I’d never planned to come back to New York, certainly not like this. Yet here I was, stepping onto a sprawling lawn, holding one of my twins while the other wriggled in Dom’s arms.
My heart hammered in my chest at the sheer vastness of his family home. Oaks and maples dotted the property, and the wraparound porch framed an enormous house with more windows than I’d be bothered to count. It felt like stepping into a pastoral painting.
“Are you nervous?” Dom asked gently, shifting Marissa higher on his hip. He must’ve seen my knuckles go white around Summer’s little jacket.
“Yeah,” I admitted, blowing out a shaky breath. “I’ve never…had a big family get-together like this. And we’re about to meet your kids—all at once. Well, your older kids.”
“You’ve already met one,” Dom said with a small smile. “Just not under the best circumstances.”
“You can say that again. Leo…” My stomach flipped remembering the last time I’d seen him—angry, bitter.
Dom reached over, touched my shoulder. “He’s changed. Rehab helped. He told me he’s ready to be a brother to Marissa and Summer. He’s even looking forward to meeting you sober.”
“Sober,” I echoed in a murmur, glancing down at Summer. Her big eyes peered back at me, as if telling me not to worry. Maybe she was right.
Martha trotted over, craning her neck at the house’s third story. “So this is the upstate mansion, huh? My word. You told me it was big, but this is something else.”
“Welcome, Martha,” Dom said warmly. “Plenty of space for you, too. I’ve got your room all set upstairs.”
She brushed a strand of gray hair from her face and grinned. “I’ve never been upstate. As soon as the babies are settled, I might wander around, see if it’s as pretty as I’ve heard.”
“Go for it,” I said, adjusting Summer. “We’ll handle the introductions to Dom’s kids.”
“I’ll leave the complicated stuff to you two.” She winked, heading inside ahead of us, presumably to find her quarters.
As Dom guided me through the front doors, I couldn’t help letting out a soft gasp at the wide foyer with polished wooden floors. Family photos lined the entry with Mortolis throughout the years. The house exuded history, warmth, and a touch of sorrow.
I pressed my lips together, passing the pictures. “I never realized you had such a big place.”
Dom nodded, glancing at one photo of Gina as a teenager, her arms folded in teenage rebellion. “I like a lot of space.”
He paused at the mantle, where a more recent photo of Gina—her on the cover of a design magazine. Next to it, a frame with a picture of me holding Marissa and Summer, taken in Chicago during the Friday Fried-Dough Festival.
My chest constricted. I had no idea Dom had put that up. Gently, I brushed a finger over the photo’s edge. We’re part of this home now.
Summer squirmed in my arms, letting out a small whine. “Ready for the big meet-and-greet, baby girl?” I murmured, bouncing her lightly. She responded by drooling on my shoulder.
Just then, the doorbell chimed—a clear, old-fashioned ring echoing through the halls. My heart jumped. Dom smiled. “Let’s do this.”
He led the way back to the foyer, and I trailed him, trying to quell the flutter in my stomach. Gina’s familiar voice drifted through the door as Dom swung it open.
“Dad, hello!” Her sing-song greeting carried into the house before she stepped in, rolling a pair of suitcases behind her. In person, Gina was tall, with stylish boots and a sleek bob. She took one look at me holding Summer and practically squealed. “Oh my God, they’re so cute in real life!”
I managed a smile, letting her swoop in for a hug. Her enthusiasm was like a warm hug. She patted Summer’s back, cooing softly. “Hi, sweet baby. Your big sister has a whole bag of goodies for you!” Then she looked at me, eyes bright. “Ella, finally! It’s so great to meet you face-to-face.”
“You too,” I said, my tension easing at her genuine excitement. “Thanks for, uh, not being weird about all this.”
Gina tossed her hair with a laugh. “Please. I can’t wait to get to know you and the girls.” Then she beckoned Dom closer, hooking an arm around him in a quick side hug. “Hey, old man,” she teased, “glad to see you not scowling for once.”
Dom rolled his eyes affectionately. “I’m not that old. Where’s the rest of your stuff?”
“In the trunk, but I can get it later,” Gina said, waving a dismissive hand. She turned back to me, rummaging through one of her suitcases. “I brought these for the babies.” She pulled out a pair of tiny designer dresses, the labels making my eyes widen. “Some more for them to grow into as well, but I couldn’t resist, they were on sale.”
“Wow,” I breathed, gingerly touching the soft fabric. “These are…fancy.”
She laughed. “I know, right? But they’ll look adorable.” Turning to Summer, she brandished one of the dresses like a toy. The baby reached out, squealing. Gina’s face lit up. “See, she likes it already.”
