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10
Portofino, 2000
I was just decorating a fresh batch of Persian love cakes and red velvet muffins when the bell above the bakery door rang and Remy’s lively laugh made it into the room.
“Mama!” She ran behind the counter and hugged my waist like she hadn’t seen me in a week. It was the same every day with her. She came downstairs in the shop after Fran gave her breakfast and hugged like we’ve been apart for years. My sweet angel.
“Hey, baby. How was the beach?”
“Fun! Roman made sand angels with me.”
“Ah, great, so that’s why you’re leaving a trail of sand behind you. Go upstairs and ask Aunt Francesca to help you wash your hair and change, ok?”
“No!”
Oh, here we go again. One of those moments when I had to face the truth that my perfect little angel wasn’t perfect. I looked at Roman and winked at him.
Enjoy the show, brown eyes. This is your daughter.
“Remy, you have to take a bath.”
“No! I don’t like baths. No, Mama.”
“Yes, mama. You are filthy, and you can’t be around my cakes like that.”
“I don’t want to take a bath!” She screamed so high, I wondered how the windows didn’t break.
Romina was a good kid. She was well-behaved and understanding. I really couldn’t ask for anything better from someone her age, but for some reason we were going to war every time I had to convince her to take a shower. It was like giving a bath to a bobtail cat.
“Remy, I don’t care what you want. You have to.”
“But I’ve been in the water all day. I’m clean. Tell her, Roman.”
She goes to him for backup? Really?
I turned at him with my arms crossed, daring him to take her side.
“Your mother is right, baby girl.”
“No!” Her eyes filled with tears, and she started crying.
The naïve Roman tried to rush to her side but I stopped him and dragged him to me instead.
“You can cry all day, young lady, but you will take that bath.” No response, just more whining. “Fine, do whatever you want, but Roman, Maximus, and I will ignore you until you’re clean. Roman, do you want a cupcake?”
He tried to protest my method.
“Maybe we should…”
“Cupcake, Stefani. Now!”
He turned to the counter and took a cupcake, but he was reluctant to eat it because Romina kept calling his name. She did the same with Max, but Roman was holding tightly on his collar. After about three minutes, Remy finally gave up.
“Fine, I’ll go wash my hair!” She yelled and ran upstairs.
The moment she was out of sight, Roman dropped the cupcake and exhaled. Max, on the other hand, went to the door Romina took and sat his ass next to it like he was waiting for her.
“That was torture, Salva.”
