Her Home

Chapter 12 — Big Sister’s Problem



Vincent woke up the next morning with Rebecca in his arm. He felt such relief that she had agreed to move in. He planned to talk to her about which of the extra rooms she wanted to be turned into the nursery for the baby. He would even give up his office if she wanted, although, he didn't like the idea of the baby sleeping that far from them. He stared at her while she slept for a few minutes before deciding to get up and make her some breakfast. Vincent was adding the tenth pancake to the stack when Domenico walked into the kitchen. "Morning, Boss."

"Dom. Do you not knock anymore?" Vincent asked his cousin. He didn't really care he was in too good of a mood to let anything bother him.

"Sorry," Domenico held up his hands in surrender. "Why the hell are you making so much food?" He asked looking around the counters noticing eggs, bacon, pancakes, waffles, and french toast. He picked a grape out of the bowl if fruit that was in front of him and threw it into his mouth.

"Don't pregnant women eat a lot?" Vincent furrowed his brows. Had he made too much? Before Domenico had a chance to answer his question, the kitchen door opened and Rosalina walked in. She sighed looking at her phone before putting it in the back pocket of her jeans.

"Morning, Vince," she greeted. "Any chance you know where my lovely best friend and maid of honor is? I have been calling her all morning and she isn't answering." She sent Vincent a knowing look but waited for the answer. "She is still sleeping," Vincent said continuing to cook as if it was nothing new. Rosalina bounced up and down clapping her hands.

"Did she agree to move in?" Vincent nodded his head not even trying to hide the smile that graced his face.

Rebecca walked into the kitchen wearing only Vincent's black button up shirt that reached the top of her knees. "Morning," she said as she walked toward Vincent.

"Sleeping beauty. You look like someone put it down last night," Rosalina winked at her. Rebecca rolled her eyes before turning to smile at Vincent. She placed a kiss on his lips.

"Did you sleep okay?" He asked her. She nodded before turning to their guests.

"You guys joining us for breakfast?"

"There isn't enough," Vincent mumbled beside her causing her to look at his and raising her brow.

"There is plenty," she motioned toward all the food Vincent had made. "Who were you planning on eating all of this?"

"You are eating for two," he told her. Rebecca laughed. When she sobered, she sent him a smile and shook her head.

"I can't eat all this," she told him. "They are staying." She turned grabbing a plate in each hand and walked out the dining room. Everyone grabbed what they could and followed her.

As they sat down at the table, Domenico sent Vincent a look that Rebecca caught but didn't know what it meant. "I think this is the first time you have ever eaten at the dining table, Vince," Domenico said. Vincent rolled his eyes. He knew what Domenico was getting at. When they were growing up, they always ate every meal as a family at the dining room table. It was his mother's rule and she insisted that he get a table when he moved into the penthouse. He never saw the point because without a family he didn't need a table to eat at with them. Now he was going to have a family and he was glad that his mother had been so insistent.

Rebecca watched the two men exchange looks at one another across the table. She wondered what the comment and the look was about. Why was it a big deal for them to be eating at the table? Did it have something to do with an ex or someone like that?

"So, about the bridal shower, Bec," Rosalina started, pulling Rebecca out of her thoughts. Rebecca gave Rosalina her full attention. "I sent the guest list to Joni. She said that everyone contacting her would be less stress on you but that you have the venue reserved and the decorations planned?" Rebecca took a large bit of pancakes and nodded her head. She was planning on surprising her so stuffing her mouth ensured that she didn't say anything. "Oh, and I scheduled the next dress fitting for Saturday. You can do that right?"

"Of course, I can. You tell me when and where to be and I will be there for anything. I am at your beck and call."

"I am so excited. I can't wait to be married," Rosalina squealed and Rebecca joined her in the excitement. They continued to talk about wedding details and the men just listened with smiles on their face.

Vincent's phone beeped alerting him to a text. It was from his father.

Milena is refusing a paternity test.

Rebecca watched Vincent read the text and his eyebrows furrowed. He quickly typed out a reply.

Tell her nothing happens without that test!

He roughly put his phone on the table with a deep sigh. Rebecca watched him as he rubbed his forehead. When he noticed her watching him, he sent her a smile trying to reassure her that everything was okay. He needed to get this taken care of so he could fully focus on Rebecca and the baby. When his phone rang, he broke eye contact with Rebecca and checked to see who was calling. It was his father again.

"Excuse me, ladies," he said standing and answering the phone he kissed Rebecca before he walked away from the table. He signaled for Domenico to follow him. He stood and kissed Rosalina on the cheek before jogging to catch up with Vincent.

Rosalina got up from the table and looked down the hallway to make sure the men had gone into the office and the door was shut. Sitting back down she sent Rebecca a smirk. "So, how was last night?" Rebecca laughed. She knew that Rosalina had been dying to ask. She just had to wait for the men to leave.

