Ettore laughed softly. “Really? That was nice of him to make sure you two would smell like an old pair of gym socks when your dad got back.” He tickled them and they giggled loudly.

The whole scene made my heart flutter. I thought he must be a good father. He had to be when they were so excited to see him.

“I want you guys to meet somebody, okay?” He placed them down and held their hands, turning them to face me. They recognized me, of course, and both watched me warily, as one would a snake. “Vittoria, these are my boys.”

I was determined to get off on the right foot this time.

I crouched down to their level, keeping my ankles and knees pressed tightly together then smiled gently. “Hello. I’m Vittoria.”

They took their time, but I maintained my harmless stance and smile. As Ettore had warned, they did not warm to me. And just when the silence spanned long enough to become awkward, Ettore let out a firm, “Boys, don’t be rude.”

It was the first boy who spoke carefully. “I’m Adrian.”

The other boy murmured, “I’m Domenic.”

They seemed sweet. “It’s lovely to meet you,” was all I managed before someone swooped in front of them, blocking me from their view. My smile faltered when the young girl – the one who I’d last seen screaming for her papa – glared holes through my head. I cleared my throat and tried to mend what I’d broken. “Oh, hello. I’m Vi-”

I didn’t get to finish my introduction because the little girl reared back, then brought her hand forward swift and hard, slapping me across the face with all her might. It was impressive, the force she managed to put into it. I was so stunned that I wobbled on my heels before falling clumsily back on my ass, holding my fingers to my throbbing cheek.

Simultaneously, gasps of shock and loud male laughter surrounded us. And what was left of my tattered ego was crushed into a fine sand, blowing away in the wind.

I could say a lot about Ettore. My assumptions of him ran deep and more than most of them were not good. It would have been fully justified should he have laughed with the others. But he didn’t. I don’t think I will ever forget that instead of gloating in his child’s anger, he let go of the boys and barked, “Hey,” at his daughter, holding on to her by the upper arm and spinning her to face him. “What the hell was that?”

The little girl seethed. “You shouldn’t have brought her here. I don’t want her here.”