Laura

One Year Later

“Maxine! You made it!” I hold my arms out happily to my best friend as she enters my home.
My home. It still feels so strange to think that this is my home.

“Of course I made it! What kind of friend would I be if I missed my best friend’s housewarming party!” Maxine steps into my hug, and I hold her tightly. I’ve missed her so much more than she knows. It’s been so hard to catch up with her over the past year because she’s been traveling so much with her husband.

Not that I’ve been the easiest person to catch up with either.

I’ve been splitting my time between Chicago and New York for the past three months for more than one reason. After graduation, I submitted more applications than I can even remember to various publishing houses across the country. I didn’t expect to hear back from any of them but I was contacted by a small independent press based in New York city that I simply couldn’t pass upon. They only require me to fly up there once a month and the rest of the work can be done remotely from home, which gives me ample time to spend with Pietro. What more could I ask for?

Shortly after that, I was contacted by none other than Eric Connor, my cousin. Even though it still feels strange to think of him as my cousin. He feels more like a brother to me by this point. Given that Allan also adopted him, I suppose that he is technically both my brother and cousin. One afternoon, I was leaving my internship, and he was waiting outside the door, leaning against a car.

He isn’t anything like I expected him to be. The impressions that Gregory gave me about him couldn’t have been more wrong.

His interactions with Gregory seemed to mirror how my brother finally presented himself. He admitted that after his father died, he had gone slightly insane with power. He stepped into his new familial role, but he was not raised to fill Allan’s shoes. If he hadn’t been stopped, his greed would have put the entire city in danger.

Eric admitted to me after we became more acquainted that he had begun to be suspicious of his movements. And in the months leading up to his death, he began following him and tracking his movements. After following me due to my interactions with my brother, he was able to piece together the puzzle and discover that I was Gregory’s sister. He arranged for a few publishing houses to contact me and offer me an internship after learning that I graduated with a major in English. As we got to know one another better, I started splitting my time between Chicago and New York.

It might be rather complicated but having a family is really wonderful. And now I am finally able to fill in more of the gaps in my knowledge of everything.

Naturally, Pietro wasn’t thrilled about this new acquaintanceship at first and insisted on attending the first few scheduled meetings with the two of us. I still can hardly believe that both Eric and Pietro get along as well as they do. It took about a month before the pair hammered out a solid truce between the New York Mafia and the Italians here in Chicago. Makes me feel really special if I’m being wholly honest about it. Seeing them brought together after being rivals for so long because of their affection for me matters the world to me.

I link my arm through Maxine’s and walk further into the house.

“It’s not just a housewarming party, you know. It serves a dual purpose. Really it’s more like the housewarming section is just me gloating about being allowed to decorate sections of the house. I think that was Pietro’s gift to me,” I grin and gesture to the sitting room around us. All of the massive paintings have been removed from the walls and transferred to the single room upstairs now dedicated to all things Victoria. Since Pietro and I have been able to speak about her from time to time, it’s been easier for him to find some closure.

We’ve kept the baby grand piano that Pietro plays for me some nights. The common spaces have been updated to reflect our personal tastes instead of those of his previous marriage. Though, I tried my very best to still leave a tribute to her in my own small way. She didn’t deserve the end she was given.
Pietro and I have settled into our busy schedules but we dedicate as much of our weekends to one another as possible. But, more often than not, I find myself dragging him into the bedroom the moment that he or I return home from our work-related travels. If we even manage to make it all of the way to the bedroom.

“You’re only throwing a dual party because you want double the amount of presents.” Maxine teases.

“Of course,” I admit without shame. “Birthday presents and housewarming presents. It’s a win-win for me.”

Until Pietro, the only time I’d ever been able to officially celebrate my birthday was when Maxine bought me a day-old donut and stuck a candle in it during the few years we lived together in college.

“Well, don’t you worry, this year you will be very happy when you open your gifts. I promise you that!” Maxine announces happily. “Give me the rest of the tour, will you?”

“Sure! We will leave the kitchen for the end as I believe Pietro is still working on the cake that he plans to surprise me with,” No matter how hard I try, I can’t stop smiling. I’ve never been happier in my life.

“He’s actually baking the cake himself?” Maxine asks with a giggle.

I shrug. “I’m not supposed to know one way or the other, remember?”

A knock at the door comes and Luca appears out of nowhere. That’s something that I’m never going to get used to. Glass of red wine in hand, he crosses to the door and pulls it open to reveal none other than Eric himself.

“Eric!” I exclaim and quickly greet him with a hug.

I haven’t had the chance to tell Maxine about Eric yet. My birthday wish to her was to have a whole night with her to myself. No husbands, no interruptions. Just bad rom-com movies and all of the greasy snack foods we can eat. We used to dream about nights like that. It’s a literal dream come true. I figure that we will catch up on everything then. We’ve both come so much further in our lives than we ever previously dreamt possible.

Eric is only a few inches shorter than Pietro. He has sandy brown hair and a jawline sharp enough to cut glass on. He’s slim but strong, with crow’s feet forming at the corners of his eyes. He is physically everything you would expect from someone who works on Wall Street. I couldn’t have guessed what he did for a living if I hadn’t known him.

However, beneath his coat are just as many tattoos and scars as the rest of the mafia. Eric is good at hiding them.

He kisses me once on either side of my cheek in greeting but the movement is hasty and feels awkward.

“Hey,” he breathes. “Happy birthday, yeah?” I take a step back, and my brow furrows in confusion at him.

