Page 73 of Lorenzo & Lily

Chapter Eleven

Lorenzo madea quick stop to Liliana’s room. She was still sleeping, but was twisted in the covers, with one foot over the side of the bed. He frowned and wondered if the bed was too high, or if they should fence her in with pillows. He didn’t want her to fall off the side and get hurt. He rearranged her leg and moved her towards the center, and managed not to wake her. He fixed the covers, and put some extra pillows around the edge. He gave her a soft kiss, then left to meet his family.

He knew the family dinner would be coming. He’d expected it, and them, and all that came with it. Though he had expected it tomorrow.

He called the housekeeper on his way downstairs, informing her of the newcomers. He usually gave his rooms, which were the largest in the castle, to his parents, but he didn’t want to confuse Liliana. His parents would just have to settle for staying in the other Royal Wing along with the rest of his family.

His feet faltered as he caught sight of his father. He was better, much better than he had been, but still not the man he was. They all wondered if he would be that man again, at least physically. Only time would tell.

Mentally, he’d never left. Lorenzo had recognized the signs of depression in his father after he’d returned home from the hospital and, thankfully, those signs were rare now. However, Lorenzo still kept an eye out; he knew only too well how quickly depression could turn.

“Papa. Mama.” They turned at Lorenzo’s voice and the happiness he’d hoped to see on their faces was absent; it was like a punch in the gut. He’d hoped they’d be happy for a new grandchild, even if they couldn’t be happy for him. Given Lily’s reaction to meeting his family so soon, he wondered again if his parents had pushed Lily away from him.

He gave his father a hug and a kiss on each cheek, then greeted his mother the same way. His greeted his sisters next – Cat, Carolina, and even Sarah, who usually resided in Rome as Valleria’s ambassador to Italy. Following them were the women his brothers loved: Grace, Marcello’s fiancée and Cat’s longtime friend, and Charlotte or Charlie as she preferred, Nate’s love.

He led them into a large sitting room, calling for coffee again. How many cups had he had already? Too many to keep count, was all he could think.

His brothers and Rebecca entered the room. Eddie moved to greet his parents, then settled next to Cat. Marcello did the same with Grace, and Nate did the same with Charlie. Alex and Rebecca greeted everyone last.

“So, where is she?” Cat said, clapping her hands together. “Where’s my new niece?”

“And where is her mother?” his father asked.

Lorenzo’s back went stiff, and he crossed his arms over his chest. “Liliana is taking a nap. Her mother, Cecilia or Lily as I call her, is resting before dinner. As they moved in this morning, they’re very tired.”

His father quirked one eyebrow. “Does she know we’ve arrived?”

“Yes, she does, but she’ll meet all of you formally tonight.”

His mother kept an even gaze on him. “We are her king and queen. She should greet us the first time we enter your home. If any of the press find out about this, she’ll have to answer for it tomorrow.”

Lorenzo managed to keep his anger in check. Barely. “The press won’t know unless you tell them. Need I remind you that I’m your son, the one who loves both Lily and Liliana, and I’ll do what I need to do in order to protect them? This castle, by the way, is their home now, too. You’ll treat them with respect, or you won’t see them at all.”

“Lorenzo,” his father warned.

“No, Papa. I’m very happy to see you, Mama, and everyone, but my priorities have changed. You’re a father; I thought you, of all people, would understand that.”

“He’s right,” Eddie’s said. “I’m not a father, but I know what it’s like to live without one.” Eddie’s parents had been killed when he’d been only fifteen, leaving him to care for his two younger sisters. “Having helped raise first my sisters, and now my nieces, I can understand what a father goes through without being one. Lorenzo’s priorities have shifted. More than that, you’d expect them to shift. Yet, now you’re chastising him because they have?”

Another punch to the gut. This time, however, Lorenzo didn’t feel the disappointment of his parents, he felt the support of his friend and almost brother.

“You’re absolutely right, Edward.” His father turned back to Lorenzo. “My son, you know this was – is – a shock, but it’s not an unhappy one. Surely, you know we would never hurt our grandchild, and we certainly don’t mean any ill will towards her mother.”

These were his parents. He’d believed them in the past with other things, but he had trouble believing them now. “Lily. Her name is Lily. Or Cecilia, if you prefer.”

“Cecilia, then. We would like to meet her.”

“You will. Tonight.”

“Lorenzo–”

Lorenzo slashed a hand through the air. “No, absolutely not. This will be Liliana’s first time meeting most of you. She’ll be overwhelmed enough, and I won’t have her or Lily upset. This is their home now, and they should feel safe and protected.”

“My son, we wouldn’t harm them.”

“Of course you wouldn’t, not physically. You might emotionally, however, even unintentionally.”

His mother’s nostrils flared. “Did Cecilia say something about us?”

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