Chapter 80: It’s What we needed

Ana
Finally, we were together again. Dante, Paolo, and I. The hell we had gone through to reach this point seemed like a bad dream, something we would remember only to appreciate the peace we had finally conquered.
The following days were a whirlwind of emotions and changes. Dante slowly adjusted to his return, recovering memories and fragments of himself that Luisa had tried to erase. At every step, we made sure he knew he was safe and that we were together.
One morning, as the sun rose over the villa, I found myself in the garden with Paolo, enjoying the tranquility. Martin watched us from a respectful distance, always alert but giving us our space.
“Good morning, my love,” I caressed Paolo’s soft cheek, and he responded with a bright smile.
“Mama...”
Every time he said that word, I felt a mix of joy and responsibility. I had promised my little one that I would protect him and that we would always be together. And now, with Dante back, that promise felt more real than ever.
“Today we’re going to have a special day. Your dad is going to come with us. We’re going to be a real family.”
Paolo laughed, happy at the idea. Just then, Dante appeared in the garden, his face lit up with a warm smile.
“Good morning, family.”
I walked over to him, hugging him tightly. Feeling his presence, his warmth, was a balm for all the wounds we had suffered.
“Ready for our special day?”
“More than ready. I want to make the most of every second with you both.”
Hand in hand, we went to the nearby park, a place where the green of the trees and the sound of the birds created an atmosphere of peace and serenity. Paolo ran ahead, exploring with the curiosity typical of his age.
“He’s amazing, Ana. I can’t believe everything I’ve missed.”
I took his hand, intertwining my fingers with his.
“You have all the time in the world to catch up. We’re here, together. Nothing else matters.” We spent the morning enjoying the park, playing with Paolo and laughing as if the last few months of terror had never happened. For the first time in a long while, I felt like I could breathe easily.
By midday, we found a small café where we sat down for lunch. Paolo was entertained with a toy while Dante and I took the opportunity to talk.
“I’ve been thinking, Ana. I want us to leave all this behind. The mafia, the danger, everything. I want a peaceful life for us, for our son.” His words took me by surprise, but deep down, I knew he was right. After everything we had been through, we deserved a chance to be happy without the constant threat we had faced. “I want that too, Dante. But it won’t be easy. There are things we need to resolve before we can leave it all behind.” He nodded, understanding the truth in my words. “I know. But with time, we can do it. We can build a new life, away from all this.” The determination in his eyes gave me strength. I knew we could do it, together.
As evening fell, we returned to the villa. Martin approached us with a smile, informing us that everything was in order. “Thank you, Martin. For everything. We couldn’t have made it this far without you.” He nodded, with a slight smile. “It’s an honor to serve you, Ana. And I’ll be here, helping you with whatever you need.”
That night, after putting Paolo to bed, Dante and I sat on the terrace, gazing at the stars. “I remember when we used to do this, before everything got complicated.” “I remember too. And now, we can do it again, without fear.” I turned to him, feeling the depth of our love and the journey we had taken to get to this point. “I love you, Dante. I always have, and I always will.” “I love you too, Ana. More than words can express.” We kissed, sealing a promise of eternal love. The tranquility of the night enveloped us, and for the first time in a long time, I felt like we were truly at peace.
In time, we would fulfill our promise to leave the mafia behind. We would find a way to live a peaceful life, dedicated to our son and to our love. But that night, we simply enjoyed the moment, knowing we had achieved something extraordinary. We were together. We were a family. And that was all that mattered.
THE END.