“DON’T GO!”
I clung to Gio’s arm, not wanting to let him leave. He had said his goodbyes and was about to head to work, but I didn’t want to see him go.
He had been on an extended vacation leave due to everything that had happened in our lives, and today was his first day back at work. But I didn’t want him to leave.
I couldn’t understand why. I used to be okay with Gio going away, and there were even days when he wouldn’t come home because of his work. So why was I now acting like a child who didn’t want him to leave?
Oh, right! I’m pregnant, and Gio’s attention is something I don’t want to lose.
“I need to go to work, sweetheart. I’ll come back later.”
I pouted my lips, still not willing to let him go, and I tried to elicit his sympathy. But Gio’s expression indicated that he couldn’t stay here and neglect his work.
He ran his fingers through my hair. “I’ll be home as soon as I can, alright? I promise.”
“Promise?” I was still unsure whether I wanted him to leave. I felt like I was on the verge of tears, and they might flow involuntarily the moment he left me.
“When did I break my promise to you, hmm?” He caressed my cheek, and I leaned into his touch, craving more of it.
My hand, which had been gripping him tightly, fell limp by my side. I forced a smile for Gio and allowed him to leave, even though I felt a strange chill in my stomach.
Gio walked out of the room. The baby bump was slowly becoming more noticeable. It was quite evident upon close inspection, so I often wore loose shirts or dresses.
Gio doesn’t allow me to come to the office anymore, and Aunt Elsie is managing it for now. Gio is deeply concerned about me, and I can’t blame him. He’s worried that something bad might happen during my pregnancy.
I feel empty when Gio leaves the house. I’m in the room, sulking. This is how I get even when Gio is out of my sight, even if just for a little while. I want to always feel and see him. I want to constantly smell him because when I can’t, I get sad and sometimes cry.
I also have severe morning sickness. If I weren’t a first-time mom, I might think it’s not normal. My sense of smell and taste has become hypersensitive.
Gio is providing me with everything I need. But all I want is him and his attention. Now that he’s back at work, it feels like I have a rival. If I could, I’d slap his company for taking Gio away from me. Damn, I’m going crazy.
I was brought some food, but I had no appetite. However, I knew I needed to eat for the sake of my child.
“Ma’am?” Alicia replied when I had called her attention after she giving instructions to the other household staff regarding the food being prepared on the table in the room.
“Can you call Gio for me, please? I want to talk to him.”
I uncovered my face, which had been hidden under a blanket, and faced . They seemed surprised by my appearance.
Earlier, before they arrived, I had been crying because my husband left.
“Dear Lord, Ma’am Millie, what happened? Are you in pain? Do we need to call a doctor?”
“I want you to call Gio.”
It seemed like some of the household staff panicked when they saw my teary eyes, and one of them hurried out to call Dario.
Dario and Elliott quickly entered the room. They were the two left behind with me while David was now the one always accompanying Gio.
“Ma’am, is there a problem?” Dario calmly asked as he approached.
“I want Gio.” You know when a child wants to buy a lollipop, but their parents won’t let them? That’s how I feel right now, but instead of a lollipop, I want my husband with me.
“Alright, I’ll call Sir.” Elliott swiftly grabbed his cellphone and dialed Gio while the others tried to comfort me.
Elliott stepped away for a moment, presumably waiting for Gio to answer his call. He returned to where we were, and my attention immediately focused on him, hoping to speak to Gio.
“Sir’s phone is off. He must be in a meeting.” My eyes welled up again upon hearing this. Elliott’s eyes widened upon seeing me on the verge of tears. “As I mentioned, I’ll call David to find out where Sir is.”
Elliott briefly moved away to make the call to David. “I spoke to David. He said he’ll tell Sir Gio. He’s in a meeting right now.” He said after the call ended.
My chin trembled, and another wave of tears threatened to fall, but I managed to hold them back. I couldn’t even understand why I was crying.
They advised me to eat, so I did. Not because I was hungry or had any appetite, but because I felt an obligation to eat for the sake of my baby.
I remained sad for a while before drowsiness overtook me. I fell asleep, and perhaps it was better to clear my mind of the fact that my husband wasn’t by my side. If only he could carry me to his office, I would have allowed it, but Gio didn’t want that. As much as possible, he didn’t want me exposed to any sources of stress.
