Page 142 of 7+Us Makes Nine

“By the power vested in me,” the priest said, “I now pronounce you husband and wife. Giovanni, you may kiss your bride.”

Giovanni and I turned to face one another. He leaned down, kissing me delicately, but drawing it out as the church erupted into cheers and applause. When we finally separated, both of us were smiling, laughing, and shedding tears of joy.

EPILOGUE

Giovanni

1 year later

Be careful what you wish for, and even more careful what you ask for.

Speeding down the highway, I had officially learned that lesson. After the wedding, my father and I had managed to make up with one another. He had apologized for the way he’d been treating me and the hateful words he’d said to me, claiming that he had just been angry and in the heat of the moment, had said a lot of things he hadn’t meant. It took a while, but I eventually forgave him, although my forgiveness had been aided by the fact that he had finally given me a higher position in the family business.

I’d been flattered by getting a higher ‘job title’ that involved more than being just the capo, which was a duty my younger brothers now shared. However, I quickly learned that having a higher role in the business also meant having more responsibility than I’d expected. I had adapted fairly quickly though and had no desire to complain.

Or at least I hadn’t intended on complaining until now.

I knew it was partially my fault though. I shouldn’t have agreed to work overtime while it was so close to Arianna’s due date. Everyone in the family knew that she could go into labor at any second. But like an idiot, I’d been convinced that I had time to take care of a little business before returning home, where I had anticipated finding Arianna sleeping peacefully.

Instead, what I’d received while out on the job was a frantic phone call with the first several seconds consisting of nothing but Arianna’s screaming. When she finally spoke, my heart was already pounding a mile-a-minute in my chest.

“Gio—I think it’s time. She’s coming! I gotta get to the hospital!” And then she descended into more screams as another contraction hit her. “Oh, my God! I think my water just broke!”

I swore. “Okay, I’m on my way.” But at that precise moment, I realized how far away from home I was and knew that if someone didn’t get to her soon, our child was likely to be born on the dining room carpet.

Fortunately, Arianna had called her parents too, and they had called her oldest brother, who was much closer and had managed to get her to the hospital that I was currently speeding down the highway trying to get to.

When I reached the hospital, I had barely managed to park the car before jumping out and racing inside.

“My wife—she’s in labor! Where is she? Where is she?!” I yelled to the first desk.

“Okay, sir. Calm down,” the receptionist said. “Tell me your wife’s name.”

“Arianna Romano.”

Within minutes, I was running through the hospital to the maternity ward.

Immediately, I saw Dante Marino pacing the waiting room and halfway dressed in hospital scrubs. “Oh, thank God!” he said, looking close to fainting. He hurried toward me and clasped my hand. “Lord knows I didn’t want to go in there, bro.” He quickly began pulling off the scrubs

and handed them over to me. “My folks are on the way.”

I nodded, struggling to put on the gear.

A door to one of the hospital rooms swung open, and screams I recognized as Arianna’s drifted out.

“Excuse me, are you the father?” a nurse asked, poking her head out through the door.

“Yes!”

“Come on in, Mr. Romano!” she said, hastily waving me forward.

I almost tripped over my own feet trying to rush into the room.

Arianna was on the hospital bed, prepped for delivery. Her face was scrunched in pain, and sweat dripped down her forehead. Yet, somehow, she managed to smile upon seeing me.

I hurried to her side, almost tripping again, and grabbed her hand. She proceeded to squeeze it. “Thank goodness you made it,” she said breathlessly. “Dante was about to faint.”

I clenched my teeth and refrained from telling her that I was about to faint too. I took a deep breath and pressed my forehead to hers. “It’s okay now, baby. I’m here.”

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