I held my grocery bags in one hand while I used the other to fish the house keys out of my bag. I unlocked the door and pushed it open while trying hard to watch my step and not drop the bags to the floor.

The food in the oven gave the house a very homely smell and I enjoyed knowing that my family was coming over. I looked forward to it. I missed all of them it had been three months since I last saw any of them.

Work was a drag. I was a commercial lawyer and I was exhausted from working six days a week. I left the grocery bags on the kitchen counter and then my foot tramped something hard.

I looked down and it was a plastic Lego. Thank the heavens I had shoes on or I'd be cursing till the sunset. I picked up the block and then checked the roast in the oven. It was done so I switched the oven off and stalked over to my bedroom.

Luca was lucky that the food didn't burn or I'd be making an appearance in the next episode of wives with knives. I pushed open the bedroom door to see Luca soundlessly asleep with our daughter on his chest.

My spine was as good as a red vine when it came to him and Liliana. They were my weakness. I moved to pick Lily up and put her in the cot. Luca was just as exhausted as I was but we always found the energy for each other and our family.

Liliana was only two years old and so much like him. She had a mixture of both our eyes. Her eyes were hazel with hints of green in the corneas. I've never seen anything more beautiful and her hair was the same shade of brown as mine.

She got her crankiness from Luca.

After rocking her to ensure that she was still sleeping I put her down. The day I found out I was pregnant I freaked out. Luca was excited and it was good that he was a pediatrician because I freaked out about everything when it came to Lily. From one tiny sneeze to a small fever I went full panic mode.

When I turned around Luca was awake and watching me with his arms behind his head. He wasn't wearing a shirt only grey sweatpants. "Love," his voice was groggy and full of sleep and his eyes closed again.

I chuckled. "Wake up hairy ape-man. Our family will be here soon," I teased.

His eyes instantly shot open."What did you just call me Elizabeth?" He said sitting up in the bed.

"You heard me." He shook his head in disapproval as he stood and stalked over to me. "Apologize," he said and I smirked.

"For telling the truth," I feigned surprise and he grabbed me picking me up by my waist and throwing me over his shoulder.

"Luca," I laughed and he gave me a shot on my backside before throwing me on the bed.

"Shhh, you'll wake her. Do you know how long it took me to get her to sleep." He grinned wickedly knowing that I didn't want to wake her up before she could wake up on her own.

It would be war. 

He bent down and placed a small peck on my lips. "I love you."

"I love you more." He kissed me again and then fell flat on me hugging me as he rested his head on my chest. I ran my fingers through his hair.

"Do we have to get up babe," he asked.

I kissed his forehead. "Yes we do," I sighed. He picked his head up and kissed me again. This time deeper, yet gentle. I groaned. "No no no," I pushed him away and he grinned.

"What," he laughed.

"You coming in the kitchen with me. To cook."

"To cook is that what the kids are calling it these days?" He smirked.

"You horrible."

He rolled off me and walked to the bedroom door. "Put on a shirt," I told him and he groaned. He walked over to the drawer and pulled out a shirt. He pulled the shirt over his head.

"Happy?" He asked.

"Yes. You are distracting without a shirt."

"So are you," he wiggled his eyebrows.

In the kitchen he peeled potatoes and I put them to boil. Luca and I shared the responsibility of housework evenly. We did it together and it was more fun than tiring that way.

The doorbell rang. "I'll get it," he said, wiping his hands in a dish towel and leaving the kitchen.

"You let your hair grow out," I heard Steph squeal.

"Uncle Luca, "I then heard Dorian, Christian and Stephanie's first son.

Dorian ran into the kitchen and I held my arms open for him. I loved the kid he looked like a mini Christian. The seven-year-old jumped into my arms and I hugged him tightly.

"I've missed you," I kissed his cheek.

"Aunt Liz I've lost my tooth and then the tooth fairy forgot about me. Is it because my teeth are ugly?" he asked and I gave him a butterfly kiss.

"No baby you have beautiful teeth. I'm sure the tooth fairy must have been busy. Try again tonight and I'm sure she'll be by."

"Lizzy," Steph fell into the kitchen and engulfed me in a hug. I was still holding her son so he was being suffocated between us.

"Mom I can't breathe!" Dorian gasped and Steph giggled taking a step back from me and setting him free. 

"Where's my niece?" Steph asked.

"Out cold." I smiled.

Christian walked into the kitchen next with Ameel their youngest son. He was four and he loved dressing up. He was wearing a grey suit that made him look like a little man.

He ran over to me and I picked him up. "Hello, there handsome."

"Hello beautiful," he smiled. He was a cheeky little thing. I kissed his cheek.

"Your son's going to be a problem. I can see it now," Steph told Christian.

Christian laughed. "Why is he only my son when he does something naughty?"

I was about to ask them where Luca was until I heard Charlotte's voice. "Where are my daughters?" she sounded angry at Luca. It was kind of hilarious how she could still scare the living bejeezus out of him.

