Sammy and Ilna - I never forget exactly how lucky I am for having you in my life. Thank you for being la famiglia, every day.

REALMcRollers - you never cease to warm my heart and soul. Thank you for the amazing feedback and for coming on this ride with them, and us.

Anime Gemelle

Catherine smiled at the UPS driver parked across from their driveway and he waved her ahead. When she exited her car a minute later, she saw the same driver lugging a large box up the driveway.

"That's for us?" She turned to fully face the young man in the brown uniform. She hadn't ordered anything that large and if Steve did he didn't mention it.

"Yep." He rested the box as he answered. "Lieutenant Catherine Rollins," he read aloud. As he tilted the label her way a grin appeared when she saw the shipper's address.

"That's me."

"You want me to bring it inside, ma'am?" His eyes couldn't help land on her tummy.

No matter how nice the young man appeared, Catherine wasn't about to let him follow her into the house. "No thanks, you can leave it right on the porch." She took the signature board. "My husband is right behind me." Her face lit with a tiny grin. She still got a thrill from referring to Steve that way.

The man, whose name was Takeshi, placed the parcel on the porch near the door and said, "It's really heavy, don't you try to move it, 'kay?"

She crossed her heart. "Promise."

He gave her an easy smile. "Good. When are you due? If you don't mind my asking."

"June twenty ninth," she beamed.

"My boy is six weeks today," he said, joy evident in his tone.

"Congratulations!"

He pointed at her midriff. "You too. Good luck." He gave her another smile as he walked back to his truck, adding, "Wait for your husband to lift it."

As if the words summoned him, no sooner did the UPS truck depart than Steve turned the corner and was parking his truck.

He was on the porch in a few strides. "Hey." He kissed her quickly and motioned to the box. "What's that?"

She shrugged her shoulders up with a smile. "It's from a place called Sikora's. In New Jersey."

Steve's grin matched hers at the mention of their adopted grandmother's home. Bending to lift the package he said, "Gotta be from Nonna. Jeez, it's heavy, wonder what she sent."

Catherine opened the door and stepped inside to guide Cammie back a few steps.

He placed the package on the floor just inside and greeted the dog before pulling out his knife. "Let's see what we have." Slicing the carton, he extracted a five foot by four foot at its widest shape encased in layers of bubblewrap, a note and a separate sealed envelope which he handed to Catherine as he cut through the plastic.

"Hello my darlings," she read aloud and they shared a grin. "If you remember, I gave you a tiny one of these for the future when I first met you. This is the expectant parents' version. I thought maybe it would look nice in that beautiful garden of yours. I'll talk to you soon. All my love, Nonna"

As Steve revealed the gift, he remembered a conversation with Danny when he and Catherine spent their first visit at Nonna's.

"Oh. That's …" Catherine's nose crinkled in a smile as she tried to recall the name of the figure.

"Saint Gerard," Steve supplied as he held up a card that identified the statue. "It says, 'Saint Gerard is the patron saint of expectant mothers, perfect for any mother awaiting the birth of her child.'"

"She's adorable."

"I remember Danny saying she got him and Rachel one, even though Rachel's not Catholic and Danny hadn't been to church in years." He got a grip and hoisted the statue. "So, where do you and Niblet want it?"

She chuckled. "Niblet says let's put it next to Nonna's roses and I have to agree."

"Sounds good." He grinned. Whatever made Nonna happy they were both glad to do. "Lead the way, Cammie," he told the dog who was checking out the solid stone statue from a few feet away.

Twenty minutes later, the garden had a new addition. Seated carefully next to the roses Nonna had gifted Catherine with was the statue of the serenely smiling man in a priest's cassock holding a cross and offering a loaf of bread to a little girl. Sculpted to the statue was a birdbath.

"More beautiful than ever!" Nonna exclaimed when Catherine and Steve appeared on the Skype screen. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm really good, Nonna." Catherine nodded and rubbed her tummy. "We both are." Her eyes sparkled. "Thank you for the Saint Gerard birdbath, it's right next to your roses."

"I'll text you a picture." Steve smiled. "We'll have birds using it in a few days, guaranteed."

"Oh, I'm so glad. I went with the 'not too religious version', if a saint can have a not too religious version." She laughed. "But I thought the bird bath would be useful and look nice in your beautiful garden. All the women in my family get a Saint Gerard when there's a baby coming, bella. One of our many traditions."

Catherine nodded. She loved hearing about the traditions Danny's family upheld and was always happy when they were included, even moreso because she knew what it meant to Steve. "We didn't open the envelope yet." She waved the business sized envelope that had been included in the package.

"Ah ha. Go ahead, bella." Nonna winked and Steve shook his head. "I made Sal drive me to pick out the statue and we watched them pack it up. I had the nicest young lady wait on me. She tucked the envelope and my note inside."

"You were right, weren't you?" Catherine said as she slid a finger under the flap and opened the envelope to reveal a handwritten note which read:

Today is November 30, 2016 and I predict my bella is carrying another bella regazza. Steven and Catherine, I say the bambina is a girl.

"Ohhh, you were right." Catherine's hand rested on her tummy. "Niblet says she knew you would be."

"I can't wait to meet her." Nonna smiled. "I haven't been wrong in three generations. Daniel's grandfather used to say if I could only pick a horse like I pick the babies, we'd hit a trifecta."

"I already hit the jackpot." Steve kissed Catherine's cheek and she touched his face lovingly.