If I had to use just one word to describe my newest found brother, it would be relaxed. He’s always seemed content to take his time in everything he does. He’s particular about the way he steeps and drinks his tea. Eric is the sort of man with an imposing, controlling aura who dominates every room he enters and seeing him look nearly jittery is very strange.

I suppose we have grown very close, Pietro included.

“That’s it? A face bump and a hasty happy birthday? I expect better from you.”

“Your present is on its way, promise. I’m just in a hurry because I need to pick Angelica from her dance camp.” Eric responds quickly. I’m not sure why he didn’t just pick up his daughter and bring her with him. He knows that she is always welcome here. If anything, she’s the reason Pietro and I have begun to consider having children of our own someday. They are unlikely to be as perfect as my niece, but I can dream.

“Hello, I’m Eric. Nice to meet you,” he reaches his hand toward Maxine, who gives me a sideways look as she shakes it.

“Maxine, nice to meet you as well.” She’s chomping at the bit for an explanation but I can’t stop thinking about how weird Eric’s being. He’s fidgeting with his hands as if trying to crack a finger that simply will not pop.

“I hate to be that guy but I only have enough time to say hello to Pietro before I have to leave.”

“Why don’t you pick up Angelica and come back here? If you are concerned about her being around all of the adults, she will be perfectly content in one of the rooms.” I offer but Eric quickly shakes his head no.

“That’s – that’s just not needed,” he grins.

I place my hands on my hips and arch my eyebrow at him. “Okay. What’s going on here?” I shift my weight to one hip and wait for an explanation. “I’ve never seen you this anxious before. Is this really about your daughter, or are you trying to sneak off to meet up with a date?” I tease; fully expecting to be shut down instantly. Eric has not once mentioned a woman to me. We briefly discussed the mother of his child in passing and nothing else. He’s an intensely private person but I feel confident he will tell me if he’s dating somebody.

“No, what a silly thing to say. I feel bad that I can’t stay to celebrate your birthday with you properly, that is all,” he flashes me a charming smile. Too charming. It seems to me like he might not be telling the entire truth to me.

“I’ll have one of Pietro’s men go get her; problem solved. They can bring her here and provide her with whatever she needs. Please stay and celebrate properly, as you say,” I respond. His reaction is more than meets the eye. My gaze widens as I realize I might have guessed correctly after all. I cannot let such an opportunity pass me by. “I’m not going to let you leave this house until you explain why you’re acting so strangely.”

Eric stills himself and locks eyes with me. “When there is something to tell, I promise that I shall tell you.”

“I will hold you to that!” I call after Eric as he heads toward the kitchen in search for Pietro.
I secretly hope it’s a woman. I know Eric has impossible expectations of everyone around him. I can only imagine how high they must be for a woman he’s interested in dating. But he deserves to be happy.
I could never have imagined a life where my heart is so full. Some days feel surreal, as if they are a dream. If that’s the case, I don’t want to wake up. For me, family and friends gathered under one roof. There is nothing else I could ask for. I had to go through hell to get it, and if I can help my brother find the same kind of inner peace and happiness that I have – I’m going to do everything to make sure that he gets the same opportunities.

Something clatters from the kitchen and I hear Pietro greeting Eric loudly in happy, boisterous Italian. If Eric won’t tell me, I will just have to find out for myself.

“Hang on just a sec, Maxie, make yourself at home, okay?” I say to my best friend as I slip my arm from hers and follow Eric into the kitchen against Pietro’s wishes. I playfully put my hands over my eyes like a shield as I interrupt their conversation.

“My love, you are not supposed to be in here.” Pietro teases in a faux-serious tone as he spots me.

“I’m technically not looking at whatever surprises you’re making for me,” I giggle as Pietro’s hand snakes around my waist and pulls me into his side. “Eric here has left me so quickly I didn’t get time to demand my present from him!”

I peek an eye at Eric, who flashes a guilty look. “In my haste, I might have forgotten to bring one.”

I smile. “Alternatively, you could tell me the truth about why you’re fleeing my birthday so quickly!” That will suffice as a present.”

“You are leaving?” Pietro asks and sounds a little bit disappointed.

“Yes, he is! He claims to be on his way to pick up Angelica. Still, I have a sneaking suspicion that he’s picking up or meeting someone else along the way,” I smugly smirk and place my hands on top of Pietro’s.

Pietro gives him an accusing look and Eric knows that he will not be able to persuade either of us to let this go.

“Fine,” he concedes. “I will tell you but not tonight. Tonight is about celebrating you.”

“So there is someone!” I reach my hand to him triumphantly and squeeze his forearm. “Seeing you happy is a perfect birthday present!”

I pause for a moment to appreciate where we are. In the last year, so much has changed. My family has grown significantly. I’m in a completely different place than I could have ever imagined. If things go well with Eric’s lady, perhaps my family will grow even larger! I miss Gregory all the time; at least, I miss the Gregory I knew as a child. I’m still healing, but I know there’s a brighter future ahead of me.

Eric’s phone rings, and he answers it. I hear Angelica asking his whereabouts and Eric smiles warmly.

“I’m on the way, honey.” He turns to me and kisses my temple. “Happy birthday. Sorry to run so quickly.”

“You better bring my niece with you next time!” I call to his retreating form. If Angelica knows who this mystery woman is, I’m sure she will tell me.

I tighten my grip on Pietro’s arms, and he turns to look at me with a look of admiration that gives me butterflies. Being here with him makes me believe that anything is possible.

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