Married With Malice: An Arranged Marriage Romance
Married With Malice: EPILOGUE

EARLY SUMMER, THE FOLLOWING YEAR…

Baby fever is a very real affliction.

I’ve seen the evidence for myself.

Spending so much time with our little niece had the effect of kicking my wife’s ovaries into high gear and she began talking about which of the spare bedrooms would make the best nursery.

A few months we moved into our new home in Sleepy Rock, we started trying for one of our own.

Our daughter was born a week ago today. We’ve named her Jane. We like the simplicity, although her complete name is quite a mouthful. We wanted to honor our mothers and on paper she is Jane Juliana Angela Connelly.

She’s healthy and she’s so beautiful, just like her mother. We are completely enchanted with her.

At the moment Jane is a swaddled bundle, happily napping in the arms of her Aunt Sadie. Her cousin Margaret toddles around in search of trouble.

When Margaret tries to break for the kitchen, Cale scoops up his daughter and plants a kiss on her chubby cheek. “Daddy’s got you, my little escape artist.”

Margaret giggles and curls her little arms around her father’s neck. Watching my niece’s feisty personality develop over the past year has been a pure joy. Margaret grins at me from the safety of her father’s arms. When I make a funny face at her, she laughs and buries her face in Cale’s shoulder.

My radiant but exhausted wife slouches on the sofa and observes the living room scene with a calm smile. When she stretches with a deep yawn, I immediately move closer to her.

“You want to go get some sleep?” Standing behind the sofa, I drop my hands to her shoulders and gently massage her weary muscles. “Or are you hungry? There’s plenty of Big Man Bowie’s burgers left in the fridge.”

Daisy and Big Man Bowie were here for Jane’s birth. They left yesterday but not before cooking up a storm and leaving us a fridge full of leftovers. Plus Peggy sends over a box of food every day, just in case we’re still hungry. Right now the kitchen counter is so crowded with foil-wrapped breads and cookie plates we could host a bake sale.

Anni’s mother, still living in Sicily, is very anxious to meet her first grandchild. She and Sabrina would have been here already, however they are caring for an elderly aunt who doesn’t have long to live. Sabrina did visit for the holidays and stayed with us for a full month. That was a very loud month. I didn’t mind at all.

“I’m fine.” Anni pats my hand. “You probably need sleep more than I do. You’re the one who stayed up on baby duty all night.”

“But I’m not the one who just gave birth.” I run my fingers through her soft hair and nearly choke on the consuming wave of tenderness.

Every day I think to myself that I can’t possibly love her more and every day I’m proven wrong. I’m not ashamed to say that I cried the first time I saw Annalisa holding our child. One look from my wife takes my breath away.

When Sadie stands and says she needs to use the restroom, Jane is transferred to my arms.

Standing beside my brother, both of us holding our tiny daughters, it’s not lost on me that we’ve broken the cycle.

The empire envisioned by Richie has split into factions and it’s tough to say who is running what at this point. Though I receive updates from Monte and Nico, I’m only interested in ensuring that no part of that chaos finds us here. Monte has said that since Vittorio Messina swooped in to lay down the law, no one even dares to speaks my name.

That’s exactly how I want it.

I had a stroke of luck when I started searching for employment opportunities. In the next town over, there was an attorney who was planning to shutter her private practice and retire. Cale decided to add the building to his real estate portfolio and I’ve set up shop there.

My brother rolled his eyes when I insisted on paying to lease the office from him but he didn’t win that argument. Sometimes when I’m driving around I hear my own voice come on the radio, chirpily asking for the opportunity to ‘meet all your family law needs’. Business has been good. I’ve already hired two assistants.

Anni began teaching ice skating lessons at the same rink where I took her for a date. She had to stop when her pregnancy grew too advanced but she’ll go back. She’s already looking forward to buying Jane’s first pair of skates.

Right now Margaret is taking an avid interest in her sleeping cousin. She leans over and extends a chubby hand. A steady stream of baby babble comes from her mouth.

I could swear she’s telling a real story.

I move closer so she can touch the baby and she’s very gentle, lightly patting Jane’s blanket and lowering her volume. Jane’s long eyelashes flutter and she opens her eyes. Her mouth stretches into an adorable yawn. Margaret shrieks with delight.

Cale grins at me over the top of his daughter’s curly red hair. The Connelly girls are so close in age and they are destined to be the best of friends.

The Connelly girls.

That hits a certain way. Our daughters will never think for a minute that they were unwanted or second best or that sons would have been preferable.

It’s inevitable that someday Jane and Margaret will learn a few things about their fathers and about the violent world we participated in.

I hope they don’t judge us too harshly.

And I hope they understand Cale and I have done our best and we’ve devoted our lives to becoming worthy of their love and trust.

When Sadie emerges from the bathroom she points out that she and Cale need to get back to the ranch. A litter of puppies will be arriving today, rescued from a pound in Denver. Everyone’s favorite quirky Halloween-loving local veterinarian will be stopping by to examine the newcomers. Dr. Gus, as everyone calls her around here, dropped off a baby gift yesterday. Jane is barely a week old and she already owns a pumpkin costume.

With the departure of my brother’s family, the house is quiet. Anni still seems tempted to doze off on the couch but she shakes her head when I suggest she ought to get some rest.

“It’s almost time for the little miss to eat again.”

Jane seems to agree. She has begun to stir inside her blanket and move her head around in search of Anni’s breast.

Anni holds her arms out and I transfer our daughter to her care. The glow on my wife’s face as she gazes adoringly at our baby daughter threatens to take me out. I am just amazed by her.

I’ve become a pro at making Anni comfortable while she breastfeeds. I find the cushioned stool and slide it under her feet. I place pillows around her body to give her support.

Jane has already latched on like a pro. For few minutes I just stand there watching my wife and daughter with an ache in my throat.

Anni eventually says, “Sit down. You look nervous.”

“Not nervous,” I say, although I’m glad to sink down on the sofa beside her. “Just waiting for any chance to be useful.”

“Well, here’s your chance. I think lunch is just about over and someone needs to be burped.”

I take my daughter and settle her tiny body against my shoulder, lightly patting her back. “By the way,” I tell my wife. “Your nipples are showing.”

Our old joke. She rolls her eyes, snorts with laughter and fixes her nursing bra.

“Did that arrive today?” She points to a cardboard box in the corner.

“Yup. Baby gifts from the Gentrys.”

“That was nice of them. I’ll send them a thank you note.”

Funny thing. A year ago I looked up Cord Gentry’s tattoo parlor and it turns out the place is famous. I sent a note to the email address on the website, just to let him know how we’re doing and that we often talk about him and his brothers. He answered within the hour and we’ve kept in touch ever since.

A soft burp comes from Jane and I kiss the downy dark hair on her small head. “Good job, little one.”

Anni is quiet. When I look up, there’s a watery film in her lovely brown eyes as she watches me hold our daughter. “We did it, Luca. We really did it.”

“You did it. All I did was hold your leg up and yell ‘PUSH!’ at the right time.”

“An invaluable service.” She smiles. A single tear escapes to trail down her cheek. “But it’s not what I mean. We made it. We’re here. We’re a family.”

Her voice catches on the last word. I understand exactly how she feels.

Holding Jane steady with one arm, I wrap my other arm around my wife. She nestles closer and rests her palm on my chest.

We’re both tired and we look it. A full night of sleep is already a distant memory. I’m barely aware of the date on the calendar. To any casual observer, this might be considered an unremarkable day.

But Anni and I, we know different.

Every day we are together is magic. Every day is a miracle.

Every day belongs to us.