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“I can see the sea!” Mark jumps up and down.

“It’s beautiful.” Katie shields her eyes to take it all in.

“And if you look to your left…”

“Is that a vineyard?”

“It certainly is. Come this way.” I take Katie’s hand and lead her and Mark around to the right. Even Zander is wide awake taking it all in.

“It’s Upsy and Daisy!” Mark jumps for joy at the sight of this billy goats.

“And chickens!” Katie cries. “Is this ours?”

“If you want it to be. Here we can have our family time again. But this time we have all our other family and friends close by.”

“It’s perfect, Leo. Thank you.”

“Come on inside.” I open the back door of the house and lead Katie and Mark inside.

“It’s just like our house, Papa.”

“That’s because it is our house,” I reply enjoying the happiness on my son’s and wife’s faces as they look around. The rooms are bigger than in our previous home on the island, but the layout is very similar. I’ve had the walls and soft furnishings changed to the same as we had, so Katie and Mark will feel right at home.

“This is my room.” Mark explores his bedroom while I show Katie the rest of the upstairs.

“Both boys’ rooms join on to ours, and each have their own bathrooms. I managed to replace most of the toys Mark had, and I’ve made a good start on things for Zander, but I’ll need your help with the rest.”

“I think you have done an amazing job. Thank you, Leo. This is wonderful.”

“And I’m not sure how serious your parents were about moving here, but I’ve bought the next house as well, half a mile away, which is theirs if they want it.”

Katie wraps her arms around me tightly, Mark then joins us, so I pick him up to join the embrace. I stand with my arms wrapped around my wife and two sons, my whole world.

Katie

The house is perfect. My spirit feels lighter now we are here. It’s like my muscles have been tensed the whole time we have been back in Italy, and now they have finally relaxed. “Canwe move in right away? Like, today?” The thought of spending another night in that house where Alga and Serigo died makes me tense up again.

“Of course. The place is ours. We do, however, have to go back the Guerra house tonight for an event.”

“An event?”

“Yes. Marco and Mia—well, Mia really—are throwing a welcome home celebration for us and Alex and Vanna. She’s going all out—friends, family, connections. You name them, they will be there. It’s more of a declaration of power really. We need to be there, unfortunately. But we will go just to show our faces and then return here, to our home.”

“Okay. And then that’s it for a while? Back to family time?”

“Promesso.”I promise.

“I need to find something to wear, then,” I say, knowing full well that wardrobe in my new bedroom will be full of beautiful dresses. “What should the boys wear?”

Leo has a beaming smile on his face as reaches into the boys’ wardrobe and pulls out the two matching three-piece suits and ties, one in Zander’s size and one in Mark’s.

“I knew they would need these for something.” Leo winks.

The evening is actually very enjoyable. It’s a true Guerra event with no expense spared. Everyone is dressed up, the drinks are flowing, food keeps appearing out of nowhere all fancy on silver trays, and the music has everyone dancing.

My parents come along, and it’s so lovely being with them and Leo’s family and friends. My mother and Leo’s mother areactually getting along, and my dad seems to have calmed now. We have a lot of special people around us, and I never thought I’d say this, but I’m actually glad to be back. The boys’ lives will be so much better, surrounded by all these people who love them.

Hopefully this will continue our happily ever after.