Filed to story: Bound by Honor (Aria & Luca) Drama Story
Eight months later
Leonas stormed out of his room before I could grab him, completely naked. I rushed after him, laughing. “Freeze!”
He didn’t of course. It was his newest hobby to tear down his clothes and diaper, and run through the house until someone caught him.
My heart almost skipped a beat when he stumbled down the staircase. He was already very steady on his legs at seventeen months but steps were another matter.
Anna poked her head out of her room with wide eyes, a crayon in her hand as usual.
Leonas laughed even louder as he half fell down the stairs. Luckily Dante stood at the base of the staircase, probably alerted by the noise and snatched Leonas up before he could make a faceplant.
I caught my breath halfway down the staircase. “He’s quick.”
Dante scanned Leonas with an exasperated smile. “You have to listen to your mom and you need to keep your clothes on.”
Leonas giggled as if that was the funniest thing he’d ever heard.
Dante in his posh three-piece suite holding a butt naked Leonas was an adorable sight.
I was sweaty from trying to wrangle our son into clothes three times in a row.
Dante took one look at me then said. “How about I get him dressed?”
He walked up the stairs until he reached me then kissed my mouth, lingering a bit longer, the look in his eyes telling me he wished we had some alone time. I wasn’t sure what he found sexy about my sweaty look but didn’t care.
“Good luck,” I said. Leonas obeyed his father better than me but at the moment, he was testing his limits. “I’ll check on Anna. Her piano teacher comes over in thirty minutes and I have a feeling she hasn’t practiced her song yet.”
“Drawing again?” Dante asked as we walked up the stairs beside me. I was glad he worked from home often so he could be there for our children. Many fathers were mostly absent from their offspring’s life but that wasn’t something I wanted. Anna and Leonas both loved spending time with him.
“She’s talented. Maybe we should consider getting her an art teacher as well.”
Dante nodded. “That might be a good idea.” I gave Leonas a small wave before I headed into Anna’s room. As expected she sat at her desk, hunched over a piece of paper, drawing a flower field. She was only four but already focused and driven when it came to art.
She briefly looked up when I came in and squatted beside her. “This is beautiful, love. But did you practice your song for piano lessons?”
She smiled sheepishly as she peered up at me through her thick dark lashes. “Once.”
Her little keyboard lay discarded on her bed.
“Is that a fib?”
Her smile got even more sheepish.
I stood and held out my hand. “Come on. Let’s go downstairs and practice at the piano. I’ll help you.”
Anna set down her crayon, took my hand and followed me outside. Dante wanted our kids to learn a musical instrument, like he and his sisters had done. He considered it a lesson in perseverance and patience. I’d learned to play the piano when I was a girl too, but hadn’t played in years until Anna had started taking lessons a little over a year ago.
The beautiful Steinway piano stood in the center of the library and seeing it always made my heart sing. Anna and I sat beside each other. I wasn’t a very good musician and like Anna, piano lessons had always meant duty not joy. Still I tried to make our piano time a fun adventure for my girl, so she’d maybe discover her love for the beautiful instrument soon. We played a few fun melodies before we started to practice the song her piano teacher had given her as homework.
“Mommy, will daddy be sad if I don’t play the piano?” Anna asked softly.
I paused. “No. But he loves listening to you play. And it’s like learning to write or to count. One day it won’t be difficult anymore and you can just do it without thinking about it.”
Anna considered that then nodded. “Luisa is really good at playing the piano. Much better than me.” I could hear a hint of jealousy. Anna wanted to be the best at everything she did.
“Luisa loves the piano, like you love art. You are the artist, and Luisa is the musician. Everyone’s good at something. That’s wonderful, don’t you think?”
Anna tilted her head and smiled. “Yeah.”
The bell rang. “Wait here. I’ll get the door.”
Anna kept playing as I walked out of the library and toward the front door. Gabby had already opened it and Luisa and Bibi entered. I stroked Luisa’s head. “Why don’t you go ahead to the library?”
She nodded excitedly and dashed off, her dark pigtails bobbing.
I grinned at Bibi. “You look radiant. Dario’s a magician.”
Bibi turned red.
I laughed. “That makes you blush already? He must be even better than I thought.”
“Val,” Bibi said, giggling.