Page 134 of Chris

“And who likes it, huh?”

Chris would have enjoyed the banter between his twin, and Alessio, but he was already heading toward Valeria who was smiling his way.

“Where did Maria go?” he asked his wife.

Valeria peered up at him. “In the house. And congrats on winning.”

“Why?”

“Because you won the game.”

“No, why did she go in the house?”

“For a surprise.”

“For me?”

“Since when are you nosy?”

“Just because it’s your birthday, son,” his father called as he crossed the backyard with Maria skipping at his side, “doesn’t mean you get everything you want … or does it?”

He might have questioned his father on that statement, but he was more interested in his girl, and the gift in her hands. A white box, maybe twelve inches long, and wrapped with a big, golden bow. She held onto it like it was a lifeline.

“What’s this?”

Maria smiled. “It’s for you. And me.”

Chris shot Valeria a look.

She only shrugged.

“Open it?” Maria asked.

Chris took the chair his father pulled out so he could sit beside his wife, with his mother on the other side of him. Gian came to stand behind his chair while Maria placed the box in his lap. Sweet as could be, she bounced on the spot while she waited for him to reach for the gift.

“Any hints?” he asked Valeria.

She shook her head. “It’s better if you … understand all at once, I think.”

“Definitely,” Gian added.

His brow dipped. “They know what it is?”

“We needed help with—”

“Details,” Cara was quick to interject. “Don’t give him too much to go on.”

Valeria laughed. “Yeah, that. Open your gift.”

Well, okay.

Maria’s excitement only grew like her huge smile when Chris pulled the satin ribbon from the top of the box. He gave her a laugh before opening the top, and then he looked down.

His whole world stopped.

Application for Adoption.

The papers were ready. All filled out, and it appeared a lawyer could file them anytime. It only needed one thing. A little arrow pointed to a space where his signature needed to go.