Epilogue

EPILOGUE

DARIO

One Month Later

I rise to my feet, clapping my hands so hard they almost hurt. Beside me, my mother and father join in on the standing ovation. On the other side, Giulia and Rosa are also clapping, though Rosa can’t stand yet. However, she has far more energy than just a month ago. The small theater is filled with admiration for the play’s first production, and I know that most of it is because of my woman’s performance.

“Wasn’t she amazing?” I beam, turning to my mother and father.

My father, who’s noticeably less grumpy now that his land grab is complete, is smiling from ear to ear. “Fantastic, son!” he yells over the clamor.

“Wasn’t she great?” I grin, turning to Giulia.

Elena’s friend smiles at me, nodding. “She always has been, but that was next level!”

The curtains close, and the actors walk onto the stage to take their final bow. Elena looks gorgeous in her fifties-style dress, her hair styled as if she just stepped out of an old-timey magazine advert. She nailed the whole thing right down to the accent.

I think that’s it. I’m ready to go backstage, but then Elena steps forward with a microphone. A hush falls over the theater. She looks right at me.

“Dario,” she says, her sweet voice carrying. Her voice, not the character’s. “Remember what we talked about when the rain made it hard to hear?”

My thoughts float to two weeks ago when we discussed the possibility of having a family. We haven’t been using protection.

“Would you be mad?” she’d asked.

“I’d be the happiest man alive.”

Now, she smiles—a secret smile just for me. “We’ve got our wish.”

I move down the row, then rush down the aisle toward my woman. Leaping onto the stage, I pull her into my arms. She drops the microphone and throws herself at me.

“You’re pregnant?” I gasp.

“Our happily ever after just got a whole lot more interesting.”

As we lean in for a kiss, even if they’re not quite sure what’s happening, everybody applauds with even more excitement.