Page 80 of The Unraveling of Julia

I t was a superhot afternoon, or maybe Julia just felt that way because she was extremely pregnant.

They were in the nursery, which used to be a guest bedroom but was now one of the few rooms completed in the restoration of the villa.

She sat with her feet up and watched her vision come to life, but it wasn’t like the ones she used to have.

She met with Helen off and on, but she was still too busy to develop her gift, though she’d learned to trust herself and her feelings, at least most of the time.

Gianluca, now her husband, was sketching on the nursery wall, drawing a mural they’d envisioned together, their unconventional version of a family tree, which included all the people they loved and wanted their baby to know, whether alive, dead, or somewhere in between.

Its branches would be green, leafy, and full, containing portraits of Mike, then Julia’s adoptive parents Melanie and Martin, and Gianluca’s late grandparents Letizia and Raimondo, and even Caterina herself.

Courtney and Paul would be depicted, too, as well as Fiamma and Julia’s biological father Roberto.

She’d reached out to him, and he’d been delighted to get to know her.

She’d come to like him and didn’t find him too serious-minded.

On the contrary, she thought her wacky and wonderful family could use adult supervision.

She sipped her water, happy to watch Gianluca, who was back to himself after a long rehabilitation, which included clearing the vineyard with his father.

He worked on the mural next to Fiamma, Sherry, and Tonio, while Raffi told them all what they were doing wrong.

Julia loved belonging to a family of artists and had already finished her portraits because she didn’t leave everything to the last minute like these Florentines.

Plus she had a baby to deliver. Next week.

Whoa. Julia felt a sharp pain in her belly and set down her water glass. She’d had Braxton Hicks from time to time, but this was stronger. It was early for a real contraction, but it sure felt like one.

“Julia?” Gianluca turned around, alarmed. “Are you okay?”

“Um, I don’t know.” Julia tried to breathe through the contraction, but it wasn’t helping. The hospital was over an hour away. “I think—”

“It’s time? My God!” Gianluca rushed to her, and everybody exploded into talk and action.

Fiamma helped Gianluca get Julia to the door.

Sherry ran for Julia’s purse, Raffi for her hospital bag, and Tonio for the Fiat Panda.

Only Bianco stayed put, raising his head, determining he wasn’t needed, then going back to sleep.

Julia made her way to the stairs, where Raffi met her with the hospital bag. Gianluca supported her one arm, and Fiamma the other. They descended the stairs, and Sherry met them with purses and water bottles.

Julia had another contraction in the entrance hall and stopped, clutching her belly and glancing up at the astrological fresco. It’s a Leo! she thought, delighted. The baby would be fierce, loving, passionate, and creative. Basically, Tuscan with a splash of American.

Gianluca helped her to the idling car, gentled her into the back seat, and got in beside her, holding her and counting her breaths like they’d learned in class.

Fiamma locked the house and jumped in beside him.

Sherry climbed in the passenger seat, and Tonio hit the gas.

They took off with Raffi jumping on her Vespa, zooming ahead like a police escort.

Julia tried to breathe through her contraction, listening to Gianluca’s calm voice amid the loud and animated chatter in Italian and English, everybody excited to be adding new life to an already lively clan.

Tears sprang to her eyes, not from pain but from happiness, and she realized this was her dream, not a painting of a family tree but a flesh-and-blood family, filling a tiny car with noisy love for a baby they had yet to meet but already adored.

Julia felt flushed with joy and wonderment, about to become a mother to a daughter of her own, a little girl named in honor of the mother who was always there for her.

Melanie Pritzker Moretti was about to enter the world.

Taking her place among the stars.