Time had a way of slipping through their fingers, like sand carried away by the wind. The once tiny hands of Amara had grown, and her giggles had transformed into the confident laughter of an 11-year-old girl. Leo, now four, was a ball of energy, running around the house and keeping them all on their toes.
Dante leaned against the kitchen counter, watching as Isla tied Leo’s shoes. “You know, he’s supposed to learn that on his own,” he teased.
Isla smirked. “And yet, you still can’t tie your own tie properly.”
Dante chuckled, walking toward her and wrapping his arms around her waist. “That’s because I have you.” He placed a soft kiss on her temple, enjoying how she shivered under his touch.
“Ew! Stop being gross!” Amara groaned from the doorway, making a face. “You’re so old and still act like teenagers.”
Dante turned with a smirk. “One day, you’ll realize that love never gets old.”
Amara rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah. Can we eat now?”
Leo, still sitting on the floor, clapped his hands. “Pancakes!”
Isla laughed, shaking her head as she finished with Leo’s shoes. “Alright, everyone to the table.”
Dante picked up Leo effortlessly and swung him onto a chair. The little boy giggled loudly, his brown curls bouncing. Amara was already seated, tapping her fingers impatiently.
Breakfast was always chaotic in their house. Leo tried to feed his pancake to their cat, Mochi, while Amara scrolled through her phone, updating Isla on all the latest school gossip.
“And then, Sarah said she’s going to audition for the talent show. But I don’t think she can sing,” Amara went on, stuffing a bite of pancake into her mouth.
Dante raised an eyebrow. “That’s not very nice.”
Amara shrugged. “I’m just being honest. You always say honesty is important.”
Isla shook her head. “There’s honesty, and then there’s kindness. They should go together.”
Leo tugged on Dante’s sleeve. “Papa, can I have a puppy?”
Dante groaned dramatically, exchanging a glance with Isla. “Amara wanted a turtle at four. You want a puppy?”
Leo nodded eagerly. “Pwease?”
Isla softened. “We’ll see, baby.”
Dante narrowed his eyes playfully. “That means no.”
Leo pouted but quickly brightened when Amara ruffled his curls. “You can play with my turtle instead.”
After breakfast, Amara disappeared to her room to FaceTime her friends, while Leo insisted on playing with Dante. Isla sat on the couch, sipping tea as she watched her husband get tackled to the floor.
“I’m under attack!” Dante shouted dramatically as Leo jumped on his back, giggling loudly.
Isla giggled, resting her chin on her palm. “I think you’re losing your touch, love.”
Dante sat up, pulling Leo into his arms. “You hear that, buddy? Your mom thinks I’m weak.”
Leo gasped, shaking his head. “No! Papa is the strongest!”
Dante smirked. “That’s my boy.”
Later that evening, when the kids had finally settled, Dante pulled Isla into their bedroom. The soft glow of the bedside lamp cast a golden hue across her face. He traced her cheek with his knuckles.
“Do you ever stop being beautiful?” he murmured.
Isla rolled her eyes but smiled. “You’re cheesy.”
“And you love it.”
She sighed, leaning into his touch. “Yeah, I do.”
Dante kissed her softly, pulling her closer until their foreheads touched. “This… this is what happiness feels like.”
Isla smiled against his lips. “Forever, Dante.”
And with their love as strong as ever, they melted into each other, surrounded by the warmth of their home.
As the night deepened, Isla sat on the couch, watching Amara braid her doll’s hair while Leo sat in Dante’s lap, giggling as his father tickled his tiny feet. The warmth of their home wrapped around them like a comforting embrace, the soft glow of the fireplace adding to the coziness.
“Mom, do you think I’ll be as tall as Dad?” Amara asked, tilting her head curiously.
Isla chuckled. “Maybe even taller, sweetheart.”
Dante smirked. “Not a chance. You’ll always be my little princess.”
Leo, not one to be ignored, jumped onto Isla’s lap. “Mama, story!” he demanded, his big eyes shining.
Dante pulled Isla closer, his arm wrapping around her as he whispered, “After the kids sleep, it’s just us, Mrs. Russo.”
She shivered at his words, her heart melting at how easily he balanced being a doting father and her ever-charming husband.
As the evening stretched on, the warmth of the Russo home remained filled with laughter and love. Isla leaned back into Dante’s chest as they all sat on the couch, savoring the peaceful moments together. The soft hum of the television played in the background, though neither of them paid much attention to it. Amara had nestled herself beside them, flipping through an old family album, her little fingers tracing over the pictures.
“Look at this one!” she giggled, showing Leo a picture of him as a baby, bundled in blankets, his tiny fists curled into balls.
Leo pouted. “I look funny.”
Dante chuckled, ruffling his son’s already messy hair. “You were the cutest little troublemaker. And now, you’re just a bigger one.”
Leo huffed dramatically, causing Isla to laugh. “You’re still my baby,” she reassured, kissing the top of his head.
Amara nudged her. “Mom, do you remember when Dad tried to cook breakfast for the first time?”
Dante groaned. “Oh, come on. It wasn’t that bad.”
“You set the toaster on fire, Dad,” Amara said, rolling her eyes.
Leo gasped. “You burned food?”
Isla burst into laughter, shaking her head. “Oh, Leo, you should’ve seen it. Your dad panicked and nearly threw the whole toaster out the window.”
Dante grumbled, pulling Isla closer. “Alright, enough roasting me. Let’s talk about how your mother once mistook sugar for salt and almost ruined an entire batch of cookies.”
Isla’s mouth dropped open. “Excuse me! That was one time!”
Amara and Leo burst into giggles, and soon, the whole family was laughing together. These were the moments that made everything worth it. The long nights, the struggles, the worries-none of it mattered when they were together like this.
As bedtime approached, Isla took Leo’s tiny hand, leading him upstairs while Amara walked ahead, still chatting away. Once Leo was tucked in, Isla sat on the edge of his bed, smoothing back his soft curls.
“Mama,” he whispered sleepily, his tiny fingers curling around hers. “Don’t go.”
“I’ll stay until you fall asleep,” she promised, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead.
Meanwhile, Dante tucked Amara into her bed, listening to her chatter about school and friends before kissing her goodnight. By the time both kids were asleep, he made his way back to their bedroom, finding Isla sitting by the window, lost in thought.
He wrapped his arms around her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder. “Penny for your thoughts?”
She leaned into his warmth, sighing contently. “Just thinking about how far we’ve come.”
Dante turned her around, his fingers tilting her chin up. “We’ve built a beautiful life, haven’t we?”
She smiled. “Yes, we have.”
He kissed her softly, savoring the quiet moment between them. No words were needed; their love spoke for itself.