Save Me

Chapter 23

The next morning when I wake, Axel and I are still on our video call, and quietly listening to Axel breath, I hang up our call. I send him a message telling him that I hung up our call, so I don't accidentally wake him while I'm getting ready for the day, and that I love him, and that I can't wait to see him tonight. Showering, and performing my morning routine, and once I'm dressed, I glance at my phone to find the time - 7 a.m.

Leaving my bedroom, I peak into Lucca's bedroom, and find him still sleeping on his belly with his arms tucked under his chest. Smiling to myself, I make my way down to the kitchen to make a pot of coffee, and wait for the coffee to be done, and use this time to decide what to make for breakfast for everyone, and decide on simple bacon and pancakes with blueberries. Pouring myself a cup of coffee with creamer, I start on breakfast, keeping the food warm in the over that I've turned on warm. By 7:30, everyone's in the kitchen with me, and we're sitting around the table having breakfast, and Lucca's sitting right next to me.

Hours later, Lucca and are ready to leave once Axel arrives which should be any minute now.

"Papa, when we leave?" Lucca asks, his face curious as we leave his bedroom after we've made sure we're both dressed, and have everything we'll need while we're gone with Axel.

"Axel should be here any -" I start saying when Da calls up the stairs that Axel's here.

"Axel!" Lucca hollers as we reach the bottom of the steps as Axel, flinging himself onto the older man's legs, and wrapping his arms tightly around one leg.

Axel chuckles as he bends at the waist to pick Lucca up, settling him on his forearm after giving him a hug with a verbal greeting. Axel pulls me by the waist into his free side, giving me a soft kiss on the lips in greeting which I happily return.

Breaking apart, Axel and I grin at each other while Lucca rests the side of his head on Axel's shoulder, his face toward me, and he's grinning too. We say our goodbyes to Papa and Da because they're they only two in the house, everyone else is out either training, at work, or doing a job for Papa. Arriving at the cafe where we've decided to have dinner, we're seated, given menus, given our drink orders, and Lucca was given a paper to color on with four crayons.

"So, I've been thinking about something, and I want to run it by you now," Axel says once the server has left.

"Yeah, what's that, baby?" I reply, coloring with Lucca, but I stop to focus on Axel, and he looks very serious.

"Well, I've been thinking about the three of us taking a vacation to Milan, Italy?" he says, and my eyes widen in surprise - I've always wanted to visit the city I was named after.

"Really?" I excitedly ask, and Axel seems to relax a little as he nods his head. "When are you thinking we should go?"

"Really. I want to take my boys there," he assures with a gentle smile. "I was thinking, and did some planning on the internet the other night, that we should go next month."

Dancing in my seat as the server returns with our drinks, and takes our orders before leaving again to turn the ticket into the kitchen.

"Yes, that sounds fun, and I think next month is a great time to go!" I giggle loudly. "Let me know what Lucca's and my share is, and I transfer the money to you!"

Axel lightly frowns with a shake of his head; "I'll get everything squared away tonight when I'm home, but this trip is on me because it's my idea."

I open my mouth to argue with him, but decide against this because I don't want to hurt Axel's feelings, so instead I thank him with a bright smile. Axel seems relieved that I didn't argue, and tells me that if it'll make me happy, I can pay for one or two activities for the three of us while we're there, and I agree to this.

We spend the rest of dinner talk over what we'd like to do and see while in Milan, so we have a rough idea, and Axel can see what he can purchase tickets while he's doing the rest tonight when he's home, and he promises that whatever he spends on some of these activities, he'll tell me the cost, so I can send him the money.

After dinner, we head to a local children's museum, that allows the children to play with the toys and items that are there. While Axel and I play with him, he also plays with some of the children that are there, too with their person or persons. We spend spend three hours there in total, and I'll admit, I think Axel and I had just as much fun as Lucca.

"I don't know about you guys, but I had so much fun!" Axel cheerfully states as we leave the children's museum with a tired, but very happy Lucca who is being carried by Axel, and he's got his head resting on Axel's shoulder.

"Yes! So fun!" Lucca giggles before loudly yawning into Axel's neck, and I tell Axel I had a blast, too, and I promise Lucca we'll come back one day soon with Axel, so we can do this again, and Lucca is excited about this.

Arriving home, Axel comes inside with us, carrying Lucca at the little boy's request, and he also helps me get Lucca ready for bed, and helps tuck him in, too.

"Would you like to stay the night with me?" I shyly ask Axel once we've left Lucca's room, and he agrees, telling me he'll be back inside in a moment, and that he's got to go out to his truck to grab his bag that he packed for tonight in case I asked if he'd like to spend the night - the sly, handsome man that he is, thought ahead.