Simona’s cry blared from the speakers, reminding me that our life couldn’t only be filled with nights of pool and sex. I straightened, the weight of my responsibilities returning to my shoulders and with it the worry that this wouldn’t last. Giulia snatched up the baby monitor, and we headed up to Simona’s room.
As usual, Simona’s cries escalated with every passing moment, and the longer she cried the harder it would be to calm her down. Giulia turned on the lights and walked into the bedroom, but I waited in the doorway, wanting to see how she fared.
Giulia leaned over the crib and lifted my daughter up, cradling her to her chest. I was always the one who took her out of bed when she cried.
Simona fell silent and was staring up at my young wife. I waited for the inevitable outburst, an even worse crying fit than before, but Simona only let out a small cry. “Shh. You’re the cutest little thing I’ve ever seen.” And then Giulia bent down and kissed my daughter’s left cheek then the right. “With the cutest chubby cheeks that I can imagine.”
My heart thudded in my chest, an uneven staccato I could feel in my ears. I couldn’t move. Simona reached for Giulia’s bangs and tugged, but my wife only laughed and blew out air, sending her hair flying up, causing Simona’s eyes to widen. Then she giggled.
Simona giggled.
Giulia looked up and smiled, unguarded, happy, hopeful. I turned around and stalked out. “I’ll prepare the bottle,” I pressed. Even though I wished she wouldn’t, Giulia followed me downstairs. She watched me the entire time as I prepared the formula. I could feel her questions hovering in the room between us. She didn’t ask, only kept cooing at my daughter.
When the bottle was ready, I went over to her. She leaned into me. “Why don’t you feed her while I hold her?”
I stared into those blue eyes, feeling reminded of the way I felt when I stood on the dunes in front of my beach house, peering toward the ocean.
Cassio kept his promise. The next day he came home at dinnertime. To be honest, I was surprised. I hadn’t thought he’d keep his promise that he’d given with my naked body on top of him. Maybe I had my own trust issues to work through.
He looked surprised when he walked into the kitchen where we had dinner the last few days. Sybil stood from where she was seated, obviously unsure how to act. Elia stood as well and inclined his head before he grabbed his plate and headed through the backdoor, probably toward the guard house. He and I’d cleared things up in the morning after Cassio informed him that I knew what was going on. Elia had been awkward after that, obviously embarrassed, but I’d told him that he’d done his job and that I wasn’t angry. He couldn’t have told Cassio “no” after all.
“Why don’t you eat in the dining room?” he asked. Simona grinned when she spotted her dad. Her fingers and cheeks were smeared with smashed peas, but Cassio didn’t seem to mind. He walked up to her, pressed a kiss to her forehead, and barely escaped her dirty grabby hands before she could ruin his suit.
Daniele didn’t react in any way, only clutched the fork with the speared carrot slice in his little fist. For a moment, I caught the longing in his eyes, though. He wanted to be close to his dad, but something stopped him. Cassio turned to Daniele and kissed the top of his head before he walked up to me. Daniele watched us closely. Cassio touched my shoulder and squeezed lightly before he took a seat across from me. I couldn’t deny it. I was disappointed. I wished he’d have kissed me. Maybe he worried how Daniele would react. After all, his mom had been dead for only six months.
“I prefer to have dinner in the dining room,” he said simply.
I hated that there was a distance between us when we weren’t alone. “I didn’t know you’d be home for dinner.”
“I told you I’d be, and it’ll remain that way. If I can’t make dinner, I’ll give you a call.”
Sybil put a plate with roasted pork, mashed potatoes, and maple balsamic Brussels sprouts that were to die for down in front of him. He gave her a curt nod.
“I’ll check on the laundry,” she said and slipped out, leaving her half-eaten plate.
“We can have dinner in the dining room from now on,” I said.
Daniele grabbed a piece of his pork and tossed it under the table. Cassio’s expression shifted to anger, but I quickly shook my head then said to Daniele, “Now it’s your turn to eat a bite.”
Daniele speared a piece of pork and stuffed it in his mouth, chewing dutifully.
Cassio’s brows furrowed. “What’s going on?” His voice was moderately calm, but I could tell that he didn’t approve of the situation.
“Daniele and I have a deal. He can feed Loulou scraps if he eats a bite in turn.”
Cassio released a breath. Simona began to whine, stretching out her arms toward him. He got up, wiped her face and hands with a wet dishtowel, and put her on his lap before he continued with dinner. I stifled a smile. It was an adorable sight: Cassio dressed in his three-piece suit, looking impressive and powerful, with tiny Simona on his lap in her sunflower dress. He hadn’t even complained about the flowers. Again, Daniele’s eyes slanted to Cassio, who was staring down at Simona and didn’t notice.
I stroked his head gently. He peered up at me, his small face so sad and helpless, it turned my stomach over. If only he’d speak to me.
Feeling Cassio’s eyes on me, I picked up my
