Chapter 247 Watermelons.
Chapter 247 Watermelons.
CHAPTER 247
Watermelons.
ROMAN
No books or movies prepared me for fatherhood. It is something I had to experience to understand, and even now, even though it has been six months since she had the twins, I still discover new ways of this that I didn’t see coming. I have watched Scarlett grow from the flighty woman to this version of herself – steady and in control. She doesn’t shrink anymore. She stands taller now, and her voice is firmer.
The first week after we brought the babies home was full of paranoia. We constantly checked on them – were they fine? Breathing properly? Eating enough? Eating too much? Sleeping well? Penelope gave us mini heart attacks from how much she slept. She loved sleeping, while her brother was the opposite. I was so confused because I thought I knew which was which, but their personalities kept changing. At a point, I considered paying Dr Shay to live with us; she refused, of course, but made sure to swing by every weekend, and whenever she couldn’t, she checked on them virtually.
My mom and Eve moved in. They saw how much we were spiralling. The newborn stage was hell, but it was also beautiful. Their nursery remained empty because we couldn’t bear to let them sleep anywhere else. Baby things took over our bedroom. I made sure it was a perfect haven for them. I was a father and refused to fail at it.
“We should throw them a half birthday.” Scarlett decides on a week for their six-month date.
I smile at her and run my gaze over her flushed cheeks. Her hair is in a messy bun, she has her shirt inside out, and she is still the most beautiful person I have seen. The only person who comes close is Penelope, who looks just like her mother.
“A half-birthday, Scarlett?” I ask, amused.
“Yes, sounds ridiculous, I know, but that is what I want. We can do it in the backyard with all our favourite people.” She decides, rolling her eyes.
“Why the backyard?” I tease, even though I know.
“Because I don’t want them making a mess of the house. Eve and Celeste will love to plan it, so say yes?” She leans against me.
I wrap my arm around her and press my lips to her forehead. “Are we pretending I have a say in this either way? Knowing you call the shots in the house?”
She giggles and kisses my lips. “I have to give you the illusion of control.”
“How nice of you.” I pinch her hip playfully, and she laughs.
We can hear the children chattering in the living room. Caleb is with them. He has been spending so much time here because Eve lives here now. I know he is impatient to have her back, but he is just going to have to wait. The babies are attached to Eve, and I will not have them crying. Nothing breaks my heart more than hearing them cry.
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The house is filled with all our favourite people, like Scarlett wanted. Luca and Adeline flew in from Milan. Jun and Liam flew in from Mexico. Damian and Elena flew in from New York. Vincenzo was in the state, working on somethings I’d rather not hear about, and of course, Mei came in all the way from Asia – they are still unmarried, and we’ve stopped pushing them towards it. Truly, I do not care much about their marriage, or the lack thereof. I have my hands full with my family.
Scarlett decided last minute that she wanted them to have a watermelon cake, which is why we’re having it in the house.
My heart aches sweetly as I watch Penelope. She is having the time of her life. Her head is full of hair, and she’s in a stunning pink dress. Her chunky arms grab onto the watermelon, and she bites it with her gum. She looks around the room, looking for Grey and her mom, but they’re in the bedroom, changing him out of his third outfit. According to mom, I used to be as clumsy as he is.
Her eyes lock on mine, and she gives me a gummy grin. She tries to stand and instead bounces, little hands reaching for me.
Eve takes all the pictures, and I join in. She grabs onto my hair with one hand and my cheek with the other. I kiss her face, her cheeks and hands. She’s a perfect creation. She laughs as I shower her with kisses, and the camera keeps flashing.
“She has you wrapped around her finger.” Luca smiles at me, longing in his eyes. They have been trying for a kid too, but it’s not happening yet.
“She has you wrapped around her finger, too.” I remind him, reluctantly handing her over to him. Caleb might be her godfather, but she sure has a lot of Uncles.
“Hi, Penny.” He kisses her forehead and listens to Eve's directions – we need a whole photobook filled with memories.
We take some pictures together, and I step away, trusting him with her. Scarlett, Addie and Grey step out of the bedroom before I reach the door, and at the same time, Penelope starts crying for me. I turn around and take her back in my arms immediately. She stops crying and lays her head on my chest.
“Looks like we missed all the fun.” Scarlett kisses me softly and gently drops Greyson on the ground.
He goes straight for the watermelon, holding nothing back.
“Easy there, buddy.” I hold Penelope firmly before sitting down beside him. I place her by his side, with my arm hovering over his back. He is bound to make a mess or jump up abruptly. He is impatient to start walking, and it is very cute.
I stretch out my hand, and Scarlett takes it. She fixes her dress and sits between my legs.
“Maybe we can sneak off after this? There’s something I want to show you.” I whisper against her ear, watching the children play with the watermelon and themselves.
“Yeah? There’s something I want to tell you too.” She smiles at me, and my pulse jumps.
“Easy there, buddy.” She repeats my words to me. “It’s something good.”
An hour later, we leave the children with our family and slip out before they can notice.
“What do you want to show me?” She asks, linking our hands together.
I lead her to the space behind the garden, to the gravestones I had made for her parents and my father. She freezes immediately, and I wonder if I made a mistake.
I explain. “I know you miss them and weren’t given the chance to say goodbye properly. This is a chance for you to visit them whenever you want. It probably means nothing to you, because, well, it is just a gravestone, but –”
She cuts me off, throwing her arms around me, pulling me into a warm hug, “Thank you, thank you so much, Roman.”