Epilogue – 2
Phoebe Point of View
It has been a strenuous journey of life. It had showed me many shades of grey and reminded me that not everything is white and black.
Never had I thought I would a day like this but as they say ‘All’s well that ends well’. I smiled softly looking down at the little bundle of joy in my arms.
After going through many complications, I’m finally holding my dear daughter Azalea. My first delivery was much complicated as well but after a lot of struggle, I and Nicco were blessed with two beautiful angels Leonardo and Mario. Then a couple years later, it was yet another complicated delivery when I lost one of the triplets but was still blessed with another pair of beautiful boys Fabian and Amadeo.
I went into depression with lose but Nonna and Sienna had reminded me that I need to stop crying over a dead child and look after the alive ones as they need me. It took me time to get back to the routine but still Nicco was always there for me and the kids.
When I was depressed and uncared, Nicco took care of the babies. It proved to be hard for him but still he gave me time to mourn for the lost child. Thankfully, after a lot of crying and a good hearing from Nonna and Sienna, I felt light hearted.
“Give her to me and rest, Bella.” Nicco leaned forward to take his tiny daughter into his hands. I gave her to him without a fight as I’m completely tired after several hours of labor.
“How are the boys?” I asked him once I was lying down on the hospital bed comfortably. Nicco took a seat in the large sofa and leaned back laying out little daughter on his chest.
“They are in chaos as usual but Nonna and my brother are good at handling the devils.” I smiled at him when and my eyes slowly fluttered in tiredness.
Nicco was sitting few steps away from me on sofa but still kept murmuring comforting words which eventually led me into a dreamless sleep.
I almost slept through the whole evening and the whole night, waking up only in the early hours of morning next day to find Nicco’s brother, Luca sleeping on the sofa with open mouth snoring loudly.
I smiled affectionately when I noticed young Russo accompanying me while Nicco and Nonna are back at the mansion to manage those four little devils. But I have to blame Luca for how my kids turned out. The young Russo, unfortunately is a great prankster and he found its important for kids to be a little naughty and so he taught them tricks and pranks.
It all started with playing small funny pranks on each other to playing advanced level pranks on staff and slowly they started tricking their own parent and their Gran-Nonna.
Even after the destruction they make every day at home, I still couldn’t help smiling at them and their father who took charge of disciplining them thoroughly.Property belongs to Nôvel(D)r/ama.Org.
“You are awake? I will call Nic and inform him.” Luca mumbled hoarsely, wiping away the little drivel that flowed from his open mouth.
“No, Luca. Let him rest well. He can visit me later also it’s still dark outside.” I told him to which he nodded and sat up straight. “You too go back to sleep. I will wake you up at seven.” He shook his head and stood up and checked my forehead for any fever. The little fever I got after the labor went down after I had good sleep.
“You want something to eat?” He asked me switching on lights. I nodded my head with a small apologetic smile for having him run errands for me at this early hour of morning.
“Can I have some hot soup or something, please? I’m hungry.” He nodded his head and went out of the room. A while later, he brought me hot chicken soup from the nearby restaurant.
I looked at him curiously while I’m having my food, “So, any girl in your life?” I asked him. Luca graced me with his crafty and opened his mouth to answer but before he can, I heard Nicco answering from the doorstep.
“Of course, his life is filled with girls. Which girl are you asking about Bella?” Nicco said walking towards me with a tired smile and pressed a kiss on our daughter’s head first then on my cheek.
“What about my kiss?” Luca asked making me choke on my soup as laughter burst out from me. He stood and walked to Nicco showing her cheek to him.
Nicco looked at his brother in disgust and pushed him away before putting some good distance between them. “Stay away from me and go home right now, Nonna needs a hand in controlling your nephews.”
Luca’s grin widened when he heard the word ‘nephews’. “Fine I’ll get my kisses from the boys on your behalf.” Saying that, Luca skipped out of my hospital room in light steps.
Smiling widely, I turned my complete attention to my husband who has our daughter in his arms. He sat on the large bed next to me and pecked my head a few times.
Times like these, you don’t have to talk or word out your feelings. It is a comfortable type of silence and no words can express the depth of certain emotions.
Looking back at the time, I still pat myself for taking a right decision in asking his Nonna for his hand in marriage. Though I was waiting for him to acknowledge our marriage again and ask me to come back into his life, I also wanted to start new with him.
So Luca, being a dramatic person in the who Russo family, came with an idea of going to Nonna asking his brother’s hand in marriage. He said it would be memorable and a pleasant surprise for Nicco which I agreed.
Though it took me good few weeks to gather enough courage to do it, I still did it on the day I opened my Pet café. Luca helped me with buying some gifts for Nonna, apparently to impress her and give away her grandson to me.
I was still ready to back away from the idea till the last moment but being a silly person Luca is, he told me that I should be an empowered woman in every way and should show the world what new Phoebe is made of.
So I pulled the stunt and finally asked the question to Nonna and found her smirk at me amusingly while Nicco had his mouth agape at me. To make the situation even more dramatic, Luca had to butt in and ask how so I plan to look after his brother to which I answered them that I would provide him with good food and a lovely home.
When I looked at Nicco was still shocked out of words, Nonna asked me how suitable I was for her grandson, playing along.
It was so funny to see Nicco speechless for the first time.
It took a lot of interview to Nonna handover Nicco to me. I can’t still forget that day when Nicco accused me of making the first move while he should be the one who should arrange a romantic date and propose her.
Nonetheless, in over a month we were married and in an year from then, we were blessed with our first set of boys.
Life from then was not bad. There were many instances when we suffered but we learned to overcome them together. When one of us were weak, other stood strong.
After making my first book into a movie, I wrote few more books which were a major hit as well.
“Is this one of those times when I say I love you and you look at me with those big eyes with so much love in them?” Nicco prompted with a hint of smile.
I bit back my smile, “You don’t have to say it if you don’t want to.” I said putting on a fake serious face.
He just shook his head with a smile knowing too well about me. “I prefer you telling it first.”
“Nah, you tell me you love me first then I will answer you.” I argued.
Why should I confess him first most of the times?
“You asked my hand in marriage first so it is only right if you start first.” He retorted back not forgetting the mortification.
I chuckled at his scowl and just looked around the hospital room and at our daughter now sleeping peacefully in the crib.
“You are not going to say first, are you?” He asked me again but I ignored him. I want to hear nothing but ‘I love you’ from him.
I mean we always confess to each other so why is he even competing with me
“Fine I will make you say it first. Get ready, once you are healthy enough, you will be screaming love for me.” He said with determination to which I just smiled to myself and ignored him again.
The new Phoebe can be a little playful, thanks to few tips from Luca who has become more of a brother to me than a brother-in-law
Oh Nicco, I love you so much but this time, I’m going to win. I will make you scream your love for me before I give up myself for you again.
~*~*~*~*~*~ The End ~*~*~*~*~*~