While the mansion was being rebuilt, Luca and Anna moved in with me in my little cottage. Though it was much smaller, it was cozy, and we were all three very happy there. Had we not needed to be closer to business operations, we might’ve stayed there indefinitely. But the demands of work would only be ignored for so long.
Once my injuries became nothing but scars, I went back to running the corridors of the drug trade again. Like always, I enjoyed it, and now that Luca was by my side again, I enjoyed it even more.
By that point my pregnancy had become obvious, and I was delighted to be shown even more deference than before. It was one of the many things I loved about this generation of the Varassos and their employees, women were both protected and revered.
It was a lovely combination.
Marco had gotten through the most grueling part of his recovery and after four months, he was making substantial progress. He would be scarred heavily on his back and shoulders, but he would survive. And we were all grateful for it.
My husband, too, had his scars. In addition to the various bullet wounds he’d had before—now I had nearly as many as he did—his legs also had scars from his compound fracture surgery and his burn scars. His weren’t near as deep or extensive as Marco’s and had healed much more quickly. Still, when we were pronounced husband and wife, he’d still displayed a noticeable limp.
Six months after the place had been burned to the ground, a brand-new mansion had been built over the remains of the old. It seemed fitting, like a phoenix rising from the ashes. After a day of traveling, Luca and I returned to our room, settling into a new king-sized bed. Anna crawled up with us, sitting by my side as I put her little almost two-year-old hand on my belly.
“There, feel it? You feel your baby moving?” I asked her.
She giggled, her blue eyes round. “Uh huh.”
Luca laughed, too, watching the two of us. We’d decided to include Anna in as much of the process of this pregnancy as we could, not wanting her to feel left out in any way. So far, it was working well.
I had that battery of tests done, just like I’d promised him, and no medical conditions or anomalies had presented themselves. I hope it took a load off his mind, because it did off mine.
He’d already been essentially widowed once. And even though we’d sworn our love would never die, I was goi
ng to be damn sure I did everything I could to keep it from happening to him again. At least not for another seven decades or so.
Once Anna was in her crib asleep, I did the same thing with Luca’s hand as I had with hers.
“You feel your baby moving?”
He smiled as the baby kicked harder. This always happened. It was as if our son or daughter recognized their daddy and wanted to connect.
“I do,” he said, and his hand traveled north, pausing over my heart. Then he put my hand over his. “Do you feel me?”
I ran my lips along his neck, up his cheek and to his lips. “I do.”
Epilogue
Luca
I looked down at my wife holding our infant son in her arms.
Luca Antonio Varasso Jr. had been born on a boiling late August day at the Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. Weighing in at seven pounds even, he had my eyes and curly hair, but otherwise was Molly made over.
Just like Anna, our baby boy was perfect.
He’d been born this morning, and we’d be going home soon.
I’d already made good on my deal with God or whoever was up there and had come through for me. I’d created scholarships for local urban high school kids so they could go to college on our dime.
I’d donated to forty churches, twenty-five charities, and had pledged to provide monthly supplies to every shelter and food bank within the city limits.
It’d all come up to the tune of a cool five million, and I’d pay far more to ensure my family’s continued safety.
If that’s what I was even doing. Maybe one had nothing to do with the other, but I always kept my word. And it was nice to know I was making a positive difference.
As I put Anna up on the bed, watching her kiss her baby brother’s mop of dark hair, I felt more elation than I would’ve thought possible before Molly had come along.
She arrived in my life through less than desirable circumstances, frankly. Seeing that masked woman on YouTube, I never would’ve suspected that she’d change my life so radically for the better.