I huffed a small laugh, a knot loosening in my chest. “Thank you, Gina. This is really kind of you.”
“No biggie,” she chirped. Then her gaze flitted around. “Is Martha here? I want to meet the legendary nanny who keeps these two angels in line.”
Dom smirked. “She’s probably upstairs settling in. You’ll run into her soon enough.”
Gina nodded, then noticed a slight tension in my posture. “It’s Leo who’s the big question, right?”
I swallowed hard, grateful she’d spoken about the elephant in the room. “Yeah, I guess so. I mean…we didn’t end on great terms when we dated. And now—”
“Now you’re with Dad, which is…complicated,” Gina finished, not unkindly. “But he’s in a much better place these days.”
I mustered a shaky nod. “Dom told me about rehab and everything. Still, I’m bracing myself.”
“I completely understand.”
Dom cleared his throat, adjusting Marissa in his arms. “Gina, want to hold your sister?”
Her eyes lit up. “Absolutely!” She accepted Marissa gingerly, cooing as our baby stared at her with wide eyes. “Hello, sweetheart. I’m your sister, can you believe that?”
Marissa stuck out her tongue in response, eliciting giggles all around.
For a moment, warmth filled the room as Gina introduced herself to the twins, half-babbling nonsense words and making faces that had Summer cackling in my arms. My pulse settled. Maybe this would all be fine. Then the doorbell chimed again.
“That’s Leo,” Dom said softly, sharing a quick, meaningful glance with me. The flutter in my stomach returned full force.
He opened the door, revealing Leo stepping in hesitantly. I was shocked. He looked…good. Healthy, in fact. His hair was pulled back, and he wore casual clothes—none of the damaged designer swagger from before. He clutched a paper bag, glancing around awkwardly.
“Hey, Dad,” he said, hugging Dom lightly. Then his eyes flicked to me, where I stood holding Summer. I swallowed, waiting for the tension to explode.
Instead, Leo offered a small smile. “Hey, Mariella. Good to see you.”
I blinked. “Uh, yeah. You too.” Not the greeting I expected from my ex—no hostility, no sarcasm.
He waved the paper bag. “I, uh, brought some baby toys. Thought…maybe they’d like them. I’m not exactly a baby expert, but the lady at the store said they’re good for their age.”
I stepped forward, adjusting Summer so I had a free hand. “That’s very thoughtful. Thank you.”
Leo swallowed, eyes darting between Dom, Gina, and the twins. “So…guess we’re all one big family, huh?” His tone held uncertainty, but I noticed sincerity in his expression.
Dom nodded, placing a hand on Leo’s shoulder. “We are. And it’s about time you met your little sisters properly.”
Leo exhaled, then crouched down beside Gina, who still sat on the floor with Marissa. He placed the paper bag in front of them, pulling out a set of rattles, plush animals, and teething rings. Marissa’s eyes lit up, and Gina laughed, guiding Marissa’s hand to a soft plush lamb. Summer babbled in my arms, so I lowered her as well, letting her crawl a bit.
“Whoa,” Leo said softly, eyes shining as Summer tried to clamber over his foot. “They’re so tiny.”
“That’s usually how they come out,” Gina teased.
He smirked and rolled his eyes, before standing to face me, guilt in his eyes. “About before…I’m sorry for how I treated you back when we dated. I was angry at Dad, angry at everything. I took it out on you, said things that…didn’t even make any sense.”
I blinked rapidly, surprise rocking me. “Leo, it’s okay. We both—”
He shook his head. “No, let me say this. I spent ninety days in rehab, had a lot of therapy. Realized I scapegoated Dad for Mom’s death, and blamed you for stuff that was my own doing. It was messed up, and when I said that thing about…about your body, about settling…God, I was an asshole to you.”
“You could have been nicer,” I said with a shrug, trying to let him off the hook.
But he leveled a look at me that reminded me of Dom. “Don’t brush this under the rug. I was an asshole. If you want to yell at me, or—”
I laughed. “No. That was ages ago, and I’m pretty sure we’re different people now. Water under the bridge.”
He let it rest there and looked at Dom, swallowing. “I’m glad you two found each other, weird as it might’ve been initially.”
A strange laugh escaped my throat, tears threatening. “Weird, yeah,” I agreed softly, “but apparently what the universe had in mind.”
Leo grinned, picking up Summer carefully. She grabbed his nose, giggling. “The universe has weird aim, huh?”
