Chapter 130
Isabella’s POV.
I felt the morning sun gently kissing my skin, serving as a reminder that I had forgotten to close the curtains the night before. Groaning, I rolled over onto my side, greeted by the strong, comforting chest of Ares, who was still peacefully asleep beside me. Sensing my movement, his arm instinctively swung around me, drawing me closer to his chest. His large hand radiated warmth as it spread across my back, and a smile played on my lips.
Pressing soft kisses to his bare chest, I enjoyed the tranquility of the morning. "Bella?" he called in his sweet morning voice. Humming in response, I felt him sigh lovingly, nuzzling closer as his hand gently trailed down my back.
"Good morning, sleepyhead," I whispered, running my fingers through his soft hair.
"Good morning, sweetheart," he replied with a loving sigh, leaning over to kiss me. What started as a simple, sweet peck evolved into a series of lingering kisses. My fingers entwined in his hair, and the connection deepened. I was just about to straddle him, lost in the sweet haze of the moment, when the door swung open, announcing the entrance of our little tornado.
"Good morning, Mama, Daddy!" Slade exclaimed as he leaped onto the bed, positioning himself right between the two of us. The interruption brought laughter, turning our serene morning into a playful family moment. Man, I love moments like this. I never knew what I was missing out on.
"Hm, morning cuddles, I love me some morning cuddles," Ares exclaimed with excitement as he wrapped his arms around both Slade and me, holding us close. Slade nestled on Ares' left chest while I found comfort on his right.
We lingered in our cozy embrace for a little while longer until the aroma of breakfast signaled that it was time to start the day. With everyone having their own plans, we aimed to meet for dinner later. In the meantime, my focus shifted to feeding these two hungry souls.
"What's the plan?" Ares asked, passing me into the tiny kitchen. Our stay in the house on my parents' property seemed to delight him, and he feasted on the traces of my story evident in the trinkets scattered around. His eyes danced over everything, especially the pictures lying around.
"Breakfast, and then we'll get ready to go out to the park. Later, we're all invited to dinner at my parents," I reminded him, glancing over to see Slade already bursting with energy, running around as if the house had suddenly become too small for his boundless enthusiasm.
"Sounds exciting. How about we go run around outside a little?" Ares suggested, his gaze shifting to Slade, clearly reading my thoughts.
"Okay!" Slade grinned and dashed outside immediately.
I chuckled, watching the two of them run off. This granted me the perfect opportunity to whip up a simple breakfast. By the time they returned, they were less energetic and grumpy for food, the stack of pancakes I had prepared disappeared in no time. It never ceased to amaze me how those two could devour food so effortlessly.
***
Dinner unfolded at the bakery, an unconventional yet charming choice. As night came, the bakery closed its doors to the public, providing a spacious venue for our gathering. My parents opted for this location not only for its size but also because the kitchen was more extensive, resulting in a feast that exceeded our needs. Still, the prospect of leftovers was more than welcome for me. I’d happily eat it later.
"Oh, Giovana, you outdid yourself with this meal," Rene exclaimed with a satisfied sigh, gently palming her stomach.
"I think I ate a little too much," Maksim groaned, shaking his head.
"I'm afraid I let greed get the best of me too," Toni confessed, rising to walk around the bakery, hoping a stroll might calm his overindulged stomach.
"It's a good thing we have wine, and I'll put on some music for us," Mom announced with a grin, heading over to set the mood. Dad brought out the wine, initiating a lively dance to counter the effects of our hearty meal.
Eventually, laughter, dancing, and shared moments of joy filled the atmosphere. Dad decided it was time for dessert, leading us to a special spot nearby. I called it the special spot because, indeed, it held a unique meaning to me. A short walk away, I found myself walking alongside Ares, who cradled Slade in his arms. Our son wrapped all his limbs around his dad, snugly nestled against Ares' chest as we strolled together.
The night air was cool, and the quiet sounds of nature accompanied our journey. The special spot held a charm of its own, and as we approached, I couldn't help but feel a warmth in my heart.
Part of me was quite happy we had Ares because Slade was growing like crazy thanks to the giant genes from the Volkov and it was getting harder and harder to carry Slade around but now I didn’t have to worry about that anymore. Ares was the one carrying him around now.
We stopped at the gelato store, it was a simple decoration. Beige and stone-like features along with cute gelato-related signs hanging around and of course more than half the gelato was sold out because they are the best but also because they have a new batch every day.
“This place looks lovely,” Rene commented.
“Come on, Daddy,” Slade pointed to the display of flavors and studied each of them as if he could read what was written on them but still, Ares amused him.
We all ordered our gelatos and waited for each other before walking out. We found the perfect cluster of public benches and rushed to it immediately.
I sat down with my Stracciatella gelato and enjoyed it thoroughly. This place held a very dear memory to me and I scooted closer to Ares who was enjoying his own gelato while also helping Slade with holding his right so he wouldn’t make a sticky mess on himself.
“You know, during my pregnancy, I always and I mean, always came to this exact gelato shop,” I started to tell Ares. He looked over at me immediately, a soft smile forming on his lips.
“Yeah?” He asked, amused.
“Oh yeah, she was full of anger and moody if we didn’t take her or let her go. Often enough, I was the one going with her because admit it, this is the best you’ve ever tasted,” Seyra confirmed for me. Ares laughed and shook his head while my attention was focused on Seyra for a moment. We had our ups and downs but she had always been there for me.
“And it was always Stracciatella that I picked out– I’m pretty sure that our boy is part Stracciatella, part honey crackers, part watermelon, and part spaghetti,” I joked though it was the truth. I consumed a great amount of all four things.
“I suppose some things just never changed,” Ares laughed.
A person came to a stop right in front of us, and as I looked up, piercing blue eyes met mine. My gaze traced the features of his face, taking in the prettiest shade of blonde hair cascading down to his shoulders, partly gathered in a bun with shorter strands falling free. It was a stark departure from the buzzcut he used to sport. Martinez. Emilio Martinez, the renowned soccer player.
"Isabella Mancini," he greeted with a wide smile. "I haven't seen you in forever!"
"Oh my god, Emilio!" I gasped, rising to my feet to give him a warm and sturdy hug. My attention then shifted to the girl standing next to him—Emilia. Twins. Although she preferred her second name, Daniela. I couldn't believe it; it had been ages since I last saw them.
"Daniela?" I exclaimed, taking in her features—resembling Emilio but with a more feminine touch. Her once short hair now flowed down to her waist, and her lips were adorned with a red shade, curled into a smile. It was a reunion beyond my expectations.
"Jeez, Isabella, do you ever stop getting prettier?" Daniela embraced me too, her warm powdery scent wrapping around me.
"Emilio?" Lionel pushed through, jaw-dropping at the sight of Emilio. The two men engaged in the half-hug that men often do, exchanging pats on the back.
"Wow, Isabella, I can't believe it, honestly," Emilio admitted. And truth be told, so was I. Emilio and Daniela had once held significant places in my life, and seeing them in person after such a long time was surreal.