Romano's Queen

Changes

"I know, and I'm not upset... I'm not going to lie. I was upset because you could've been hurt." He sighed, pulling her down to him. Quickly, he placed his hands on her belly with a smile. Every time Giuseppe felt his child move, it was a blessing, but reality set in quickly when he thought how their little one would never know his father or Regenia's. Both men were good and taking from the world a little too soon.

"I'm glad Ardo thought about his actions for once. It was in his eyes he wanted to kill you, and I was waiting for the moment he jumped. Berardo wouldn't have had the time to lift a finger, and he saw it— how was my Madre today?" He asked, changing the subject. Berardo wasn't going to consume his thoughts today. Giuse had to play nice with the man for two whole days while he was in Italy. Now, it was over, and they only had a few more days until their quiet time ended. It would take a minute, but Giuseppe knew Berardo was coming at them with every resource he had.

"That's why your Madre decided to do it in front of you." Regenia went quiet momentarily, and something in her face told him something was wrong. Or his mother made her promise not to tell him how she was feeling. "Drunk... she was drunk, and Nonno was trying to help her to the couch after finding her on the floor. He's too old to care for Mamma like that—"

"I know, and I think we need to move them here."

"Credo di no! (I think not!)." His grandfather yelled, causing Giuseppe and Regenia to turn to him quickly. Giovanni stood by the doorway with his cane in his right hand while glaring at them as if they lost their minds. "I have lived in that house my entire adult life. I helped build that house with my own two hands from the ground up. The only way you can get me out of there is when my body is cold and stiff. What you can do is move in. It's the family home, the place where you grew up. Why wouldn't you want the same for your children." He spoke as Giuseppe arched a brow.

"Flattering, but no. I know that house has many memories, Nonno, but there are some I would like to forget." Giu said as his wife looked at him with a curious look. "It needs to be burned to the ground and rebuilt before I consider moving there. Our house is new and a great place to raise our children— Don't look at me like that, Nonno. I designed it to my liking, and my wife decorated it. It's to our liking, and I prefer to live here." He sighed as his grandfather nodded his head. Clearly, he was having one of his good days, but it could quickly turn.

"Talk your mother into moving in with you. I have all the help I need at home— I can't leave there. It is the only place I feel close to her."

"Daniella?" Regenia questioned as Giovanni Sr looked up at her with a soft smile. Without a word, he stood and walked over to his grandfather, placing his hands on her belly. "You feel her?" She asked as he nodded, trying to hold back his tears. "Il tuo angelo vivrà in lie (your angel will live in her). She will be Daniella Amara Romano in honor of her great-grandmother. Nonno, she may not be here, but her spirit and name will live forever." She finished as the old man pulled her into a tight hug.

"Grazie...grazie but have a request." Both nodded as Giovanni continued to hug Regenia. Giuseppe never saw his grandfather like this... emotional. However, it didn't change a thing. "For me, think the middle name, Giovanna. Daniella Giovanna Romano. A way to honor your Padre— my firstborn. When your Nonna gave birth to him, my whole life changed. They were what I lived for. Now he's gone. I sound crazy, I know, but I love all my children, and it does something to you when you lose one. Get me and your mother a room made up... but you have to promise me one thing."

"That is?"

"If you destroy my home, you better build something there; your family will treasure it for years." He said, quickly leaving the room as Regenia turned to him with a questionable look. "What?"

"This house, did you get it built for you and someone else? Because you told me you bought it." She frowned as Giuseppe reached out to her, only for Genia to take a few steps back. "Uccellino, I don't know what's going through your pregnant mind... yes, I had the house built before coming to New York. It was mean to myself and my children in hopes I would find that special someone. Every other woman I dated or slept with saw me as their bank, but you were the only one who saw me for me. The only woman I ever loved. If you don't believe me, ask Arianna. The woman loves me but wouldn't dare lie for me."

"I don't want to fight with you Giuseppe. I— I don't know how to feel right now. So much is happening, and I feel like the world is falling around me. I've lost so much, and when I thought everything was good again, I lost him. Your Padre was good to me; he didn't look at me as a woman in over her head. He saw determination like my dad did. He told me to do what I wanted and be the Donna no one else could be. Somehow, I feel like I fail." She spoke while Giuseppe tried to figure out how their conversation went from the house to his father.

"You're determined not a failure. You feel this because he kidnapped you, but you were not the first Donna kidnapped by their enemy. So, some make it out alive, and others don't. You were one of the lucky ones. Always be grateful for that. With that being said, I have a surprise for you, Uccellino." With a smile, Giuseppe held out his hand to his wife as Regenia glared at him for a second. After winking, she smiled back while allowing him to pull her over to him with a kiss. Slowly, Giuseppe pulled her up the stairs, a door away from their bedroom, and opened the door, watching as her eyes lit up.

"I have more than one talent when I put my mind to it." He spoke as Regenia's eyes scanned their daughter's room until she stopped on the flowered name panel. Giovanna was nicely written across it, causing her to turn to him with a confused look. "I was going to ask you about changing her name to Giovanna—"

"Giovanna Daniella Romano has a nice ring to it. I love the name Giuseppe—"

"But?"

"There are no buts, Babe." She said, rubbing her hand down her belly with a deep breath. "Jacqueline Amelia Romano." He spoke, making her turn to him with an arched brow. Giuseppe was already thinking about their next child. If it were a boy, he would make sure his name would be Jaxson Isaiah in honor of her father and grandfather. Giuseppe didn't know how to suggest changing their daughter's name since Regenia was set on the name Daniella, and he couldn't bring himself to say no. "I don't want to change her first name, Uccellino. I simply want her to go by Giovanna or Gia." He smiled, making them shake her head with a smile.

"I see what you are doing, Giuse, and thank you. My Dad would be happy to know we are thinking about him. However, he made me promise never to name any of my children after him. Clearly, you didn't know he hated his name. Every time we went to family events, everyone called him by his given name— Jackson. I will not name my son Jackson. Jacqueline, I can live with you if we have another girl, but that will be a while from now, Giuse. For now, let's get a room ready for your mother and Nonno."

"I will have the staff to handle that. You and me, my beautiful wife, is going out to lunch with your mother, Jacob, and Isla."