78|Epilogue 3

~Zia~

Like always, Xavier had everything planned out. We took a drive to Club Sky and met with our friends. I haven’t gone out with any of them since I gave birth to Franco. Sure, they visit our place often, sometimes for no apparent reason.

Diego would pop up the most; he even had his things in the guest room since he’s been sleeping there a couple of nights a week. One time, I interrogated him about why he’s always in our place. I don’t mind having them over, but Diego is a pain in the ass. He whines when we run out of Batangas coffee. It’s cute. He’s a child that cries when there’s no cereal in the morning. And his response was even infuriating.

‘You hoard the best coffee in town,’ was his nonchalant response. I pity the girl who would fall for this kid.

Penny, dressed in a burgundy satin-wrapped dress, smiled brightly when she caught sight of us entering the VIP lounge. Her natural blond waves bounced as she hopped out of the stool, grinning as she offered her arms for a warm embrace. She hasn’t dyed her hair since she started dating Lu, and that’s the sign that she’s definitely taking things with him to another level.

Lu, dressed in an aqua button-up dress, gave Xavier one of those brotherly hugs before turning to me, shaking his head as my husband glared when he motioned to give me a hug. He maintained eye contact with Xavier, caging me in his powerful arms. Xavier groaned audibly, making me giggle.

It was an innocent act that can be compared to that of a long-time friend or even sibling, but Xavier didn’t like it. Lu knew how to push his buttons, and he’s using me to annoy the poor guy.

Bo freely gave me a welcome hug, and so did Diego, both sporting a fitted polo matching with jeans that enhanced their physical features.

I miss them, not that I’m complaining about becoming a mother. It’s just that I miss hanging out with them, and this is such a nice change of scenery.

“How is Franco?” Penny handed me a glass of watermelon cooler. I can drink one or two bottles of beer. I just had to make sure that my system was clear of alcohol before breastfeeding Franco in the morning, but I chose not to drink anyway.

My night with my husband has just begun, and I want to savor my alone time with him.

I leaned on the dark blue leather lounge, taking a sip of my fruit drink. “Mom and dad are enjoying their time with him. I fear they might become spoiler grandparents.” I rolled my eyes.

Penny giggled, taking a sip of her fruit punch. The boys erupted into chaos; Bo and Diego got into a heated conversation over the pool table just a few feet away from us. Instead of appeasing the two, Lu and Xavier were urging Diego to punch Bo in the face. It’s a fight between David and Goliath. Diego, however, hasn’t won any sparring sessions with those three, so he’s on the losing side.

Kids.

“Will they ever grow up?” I groaned. They already grabbed a few VIP eyes in their direction as they continued to banter like children on a playground.

Who would have thought the backbone of the Italian mafia was four-year-olds trapped in grown-up bodies?

“Was it hard?” Penny asked, grabbing my attention from glaring at Xavier, who only gave me a wink.

“Being a mom?” I turned my gaze to my best friend, realizing that she had a serious face on.

She nodded, glancing over at the boys. 

“No way,” I whispered, catching on to her sudden interest in motherhood. Don’t get me wrong; Penny has been a good moral support throughout my entire pregnancy. Even now, she’d take her time to watch Franco when she visits us.

She gave me an innocent look. But with Penny, there’s no innocence at all. Not in a wrong way... okay, that sounds really wrong… anyway. It’s Penny, my naughty, witty, and not-so-innocent best friend.

 “What?” she bit her lip, avoiding eye contact with me.

“Have you told him yet?” I reached for her hand, knowing how scary it was to step into this uncharted territory for the first time.

Heaving a sigh, she glanced over at Lu before turning her full attention to me. “Is it obvious? I’m only a few weeks in, six or seven.”

I shook my head, smiling at her softly. “Nope, I just know you, Penny. You would never let a night in a bar pass by drinking fruity sweet cocktails like this.” I raised my glass, grimacing to make her smile. “Tell him,” I urged, “he will love to hear about it. If he doesn’t want to do anything with your baby, it’s his loss, not yours.”

She regarded me with a knowing look. “You speak like an old lady.”

“Oh god,” my face scrunched, “Don’t remind me, please.”

Penny threw her head back, laughing at my expense. “Seriously though, Lu would be ecstatic to hear about this.”

“Hear what?” We both straightened in our seats when the boys suddenly entered the space in the booth, crowding us. Xavier sat beside me while Lu maneuvered to scoop Penny from the couch to his lap. Bo and Diego occupied the single sofas, reaching for the beer bottle delivered by Sage, the bartender.

“That I want to buy a puppy,” Penny lied.

“A puppy?” Lu’s brows quirked, turning to look at me and back at Penny. “Okay, but I also have something to tell you.”

“Hm?” Penny hummed.

“I bought a place in Sicily.”

Penny and I looked at one another. Xavier squeezed my shoulder gently, pressing a kiss on my forehead.

“You’re moving?” The surprise and edge on Penny’s voice were a bit alarming. She was the kind of girl who was always sure of everything, and these uncertainties being thrown at her one night would stress her out.

“We,” Lu rubbed her arms up and down, “I want you to move there with me.”

Penny chewed on her lip before gazing at me, brown eyes brimming with mist. She stood, walking away from the group without as much as a word, leaving the boys baffled by her actions, most especially Lu.

“I’ll just follow her,” Lu mumbled to no one, tracing the path Penny took towards the stairs of the lounge. They’ll probably be out for the night.

The guys seemed to know Lu’s plans since they’re not a bit worried about Penny’s walk-out performance. “We have somewhere to be as well.” Xavier stood, offering his hand to me. “We’ll see you tomorrow.”

We bid goodbye to Bo and Diego and hit the highway again. We’re driving away from the city in silence. I can’t say I’m not worried about Penny and Lu because I am. They’re meant to be, but like my relationship with Xavier, they’re also facing hurdles right now. I just hope that they talk it through, like what Xavier and I did.

“Zia?” Xavier rested his hand above mine on my lap, shifting gear before lacing his fingers with mine. “Everything good?”

“Yeah,” I replied, looking straight at the road ahead. “I’m worried about Penny.”

“Lu will do everything to keep her on his side. I can assure you that.”