A/N: Lots of Albanian in this chapter. Remember, I'm using Google Translate, so it might not be great. My apologies if it says something wonky! The English is given.

My house hunt/move has hit a bit of a wall. Happy thoughts/prayers appreciated.

XOXO,

Libby

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As the summer progressed, Tris and Tobias' weeks took on a pattern. On the weekdays, Tobias worked with Amar - often from the office in the house, but some days he had to attend meetings or visit different parts of his holdings. On Fridays or Saturdays they boarded the jet and took off for another romantic destination. The couple visited Rome one weekend, and Venice another. Tris loved Italy, especially the food.

In July they fulfilled a longtime goal of Tobias' and went to Pamplona Spain for the Running of the Bulls. With Amar's help, Tobias had been planning the trip for over a year, though he never dreamed that he'd fall in love and be sharing the experience with someone.

Tobias planned to make the run, and Tris was overwhelmed with anxiety. She couldn't eat breakfast when Tobias left to take his place at the starting line. Her stomach was in knots as she sat on the balcony with Amar and watched the festival crowd clear the street below.

When the runners flew past, Tris spotted Tobias. She watched in horror as, just down the street from the hotel, Tobias tripped on a cobblestone. He quickly caught himself and continued running. It took Tris a little longer to recover and continue breathing.

After his run, Tobias returned to the hotel full of adrenaline and grinning broadly. He walked into the suite and was surprised to find Tris looking drawn and anxious. When she saw him standing there unharmed and even looking happy about his feat, Tris launched herself into Tobias' arms and began to sob.

"Zemra ime!" Tobias exclaimed. "What's wrong? What happened?"

"Ajo shikoi të vrapove. Ajo kishte frikë për sigurinë tuaj," Amar said. (She watched you run. She was afraid for your safety)

"Tris," Tobias soothed his sobbing girlfriend. "I was never in any danger, Zemra ime. The run is not as dangerous as it sounds."

"I saw you trip," Tris confessed.

Tobias chuckled embarrassedly. "Cobblestones," he said. "I never fell; I didn't even turn an ankle. The run is probably less dangerous than the plane ride to get here. This isn't like you. What happened to having faith?"

Tris pulled back and swiped at her eyes. "I'm sorry," she said. "I'm being a baby, I know. I've just been worried, and I haven't been sleeping well."

Tobias dismissed Amar, sending him to get them food for a late breakfast/early lunch. When his assistant was gone, Tobias scooped Tris into his arms and carried her out to the suite's balcony, where he dropped into a chair and settled Tris on his lap.

"I love you," Tobias said gently as he stroked his girlfriend's soft blonde hair. "I won't do anything to jeopardize that. I'm sorry you were worried. I wish you had shared that with me. You don't have to carry your concerns alone, Zemra ime. We're a team, and you need to be open about how you feel."

Tris nodded against his chest. "You've wanted to do this for a long time," she said. "I didn't want to stand in your way, so I kept my fears to myself."

"I don't want you to be afraid to talk to me about anything," Tobias said. "I could have helped you understand that it really isn't that dangerous, and that I had prepared well. I care how you feel more than I want to do a silly thing like running with the bulls."

The couple sat quietly for a few minutes, watching the festival goers on the street below. Tobias continued to stroke Tris' hair, arms, and back. After a few minutes, he realized that she had fallen asleep on him, in spite of his desperate need for a shower.

Amar returned and set up the couple's brunch. When he noticed that Tris was asleep, he decided to have a few quiet minutes with Tobias to discuss some things.

"A dyshoni se ajo ju do?" (Do you doubt that she loves you?) Amar asked.

Tobias smiled fondly at the girl asleep on his chest. "Jo. Unë e dua atë dhe ajo më do. E di."
(No. I love her and she loves me. I know that.)

"Mora një telefonatë nga një tregtar diamanti në Antwerp. Ai gjeti një diamant rozë saktësisht si ai për të cilin keni kërkuar," Amar said proudly.
(I received a call from a diamond dealer in Antwerp. He found a pink diamond exactly like the one you were looking for.)

"Eshte kjo ne rregull? Keni foto?" (Really? Do you have pictures?) Tobias asked eagerly.

Amar pulled out his phone and swiped at the screen. When he found the picture he was looking for - a large, pink, oval-shaped diamond laying loose on a piece of white leather - he showed it to Tobias.

"Sizefarë madhësie është?" (What size is it?) Tobias asked.

"Tre karat," (Three carats) Amar replied.

"Madhësia është perfekte, dhe mua më pëlqen ngjyra,"
(The size is perfect, and I like the color) Tobias replied, beaming with eagerness.

"Unë i kërkova Leopold të shkonte ta shikonte," (I asked Leopold to go look at it), Amar said nervously.