I woke up to the gentle stroking of my hair. I slowly opened my eyes and looked at the person responsible for the comforting touch. When I saw Gio, I thought I was still dreaming.
“Am I still dreaming?” I murmured to myself.
“No,” he replied in a low but gentle voice, a tone I rarely heard from him.
“Right, I’m still dreaming,” I groaned, closing my eyes again, trying to return to sleep. My mind was convincing me that Gio was here.
“Baby, I’m here,” he whispered to me and kissed the side of my head. The distinct, spicy, and expensive scent of Gio filled my nostrils. I knew his fragrance well; it seemed as if it was made solely for him.
“Gio…”
I shifted and turned to face him. I blinked a few times to clear my vision and saw Gio sitting on the edge of the bed, running his fingers through my hair.
I quickly jumped up, hugged him tightly, and didn’t know when he came home, but I was thrilled he was here.
“You’re here,” I said in a soft voice, burying my face in his neck.
“When David told me you were crying and looking for me, I rushed home. You were asleep, so I didn’t want to wake you,” Gio explained while gently stroking my back as I clung to him.
I couldn’t speak immediately, but I was so happy to hear it. Was I being selfish? If only I could let Gio do the things he needed to do. However, I couldn’t help but feel an emptiness when he wasn’t around. Was it because of my pregnancy?
Gio didn’t leave the house. He decided to work from home, managing his tasks by having his secretary or instructing his staff to come to our place whenever necessary. I’m happy that he’s doing this for me, though there are times when I feel guilty because I think I’m hindering his work. But my mood swings have been making things more complicated.
At times, his cousins come over to visit us. They’re excited about our firstborn. Raffaele, his cousin, occasionally jokes that there’s still time for our child to become the next family head. According to Gio, Raffaele is like that because his son, Tobias, is in line to potentially take over as the next boss, competing with Lucian, Taddeo’s son. Knowing Raffaele, he despises responsibilities.
“Is it alright with you if our child doesn’t follow in your footsteps? I heard that the position of family head has been passed down for three generations in your family, starting with your grandfather, Reuben Locatelli, and then your father, Agatone Locatelli, took over. Now it’s the current generation’s turn. If things go as they have been, the legacy will fall to you, unless our child becomes the next boss. It’s not a big deal for me, but I’m not sure about you.” I asked.
“It’s fine. The Locatelli name will still carry the position. I’m alright with it, even if it’s not our child. Besides, we don’t even know our baby’s gender yet. I hope it’s a girl so she can take after you. I want two Amelie in my life.” Gio replied.
I playfully swatted his arm, feeling giddy about what he said. The discussion about the next generation’s responsibility within the family slowly faded away. If it’s okay with Gio that our child doesn’t have to be the next in line to lead the organization, it’s perfectly fine with me.
Today is the day for my ultrasound appointment. I’m excited and nervous. Is this normal? Gio is here with me. Ever since I cried whenever he left my side, he started working from home.
I’m ready, and my doctor has applied the gel to my stomach. Gio is by my side, and we’re both anxiously waiting for what will happen next.
As I grasp his hand, the doctor starts moving a handheld probe on my stomach. I can see the doctor intently watching the monitor and gasping a few seconds after the ultrasound begins.
“Doc, is there a problem?” Gio asks, as if voicing the question I want to ask our doctor.
She looks at us, and the surprised look in her eyes quickly changes. A smile forms on her lips, and she nods.
“No problem, Mr. Locatelli,” her smile widened even further.
She pointed to the monitor, and the doctor’s next words caught us by surprise.
“As you can see, there are two fetuses,” she said. My brow furrowed at her statement as I processed the information.
“It means?” I inquired, still not entirely comprehending.
“It means, Mrs. Locatelli, you’re not carrying just one baby, but two. Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Locatelli, you’re having twins.”
If my eyes could pop out, they might have. My jaw dropped, and then I turned to Gio, who was equally astonished.
Twins? Just like Gia and Gio? I couldn’t help but cry tears of joy that words couldn’t capture the overwhelming happiness I was feeling.