Thirty minutes later when we come back up the stairs, Bella and Ricky run off to their individual rooms to get changed for the day and I use my foot to tap on Giana’s door, balancing a content Caterina on one arm and a second cup of coffee in the other. Giana turns to me with a smile, looking like

“What?” I sputter, my eyes flashing between them as Christian turns to me and Lucy goes rigid in her place on the floor, her eyes going wide. “What the hell is going on here!?” Christian’s hand softly drifts away from its place on Lucy’s head. “Iris,” Christian says, turning towards me seriously

“Drink up, you sissy!” Giana laughs, sipping at the straw of her way-too-strong bloody mary. I just cough, looking askance at mine. “G, this is like 90% vodka, 5% tomato juice, and the rest is horseradish. Honestly, it’s basically clear.” “I am freshly a widow, Iris,” Giana says, even as she lau

The room is tense for a moment before Elio releases a booming laugh. I cringe away from that too – because it’s clearly fake. Too loud, too brash – just meant to break the tension in the room. We all turn towards him, Christian’s threat still alive in the tense lines of his body. “Oh, you two ne

The day passes quickly, mostly because I get caught up in the chaos of Giana’s life – helping her and the children pack for their mini vacation, sorting through the wreckage of the children’s room for lost bathing suits and sunglasses, ordering the fast delivery of sunscreen and other final touches.