Dad took Aldo from Danilo, then shook his hand.
“I hope you’re hungry. We’ve prepared a big feast for tonight.”
“You don’t always have to go to such troubles when we visit,” I said with a laugh. I saw my parents at least once a month, so it wasn’t like we had to celebrate reuniting.
Mom waved me off. “I’m sure the boys are hungry.”
“They always are,” Danilo said.
Mom and Dad went inside with the boys, leaving us on the doorstep.
I gave Danilo an amused look. “They wouldn’t even notice if we just disappeared.”
“Then let’s take our luggage up to the guestroom and rest a bit until dinner,” Danilo suggested in a low voice.
“That sounds like a good idea.”
We hurried upstairs. From somewhere in the house I could hear delighted laughter of the boys.
The moment Danilo and I were behind closed doors, we ripped our clothes off, enjoying our time off.
Later at dinner, the boys practically ate their body weight in food, but I also ate more than I should have. Dad and Danilo discussed their upcoming hunting trip, a men’s weekend with Samuel and Marco. The boys would be staying with me, and Mom would come for a visit to help me. At two, they were still far too young to go along on the trip.
Orlando’s head sagged forward, his forehead briefly touching the mashed potatoes before he jerked back up. Aldo was still poking around in his food. Mom laughed and got up to clean him. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at me. Dad looked relaxed and eager for his trip.
The past really had been put to rest. We’d gone through some difficult times, but we were happy now.
Danilo met my gaze and smiled, the dimple flashing in his cheek. Whatever lay ahead of us, I was confident we’d master it.The End