"That bambina you're carrying hit the jackpot." Nonna nodded. "Such a wonderful mommy and daddy she has already. Any baby welcomed with so much love by parents who love each other so very much …" She sighed happily. "Couldn't ask for a better start." She noticed Steve's hand go to rest on Catherine's tummy. "And now, my darling, you're just about halfway through your pregnancy so it's time for one more tradition. I'm going to point something very important out to my nipote, and then, I'm off to bed. Tomorrow morning I'll be doing more work on my latest project." Her eyes sparkled. "I have some very important crocheting to do."

Catherine's face lit with excitement, even as she said, "That's so much work, Nonna, you don't have to …"

"Shhhh, Bella, of course I don't have to, it's my pleasure! We don't give baby gifts before, that's another tradition, but we spoil after the arrival."

The thought of an afghan made especially for Niblet by Nonna had Catherine beaming as she squeezed Steve's hand. "Thank you so much."

"La famiglia. I love you. All three of you." Her eyes sought Steve's. "Steven?"

He smiled at Catherine before addressing the screen. "Yes, Nonna?"

"This family tradition, nipote, is to tell our grandchildren something they should always remember."

When he sat up, straightening slightly on the sofa, Catherine moved the hand she'd had resting on his knee to make small circles on his back just above his waistband. She watched him watch Nonna. Only she knew the depth of what it meant to him - this complete absorption into his best friend's family.

"First you have to promise you'll remember," Nonna began.

"Always," he answered.

"And someday tell the bambina's children."

The tiny smile that always graced his lips at being called 'grandson' by Nonna literally grew ear to ear at the mention of the baby. "Absolutely."

"I know I don't have to tell you this, and that it'll be easier for you than most people because you and Catherine already do it. But it's tradition that I do, like my grandmother told me and my siblings, and my mother told my children."

Steve shifted his weight and nodded. "What is it we already do?"

"You put each other first, you put family, la famiglia, first. You keep doing exactly that. And even though it gets easier after the bambina sleeps through the night, from day one, you remember to carve out time without the little one for you and Catherine."

Steve and Catherine nodded simultaneously, not realizing what Nonna was smiling at. Their movements were in sync. Just like their hearts and minds. When she pointed it out, they shared a glance and matching grins made an appearance, broadening Nonna's already bright smile.

"And there it is," she gestured at them, "anime gemelle - soul mates. You're one of the few examples of it I've ever seen, mie adorate. If it exists, it exists in the two of you. So like I said, I have no doubts you'll do it, but we always remind our grandchildren how important it is that even in the very beginning when you're exhausted and both a little giddy with how much you love your daughter, you take time to be you."

Steve had laced their fingers and his other hand covered Catherine's. "Always."

"We always will, promise," she added.

"I know you will." The warm brown eyes that were so much like Danny's in everything but color regarded them. "Do you know what I told Mary the first time we talked? It was in your parents' kitchen, Bella, that she told me she was trying to be a better person because of Joan. I told her Joan will know that, children always know. But she should be better for herself, too. Because after the angel grows up and Mary is a grandmother and, God willing, a great grandmother, she's still herself. Still Mary."

Steve cleared his throat at how yet another person's unconditional love had helped reshape his sister's life. Catherine blinked as Nonna continued, "You're going to be wonderful parents, but before, during, and after raising your baby you're still …" she led.

"Still us," Steve answered as Catherine's smile lit her face at the oft repeated phrase that held so much meaning for them.

"Still us," she repeated. "We're still Steve and Catherine."

"And there you have it." Nonna was still smiling broadly. "You know already. You have for so many years. That's the secret. Happy, couples make more relaxed, happier parents."

Catherine wiped a tear and ran a hand over Cammie's neck. The dog had sensed her emotion and placed her head in Catherine's lap. "That's the best advice ever, thank you," she whispered.

"Thank you," Steve repeated as Nonna blew a kiss to them both.

"Thank you both for joining our family. For being Daniel's brother and sister-in-law, and Grace's favorite aunt and uncle. Now I really do need to sleep. We'll talk soon, darlings, good night."

With a chorus of good nights, they signed off with matching smiles and full hearts.

Steve ran his thumb across her palm as he toyed with Catherine's fingers. They were

discussing traditions as they shared a lounge chair on the deck.

"... just pushed any thoughts of ever having them again aside, until I met you and we started our own." Steve said quietly as he kissed the top of her head. "I didn't even realize we were making them back then."

"Hmmm we definitely were," she agreed. "Like Valentine's chocolates."

"And the traditions your family shared with me like having Thanksgiving whenever you and Joseph were both stateside and could all be together. I liked that a lot the first time I was there. The way you all fell right into it."

"And Gram's two dollar bills." She smiled at Niblet already having her own.

"She's gonna have a lot of family traditions," Steve said, and Catherine could feel the contentment in his voice as much as she could hear it.

"Like having everyone here for Thanksgiving dinners." She squeezed his hand.

"Barbecues with the whole family."

"And Grace said she thinks the baby should do a fun adventure every year with Danny for her birthday." Catherine chuckled.

"We have a lot of traditions to share with you, Niblet," Steve said quietly.

Catherine turned to face him with a grin. "And a few to keep for ourselves."

His grin matched hers. "Like chocolate sauce?" He pecked her lips.

"Like chocolate sauce." She nodded. "And naked nights."

"Definitely naked nights." He sat up and took her with him.

"Where we goin'?" She smirked as he stood, scooped her up and waved at their position.

He kissed her once, then again. "It's dinner time. I think we should honor a new favorite tradition."

They exchanged a look that was playful, teasing and full of love. So much love. Brown eyes met hazel as they laughed together and uttered the word, "Pancakes."

# End thanks for reading

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