Page 224 of Falling for the Wife

“I thought you’d never ask.”

She situated herself in the rocker, and then I tucked the baby in her arms. No words could fully describe how I felt when I saw tears in her eyes as she gazed down on him with such profound love.

“Mommy hasn’t been well, my little one. I’m sorry for being the way that I am, but I’m getting stronger every day. Forgive me, my love.”

It took every ounce of me to remain there, silent, unmoved as I gave her this moment to reintroduce herself into his world. I couldn’t help feeling triumphant that they had finally reunited. It was hard to comprehend that a mother who had just recently given birth to a baby would detach herself from her infant, though it was more common than one would imagine. Maybe that was why the news was filled with stories of mothers committing horrific tragedies. I wasn’t making an excuse about their actions, but one could imagine the inner workings their mind went through to get to that selfish, evil decision.

I was simply grateful Kimberly had possessed the strength and courage to fight whatever was holding her down. Slowly but surely, she was coming out of her shell. It was like going through a barren winter before spring came in, full of blooms, full of color, full of life. It was magnificent.

We stayed with our son for about an hour and a half then retreated back to my bedroom. As expected, she was overwrought with overwhelming emotions, but what mattered most was the smile she had across her face after expressing the turmoil she had experienced from holding Gian Luca after almost a month of not daring to touch him.

Our first night together was filled with good vibes and laughter. It was better than I had anticipated.

I would do anything just to see her smile the way she had tonight. She had no idea how much I longed to see that again.

With the lights out, we then went to bed, and I automatically sought her warmth, holding her close against my chest. It was the most natural feeling one could ever experience—familiarity.

She gave a small yawn before turning over to face me in the dark. And even though there wasn’t much light, her eyes penetrated mine like there was.

“I’m going to be better.”

“You will be,” I immediately squashed her doubts, singularly catering only to positivity.

She seemed as if there were lingering thoughts that were plaguing her once again.

“On the days I might retreat from him again, I beg you not to give up on me, even if you have to force me, Luca. I can’t allow myself to miss out on him so much. I know it’s only been less than a month, but so much has happened with him. Will you do that for me?”

“I promise … I won’t give up on you. Ever.”

Every night, Kim and I would visit our son in the nursery before going to bed. It had been three weeks since that emotionally charged moment, and she appeared to be improving the more she worked on her guilt and the pain of losing her brother. She and I often discussed it when we were in bed together. It was becoming a good habit to have—sharing one’s thoughts with your partner.

Her annulment should be coming up soon, and I had decided that I was going to wait to propose. The same thing went for sex. A lunatic idea of mine, really, but I felt as though she needed time to adjust to this life. I didn’t want another monumental moment that could push her back to mentally and emotionally blocking herself from everyone. There was no need to rush. We were both in this for the rest of our lives. And when she was ready, she only ever needed to tell me.

Yes, she and I had a lengthy discussion about this. She rebutted that I might not have the will to wait. Well, I was hell-bent on proving her wrong.

Dieci

A YEAR LATER

It was our son’s special day, and the villa was a beautiful riot of a circus-themed party. It was an event jointly planned by my mother and Kimberly. A remarkably pleasant surprise coming from her end, and I supposed she was making headway with showing, both personally and publicly, that she supported us. I wouldn’t outright say Kimberly had fully warmed to her, but in some ways, one could say she had gotten used to being in her presence. My mother was consistently trying to mend bridges, and Kimberly seemed to truly appreciate her effort. Not to mention, she was actually quite attached to Gian Luca these days.

My mother would even sometimes visit without my father, who was the ultimate mediator between us all, because she wanted to spend some time with the baby. So, as time went on, obviously, our son grew to love her and would spit out “nonna” whenever my mother wasn’t visiting. She was particular about seeing him every other day.

The uphill and downhill battles were consistent, but what I loved the most was how Kim and I handled arguments together. We fought hard and loved twice as hard. We compromised and supported each other in a way that only solidified our relationship on a deeper level.

As for her condition, she had been given the clear six months ago. It had been a struggle, but with her persistence combined with my relentless aid in the matter, she had overcome it the moment she had re-bonded with our son. She had said it was like a light had been switched on inside of her and the sun had shined on her the moment her heart connected with Gian Luca once again.

Our son was quite attached to her now, just as he was to me. Who could blame him, really? I was a great father, if I said so myself, although I wouldn’t readily admit that to anyone.

Very soon, Kimberly would go back to University and continue where she had left off. She was thrilled, but of course, she had a few reservations about going back. Regardless, I kept encouraging her to keep on the path because she might never know her potential, otherwise.

As much as I loved her being a mother to our son, I also wanted her to see her worth elsewhere as she honed the skills she had been given. I had already taken life by the horns; therefore, I wanted her to do the same. Not to such an extent as I had, but for her to be fearless and see herself the way I saw her—intelligently brave and willing to sacrifice anything to do the right thing.

It was a large yet intimate gathering. Most of my friends had flown out for Gian Luca’s birthday. I was ecstatic to see Jacques and Andrés in the flesh. Although we had kept in touch, it was something else when you had your best mates laughing and celebrating one of the most important times in your life.

Just after everyone sang “Happy Birthday” and Gian Luca repeatedly blew his candles off the four-tiered circus-themed cake, Kimberly took one of her utensils and repeatedly clanked it against her glass of wine, hushing the guests and drawing the attention towards her.

“Thank you all for coming to celebrate Gian Luca’s first birthday. Luca and I are thrilled to have our friends and family with us on this very special occasion. But I have a different agenda.” She turned towards me. “A year ago, this beautiful man saved me. He gave me some of his strength when I had none of my own. He continually showed me love when my heart was buried within itself. He supplied happiness when I was barren of smiles and laughter. I don’t deserve you, Luca, but I’m thankful that you chose to stick by me through thick and thin. I couldn’t have chosen a better partner, a loving father, and a caring daredevil of a person to spend the rest of my life with.”