Y/N pov:
"It's the polite thing to do. We should bring something." I say.
Alessandro and I are having a small disagreement about whether we should bring a gift to a friend's house.
"Really, and what should we bring?" he asks.
"Red wine," I reply.
Alessandro raises an eyebrow at me. "Why should we bring red wine? They didn't bring us any the last time they came over."
I frowned. "Well, that's because they just came over for a casual get-together. This is a special occasion; we have to bring a present."
"We don't have to do anything."
"Please, Alessandro, be serious. We should bring something, and red wine is always a safe bet."
"How about we talk about it later, when we are getting ready? That way we have some time to think," he suggests, and I agree.
-Time skip-
Three hours later
"Hey, Mr. Bongetti, can I ask you something?"
"Yes, anything, darling," he replied.
"When you go to a friend's house, should you bring a gift?" I ask.
"Oh yes. What did you have in mind?"
"Well, I was thinking red wine, but my partner says we shouldn't bring anything."
"Oh yes, that man. When I first saw him, I had a feeling he would be like that."
"So that's a yes to red wine?"
"Yes, and maybe a small box of chocolates."
"Thank you, Mr. Bongetti," I say before I leave.
I go into my home office, pick up my phone, and call Alessandro, who answers after only one ring.
"Hey Princess."
"Hey Bear, I've got some great news for you."
"Really?" he says.
"Yeah, I talked to that old man who works in the kitchen; you know him, Mr. Bongetti. Anyway, I asked him about taking some wine to a friend's house."
"And he said it was a good idea, I know," he says, cutting me off.
"Um, yeah, how did you know?"
"I have my ways, princess."
"Can I ask you something?" he asks.
"Yeah, anything."
"Are you watching me through the cameras?"
"Why would you ask that?"
"Because you always know what I'm doing, even when I don't tell you," I say, leaning back in my chair.
"Like the way you sit on the back of your chair," he says, and I can hear his grin through the phone.
"Yeah, how the hell?"
"I have my ways, princess," he cuts me off again.
"Fine, whatever, we'll talk about it before we pick up Lorenzo from kindergarten."
"See you then, princess," he says before hanging up.
-Time skip-
Three hours later
"Hey Princess, how was your day?" Alessandro asks as he takes my bag off my back and opens the door for me.
"Yeah, it was fine," I reply. I watch as he walks around the car to the driver's seat and gets in, one hand on the wheel, the other on my thigh as usual.
"So tell me everything that happened from the moment I dropped you off."
"I went in, had a coffee, and looked at some stupid numbers. And that was it."
"Sounds relaxing," Alessandro laughs.
An awkward silence fills the room, and I can't stand it, so I say the only thing I know will get Alessandro talking.
"I still think we should bring some red wine."
"Oh, not the wine thing again."
"I just don't see what we're losing by not bringing anything."
"We're losing the upper hand."
"Alessandro, this isn't a Mafia deal; this is a housewarming with a family friend."
"I don't see why they need our wine. They can buy their own."
"Oh my God, you are impossible sometimes."
We pull into the car park at Lorenzo's school, so I get out and grab him. Normally I never get Lorenzo; it's usually Alessandro, but as I'm back in the office since Isabella, I want to spend some time with him, however brief.
As soon as he is settled, we drive off in deafening silence, and the tension between Alessandro and me is palpable.
"'Mamma'? Lorenzo calls to me.
"Yes, bello," I say.
"Are you and Papa fighting?" he asks.
"Oh, of course not." Why do my children have to be so clever about these things?
"Yes, we weren't, mate; why would you think that? Alessandro adds.
"Because when you both go to school to pick me up, you go and Papa holds the door open for Mamma, but you didn't. You fighting," he says, a proud smile spreading across his face.
"I can promise you, we do not fight," I say, not wanting to worry him.
"Really, prove it. Papa, give Mamma a big kiss."
Without hesitation, Alessandro places his lips on mine and gives me a deep but brief kiss.
"Yes, Mamma and Papa love each other," says Lorenzo, clapping his hands and staring into space.
"Why don't we do what Mr. Bongetti says and get some chocolate?" he says.
"How do you know? I didn't tell you what Mr. Bongetti said." I ask.
"I have my ways," he says smugly.