Epilogue
Serena
“Let me get him this time,” Enzo said.
“No, no. I got it. I got it.”
“You need rest, Rena.”
“What I need is for my boobs to not ache so much,” I said.
Rolling out of bed, I made my way into our son’s bedroom. Vincenzo was in the middle of cluster-feeding because of a growth spurt and he was wearing me down. I padded down the hallway of our home and opened his bedroom door, trying to quiet down the screaming child.
“Come here, my little Vinci. What’s the matter? Hm?”
I settled us down into the rocking chair Enzo had bought me as a surprise gift.
“Someone a little hungry?” I asked.
Vinci was rooting around trying to find my nipple. I slid my nightgown off my shoulder, feeling his milk already leaking down my skin. I held him up to my breast and he began to eat, his body nuzzling into mine. I had to be careful at times. If I wasn’t, my breast was likely to smother him. I leaned my head back into the chair and began to rock slowly, my legs springing to life with the slow, monotonous rhythm they’d become accustomed to.
“What a beautiful sight.”
“You should be in bed,” I said.
“Got a phone call. Emergency at work,” Enzo said.
“Never a dull moment in waste management,” I said with a grin.
“I’m going to get dressed and head out early for work. But I’ll try to get off as soon as I can.”
“Take your time. You know all we’ll do is nap on and off until Vinci’s done growing.”
“It’s like he never stops.”
“That’s what happens when he’s your child,” I said with a giggle.
Enzo came into the room and kissed me on my forehead. He bent down and kissed Vinci, causing him to sputter with milk. I sighed and rolled my eyes as Enzo cleaned his son’s face off, then he looked up at me and winked.
“Can’t help it. He’s simply too cute.”
“He gets that from me, you know,” I said.
“Which means he’ll act like me,” Enzo said.
“Then you better be in for a wild ride. Because he’ll kill me before we can get there.”
“Don’t say things like that. You know I don’t enjoy it when you joke around like that.”
Things had been hard for Enzo at work. With more power in the family business came more blood than I could’ve ever dreamt of. I knew every single way of getting blood out of Gucci suits and I knew when it was time to toss clothes altogether. I quickly came to understand how much my mother and father had shielded me from. How much effort my mother had put in to keeping me away from this lifestyle. It was effort I would have to put into Vinci for as long as I could.
Though I knew he would eventually be expected to follow in his father’s footsteps.
“He’ll be seven months old next week,” I said.
“Will we be doing another photoshoot?” Enzo asked.
“Of course. I want to document him in every month of his first year. For the scrapbook I’m making,” I said.
“I hope you’re making more than one. You know our parents will want one.”
“Of course. I’m tired, but I’m not that tired.”
“I want you to make sure you lay him down and get back in that bed. There’s no reason for you to keep falling asleep in this thing. Had I known you were going to use this rocking chair as a bed, I would’ve bought you a nice leather recliner.”
“I’m honestly shocked you haven’t already.”
“It’s supposed to be delivered tomorrow,” he said.
“My hero.”
I switched Vinci to my other breast as Enzo stood in the doorway. He was tucking in his shirt and putting on his tie and I never got tired of watching his routine. The way he slid his clothes on and the purpose his muscles moved with. Every night for the first year of our marriage he had opened my mind and satisfied me in ways I could’ve never imagined. Even when I was eight months pregnant and could barely move, he was there to satisfy my every whim.
I loved him more than words could express, and I knew he loved me in return.
“Have you made a decision about work?” Enzo asked.
“I’m still flip-flopping,” I said. “Some days I can’t wait to get back, and other days I don’t want to go back.”
“You know I’ll support you in any decision you make with it.”
“I know. And I love you for it. But I’ve got a few more weeks until I have to make a decision, so I’m not rushing anything.”
“If there’s anything I can do to help, you let me know.”
“When have I ever had an issue asking you for help?”
“Never since Vinci came along,” he said with a grin.
“And you love every second of it.”
“Just like I love every inch of you.”
I looked up at him as he threw his suit coat over his shoulders. A navy blue ensemble with a white button-down and a pale yellow tie. A pale yellow pocket square donned his breast pocket and his navy blue shoes blended in nicely with his suit. He was a sharp-looking man, and there was never a moment that went by that I didn’t drool over him in a suit.
“Later, my love. Right now, I have to get to work.”
“I don’t know how you read my mind like that,” I said.
“It isn’t your mind I have to read. Your body tells me everything I need to know.”
He came and gave me one last kiss as a car pulled up into the driveway. Gone were the nights in his penthouse apartment, and instead we were living on acres of land just outside of Chicago. I listened to him walk down the stairs and out the door, his feet carrying him away from the house. I closed my eyes and said a little prayer. The same prayer I recited every time he left for work. I prayed for the saints to keep him close and for the angels in heaven to keep a watchful eye on his decisions.
Then I looked down into the sleeping face of my son. A boy who looked exactly like his father.
“Why don’t we get you back into your crib? Huh?” I asked with a whisper.
I settled Vinci in his crib and quietly closed the door. I shuffled back to my bedroom, relegating myself to a lonely night’s sleep. I shut the door behind me and turned on the lamp on my side of the bed, but when my eyes took in the sight on the sheets I felt tears beginning to brew.
On the comforter of our bed was a dozen red roses, a beautiful black dress with a matching pair of heels, and a box that held a matching set of pearl earrings and a necklace.
And there was a note in the middle of it all.
My dearest Serena,
Happy Anniversary. When I said I would be home early, I meant it. My mother is coming over to watch Vinci and we are going out. Get some rest, sleep well, and prepare yourself for a wonderful evening.
Love,
Enzo
I held the note to my heart and closed my eyes. I could still see us on our wedding day. Me in that white satin dress and him in his beautiful white tuxedo. I could still remember the way he looked at me. How stunned he was at my beauty even though he had devoured it only moments before I was set to walk down the aisle. I could remember how tightly he held my hands, giving away his nervousness as we took our vows in front of God and our families.
I couldn’t wait for Enzo to get home from work.
Because I had a matching panty set that worked perfectly with the dress he bought.