Page 45 of Maid For The Mafia Informant

I figured every girl wants their special day, and Sophie deserved the most special of all.

I had some loose ends to tie up, legally. I was offered the position of District Attorney, which I accepted, providing I could defer all duties indefinitely.

A polite way of saying no.

De Falco and his family were sentenced, with the main bosses serving a minimum of fifteen years a piece. About as good as it gets with that kind of career criminals in today’s world.

Daniella Fellini didn’t score so well. Her position and abuse of power bought her twenty-five straight. Something that makes me feel a little easier about sleeping at night than the mob getting out on parole, to be honest.

When the mafia does get out, will they come for me? Will they come for my family?

I doubt it. There’s enough of them still out, running their businesses for them to get by and with Enrico and his southern workshop friends as my personal guard of honor at the wedding and new pen pals, I think we can each settle for just crossing to the other side of the street if it ever comes to that.

And the twins? Shauna and Shayne are the two brightest stars in our whole universe. Everyone told us it would be that way.

It’s taken us both about a year since they started walking to keep calm when they just take off. Even with the fences.

We do live on the edge of a hundred and fifty-foot cliff.

But once the twins saw how much it freaked us out, I like to think they decided other ways to try out just how far they can push Mommy and Daddy, which is far.

We’ve both been told we spoil them and I always make sure I ask exactly how so I can improve on that process as best I can.

“What is it, honey?” I ask Sophie, watching her turn pale and then almost gray as she changes Little Shauna. I move to step in and take over but she shakes her head.

“I’m alright,” she says, biting down on her lip before she rushes out to the bathroom.

Neither of us ever gets sick, the kids too. Never so much as a sniffle.

I hoist Shayne up onto the changing table, busily humming to myself as I work them both back to fresh dryness, feeling a rush wash through me.

That rush, deep inside which I never even thought about being so greedy for as to ask for the same blessing in this life twice.

I powder my babies, kiss their button noses and all three of us just seem to hang for a while, even after they’re changed and cleaned up.

“You guys know, don’t you?” I ask them, holding out a finger for each of them to clutch on to as they wriggle and gurgle like twins do.

Talking to each other without talking, making plans, and saying a whole bunch of stuff without saying a single word.

After a while, and a few flushes of the john later, I hear Sophie padding her way back down the hall.

“Don’t even say it,” she orders me, trying to hold up a stern finger in warning as I try not to laugh, the twins beating me to it.

“They already know, Mommy. You can’t keep a secret like that from these two, you should know that by now,” I tell her innocently, grinning like a fool.

“Well, you didn’t know,” she retorts, the color coming back to her face, eventually smiling as we pick up one baby each, hugging each other close, all four of us. So quietly happy in the knowing that number five, or is it number six as well? Is finally on the way.

“I love you, Sophie,” I remind her.

“I love you more,” she replies, and the twins gurgle what to me sounds a lot like I love you too.Extended EpilogueTwenty-Two Years LaterSophie“Mom? Dad? What is it?” William asks the first time I’ve seen him look so concerned.

I’m not having a heart attack, not yet. But it feels like some wind’s been taken out of my sails, that’s for sure.

Sophie sits herself down at the table, telling Will we’re alright, just a bit of a shock from the news on the television.

The surviving De Falco’s and the rest of the crime family bosses we helped put away will be out in two months. Their original parole after fifteen years denied and I have to admit, in all the deep satisfaction of family life, Sophie and our five kids, I just put it to the back of my mind as well.

I take Sophie’s hand in mine, which is a little more grizzled than it used to be. Still strong though.

But Sophie? She’s as perfect as the day I first laid eyes on her, even from ten stories up.

Truth be told if it wasn’t for the news just now, or for Will being home for the day… I’d be carrying her off to the bedroom like I always do about this time whenever we get the chance.

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