For @tswaney17 who inspired this. There is no one else I’d rather have cappuccino with.
Usually, they would’ve taken the Ferrari.
The drive from their sprawling villa on the shores of Lake Como—Villa Velarisana—was quick, made even quicker by the roaring engine of the exquisite machine, but there was too much precious cargo in the car today, so Mercedes it was.
‘Hmmm, I was thinking of going for WALKIES today,’ Azriel said, exasperating one of the words.
‘Oh, sounds good. And then we can get SNACKIES,’ his wife agreed.
The orange ball of fur moved with notable interest.
‘And then the BEACH,’ he added.
That did it. Their Pomeranian sprung to life. Funny how snackies, walkies and the beach suddenly woke him up even from the deepest sleep. Cassian the Pom was ready to go. He swirled in place impatiently, even barking with annoyance at the presumed delay.
The May morning was mild. The villas lay quiet and sleepy in the haze of the upcoming heat and only one sailboat bobbed on the calm, glistening waters. Azriel came out on the loggia, as he rolled the cuffs of his white shirt over his forearms. He waved at the sailboat. His brother responded in kind. His brother was always eager to be on the water and got there before anyone else Azriel didn’t spot his brother’s wife, and figured that she was still asleep. It made him smile, to see the two apart—almost unheard of. He supposed that the same could’ve been said about him and his girl.
Speaking of—there she was. Waves of golden brown Milanese hair tucked into a loose bun, big sunglasses in hand, her long brown dress enveloping her blossoming figure perfectly, and Cassian prancing at her feet protectively.
‘Ready?’ Azriel asked, feeling his world tilting on its axis.
Everything that he’s ever wanted.
It wasn’t always like this.
He and his strangely named wife met when she was 11 and he was 13. On a school trip to Lugano, he instantly spotted a lovely girl with big brown eyes and a very expensive uniform which indicated a very expensive school. His own school was nowhere nearly as prestigious and even there he attended only because of a scholarship. As luck would have it, the brown-eyed beauty was attacked by a disgruntled swan, which chased after her when she stopped for too long to watch its babies. She stumbled on a pavement and fell headfirst towards the road.
Azriel didn’t even know that he could run as fast as he did that day. He didn’t run, he flew. And just in time too—he managed to yank her back, before disaster struck. He recalled how she fell back and he rolled under her, taking the brunt of the fall and her weight. His reward was a pair of huge brown eyes, frightened and brimming with tears, and a soft whimper of ‘thank you’.
Her knee was skinned. Her elbow bruised. But otherwise, she was unharmed.
‘You came for me, just like that,’ she muttered.
He didn’t know what to say. He didn’t have much experience talking to pretty girls, or any girls really. He was awkward, too tall for his age, gangly. She was still a girl—-it was obvious—barely a hint of a woman she’d become, but it was then that he’d felt the first stirring of interest. In her. Only in her. Truth be told, he never felt any desire for anyone else ever again.
He simply decided back then and there that he would marry this girl one day. Somehow, he knew that she was irreversibly his.
‘Cassie, I think you’ll take first place,’ she decided and Azriel smirked. Knowing his Pom, he wouldn’t be surprised.
He started the car and swiftly backed out of the long gravel driveway, half hidden beneath magnolia trees. The gardens around the villa were carefully cultivated by his wife and only recently were featured in the Architectural Digest along with the villa’s grounds.
Today, in Lugano, there was a dog show which Cassian was definitely going to be featured in. Technically, he wasn’t eligible to compete because they were the chairmen of the dog rescue charity that held the event. But it didn’t mean that Cass couldn’t strut his stuff.
He glanced at her. Her curls fluttered in the breeze. Cass quieted down in her lap, his little pinched face lying on the curve of her stomach.
Fifteen years. Fifteen years is how long it took them to come to this place.
‘Ciao Italia’ she whispered when they crossed into Switzerland. She always did it. Whispered softly to herself ‘ciao Italia’ never leaving or returning without a proper greeting.
‘But first, a cappuccino,’ she told him and he nodded. Of course. Bar Olympia, which made some of the best cappuccino was her favorite place to start the morning off. The foam so thick and creamy it resembled gelato.
‘I love you, you know,’ he whispered, threading his scarred fingers with her. She smiled at him and nodded. ‘I know. But I love you more.’
