“Yes. My mother made beautiful quilts. I learned from her.”
His eyes traveled over her face with an intensity that made her heart race. “You’re remarkable, and can make something this beautiful and be a loving mother, too. I hope you know I’m in awe of you, and for going through this whole experience alone.”
She felt his sincerity. His words boosted her confidence and thrilled her in a way he couldn’t possibly understand. “I—I’d better get going.” Her voice faltered.
“Be expecting my phone call in the morning.”
Valentina knew herself very well. She was already hoping to hear from him. He could have no idea how much.
Her glance strayed to Ric. Her first impulse was to kiss him, but after a slight hesitation, she left the room, taking Giovanni’s son with her in the quilt he’d bought him.
She walked out to the lounge of the outpatient department in a complete daze. The reality of Giovanni Laurito being Ric’s father was stunning.
The man was stunning.
More than that, he was breathtakingly handsome, charming, reasonable and so loving to both babies it brought tears to her eyes. In a word, he was wonderful.
To think that all this time the famous CEO at Laurito’s had been fathering Vito, her son. All this time Valentina had been mothering his son, Ric. The whole thing made reason stare.
She found her brother pacing the floor while he did business on his phone. As soon as he saw her, he put it away. How to tell him the true facts? She needed to think about it for a while first because she knew it would be a shock to him when he learned Giovanni Laurito was Ric’s father.
“Sorry I was so long.”
“Don’t apologize for anything. Are you going to let me see my nephew?”
She nodded and turned the sleeping baby around so he could get a good look. “His name is Vito. He’s so precious I can’t believe it.”
After a minute, her brother stared at her with a somber expression. “He’s yours all right. Genes don’t lie.”
“No. They definitely don’t.”
“I know this is hard on you.”
“You have no idea. Let’s go. I want to get him home before he wakes up.”
“I’ll bring the car around the entrance.”
“Thank you.”
In a few minutes she got in the backseat with the diaper bag and settled Vito in the car seat. So far he hadn’t stirred. She felt Rini’s piercing gaze through the rearview mirror. If he knew what she and Signor Laurito had talked about, he’d quash the idea in a heartbeat.
No one had a greater right to an opinion than Rini. She owed him everything. But Vito’s father had asked her a salient question. Is it what you want?
It didn’t take long to reach the villa. She hurried inside with Vito and went straight to the nursery. Bianca followed her and grew misty-eyed. She’d loved Ric, too, but now that she could see Vito, she marveled over the likeness to Valentina and was smitten with him.
After putting him in the crib, she leaned against the bars and looked down at him. He truly was adorable, but she could never forget that this had been Ric’s bed several hours before.
By now he was probably at his new home in Ravello. Signor Laurito’s villa was a little over an hour away from Positano. Had Ric awakened and discovered she was gone? Her pain went so deep she broke down sobbing.
She felt Rini’s arm close around her. He pulled her into him, where she buried her face against his shoulder. “I wish I could comfort you.”
“You’ve done everything for me any human could ask for, but this is a problem not even King Solomon could make right. The truth is I want both babies.” She lifted her head, aware that she’d soaked his shoulder. “They’re both mine.”
He kissed her forehead before releasing her. “I admire you more than you know for handling this with such grace and dignity.”
For her brother to say that went a long way to make her feel better about herself as a capable person and mother. “I’m trying to, but I’m afraid Signor Conti is expecting the hospital to be sued.” That was Signor Laurito’s opinion.
“I suppose it’s possible,” he reasoned. “Look at the turmoil this has cost because someone made a serious mistake by not following the hospital rules. Everything about this has been handled wrong.”
“I’ve been thinking about that.” She sank down in the rocking chair, her eyes focused on her baby. “But everyone makes mistakes. Mine was worse for getting involved with Matteo when I knew better. He’d fed my ego and look what happened. But the person who put the wrong wristbands on the babies didn’t do it willingly.”
“That’s one of the things I love most about you, Valentina. You have a generous heart. I can’t think of another mother who wouldn’t want justice after what has happened.”
She flicked her gaze to him. “But what good would it do now? The damage has been done. Our mother would say the same thing. All I can do is love my birth baby and pray that God takes my pain away for losing Ric. It’s so strange. I feel like I gave birth to both of them.”
“I feel your sadness. What can I do to help?”
Valentina grasped his hand. “You’re helping right now by listening to me. I couldn’t have gotten through all this without your love and encouragement. But right now I’m exhausted. I think I’ll lie down for a few minutes and ask Bianca to let me know when he wakes up for another bottle.”
“I’ll stay in here with him.”
“I love you, Rini.” She got up and kissed his cheek. Another glance at Vito and she went to her bedroom down the hall. Her body felt like it weighed a thousand pounds. She sank down on the bed and cried herself to sleep while visions of Ric and his striking father played in her mind.
When she was next aware of her surroundings, the baby was crying. She sat up. “I’m coming, Ric!” Valentina flew out of the bedroom, but when she reached the nursery, she discovered Rini holding Vito and she realized her mistake in thinking it was Ric. He was crying his little heart out.
She reached for him. “It’s all right, Vito. I’m here, darling.” She put him against her shoulder and walked around the room patting his back. To her surprise it was dark outside. She must have been asleep for hours. Her life had been turned around and upside down. Rini looked as tired and frustrated as she felt.
“How long has he been this upset?”
He flashed her a wry smile. “Almost from the moment he woke up and saw me looking at him. He needs you.”
“I wish I were the person he wanted.”
“Before long you’ll be the mother he turns to.”
Now was the time to tell Rini the truth of the matter. Valentina had made the mistake of getting involved with Matteo without the benefit of her family’s knowledge until it was too late. If she planned to have any more contact with Signor Laurito, she didn’t want to hide it from her brother, no matter if he didn’t approve.
“Rini? There’s something you should know. I found out Vito’s mother gave him up at birth.”
He frowned. “Is she mentally ill?”
“Maybe. She and his father are divorced, so it’s the father I met at the hospital. His name is...Giovanni Laurito.”
Her brother’s eyes narrowed in reaction. “You must be joking.”
She shook her head. “Signor Conti introduced us when he discovered we’d gotten together to quiet the babies.