Page 60 of Sebastian's Baby

I grimace as I think about something bad ever happening to Lita or the baby. It’s a terrifying thought, and I don’t like it.

“Well, if you were trying to distract me from being nervous about meeting your family, mission accomplished. Now, I’m just nervous about life in general. Kind of puts meeting your family into perspective, at least!” she says in a dry tone.

I smile at her. “I can promise you my mother will never put GHB in your food if that helps?”

“Brilliant. Now, can your mother cook all of my meals until the end of my days?” Lita laughs.

“We can ask her if you want,” I suggest.

“Who else am I meeting today?”

“Just Mom and Dad. Bianca and Nathan are their names”—I realize that she probably already knows this—“wait, did you know that already?” Lita flushes pink, and I laugh. “I really did knock up a groupie, didn’t I?”

“I don’t like to think of myself as a groupie, just…a big fan. I kind of just remember facts and stuff I’ve read, and I also read a lot about you guys. That’s why I was so shocked I’d never read about your Italian heritage.” She shakes her head.

“Just wait until Mom meets you; she’s going to die. I’ve never brought a woman home before, and now she gets to meet an Italian princess who is having my baby. You’re probably her dream come true,” I laugh.

I think my mom has well and truly given up on the idea of me ever having some kind of relationship. Hopefully, giving her a grandchild will be the next best thing.

“Are we far away?”

“About five minutes.”

She seems nervous, so I give her a reassuring smile. I take her hand in mine, squeeze it once, then stroke her skin with my thumb the way I always do. It’s not long before we’re driving through my parents’ suburb in an upmarket area of Chicago. We reach their house, and I press the button on the remote in my center console to open the gates before we pull into their driveway.

I park the car and join Lita on her side of the car as she’s closing the door behind her. I lock my car, then take her hand in mine and walk with her up the path to the front door. I actually am a little bit nervous. They don’t know I’m coming because I had no idea how to prepare them for this at all.

When I press the bell, it isn’t long before the door opens, and my mom is standing in front of me. She’s wearing a blue dress, with her long black hair that’s streaked with gray flowing down her back, and she smiles brightly at me.

“Bello! How are––” She catches sight of Lita and her eyes dart to our linked hands as she cuts herself off, looking stunned. “Who is this?”

“Hello, Mamma.” I let go of Lita’s hand and step forward to hug her before saying, “This is Lolita Ciccone. I’ve brought her to meet you and Dad.”

I stress the name Ciccone slightly as I say it. Hopefully, it will mean that Mom warms to her a little quicker.

“We can talk in the sitting room,” Mom says as she leads us to the room. “I’ll go get your father.”

I nod and take Lita into the room as Mom walks away to get Dad from wherever he is. If I had to guess, I’d say he’ll be in his study. It’s not like he’d be spending his day with Mom or anything.

“You didn’t tell them you were bringing me?” Lita hisses at me as we sit on a sofa together.

I’m holding her hand again, and it’s definitely comforting. I’ve always been Mom’s angel child, but Dad is a lot harsher on me because we’re very alike.

“I didn’t know the best way to tell them.” I grin sheepishly at Lita.

“Well, springing it on them probably isn’t the best way,” she says with a scowl at me.

“What have you told your family about me, princess?”

She flushes pink and purses her lips before admitting, “Okay, probably not enough either. How the fuck do you prepare your parents for this shit anyway?”

“You hope to god they get excited about becoming grandparents?” I laugh.

“Grandparents, Sebastian?”

My blood turns to ice in my veins when I hear my father’s voice. He sounds confused, disappointed, and annoyed all at once.

“Hi, Dad.” I cringe. “Okay, that wasn’t exactly how I wanted to tell you guys, but yes, Lita is pregnant.”

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