hand so tightly, his fingers turned white but he didn’t make a sound. Only regarded me with blatant worry.
I was torn between wanting to clutch him and push him away, because somehow this was his fault.
Aria appeared beside me, touching my arm. “Come on. Let’s get you into our car.” She turned to Luca. “Can you get it?”
Luca nodded and disappeared.
“You have to stand up, Gianna.”
I forced myself into an upright position, waiting for the next wave of pain but the contractions still seemed a few minutes apart.
Matteo hovered beside Aria and me.
“You should help her walk.” He wrapped an arm around my back and Aria walked on my other side as we made our way toward the front door. The distance seemed so much longer than ever before.
Another wave crashed through me, making me jerk to a stop and clutch my belly. “I changed my mind. This baby can stay inside forever,” I grunted.
Aria tugged at my hand. “Come on. Everything will be fine.”
Gritting my teeth, I stumbled farther along. I’d read so much about labor these last few weeks but nothing could prepare me for this. I looked up at Matteo in annoyance but that emotion vanished when I saw the helplessness and even fear in his eyes. I forced a smile that probably looked more like a scary grimace. I wasn’t the only one who was terrified of what lay ahead.