Page 64

Months later

NEW YORK

“Babyeeeeeeee! ” Joseph shouts, pointing to the “photograph,” actually an ultrasound image that we framed and placed in our unborn son’s room.

Dionysus, who was adjusting a painting on the wall, looks back and smiles when he sees his enthusiasm. “That’s right, my little man. A brother for you,” he says.

“ Bawder !” Joseph repeats and then forgets the “conversation” and goes back to playing with the trucks.

“Or lots of little brothers for him.” I struggle to stand up from the rocking chair, my belly making it impossible to rise gracefully.

When Dionysus sees that I’m a little “stuck” in the seat, my overprotective husband runs to help me. But instead of leaving me standing, he sits down and pulls me onto his lap.

“I want my entire football team, like you promised me,” I say.

“Your wish is my command, my lady. Too bad you can’t make more than one baby at a time. If it was possible, it would be one pregnancy after the other. You look very sexy and naughty when you are pregnant, my redhead.”

“I don’t mind having children one after the other. I want a full house, and I suggest we practice to ensure we produce heirs quickly.”

He moans, and I feel him harden beneath my butt. “Like I said, you’re a naughty one. You’re teasing me because you know that the doctor has forbidden me to fuck you this last week. But once the no-sex period passes, you won’t sleep, Cecily.”

Birth of Andrus

“My God in heaven, I love having my son in my arms,” I say, looking at my Andrus, who looks just like his father, while I breastfeed him. “But how did you manage to have two at once?” I ask Madison and then look at Brooklyn, her sister. “It hurts like hell. In fact, you two had twins!”

“The three of us,” Elina says.

“Four.” Zoe smiles. “And in my case, twice. Apart from Brooklyn, they all have Greek parents. Does that tell you anything?

“Jesus, yes! That I won’t escape, then,” I joke. “It could only be something they put in the Greeks’ water. They are trying to populate the world on their own.”

They all laugh, and I watch my husband on the other side of the room, talking to his relatives but with his eyes always on me, like a lion protecting his cub.

Minutes later, when the family leaves, he goes outside to pick up Joseph, who, according to what he told me, has just arrived with Eleanor.

We don’t like to have him in the hospital for too long because it’s not a good environment for a child, but I miss my son and I won’t be discharged until tomorrow.

Joseph was also eager to meet his brother.

“Babyeeeeeeee!” He comes in full energy, hand in hand with his father.

“Shhhhhh... You need to speak softly to him, my love,” I say, while Dionysus sits him on the bed, next to me. “Your brother is very small and gets scared easily.”

He puts his index finger in front of his mouth and says, “Shhhhh.”

“Do you wanna hold him?”

He nods, and after Dionysus adjusts him, leaning him against the pillows, I carefully place Andrus in his arms.

I can’t stop myself from crying when I see the concentration with which Joseph looks at the baby.

I want to capture this moment in a painting.

“ Bawder !”

“Yes. Your younger brother, my son,” Dionysus says and then looks at me. “Our family.”

“Mine,” I say.