Bound By Blood Anthology

I cringed but then I shrugged. “To be honest, you’ve said worse.”

Matteo chuckled. “Right. So pizza?”

“Pizza.”

Twenty minutes later, Isa was fed, changed twice (her diaper exploded a second after we’d changed her) and slept soundly in her crib, which Matteo had carried downstairs so we’d have her close by. Two pizza cartons sat on the living room table, waiting for us. We settled on the couch and dug in.

“I can’t remember the last time we had pizza on the couch. You hated the couch-potato life.”

“I did, and still do, but right this moment I’m too tired to consider my life choices.”

Matteo grinned and I knew he’d say something stupid. “If I’d known how docile you’d be after giving birth, I’d have knocked you up sooner.”

I slapped his shoulder, then settled against him with a piece of pizza. “Shut up. I’ll make your life hell soon enough again.”

Matteo kissed the side of my head. “I know, babe, I know.”The days and nights that followed our homecoming were filled with vomit, poo, and screaming. Most days I wasn’t even sure what time of the day it was. Finding any sort of routine proved difficult. Aria came over almost every day as mental support.

I hadn’t left the apartment in a week and barely changed out of my sweats, but on day seven we decided to brave the outside world and pay a visit to Lily and Romero. Like last time, Isa wasn’t too fond of the car but she settled down after a while.

Matteo and I drove to Romero’s and Lily’s house in Greenwich Village, a narrow brownstone building with an even narrower back yard, but the homiest, coziest place I could imagine. While Aria and I kept our places straight and more focused on modern design, Lily had gone all out with decoration, turning every room into a country-style dream. Matteo carried Isabella in her carrier while I followed slowly. I still felt unsteady on my legs, as if I had to find my balance again after my belly had practically disappeared overnight.

Romero opened the door for us with Sara perched on his arm. The little girl beamed all over her face. Her brown hair was styled in side pigtails which gave her an even cuter appearance. I’d never seen a happier, more easygoing child than her. I had a feeling Isabella would be a little piece of work.

He and Lily hadn’t visited us in the hospital or in the week since then, which wasn’t surprising considering they had their own little newborn to care for.

Romero hugged me carefully. “How are you feeling?”

I kissed Sara’s cheek then gave him a wry smile. “As if someone sent my lower parts through a wringer.”

He chuckled, his eyes crinkling. Then he bent over Isabella’s carrier. She was fast asleep. After her initial crying fit in the car, she’d fallen asleep.

“She’s beautiful.”

Sara’s eyes were wide and curious. “Favio,” she said in her cute toddler voice.

Romero laughed. “No, this isn’t Flavio. He’s with your mom. This is Isabella, Gianna’s baby.”

Gianna’s baby, the words still made me pause. Matteo winked at me, probably because I’d made a funny face.

“How did the whole house birthing thing go?” Matteo asked.

“Good,” Romero said. “Lily was very happy with it and that’s all that matters.”

Happy wasn’t a word I’d use to describe my birthing story but maybe I was just my usual bitchy self.

“Lily’s in the living room.”

I walked inside their house and found Lily on the sofa with little Flavio asleep on her. She didn’t wear makeup and her hair was pulled up in a messy bun that I was all too familiar with.

“Hey,” I said quietly, hoping not to wake Flavio. Isabella luckily didn’t mind the occasional background noise but I wasn’t sure if that was a baby thing or just an Isabella thing.

Lily gave me a tired smile. I leaned down and hugged her carefully. Flavio was bigger than Isabella and I wondered how Lily could have done the home birth. “You’re brave, squeezing him out of you at home.”

Lily peered down at him. “It was really peaceful. Maybe because it was my second child. And you did a car seat birth, Gianna. That’s brave.”

“It wasn’t planned.”

“Where is she?” Lily asked curiously, peering behind me.

“Oh, Matteo is carrying her because I still have trouble lifting her with the carrier. I’m sure he’ll bring her here as soon as he’s done chatting with Romero.”

Lily gave me a surprised look. “You don’t mind her being out of your sight? So shortly after birth, I can hardly stay away to go to the bathroom.”

I glanced toward the doorway where the low murmur of male voices could still be heard, wondering if I was being a bad mother because I had no trouble leaving her with Matteo. It wasn’t as if I was gone for hours, or even far away.