He flips me off and I grin. Today is finally the day. Sophia, forever. This is a day worth remembering. I pat Gunner and Nick on the shoulder. “Are you guys ready for this?”
“I don’t know how to be ready for anything with her.” Nick shakes his head. “She’s …”
We all nod. He doesn’t need to finish the sentence. We have plenty of adjectives for Sophia, plenty of memories with her, and no words are enough to describe her. I take an unsteady breath.
“I’m going last,” I say clearly.
“It’ll throw her for a loop.” Gunner laughs. “I can’t believe you guys are trusting me to go first.” His eyes go a little misty and he rubs his chest. “It really means a lot.”
“Gunner, Nick, Holden, then Roman.” Massimo lists. “And I’ll get to see her face every time. And yours.” He looks at the photographer. “Please tell me you’re going to get them ugly crying. I need it for posterity. Even if you don’t give them the pictures.”
He nods and Massimo flashes a thumbs up.
Danny comes in after a minute, holding their baby son in her arms, dressed in a little tuxedo as he cries. Gunner puts a hand to his ear. “Whoa. That’s some ugly crying.”
“He’s very upset about his socks.” Danny grumbles then holds the baby in front of her. “Listen here, Gio. You better behave.”
“Oh, let him cry.” Massimo soothes, gently pulling his son from Danny’s arms. He bounces him a little. “It’s a big day. So much is different. So many changes and people. It’s all too much, isn’t it?”
Gio calms a little and tugs on Massimo’s tie. He beams. “There you go. See, Papá makes it all better.”
Danny rolls her eyes but moves towards her husband and child. She has a robe on and Massimo’s eyes heat. “Tesoro …”
“Don’t start.” She grumbles despite her blush. She gently strokes her baby’s foot. “Have you told the guys yet?”
“Told us what?” Gunner pipes up.
Massimo hands me Gio and I adjust him in my arms so he can look around while I support his head. He looks at me while sucking his fingers and smiles a little, all the tears forgotten.
“We’d like you to be the godparents. You all and Sophie.” Danny without her bite is hardly recognizable.
“Really?” Nick beams. “We’re happy to do it.”
Gunner and Holden look a bit nervous. I know neither of them have really been around babies, but it’s a humbling request. I nod and thank Mass in Italian. Gio squirms in my arms and starts to fuss, but Nick takes over.
Nick, one of the best hand to hand combat experts I’ve ever met is so gentle with a baby. He makes stupid faces until Gio laughs and kicks his feet. Danny’s shoulders slump forward. “Thank goodness.”
“Tesoro, you’re so good with him. What’s wrong?”
“Let’s say that the bridal prep is a lot less demanding than this and leave it at that.” But Danny shifts uncomfortably. “And he’s not hungry which is … frustrating.”
“So proud of you.” Massimo lifts her chin and kisses her softly. “Not cursing in front of our little man.”
I know the photographer is eating this up. Nick carefully shows Gunner how to hold the baby and Gunner adjusts his arms. Gio and Gunner look at one another with confusion, like both are waiting for the other to cry.
Gunner bounces a little and the threat of tears is pushed back again. Gio squirms and Gunner adjusts. I can’t help my smile. “Look at that.”
“He’s a natural.” Nick agrees.
“Shut it. I’m not kid friendly,” Then to Gio, he says, “don’t let this secret out. It’s just us that know I can handle this.”
But after a little more time talking and calming the baby, he starts fussing and crying. Even in Massimo’s arms he screams and wails. Holden takes a shot in one go and Gunner takes a few steps back before Danny picks up her child and arches an eyebrow.
“Yeah, Papá says you can cry, but that’s no good.” She doesn’t do any baby talk, which shouldn’t surprise me considering I’ve met the woman, but her eyes remain soft. “I know the world is scary and big, but screaming doesn’t do the job.”
She looks around. “Bathroom?”
Massimo leads her away and Gunner shivers. “Mildly terrifying.”