Page 47 of Kiss me Forever

As we settle into our bed for the evening I remember my other great news. It pales in comparison. I look at him. “I also got an acceptance letter from a publisher. I’m going to be a published author not long after our child is born,” I tell him.

Magnus hugs me again as he beams at me. “I’m so damn proud of you for taking the chance. I know that was scary showing your thoughts to the world. This day really can’t possibly get better,” he assures me.

“Thank you, my darling husband,” I tell him, overflowing with happiness. We hold each other and continue talking long into the night, both of us too amped up to even think about sleep. We’re high on life. We know what our future holds, and we know we’ll face it all together just as it always should be.

Epilogue

Piper

One Year Later

The aroma of fresh pasta and simmering tomato sauce fills the air, a now familiar and comforting scent that always brings a smile to my face. Then again, there’s not an hour that goes by I don’t smile these days. Even when I was in hard labor, feeling like my insides were being ripped out of me, those brief moments in between contractions, and after throwing up, I was smiling into Magnus’s eyes as he held my hand, wiped my forehead with cool clothes, and encouraged me every step of the way.

In my weakest and scariest moments he’s even more my superhero. He even had a cape all ready for our son on the day he was born. Our child’s life will be filled with adventure, that’s for sure.

Sunday’s at Mama Isabella’s home are our cherished tradition that we don’t break unless we’re traveling somewhere, and half the time we go places, she comes along with us, which makes our trips even better. Today is our typical Sunday. Livie and Tyler join us most of the time as well, and Isabella loves the extra mouths to feed, and the extra hands in the kitchen.

Today, it’s Mama Isabella, Magnus, our son, Livie, Tyler, and beautiful Julie all laughing in the kitchen. As usual Bianca is running late. We have bets on when she’ll rush in through the door. We now know she shows up late to get out of cooking. She loves to eat, and she can cook, but she’s not a big fan of doing it. She doesn’t tell her mama this as it would break her heart.

Magnus’s mother is currently in heaven as she sits on her bean bag chair so she can be on the ground but comfortable. She’s cradling her first grandson, our tiny Giovanni, named after his great-grandfather. He’s currently cooing at his grandma ,who’s very happy to coo right back as she happily fusses over him. I laugh as Julie, who is a little over a year old now and full of joy, runs in circles around Isabella who has adopted her as a grandchild as well. Isabella says the more children filling her home, the better. She’s even considering adding onto her home now if we keep giving her children. She wants plenty of space for them to have fun in.

“Slow down, Julie, you’re going to make Nonna dizzy,” Livie calls out. Julie laughs as she ignores her mother.

“She’s just fine, mama,” Isabella says as she laughs while reaching out to tickle Julie who giggles madly before making another mad dash around her.

“I wish I had her energy,” Magnus says as he beams down at his son. He can barely look away from little Gio. It’s pretty damn endearing.

“Don’t burn the sauce,” I warn him, and he looks back down and stirs again. I drop in the basil I’ve just chopped.

“She’s busy like her daddy, but she does run circles around him,” Livie tells us. She then looks over at her hubby. “Can you knead the bread, Hun, my arms are worn out.”

“On it,” Tyler says, gladly taking over for his wife. He leans in and kisses her before getting to kneading. Mama Isabella doesn’t believe in Kitchen Aids doing the kneading. She says the bread has to be formed with love.

We continue working when we hear the front door open and all of us look at the clock. I smile as I glance around. “I won tonight,” I tell them and the rest of them moan. I had a feeling she’d be a little earlier tonight. She loves holding Julie and her nephew. She has to wrestle the kids from her mother though which isn’t an easy task.

Bianca sweeps into the room, spots the kids, and immediately drops down to the floor where Julie launches herself into her lap. Bianca places dozens of kisses on her cheeks making the child giggle with pure joy. If only we could bottle that sound there’d be world peace.

When Julie gets distracted, Bianca looks at us. “You won’t believe the date I had last night,” she declares.

Each week we all love to hear about her dating disasters. There’s yet to be a man to win her over, but we have a pool on that as well. I’m thinking this will be sooner rather than later. I think I’m going to win again. We all look at her and wait, knowing she’ll talk a mile a minute.

“Do tell, little sister,” Magnus says when she pauses too long. She beams at him as if she was waiting for someone to acknowledge what she said.

“Well,” Bianca begins, rolling her eyes in the cutest dramatic way possible. For a woman who’s nearly thirty, she sure acts and looks about twenty-five. “The man showed up late, spilled wine on my dress, and then, to top it all off, he thought that quoting Shakespeare was a good idea for small talk. What is wrong with men?” She loves talking with her hands, and her arms are flying all over the place as she speaks, making Julie laugh as she winds in and out of her aunts bold motions. No matter what Bianca’s doing, she’s careful to know where the kids are at all times.

We all laugh, loving to hear about Bianca’s terrible dates. I do notice there’s a shift in her demeanor, though. Despite her complaints, there’s a certain softness in her eyes, even the hint of a smile she isn’t quite hiding.

“What’s his name?” I ask.

“It doesn’t matter as I won’t be seeing him again,” she says a bit too quickly.

“I don’t know. You seem different tonight,” I say. She gives me a glare but there’s no heat in it.

“His name is Sebastian, but seriously, I’m not seeing him again, even if he was slightly charming beneath the mess of our date.”

Magnus gives his sister his full attention. “Charming, huh? I don’t think I’ve heard you use that word with any other date before. Has someone met her match?”

Bianca turns her glare on her brother, desperately trying to maintain her indignation, but it’s clear there’s something going on with her. “Nope. Not seeing him again. I’ll see what the next date will bring,” she says.

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