"The ache for home lives in all of us. The safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned." -Maya Angelou

I had called one of my maids to come over and try to clean the house. To make it look nicer for when my principessa would arrive. I also had Allesandro, Mateo, and Ricardo redesign her room for a teenager. I never changed a thing about it, so it is still a room for a toddler. Only me and her brothers (and my wife when she was alive) have been in it since she was kidnapped, it was where we went to mourn and feel close to her. (Principessa- princess)

When my sons discovered the news, they, of course, were over the moon about it. But I think Ilias was most of all. Not only is Isabella his twin, but he was only a year old when Isabella was taken. So, he doesn't remember her all too well. Though he knows about her and has heard stories and has seen pictures of her. Which I think not actually knowing her has taken a bit of a toll on him, although he has never said anything about it. I guess it is just a father's instinct.

With everything in order for her to arrive. I decided to go take a shower and wait for my bimba's arrival. (bimba-Baby Girl)

...3 hours later...

I have been in my office attempting to do paperwork for an hour and a half. But I can't focus on anything other than my principessa coming home. My thoughts are running wild. I keep glancing between the time, window, and the paperwork. This is torture, I should have gone to pick her up. But I didn't want to decide on which son to bring because that would have caused a fight. I suppose I was also a little afraid. I know that it's insane, me the leader of not one, but two mafias. Scared to pick up my little girl at an airport. But I'm scared-no terrified that I'm going to mess something up with her. (principessa-Princess)

I glance to the window once again only to see my driver, David, pulling into the parking lot. My feet start moving on their own towards the door of my office. Down the stairs to the front door. Once I reach the door handle, I hesitate. I feel my palms starting to sweat and my heartbeat starting to go a little faster. I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and find the strength to open the door and go down the stairs to make my way to the car.

David steps out of the car to greet me. After the brief greeting, he goes to open the car door. I'm greeted with the sight of a sleeping girl. The most beautiful girl I've ever seen. "She fell asleep on the way here," David says with a small smile. "Yes, she must be tired after all she's been through in the last 24 hours." I state with a blank face. "Do you want me to wake her-" David starts. But I quickly cut him off. "No, no we should let her sleep. I can pick her up and take her to her new room." I say frantically, jumping at the chance to be able to pick her up again. David's smile grows with my statement. I walk over to her and take a minute to admire her. She has very clear skin. Its color resembles mine. While her gorgeous light brown hair is a mix of mine and Abbi's. It seems like everything else from her cute button nose to her features she inherited from Abbi. Oh, I can't wait to see her eyes! When she was little, she had Abbi's bright blue eyes.

I gently pick her up, making sure not to wake her. Once I have her safely in my arms and I look down at her a smile unknowingly makes its way to my lips. However, I notice that she is extremely light and how skinny she looks. I decided to leave it alone for now. As I have mine and Abbi's angelo piccolo back in my arms. I nod my head at David as a sign for him to leave. He gets back into the car and drives off. (Angelo piccolo-little angel)

I carefully walk up the steps and stop to think about how I'm going to open the door while holding her. I don't think about it long as the door starts to open. I am greeted by my eldest son, Alessandro, opening the door. He looks down at my arms and whole demeanor softens, I even see a slight smile develop on his face. "I-is that her" he stutters, I've never heard my eldest son stutter before (except of course when he was 2 and still learning to talk). "Yes son, this is your sorellina. She fell asleep on the way here." I state with my smile growing. As I finish my sentence, Isabella starts to stir for a minute adjusting herself in my arms. Me and Alessandro both watch her in awe. "Have you and the others finished with her room?" I ask. "Yes, we tried our best to make it for a teenage girl and to suit her tastes. But we all had no idea about either." Alessandro replied while still looking at Isabella's sleeping state. "We can always change it if she wants to," I say while heading up the stairs, with Alessandro right behind. "Yes, anything she wants," Alessandro says with a hint of sternness in his voice. I mentally shake my head at the thought of her already having all of us wrapped around her finger. I can't disagree with it though she is my world and I only assume my son's world too. (Sorellina-little sister)

It might sound a tad bit dramatic, but I always wanted a little girl. I was convinced that every time Abbi got pregnant it was a girl. Abbi, of course being the saint she was, didn't care what it was going to be as long as the baby was happy and healthy, she was fine. That of course mattered to me also, but a girl hadn't been born into my family for 4 generations. But time after time it was a boy. Until the fortunate day when we found out Abbi was pregnant with not only twins. But one just so happened to be a girl. To say I was overjoyed would be an understatement. Once me and Abbi got home, we called a family meeting, and I practically yelled that one of the twins was going to be a girl. All of my sons -especially Alessandro after dealing with so many boys and all my predictions of girls- were ecstatic about the idea of a girl finally being in the family.

I called over all of mine and Abbi's family for what I called a family reunion. Everyone agreed and came over, they all just assumed we were having a set of boys. So, when Abbi and I announced that one of the twins was a girl. Everyone was over the moon about a little girl. Especially my mother, who had always wanted a granddaughter to spoil.

So, when the very wretched day came when Isabella was taken from us came. Everyone was inconsolable, to say the least. Ilias, of course, had no idea what happened all he knew was that his sister wasn't around anymore. For that he cried for what seemed like all day and night. Alessandro tried to stay strong and help comfort all of his little brothers. But when he thought he was alone one day. I caught him crying by himself, so I went over and comforted him the best I could.

I was snapped out of my thoughts when I realized I had reached Isabella's room. Alessandro opened the door for me and let me walk in first, then walked in right after me. Once I stepped into the room, I admired how great of a job they did in such a short amount of time.

"You guys did an amazing job" I stated matter of factly. "Thank you, dad," Alessandro said rather quickly. I walked over to her bed and carefully laid her down. She stirred for a little but then went back to sleep. I pulled the blankets over her and leaned down to kiss her forehead. "Goodnight, amore mio" I whispered in her ear. After I stepped away, Alessandro did the same, just whispering something different from me, that I couldn't quite hear, in her ear. We both quietly got out the room and gently shut the door trying not to make too much noise. (Amore mio-my love)

We reached our rooms; we both said quiet goodnights and went into our rooms for the night. I took yet another shower then headed to bed falling into a dreamless sleep.