"It was great, after I was done vomiting." Rebecca laughed when Rosalina scrunched her nose up. "He took me to his family's restaurant and we were able to talk and he agreed to teach me to shoot." Rosalina was shocked that she was able to get him to agree so easily when it had taken several asks for her to convince Domenico.

"I'm just happy that you both are going to work this out."

"Me too," Rebecca smiled.

"Do you think that Vince will want to get married soon?" Rosalina smiled. She was having so much fun planning her own wedding she was ready to plan Rebecca's too.

"I don't know. I mean, I don't know if I want to get married," Rebecca told her with wide eyes. "At least yet," she added.

"Why not? You're already pregnant," Rosalina asked her. Rebecca opened her mouth to answer but closed it when she saw Vincent and Domenico walk back in. Vincent walked to stand beside Rebecca and stooped down to speak to her. "We need to go to my parents' house. Would you like to go with me? My mother would love to see you and talk all things baby. Ros can come too of course," he smiled at her. Rebecca smiled at him.

"Of course, I would love to go with you." Vincent kissed her and stood back up. He reached his hand out to help her up and remembered that she was still wearing his shirt.

"I think that you should probably at least put on pants,” he smiled causing everyone to laugh.

"I will go get ready quickly," she gave him another kiss before walking away.

Almost two hours later, Vincent stopped his car in front of his parent's house and heard Rebecca take a deep breath. He reached over and laced their fingers together. "Are you nervous?" He asked her trying to hide the hint of humor he was feeling. She had met his parents and they loved her. She had nothing to be nervous about.

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"Yeah. I mean I have only met your parents twice," she turned to him.

"And they love you," Vincent interjected before she could continue.

"Yeah but, neither of those times was as your baby momma," she quirked her brow at him making her point. Vincent laughed. He opened his mouth but Domenico knocked on Rebecca's window.

Vincent rolled it down and looked at his cousin, "go ahead. We will be there in a minute," he told him. Domenico looked from Vincent to Rebecca and back before nodding and turning to take Rosalina's hand and walk into the house. Vincent grabbed both of Rebecca's hands and kissed the knuckles of each. "You are so much more than my baby momma," Rebecca smiled at his words falling more for him. "My mother loves you and knows how important you are to me. Yes, giving her a grandchild is a huge plus but she loves you for the same reason I do... Because you're you," Vincent kissed her lightly on the lips and sent her a smile. She smiled back.

"We should probably go in before my likeability drops, huh?" She smiled before opening her door and getting out. Vincent followed her lead and got out. He walked around the car and laced their fingers together again.

When they entered the house, Rosalina was standing in the foyer talking with Nadia and Lidia. They stopped talking and looked at them.

"Rebecca!" Nadia shouted and threw her arms around Rebecca squeezing her tightly. "I'm so glad you came with my son. I was beginning to think he was hiding you from me," she let go of her and looked at her from head to toe. "You look absolutely beautiful. You are glowing," she wiped a tear that was falling.

"Successfully trapping a man, will do that," Lidia mumbled under her breath. She hoped that Rebecca heard her but Vincent was the only one who did.

"Be. Nice," he leaned over and whispered in her ear. Lidia scoffed and walked out of the room. Everyone stopped talking and watched her.

"Rebecca?" Roxana said from the top of the stairs. Rebecca turned and watched her run down the stairs as fast as she could. "Oh my god I love your outfit," Roxana said when she reached Rebecca at the bottom of the stairs. "We should totally go shopping sometime. For both us and the baby." Rebecca smiled at her and nodded her head.

"I would love that, Roxana."

"Call me Roxy, please. We are family now and I so can't wait to be an aunt," Roxana started again.

"Roxy. Let her breath," Vincent said as he wrapped his arm around Rebecca's waist. "You may scare her off." Rebecca lightly hit him in the chest and laughed.

"It's fine," She told them both. Vincent smiled at her. He was happy that she liked his family or was at least really good at pretending she did.

"I have to go speak with my father. I'm sure you will be fine but if you need me for anything I will be right there, okay?" He told her. Rebecca nodded her head and leaned toward him when he did the same to kiss her forehead. "Dom, let's go," he said pulling Domenico from his conversation with Nadia. Vincent turned to look at Rebecca once more and she gave him a smile that she hoped didn't show how nervous she was. He decided to leave it and walked toward his father's office. "Rebecca, come sit, Nadia motioned for her to follow her. They all walked into the living room and sat down. Rosalina sat beside Rebecca so that she felt more comfortable. "Rebecca, what have you been up to lately?" Nadia asked her. "Oh, tell her about the clinic," Rosalina said excitedly. Rebecca shot her a look. She had hoped that she would get away with a 'not too much.' It wasn't that she didn't want to speak with Nadia she just wanted her to like her and she was worried that talking would ruin any chance of that.