Dom let out a relieved chuckle, stepping closer to rest a hand on my back. “It got us here, so I think it’s okay.” He nodded at me, and I swallowed my fear down as I pulled the engagement ring out of my pocket, sliding it on. “Leonardo, we’re—”
“You’re engaged?”
“What?” Gina squealed.
Nervously, I nodded, and before I could finish, Leo hauled me to him for a hug. “That’s amazing!”
“Really?”
He held me at arm’s length. “Dad’s getting old. He’ll need someone to take care of him, and I didn’t want to do it.”
I laughed, and Dom slugged him in the shoulder. “Hey!”
Leo grinned, and then Gina swooped in for her hugs and congratulations.
I didn’t realize my whole body had been tense this entire time until then. But the tension melted away as they went back to playing with the babies. Leo made silly faces at Summer, who squealed in delight. Gina bounced Marissa on her knee, and the two older siblings launched into a playful argument about who got to hold which twin. Dom and I locked eyes, tears in both our gazes. I’d never expected this to be so…natural.
Soon, we moved into the dining room, where a brunch spread was laid out: fresh pastries, fruit, scrambled eggs, and coffee. Martha reappeared, exclaiming over the grandness of the table setup. Gina teased her father about going overboard, and he shot back that Gina could pay for the next feast with her design money. Leo chimed in with a joke about how he’d sponsor dessert if it meant sugary chaos. The twins gurgled happily, as though used to all the banter.
I sat there, heart so full I thought it might burst. Was this what a family was supposed to be? I’d always wanted one, but had never really known what I was asking for.
When the meal wound down, Dom glanced around, clearing his throat. “We should show Ella the orchard, right?” he suggested, eyes lingering on me. “It’s sort of a tradition.”
Gina snorted. “Dad and his orchard. Just watch out for the donkey.”
“The donkey?”
Leo raised an eyebrow, finishing the last sip of his coffee. “Still no official donkey sighting, though. It’s basically cryptid territory.”
I blinked, confused. “There’s a donkey cryptid?”
Dom chuckled. “Apparently, two donkey farms used to be around here somewhere, and now, people say there are donkeys that got loose and roam around. We’ll figure that out eventually.”
The goodbyes were surprisingly emotional, with Gina hugging me and the babies, and Leo making me promise we’d FaceTime so he could read the girls some bedtime stories in his silly voices. My chest ached with gratitude as I watched them drive off. The quiet that followed felt warm, not empty.
Dom and I carried Marissa and Summer outside, into the golden afternoon light. The orchard sprawled behind the south end of the mansion, scatterings of apple trees in all directions. Martha excused herself to unpack more, so it was just the four of us again.
I inhaled the crisp air, glancing sidelong at Dom, who balanced Marissa in his arms while I toted Summer. “You sure about all this?” I asked softly, though my tone was playful. “Rural living? Orchard donkey hunts?”
He grinned, brushing his shoulder against mine. “Positive. As long as you and the girls are here.”
Summer let out a squeal at a flutter of leaves overhead. Dom paused beneath a tree, shifting Marissa so he could tuck me under his arm. The babies watched each other, babbling. I looked up at Dom’s face, finding the gentle warmth I’d come to rely on.
“Thank you,” I whispered, tears pricking my eyes. “For letting me stay in Chicago until I was ready, for giving Leo time to come around, for making today possible.”
He kissed my forehead. “Thank you for being here with me. And for promising to never, ever do what you think is best for us without talking to me first.”
“Funny—I don’t remember promising that.”
He arched a brow and waited. Marissa squeaked, flailing a tiny fist. Summer promptly tried to grab it, and both babies ended up giggling in incoherent baby chatter. Dom and I laughed, pressing our foreheads together. I gave in. “Okay. I promise.”
We resumed walking among the trees, letting the girls absorb the rustling leaves and dappled sunlight. My fear of Leo’s reaction, my guilt over leaving Dom, all of it dissipated into the sweet orchard air. I finally had the big, loving family I’d longed for my entire life, odd as it might be.
Dom’s gaze caught mine. “Happy?”
“More than I ever thought possible.”
“Me too.”
After a little while, the babies got fussy. We headed back, turning toward the house. Dom stepped close, his free hand curling around my waist. “Let’s go inside,” he murmured. “We can lay them down for a nap, then maybe we can have a little time to ourselves.”
“I’d like that.”
His grin was soft as he leaned in, pressing a kiss to my lips—a quiet promise of this life we were building.
I’d traded a life of clattering pans and scorching burners for one full of orchard donkey rumors, a couple of complicated adults, a man I loved so much it was hard to breathe around him, and two precious babies who united us all. It wasn’t the life path I’d planned, but it was the best possible one I could imagine.
