Page 141 of La Dolce Vita

"I insisted on having those beds growing up. I knew I would never have a sister, but I convinced my grandparents to let me have sleepovers quite a bit."

He looked at the ribbons and trophies on the dresser. She won many spelling bees and a few honor rolls. He picked up polaroids of her and girlfriends, and others of just her at different events in school. The kids were running around grabbing the stuffed animals and books.

"So, this was you?" he asked.

"It was me. Not much to see huh?"

"You never had the room cleaned out or changed?" he asked.

"No."

"Why?"

"I haven't changed anything in this house. I guess part of me wanted to keep this place the same. Forever. To hold on to the love here. There was lots and lots of love here for me."

She picked up a book. She opened it and flipped the pages. She then handed it to him. "Here I am my senior year."

"You were so skinny," he smiled.

"I still am," she nudged him. He flipped the pages of the book. He didn't see any more images of her, but plenty of images of the school and people who knew her. She took the book from his hand and then kissed him. He drew her back in to his embrace. She hugged him.

"Are you two in love?" Eve asked. She stared up at her parents with a book in her hand. "Are you going to get married?"

"We are already married," Mirabella said.

"Are you going to kiss now?"

"Kiss?" Giovanni asked.

"Yes. I see you doing it all the time. I saw Catalina and Domi kiss. And Nico and Cecilia kiss, too. You do it because you are in love?" Eve asked.

Giovanni smiled down at his daughter. "Yes,lucciola. This is love."

"Che fico!Cause I love Nico," Eve grinned. "I'm going to kiss him."

"No you will not," Giovanni said.

Eve nodded in defiance to her daddy. "And one day we are going to get married."

Mirabella laughed. She grabbed his face and kissed him for her daughter. Eve walked off to her brothers with her book. He stopped kissing his wife. "Did you hear her? The things in her head. Where does it come from?"

"Leave her alone, Gio. Every girl has her first love."

"Is that right? Nico? Mylucciola? Never gonna happen!" Giovanni said loud enough for Eve to look up and frown at her daddy. Mirabella smiled. "It's not funny,Bella."

"Who was your first love?" Mirabella asked.

"You," he answered. "Who was your first love, Bella?" He asked with a sly smile.

"I think you've met him," she teased.

He pinched her butt, and she laughed. She wrapped her arms around his neck. "I am in love with you, and you are the first and only man I can truly say I've ever really loved."

"Good answer!"

ChapterTwenty-Two

Upside Down

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