Filed to story: Submitting to My Bestie’s Daddy Read Online >>???
Gio laughed, pulling me into his lap and wrapping his arms around my waist. “I swear Dahlia sent me the same photo of you. Like mother like son, I guess.”
I blushed a bright red, ducking my head. It was true, and it seemed Elio had inherited my ability to hve a butterfly land on myr nose when I least expected it.
“First butterfly, first time turning over,” I sighed, putting away my phone. “He’s growing up so fast.”
“That he is,” Gio said, a bit sadly.
I leaned against his chest, shutting my eyes during the peaceful moment. Sometimes, I wished I could just halt time right here and now and make it so everyone would stop growing and changing, keeping my little baby just as small as he was now.
But that was the beauty of the world around us–it never stopped changing. Seasons came and passed, time aged all of us, and we never stopped growing and learning. All we could hope for was to just be there as our son experienced the crazy, weird world around us.
And we made as many memories with him as we could.
After the picnic, we headed back to the playground. With fewer kids around, Gio finally got to take Elio down the slide, holding him in his lap as they slid down. It ended up much better this time around and Elio didn’t cry like I expected.
“Because his daddy was there,” Gio beamed proudly as we headed for the swings next. I claimed the first turn, settling Elio onto my lap as I climbed atop the swing. Gio pushed us, and his laughter was like sunshine after a rainy day, filling our hearts with immeasurable joy.
Gio and I took turns with him, making a game out of it as he giggled madly. The tickle monster even came out to make an appearance. Gio’s long fingers curling around his sides and Elio’s shrieks of laughter were everything to me.
As daylight began to fade, we decided to take a seat on one of the benches, watching the sky burst full of colors.
We watched the sunset pass over the hills as Elio’s eyes fluttered closed, and he drifted off to sleep in my arms with my fingers clenched tightly in his hand. He could now hold three of my fingers and was growing bigger by the day.
I sighed, leaning on the shoulder of the man I loved as the sun dyed the sky in hues of violets and oranges. At this moment, I was grateful for everything I had, for the tranquil moment I could have with my husband and son.
I was reminded once more that all of the immense joy and fulfillment I’d experienced these past few months were because of the blessing in my arms.
My greatest gift–my son, Elio.
*Three Months Later*
*Olivia*
I stood over Elio’s cradle, cooing and playing with his feet. It was difficult to believe he was already seven months old. He just started teething again a few days ago, and while the screaming wasn’t the most pleasant, I couldn’t help but grin every time I caught sight of one of his partially emerged teeth.
The door opened behind me, and I heard Gio’s tread on the carpet. Out of habit, he dodged the one creaky board that woke Elio up without fail.
He came up behind me and leaned on the cradle with both arms, caging me in. I spun to face him and pressed my hands against his chest.
“Good morning, dear,” I said.
I couldn’t resist. It had been hard to find time for ourselves since Elio was born. He shivered.
“Now that’s mean, and I had such a nice thing for you.”
I smiled. “Something nice for me?”
He shook his head playfully. “Well, now I don’t know. And Elio would have loved it, too.”
I pouted. “You can’t deny him, even if you can say no to your wonderful, beautiful wife.”
He grabbed me by the waist and spun me around.
“Well, my wonderful, beautiful wife,” he said. “What do you say the three of us go to Bologna today?”
I squealed. “Absolutely! Just let me grab a few things.”
Within the hour, Gio, Elio, and I waited with just one bag for me and a baby bag on the train platform. While we could’ve taken the private jet, I thought the baby would like the train, and the trip only took a little over thirty minutes.
Gio had bought us out a whole car, for safety reasons, but I was finally getting to take the train around Italy as I had always dreamed. We weren’t going for longer than an overnight—anything else might upset our little man—and Gio had sent a few personnel ahead on the jet, but I planned to have a wonderful time, and Elio seemed determined to do the same.
I’d strapped him to my chest in a baby sling, and he babbled happily at everything in the train station. The whistle when it arrived made his lip start quivering, but the judicious application of a pacifier smoothed him right out again.
I stared out the window while Elio napped, and Gio watched me. At one point, I met his gaze.
“What?” I asked.
He smiled. “Italy is more beautiful through your eyes.”
I blushed and turned back to the scenery.
When we exited the train, I marveled at the beauty of the city. Sprawling buildings in matching terracotta and tan brick spread as far as the eye could see, outlined against the blue sky. Elio gurgled and waved his fist.
“What now?” I asked.
Gio smirked and pulled out a laminated piece of paper. I grabbed it from him and skimmed the totally perfect blend of adult and family-friendly activities he’d plotted in an itinerary.
I pointed to the final entry for today. “Surprise, don’t ask?”
Gio laughed. “It says don’t ask!”
I put up my hands. “Alright, alright. Keep your secrets. We’ve got to get going to the—” I glanced down “—Fountain of Neptune anyway!”
The day passed in a blur of art and culture and Elio’s gurgling laughter. The Fountain of Neptune was a towering bronze statue I could have stared at all day if Gio hadn’t pulled me way. The Piazza Maggiore was an enormous courtyard, nearly perfectly maintained from the fifteenth century. It thrummed with life, tourists and vendors and locals all blending into one beautiful heartbeat. Off that was a charming history museum with kid-friendly exhibits that Elio kept trying to grab. He’d just mastered grabbing a few weeks ago, and he couldn’t get enough of it. And then, we just explored the city, snacking at various cafes and stopping to marvel at different handicrafts. Bologna welcomed us with open arms, and before we even left the streets, I couldn’t wait to come back.
We headed to our hotel room to change before Gio’s final event and put Elio down for a little nap. After he was nestled in the collapsible crib he usually used in my studio or Gio’s office, I flopped on my stomach on our king-sized bed in the other room.
“I can’t get dressed for an event that’s still secret.” I kicked up my heels, trying to charm his secrets out of him.
He kissed me on my head. “You can if I snuck a special outfit into the hotel when you weren’t looking.”
I shot up. “Really?”
He chuckled.
I swatted him on the arm. “You spoil me too much sometimes.”
As I stood, he swept me into an embrace. “There is no ‘too much’ for someone like you, carina.”
I shivered and glanced at the open door. I missed Gio’s touch badly, but our son came first.
I kissed him softly, and he responded with a fervor that made me arch into him and gasp.
“Gio!”
