I want to hold on to his words forever.
They unlock a world of emotion within me—good emotions.
I want this. I never want to live without this feeling in my chest ever again. The adoration laced in his eyes is a replica of mine as our smiles entrap us in a world of hope.
“I hate life without you. I haven’t wanted anything more in my life. Except, of course…”
“I know.” Giulio understands perfectly. “And we will get Addilyn back. Even if the night terrors never go away, we’ll be right here holding each other to sleep. We’ll overcome this. I know we will. It’s you and me against the world, amore mio.”
He seals his promise with a kiss that has me grip his damp t-shirt to pull him closer. I cannot stop smiling through it.
Yes, baby. It’s you and me against the world.
“Aye, who wants me handmade extra sweet bread and butt’er pudding with raisins?” The familiar voice has us breaking away and we turn to find Bryce entering the hospital room. He’s grinning wolfishly with a cake box in hand.
The moment my sister trails behind him, Giulio seems to already smell trouble between them as he averts his gaze to me, smirks and resumes kissing me wildly. We rebel against the audible distraction that works as a soundtrack to our kiss.
“You’re the worst, Bryce!” Helena gasps. “I have a sugar free zone. It drives the kids wild!”
“How about I drive ya wild instead?” Bryce chuckles loudly.
“Yeah, have fun attempting that. I swore off interior designers the moment you arrived.”
“Damn, sweetlips. There’s nothing sweet about ya these days, innit?”
“Never ever call me that again.”
“Alright…sweetlips.”
Giulio and I pull away from each other in laughter.
Bryce and Helena continue their bickering until Giulio clears his throat and their attention snaps to us. McCarson hands over the delicious smelling pudding with a wink and a side hug. “Hope ya feel better soon, Valencia!”
“Thank you so much. Wow, you made this?”
“Sure did, you’ll love it! Just hide it from this sister of yours; she’s turning me into a nutter.”
“You already are a nutter.” Helena glares up at him, popping out her hip towards his before she turns to my bedside. “Honey, how are you? I’ve been worried sick since the news!”
I go on to tell them both I’m doing well. The feeling intensifies when Oscar and Slonne run inside my room and into my arms with wide smiles.
“Mommy!” They gently climb up on the bed and I pull them into a hug. A damn tight one. I could have lost them today. Kissing the sides of their heads, I thank God that they’re okay.
“I’ve missed you both so much. I love you all.”
“Me too, Mommy. I was scared but not anymore!” Slonne smiles cutely, brushing a few strands of her soft brunette hair from her face. “Daddy said you saved us. Thank you, Mommy.”
“I did all that I could, but I think we all saved each other out there.”
Oscar beams, curling his nonexistent bicep. “Yeah, I was like Spiderman out there!”
We burst into laughter and I pull them in for a second embrace, knowing that I will never take a precious moment like this for granted. It will take a while in therapy for them even if they seem okay now, but soon we’ll all achieve that ultimate healing.
“Group hug!” Giulio wraps his arms around all of us while Helena rushes to set down her bouquet of yellow roses.
“Wait for your favorite aunt! Yes, now it’s perfect!”
There’s a knock on the slightly ajar door. “Almost perfect. How dare you all forget me!”
It’s Lance’s voice that has Giulio turn his head towards the door. “Hey, aren’t you supposed to be on the work site across town?”
Lance smirks before joining the group hug. “Well…it’s a good thing my boss isn’t a big pain in the backside and won’t fire me for skipping work for family. Isn’t that right, boss?”
“Giulio, don’t answer, it’s a trick question.” Kayla’s voice enters before she does. She sends a playful wink our way, sets down ‘Get Better Soon!’ yellow balloons, and joins us too.
I cast a glance at Bryce who stands awkwardly with his hands inside his jean pockets in the corner of the room. Just then Marcus steps in with a bouquet of lilies. They acknowledge each other with curt nods before looking our way.
I smile and through my intertwined hands wave for them to partake in our embrace too.
They do but with reluctance. After all, we are family, and Bryce…well, he is somebody that I have learned to trust and appreciate over the past six weeks working with this entire crew.
My eyes shut and I take in their comfort.
I believe in myself.
These people here believe in me.
We will be okay soon. I just feel it.
We will find Addilyn and it will all be okay.
All of this supportive warmth around me right now is not an illusion, it is not a curse or too much—it’s enough. It’s enough because I am enough. This is my life…and I love it dearly.
Giulio
“Do you trust me?”
“Well…I’ve been blindfolded for the past ten hours, so I’m obliged to say yes.”
The twins giggle in the backseats at Lencia’s response. I’m left smiling, crazy in love with us. Fanning out my fingers against the heated leather-wrapped steering wheel, I touch on the brakes at the end of the cobblestone driveway and kiss Valencia softly. “More like twenty minutes. You have nothing to worry about, amore.”
Today, Friday the fourteenth of October marks Valencia’s twenty-eighth birthday and I went all out. We’re on Mercer Island and this luxurious modern house in front of us…it’s ours. Of course Lencia doesn’t know it yet, but Oscar and Slonne do. It’s been our little secret for the past few days as we recover from the shocking aftermath of self-defense, kidnappings, car theft, and attempted murder.
The twins’ eyes widen in awe through the car windows. I
