“Well, I guess the world’s about to end.”
“That’s what I thought too, but here we are, still going.”
She leans her head against my chest. I hold her tight in my arms. “He really is doing a decent job, you know. I mean, he’s a pain in my tits, but he’s trying his best.”
“Mostly because you’re around to steer him.”
“Elisa too.”
“She’s not as persuasive as you are.”
“Fair enough. I worry about her, you know. She’s sort of adrift and alone in that house.”
I breathe in the smell of my wife’s hair. “Want her to move back in with us?”
She hesitates but shakes her head. “I do, and I know you’d let her, but I also know we need our own space. Besides, I can’t baby her forever.”
“But you want to, right?”
“God, yes. My whole life has been about protecting her.”
“Now you know how I feel.”
“Always have, dimwit.” She nibbles at my chin. “Listen, give me like ten more minutes, okay? I think I’m about to make a breakthrough here.”
“If you strain yourself?—”
She swats at me. “Don’t start. There are like a dozen men in here watching me like hawks, just waiting to step in. I’mfine.”
“All right, fine. Then get to work.” I release her and sit on a nearby stool. “Just don’t complain if I watch.”
She rolls her eyes. “You’re going to make this perverted somehow.”
“Me? Make a comment about my highly pregnant wife bent over an expensive classic car?”
“There it is.”
“Never. Wouldn’t dream of it.”
She blows me a kiss. “I love you, weirdo.”
“Love you too, beautiful.” I check my watch. “Ten minutes. Get to work.”
She flips me off and goes back to it. I sit and watch her, even though I have things to do, because even though we’re far from being in danger these days, I still can’t bring myself to be away from her.
I doubt I ever will.
And that’s fine with me.
Epilogue: Fiorella
One Year Later
I stretchmy sore legs and yawn. My ankles are aching, and my knees hurt. My back feels like there’s a red-hot iron shoved straight up my ass and into my spine.
“Motherhood,” I mutter, glaring out across the backyard.
“Damn right,” Elisa says, raising her glass of wine. “Here’s to it.”
