Three Days

Chapter 3

After clearing the boys out of the kitchen, I really went to work. I made my fried ravioli and a big pan of Bolognese. I made two loaves of garlic bread and a huge salad. By the time 7 came around my family had arrived and the table off the back patio had been set up. We opened the French doors and allowed the warm summer night to enter the patio. It reminded me of so many dinners we had done before. Chase entered the kitchen to help me take the food to the table but stopped when I pulled him into a hug.

"I haven't really had a chance to say hello to you yet," I mumble into his chest. He chuckled, making me vibrate.

"I have missed you," he said, hugging me tighter.

"You are going to be an amazing dad," I said, looking up to see his face.

"You are going to have to move in and help me, because I don't have a clue what I am doing," he said with a serious look on his face.

"I can come up and help three days a week but I work the other four. We will sit down tomorrow after the doctor's appointment and make a schedule for you and your brothers. They already know they will have to help. We will make it work," I said before leaning up and kissing his cheek. "Now let's go eat. It isn't everyday we have all the Blackhearts and all the Bianchi's under one roof for dinner."

We carried the dishes to the table and hollered for everyone to come eat. I looked around at the table full of boys and laughed. Not much has changed. Dad and Nonno are talking with Jackson and Ryan about soccer versus football. Nick was asking Julian about some girl who started working at the bar. Chase was holding Amelia and trying to figure out how to eat around her. Okay maybe one thing has changed.

Nonno finally took a bite and looked up at me, "You are your Nonni's granddaughter."

I smiled as best I could and tried to breathe. I hated moments like this where it hit me like a stack of bricks. She is gone. She is not going to come back and tell me I used too much onion. I remember what I said to Chase earlier, 'It isn't every day we have all the Blackhearts and all the Bianchi's under one roof for dinner.' Looking around the table I realize we don't have everyone here for dinner. Nonni isn't here. She loved these boys. She would have moved heaven and earth for these people at this table. She would have been absolutely thrilled with Amelia.

"So, Amber said I could change Amelia's name if I wanted to. What do you guys think?" Chases asked suddenly.

"I kind of like Amelia. We could call her Mia, Mia Blackheart," Ryan said with a smile as he looked at his niece.

"If you do change it, what would you change it to?" my dad asked.

"Grace Ciana Blackheart," he said without hesitating. Everyone around the table gasp.

"After your mother and Nonni Bianchi," Jackson said with a smile.

"Yeah, but I'm not sure because she has been called Amelia her whole life. Everything else is changing for her, so I don't know if it's right to change anything else," Chase said with unsure eyes.

"So put it together. Amelia Grace Ciana Blackheart," I said her name slowly and with my strong Italian accent it came out beautifully.

"It's perfect," Jackson whispered with tears in his eyes. Everyone nodded in agreement.

"What do you think of your name Mia?" I said holding out my arms for her. Chase placed her in them easily. She snuggled into my chest, and I knew she loved her name.

"The princess has spoken," Ryan said with a laugh. Everyone joined in and I knew it to be true; she was definitely this family's princess.

We all laughed at good stories, we ate great food, and we drank even better wine. When it was time I went with Chase to put Amelia down for bed. We knew our family's would be up late into the night talking and laughing. Ryan had put the playpen in Chase's room so we walked in and I laid her down softly.

"I am going to stay here. I don't want her waking up and not being able to hear her," he says quietly.

"Tomorrow we can go shopping for a baby walkie talkie. I will be staying in my normal room if you need me tonight. For right now though, I am going to go for a swim," I whispered back. I reached down and kissed her cheek before turning to kiss his cheek as well. "Goodnight Chase."

I walked to my room, knowing Ryan had already put my bag in there. It was technically one of the guest rooms but it was covered with my stuff, pictures of me with the boys and it always had a couple of my bathing suits in the drawers. I slipped one on before walking back down the staircase to find Ryan and Julian at the bottom. Already in their swim trunks. I tried not to check out Ryan in this state. I haven't seen him shirtless for years and a lot has changed. He now had tattoos covering his arms and shoulders. He also has a small scar on his lower stomach leading into his back, from a fire. It was healed but still noticeable. His muscles were defined and delicious looking. I had to force myself to look away. I guess being a firefighter had its perks.

We headed to the back of the house and before I headed to the pool I made sure to give my Pops and my Nonno a big hug and kiss. Just in case they were gone when I got out.