"A clinic? Is that where you work?" Nadia asked. She looked genuinely interested and that helped make Rebecca relax a little.

"I actually work at the hospital but I am opening a medical clinic. I really want to help the less fortunate. It's the whole reason I became a nurse practitioner," she smiled at Nadia who smiled back at her.

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"That is very commendable, Rebecca. Rosalina, will you be working at the clinic when you graduate from medical school?" Rosalina nodded her head. "That is really wonderful that you two could do something like that together. I always like helping others too. I might even come volunteer. That is if you will have me." Rebecca nodded.

"I would love that," she told Nadia.

"Hello, ladies," Gio said from the doorway. They all turned to see him and Vanessa standing with smiles on their faces. Gio kissed her cheek and sent the room a wave before turning and walking in the same direction as Vincent had earlier. Vanessa waddled to the couch and sat on the open end next to Rebecca.

"Rebecca. It's so good to see you, how are you feeling?" Rebecca smiled and looked at Vanessa's very pregnant stomach as she rubbed it. "I'm doing okay," she smiled.

"Morning sickness?" Rebecca nodded her head. "That goes away. I promise. I'm over it but now my boobs are getting bigger and they're so sore." Rebecca gave her a look that let her know she felt sorry for her. "Oh, and don't get me started on the heartburn when I eat... Well anything really. But my cravings are the worst.," she laughed causing the other women to laugh with her. "Last night, I sent Gio to get fruit loops and mustard and ate every bit of it," everyone cringed at the thought. Vanessa laid back on the couch and sided while rubbing her stomach, "honestly. I am over being pregnant."

Lidia walked in and went straight to Vanessa. "Hey V, I didn't know you were here," she said leaning down to give her a hug. "How's the baby?" She asked her.

"Great. We find out what we're having next week. And I am so happy that Vince and Rebecca are having their baby so close to us. They can be best friends," she reached for Rebecca's hand and gave her a smile. Lidia scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"What the hell is your problem, Lidia?" Rosalina nearly shouted as she shot up from the couch. She turned to look at Nadia, "I apologize, Nadia, but this needs to be said," she said before turning back to Lidia awaiting an answer.

"My problem is that your friend trapped my brother with this baby," Nadia pointed her finger at Rosalina and then Rebecca to emphasis her point. "He never wanted the whole family thing before she showed up pregnant on his doorstep," she continued.

"Lidia Bellandini! That is enough," Nadia stood and demanded she stop.

"You are just some poor little college graduate that probably owe hundreds of thousands in student loans and happened to pump into my brother who happens to be semi good looking and rich. Jackpot! Am I right?" Lidia shouted and waved her arms around. Rebecca sat on the couch in complete shock. It never even crossed her mind that anyone would think that she was with Vincent because of money.

"Enough!" Vincent yelled from the doorway. Lidia's eyes grew wide and she turned to look at her brother.

"Vince. I-."

"I said enough, Lidia. You have said more than enough," he walked toward her and stopped so that they were only a few inches apart. He reached his hand out toward Rebecca not dropping the eye contact he had established with Lidia. Rebecca stood and took his hand with her head down. "You will never speak to or about her like that again. Do I make myself clear?" He said in a tone that closely resembled a growl. Lidia nodded her head before looking down. "You know nothing. Do not forget that." He turned to Rebecca. Lifting her head so he could look into her eyes. He felt his own soften. "You okay?" Rebecca nodded and tried to smile but was unable. She knew what Lidia said wasn't true and she hoped Vincent did too.

"Lidia you should say you're sorry," Nadia spoke up. Rebecca looked at Lidia to find and look of both anger and shock on her face.

"No," she held up her hand and waved off Nadia's suggestion. "She was just stating how she felt." Vincent turned her toward him. She held a hand up to stop him before he started, "I don't want an apology if she doesn't mean it," she told him. She turned and smiled at Nadia. "Thank you for having me," she smiled. "Roxy. Let me know when you want to go shopping. I will be looking forward to it," she hugged Roxana who had moved closer to her. When they separated, she turned back to Vincent to find him staring at her with wide eyes. "I would like to go home now. If you need to stay, I can-," she started but he cut her off.

"No, I will take you home. You need to rest," he kissed her forehead and felt her lean into him. He turned to look at everyone in the room sending smiles to everyone but Lidia who he shook his head at in disappointment. She looked back down at the floor and Vincent felt Rebecca tug on his suit jacket. He looked at her and nodded his understanding. "I will speak with everyone later," he said before turning and walking out with Rebecca. They met Francesco at the door and he shook his hand before they left the house.


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