He doubled it. He doubted that anyone could love another more than he loved her. She wasn’t only his wife, but the reason for his life’s entire trajectory. If it weren’t for her, if it weren’t for her grabbing his phone that fateful day in Lugano and entering her number into it, he wasn’t sure where he would’ve ended up. He would’ve been successful—he was driven and ambitious, but he wasn’t certain that he would’ve accomplished everything that he had so far. Because once they started texting in secret, and he learned who her father was and the level of wealth and influence she and her two sisters came from, he knew that if he had any chance of making her his, he needed to step up his game.
20 years after that morning, that swan, and here he was. She was wholly his. His ring on her finger. His children inside of her. Her heart full of him. His last name as hers.
She didn’t know, but it was all a miracle to him. None of this was supposed to have happened. But it did. Somehow, life had much better plans for him than he ever did for himself.
He parked the car and helped her out. Cassian made a confident circle around the plaza, sizing up the competition and finding it wanting. He truly was the pompiest Pom.
Oh I wonder if there are swans?’ She asked when their first cappuccino was placed in front of them. She giggled. Sprinkled sugar over the top. ‘Remember?’
‘Yes, amore. I remember,’ he said mildly.
He remembered everything.
She liked the crunch of the sugar on her lips. She was scared of spiders. She loved long walks after dinner. She adored dogs. All dogs. She liked fast cars. Her name was given to her by her British father. She collected china and read romantasy. She liked ACOTAR, especially the book about Azriel and Elain. He suspected that she loved it because he shared a name with the main character. She missed drinking Aperol Spritzes. For fifteen years, they had tried to have children and couldn’t. There was no reason given, despite all the tests. ‘Incompatible’ was all they heard. Azriel couldn’t stand it. Couldn’t stand that word. It was absurd. No one was more compatible than the two of them. They were soulmates. They were twinning flames. They were mated, body and soul, like animals. They were one. It killed him to see her sadness, how the light slowly dimmed a little bit in her, though she remained jovial, generous and kind. Their little Pomeranian was a lovely surprise and they’d settled on the idea of having him as their main companion.
Meanwhile, their little companion was picking a fight with a trio of bored Borzois and attracting the attention of a hyperactive Frenchie. There were more dogs and the sun was warming up the stones and the vast lake in front of them. It was truly a perfect morning.
Azriel hung back, observing. This was fun. He loved Lugano, because not only did he meet her here but they’d conceived their babies here as well. Seven months ago. A weekend getaway on a whim. An energetic morning session of lovemaking. And here they were, two babies hidden behind the flutter of brown silk.
…well, Cassian didn’t win, but he was convinced that he did. And he acted like a winner. And in Azriel’s eyes, that’s what made a winner. Belief in one’s own destiny.
She held his arm as they walked along the shaded promenade studded with expensive shops.
‘Want to pop in inside?’ He offered innocently, watching her look at all the stunning sparkling jewelry pieces on display. The shop was almost a block long, window after window of incredible jewels. ‘Should we?’
He knew that she wouldn’t be able to resist.
While she browsed the displays, he gave a signal to the salesman.
‘Madame, would you like to see a very special piece?’ The man asked.
‘Come on, let’s see what they have to offer.’ He took her by the hand and they were escorted to a private room. On a glass table, she found a large box, but before she could question it, the salesman made himself scarce and closed the door.
‘What’s this?’ She asked.
‘Oh, what did you do?’ He grinned. Cassian barked, encouraging her to look.
She carefully pulled on the ribbon and opened the box. Inside, she found two adorable outfits, and Azriel burst out, ‘I can’t wait any longer to start getting them clothes!’
‘This is perfect,’ she cried, looking over the tiny dress and the little sailor suit, her hand flying to her belly.
Azriel then reached into his pocket and took out box.
‘I didn’t know if I should give you thing,’ he said.
‘Wasn’t sure if I should wait till they are born…but I don’t think that I can. They are almost here and I want you to have this.’
He opened the box and she gasped, seeing a gorgeous diamond necklace with two stones.
‘This is a pearl,’ he explained. ‘And this is an Alexandrine. June stones. Our two Gemini twins.’
He smiled and kissed her, as he fastened the necklace around her neck.
‘Pearl and Alexander sound like great names,’ he whispered in her ear.
The sun shone brightly upon the rippling water of the lake. It was a warm day. People walked with their dogs. Someone was getting married. There was a flea market selling antiques. Families walked towards the park.
Azriel thought that sometimes, life turned out exactly like it was supposed to.
