Page 93 of It Must Be Fate

“What’s wrong, bud?”

“S-she t-took my caaar,” he stutters through thick sobs, pointing an accusing finger.

“It’smycar.”

“No, it’s not!” he roars, hitting her arm.

Just last month, we opened a new restaurant in Florence. I’d handled the entire process remotely, from design to build to the opening, pushing off having to travel there as much as possible since I didn’t want to be separated from my family.

I finally had to make a trip out for an investors’ meeting and had kept the visit short, only spending one night — last night — away from my wife and kids.

As always, it’d felt like an eternity.

Being back in the chaos of a full house of five bickering kids might be overwhelming to some — if not most — but it’s heaven to me.

“Su, give your brother back his toy. You can have it after dinner. Juno, don’t hit your sister.”

“Not fair, Daddy,” she pouts, handing him the toy anyway.

“You’ll get your turn.” I set Hana down and place her hand in Juno’s. “Take your sister to the table please.”

He leaves and I crouch in front of Suki who turns her head away. I love my children equally but there’s something about my middle daughter; she has me completely wrapped around her little finger.

It might have to do with the five beauty marks on her nose and cheeks, the exact same ones that dust Nera’s face. Like with her mother before her, I’m powerless to resist them.

“Su,” I coax.

I smile when she refuses to look at me. Stubborn, that one. Gets it from her mother.

Reaching into my pocket, I pull out a Bacci chocolate and hide it in one of my fists. Holding them both up in front of her, I say, “Pick one.”

Unable to resist the prospect of a present, she glances at my hands, then taps my left fist. I turn it over and spread out my fingers, revealing the chocolate snuggly held in my palm.

She grabs it with greedy fingers and throws her arms around my neck. “Thanks, Daddy!”

I wrap her in a big hug. “Missed you, lovebug.”

“Me too,” she answers, cheek against my chest.

“Grab your plate and go sit down. I’ll be right there.”

“Okay,” she answers happily, storing the chocolate in her pocket for later.

I turn off the stove and finish plating the last two sandwiches, then head into the dining room where I find my kids and my wife sitting around the table, waiting for me.

“Eat, eat,” I order. “It’s better warm.” I place a plate in front of Nera and bend to capture her lips. “Dinner for my beautiful wife.”

She cups my neck, her dark eyes shining as she looks up at me. “Thank you, baby.”

“I made us something special tonight. I wonder if you’ll remember it.”

She glances down at the plate and her hand tightens on me. Her gaze flicks back up to mine. “Is this the BLT you made me when we were first dating?”

I nod, humming, and add, “Technically we weren’t dating yet. Mummy made me work for it, kiddos,” I say to them as they look on at us, biting silently into their sandwiches. “Daddy suffered. Girls, take notes.”

Cato and Kiza, who are both old enough to start asking difficult questions look at each other and then the latter asks, “How did you meet?”

“Um…”

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