"You only care about your daughters," Luca said as they walked into the kitchen with Harry following behind them.

"Yes, at least they answer my phone calls!" Charlotte scolded.

Luca pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. "Mum you know I've been occupied with work and I'm not blatantly ignoring you."

"You and Harry have the same excuse. You two are just the same."

Harry chuckled. "You have to humor your mother."

Harry and Luca's relationship got better a little. Luca didn't grunt whenever he had to see him so that was good. The doorbell rang again and this time I moved to get it.

It was my mother and aunt. "Lizzy." My mother and aunt hugged me.

"Hey, mom how are you," I asked and she smiled tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear.

"I'm good dear. Where is my grandchild?" She asked.

"She's sleeping. You might have to fight Steph and Charlotte for her though." She laughed and I stepped aside to let them in the house.

"I thought I heard Charlotte's voice," My aunt said with a smile before both of them walked towards the kitchen.

I waited as Andrew walked up the driveway with Percy. "Hey," Andrew hugged me and then Percy.

"Where's your wife?" I asked Percy.

Andrew was engaged to be married at the end of the year. It took a lot of arguments with him and my aunt for him to finally agree to settle down.

"She's working she'll come later you know she won't miss out on spending time with Liliana."

Before I could close the door another car pulled into the driveway and I couldn't help the smile that overtook my face.

I missed him a lot and I knew Luca did too. They were like brothers.

James got out of the car and then ran over to open the door for Amelia. Aj ran out of the car and came straight for me. She was five years old and she had her mom's hair and dad's eyes.

"Hey baby," I picked her up and peppered her face with kisses causing her to giggle.

James and Amelia walked up to us. James kept his arm around her. She was pregnant and due anytime this month. I put Aj down and I hugged Amelia and then James.

"I tell you these kids. I barely have the energy for the one," Amelia laughed.

James kept his arm around my shoulder as we walked into the kitchen. "So how's the grumpus has he been behaving?" He whispered.

I laughed. "I really can't complain," I whispered back, and then Luca pulled me out of James's hold and to his side.

"Go whisper sweet nothings to your own wife you foul git," Luca grumbled.

James laughed. "I rather whisper them to yours mate." The two began shoving each other like children.

"Ow," Amelia suddenly gasped and I turned to see Charlotte holding Aj while she kept one hand on Amelia's shoulder. "He's kicking up a storm," she chuckled patting her belly.

"Maybe he'll be a better football player than his father," Luca laughed and so did all the other men. They played soccer every time they were together.

"That sounded like a challenge," Percy laughed and James quirked an eyebrow at Luca.

"You want to go, mate?" James laughed.

A smug look settled on my very modest husband's face. "I wouldn't want to hurt you old man."

"Outside Mr. Hendricks," James grinned and all of them moved to go outside.

"I like the sound of this," Andrew laughed.

The backyard had a goal post on one end and a pool on the farther end. "Pick your team." Luca threw a soccer ball at James and he caught it with a smile.

"Andrew and Christian," James said.

"Very well." Luca seemed pleased. "Percy and Harry you with me then."

"Alright boys keep it clean," Charlotte warned them because they could get out of hand and really competitive.

"I'm not the one that cheats," Luca said.

James scoffed. "He's just sour because I'm about to beat him in front of his daughter." Stephanie walked out of the house with Liliana.

James kissed Lily on her forehead and she cooed. "Isn't that right sweetheart," he pinched her cheek and she giggled.

Christian kicked the ball and then the game started. The men began shouting commands to each other as they ran around the backyard kicking the ball.

Steph came to stand next to me and I noticed Lily was dressed differently. She was wearing a floral jumpsuit I've never seen before. I glared at Steph playfully. "Did you dress my daughter?" I laughed.

"Oh Lizzy rompers are so last season," she waved her hand in the air dramatically and bounced Liliana on her hip.

"Hey, I call foul!" Andrew shouted and I turned my gaze back to the game. Both teams were standing opposite each other now huffing and puffing.

Old-timers.

"That was not. It was a clean tackle," Percy argued.

"Hey don't talk to my teammate," James interjected.

"Bollocks!" Harry declared.

Charlotte gasped. "Harry there are children present," she reprimanded and had one hand on Dorian's ear and the other on Aj's. My mother was holding Ameel and he was playing with her hair mindlessly.

"Cheating abit too early don't you think," Luca argued.

"It was a clean tackle. Andrew is just mad since he lost the ball!" Percy interjected.

"The English aren't any good at football anyway. So they need to cheat," Christian joined the argument.

"You stepping on the line mate," Luca stepped forward even though he had some Italian blood.

The men got into an argument and I shook my head. Bollocks was the most innocent word used that afternoon and my mother, Charlotte and Stephanie covered the children's ears as we all went back into the house again leaving the men outside and letting them be boys.