But now Maria had gone and they had Leo in her place, which, as much as he’d reached a sort of truce with his unexpected brother, wasn’t at all the same thing.
And apparently he’d said something wrong again, as Maria had frozen and was staring pointedly at where Frankie was about to denude the stable of sheep.
‘I miss Noemi, too,’ she said stiffly. ‘We should go and say hello.’
Then, without looking back, she crossed the room with swift steps and removed Frankie from the antique ornaments, and carried him over to where their family was waiting instead.
At least she missed one of them, Seb supposed. It was too much to hope that she might have missed him, too, when she’d made it so clear she didn’t. If she had, she’d have wanted to see him on one of his few visits. The same way he’d spent them hoping to get just a glimpse of her.
Noemi rushed forward to greet them, a huge smile on her lips, and embraced Maria immediately. Sebastian trailed behind, watching as his wife greeted his sister with considerably more enthusiasm than she had greeted him.
Then Noemi knelt down in front of Frankie. As he moved to their side, Seb could see that his son’s eyes were wide as he glanced around the large room and all of the people that he didn’t know. Including his own father, it seemed.
‘Hey, Frankie,’ Noemi said, trying to gain his attention. When he looked at her, she said, ‘Can I have a hug?’
Frankie glanced up at Maria, apparently for permission.
‘It’s okay,’ Maria said.
That was all it took for Frankie to release his mother’s hand and let Noemi draw his little body to her. ‘I’m so happy you’re here. I’ve missed you tons.’
Seb’s heart felt heavy in his chest. Maybe Frankie didn’t truly remember his aunt Noemi either, but he’d still allowed her to hug him.
He’d been almost afraid of him. How could he have let that happen? He’d hoped his visits and video calls would have kept his memory fresh in Frankie’s little mind, but apparently they hadn’t been enough.
And Seb knew that those few stolen days hadn’t been anywhere near enough for him. He’d missed so much already. How could he let Maria go again, knowing how much more he would miss? Just like his own parents had missed Leo’s childhood when they’d sent him away for adoption.
Frankie pulled back and returned to his mother’s side, and Noemi stood again, turning her attention back to Maria.
Unable to watch any longer, Seb moved away to join Leo and the others. Hopefully Noemi would get to the point of whatever it was she’d called them all there to talk about soon, and then he could pour himself a large drink and feel depressed about his life choices again. That was always a good time.
‘Noemi,’ Sebastian said, ‘why did you call us all here? We weren’t supposed to meet for another week. Is it the attorney? Does he have news for us?’
Noemi shook her head. ‘This isn’t about the will.’
‘Then what is it about?’ Sebastian’s gaze moved to the man who had his arm around his sister, and then back to Noemi. ‘You know I don’t like guessing games.’
A sharp elbow in his ribs told him that Maria had come to stand beside him. Oh, good. She’d retained one wifely habit at least.
‘Maybe we shouldn’t be here,’ Leo said, presumably meaning him and Anissa.
‘Of course you should,’ Noemi said. ‘You are my brother as much as Sebastian is. Our separation as kids was a horrible mistake, but I hope that in the future there will be no distance. Because I’m going to need all of you.’
Oh, God. What now? How much more disaster could this family take?
But then Noemi smiled. ‘It’s nothing bad. I promise. I... I’m pregnant. You’re going to be uncles.’ And then glancing at the women, she added, ‘And aunts.’
For a moment there was silence as everyone took in the news.
His little sister. A mother.
‘And we’re having twins,’ Noemi added. As if one baby wasn’t enough of a shock.
But she was still his sister. Stepping forward, Seb stared her in the eye and tried to think what their father would have said. Salvo Cattaneo had always known what to say.
‘Are you happy?’ Because, in the end, that was what mattered, wasn’t it?
Noemi smiled at him. ‘I’ve never been happier.’
He studied her face for a moment to make sure she was telling him the truth. And then he put his hands on her shoulders, like he remembered their father doing. ‘Then I am happy for you, too. Congratulations.’
He pulled her into his arms and gave her a tight hug—something he wasn’t sure he’d done since they’d learned of their parents’ deaths. His relationship with Noemi hadn’t always been without tension or frustration but he did love her, even if he didn’t always understand her, or what she wanted from him.
When Sebastian released her and backed away, Leo stepped up to her, and Seb watched to see how the new brother would deal with the news. ‘You do know that I have no idea about children or how to be a cool uncle, right?’
She smiled and nodded. ‘I think you’ll figure it out. In fact, I’ll insist.’
She reached out and hugged him, too, which seemed to take Leo by surprise.
When they pulled apart, Noemi moved to Max’s side. She placed her hand in his, lacing her fingers with his. ‘Do you want to tell the rest?’
‘You’re doing fine,’ Max replied, sounding laid-back about the whole twin situation. Really, at this point, what more news could there be?
‘First, I should probably introduce Max by his proper name,’ Noemi said. Sebastian frowned. ‘I’d like you to meet Crown Prince Maximilian Steiner-Wolf. He is the heir to the throne of the European principality of Ostania.’
A prince? His baby sister was pregnant by a prince? Seb knew he’d been distracted lately, but how had he missed this much?
Noemi drew in a deep breath and then slowly expelled it. ‘And he has asked me to marry him.’
Well, that was something, otherwise Max and he would have had to have words.
Then Maria said, ‘You’ll be a princess,’ and the reality of the situation set in fully. His wife always saw to the heart of a matter first.
‘Wow,’ Anissa said in awe, which pretty much covered Seb’s thoughts on the subject.
‘Yes, she will.’ Max spoke up. ‘She will be the most beautiful and compassionate princess. And I couldn’t be luckier. I promise you that I will do my best to make her happy.’
Sebastian looked between Noemi and Max. ‘So you’re moving to Ostania?’ He wasn’t sure how he felt about her being so far away. On the one hand, maybe they’d argue less. On the other, without Maria, and with his parents gone, and no commitment from Leo to hang around past Christmas, Seb would be on his own. Completely alone, for the first time ever.
His head spun at the thought.
‘I’m afraid that my duties are increasing and after Christmas I will need to spend the bulk of my time in Ostania,’ Max explained. ‘I’m sorry to take your sister away from you all, but you will always be welcome at our home.’
‘Don’t you mean your palace?’ Maria asked.
Max nodded. ‘Yes. And it has a lot of guest rooms.’
‘Guest rooms that I expect all of you