Page 34 of Secret Babies for the Italian Mafia Boss

Luca doesn’t say anything. He tilts his head, and his eyes narrow. I see him calculating. Is he wondering if they are his? What do I do if he asks? I have to tell him the truth. I should blurt it out now, but then I’d have a lot of explaining to do with the kids first.

This is a mess. How did this become so messy?

“It’s nice to meet you both,” he says. “And I hope your mom doesn’t mind, but I brought you something.”

Olivia spins around and tugs on my apron, tilting her head back to stare at me. “Mommy. Peasants! Peasants.”

Luca laughs, and I slap a hand against my forehead. “Sweetheart, it’s presents. Presents. With an R.”

“It’s what I said,” she argues. “Peasants.”

Luca chuckles again, tilting his head back to look at me, still squatting, and now I’m bombarded with Olivia and her father staring directly at me with the same eyes.

I can’t process a thing. They look so much alike that it hurts. I think about what the kids have missed out on by not having a father around, and I can’t help but think they missed out on so many wonderful things with Luca.

“Can he give us gifts now?” Oliver questions, taking a brave step next to his sister.

“Yeah, can I?” Luca teams up with them, leaving me alone with no way to say no with all of them staring at me.

Even Oliver, while he looks more like me, when he is standing in front of Luca, I can see so much of Luca in him. One night. How did one night give me all of this?

“Yes, they can have their gifts.”

Luca stands and ruffles their hair. “I’ll be right back. Just wait.” He opens the door to the bakery, allowing cool air inside, and I cross my arms to keep myself warm. Luca returns with a purple bag, and I immediately worry about what it is.

I do everything I can to give Olivia and Oliver what they need, but being a single mom, money is tight. Luca has endless pockets of blood, drug money, and who knows what else. He can get anything in their wildest dreams, and yes, that sounds nice. Who wouldn’t want to give their kids everything?

I want to give them enough to be happy but not enough that they expect life to be easy. I don’t want them to think they can always have what they want because life doesn’t work like that. They are young, and a lot of people would argue that they are only children. They deserve to be spoiled.

That’s how entitled adults are created.

If the habits begin now, they will continue.

“Okay. One gift for you, Olivia. And another for you, Oliver.” He hands them individually wrapped gifts, and I roll my lips together to stay silent.

They are too excited to find a chair, so they plop on the ground. I take a seat too, and I’m cautious. He wouldn’t wrap a gun, right?

Olivia tears into her gift in a fit of giggles, but Oliver is quiet and peels the tape from each folded corner, not wanting to mess up the paper.

They are so different.

Olivia has her gift open first. “Mommy! Look. Look. Mr. Luca got me a Barbie doll.”

My shoulders sag in relief. I don’t know what I expected, but it wasn’t that. “That’s so wonderful. Look how pretty she is. What do you say when someone gets you something nice?”

Olivia stands on her feet, doll tight in her hand, and she squeals, throwing her arms around Luca. “Thank you so much, Mr. Luca. I love her. I’m going to go play with her right now. “

She sprints to the back of the bakery, where I have a small play station set up, and away from the customers just in case I can’t get them to daycare or if Cora can’t watch them. They don’t do badly on their own now, but I like to have them around other kids, so they get that socialization.

Oliver is still working on his gift.

“Do you need help?” Luca offers, and Oliver rolls his eyes.

I turn my head and stifle a laugh by covering my mouth with my hand.

“No. I don’t like to be hurrieded,” Oliver explains, gently peeling back another piece of wrapping paper.

“It’s hurried, baby. Hurrieded isn’t a word,” I correct him.

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