Leopold Van de Brakke was the CEO of a Dutch shipping business Tobias owned. The company had been in Leo's family for generations, but his father had lost it after a series of bad investments. The elder Van de Brakke retired in shame and depression after losing his family's company. The business, which Marcus had renamed Eaton Transport out of pure spite, was still floundering when Marcus died. Tobias personally spent time in the Netherlands trying to figure out why.

Through his research and contact with long-time employees, he realized that the family-owned pillar of the community had lost its heart when it lost its owner. Tobias decided to reach out to the Van de Brakke family to see if one of them might be a good fit for the CEO position. That's how he met Leopold.

Leo was a bright man in his early thirties with a sweet little wife named Annika, and two adorable young daughters. He had attended university, studying business with the intention of taking over the family shipping business when his father retired. The elder Van de Brakke's losses were a devastating blow to his son, and Leo had watched his planned future slip away. He ended up working for a company importing automobiles, and did well at it, but he never got over the loss of the family business.

When Tobias approached the family about putting one of them in charge of the company again, Leo had jumped at the opportunity. Tobias explained that even though Eaton Holdings would technically own the business, he wanted Leo to run it the way he saw fit. Tobias even restored the name of the business, calling it Van de Brakke Transport: A Division of Eaton Holdings.

At first, Leo had run most of his decisions past Tobias, afraid to anger his new boss and lose the business again. But as the first year progressed and Tobias and Amar encouraged and affirmed Leo's abilities, he took the reins more firmly and pulled the company back into profitability. On the first anniversary of Leo's leadership, just before he went to Chicago, Tobias had shown up unannounced at Van de Brakke Transport. He called an impromptu company meeting, and the employees were informed that, in recognition of their hard work and commitment to the company, they were each receiving a bonus that amounted to roughly one thousand U.S. dollars. When the cheers died down, Tobias informed Leo - in front of his employees - that Eaton Holdings was giving him ten percent ownership of Van de Brakke Transport.

"Your family built this company," Tobias had announced with the help of a translator. "You put your hearts and souls into building it and now restoring it. Ten percent is just the beginning. I don't want Eaton Holdings to be a master that owns you. I want to be a partner. I believe in what you are doing, and I look forward to working with you for a long time to come."

Leo had openly wept at having part of his family's company restored to them. Several of the salty old shipping employees had teared up as well. Tobias understood what this family business meant to the small seaside community where it was headquartered. He genuinely liked Leo, and he meant what he said. It was his goal to see the Van de Brakke family eventually own forty-nine percent of the business and work as a team. And if they eventually wanted to buy out Tobias' remaining part of the company, he would be happy to consider it.

Tobias thought about what Amar said. Antwerp was very close to the small town where Leo and his family lived, but he didn't want to treat the other man like an errand boy. After all, he was the successful CEO of a shipping company.

Seeing the look on his boss' face, Amar spoke up. "E thirra Leopold rreth biznesit të Mërkurën. Unë i përmenda atij që ju mund të vizitoni zonën së shpejti sepse ka një diamant në Antwerp që përputhet me atë që ju po kërkoni. Ai me mirësjellje pyeti për zonjën e re për të cilën po bëni pazar, dhe më pas ai ofroi të ekzaminojë diamantin, në mënyrë që të mos keni nevojë të bëni udhëtimin."
(I called Leopold about business on Wednesday. I mentioned to him that you might visit the area soon because there is a diamond in Antwerp that matches one you are looking for. He politely asked about the young lady you were shopping for, then offered to examine the diamond so you wouldn't have to travel.)

"Ky është shumë lloj i tij," (That is very kind of him) Tobias said, still sounding reluctant. "Didfarë i tregove atij për Tris?" (What did you tell him about Tris?)

"Unë i thashë që takuat një zonjë të re të mrekullueshme në Amerikë dhe se marrëdhënia juaj po shkonte mjaft mirë saqë po bënit pazare për një unazë fejesash,"
(I told him you met a wonderful young lady in America, and that your relationship was going well, and you were shopping for a engagement ring) Amar replied.

Tobias nodded. He wanted to press further, but Tris was starting to stir.

.

On Wednesday Tobias was working when Amar walked into his home office.

"Leopold më thirri," (Leopold called me) the assistant said quietly. "Ai thotë se diamanti është i mrekullueshëm, madje më i mirë se fotot. Si do të dëshironit të vazhdoni?"
(He says the stone is terrific, even better than the photos. How would you like to proceed?")

Tobias glanced toward the door, listening for anyone who might be nearby. Hearing nothing, he replied in the same quiet tone. "Ndoshta duhet të udhëtojmë për në Brussles ose Bruge për fundjavë. Ndërsa jemi atje, ju mund të shkoni në Antwerp dhe të blini diamantin nëse jeni të kënaqur me të."
(Maybe we should travel to Brussels or Brugge for the weekend. While we are there, you can go to Antwerp and buy the diamond if you are comfortable with it.)

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Tris thoroughly enjoyed Brussels. She ate a cone of fries with mayonnaise, just like Tobias showed her back in New York. The couple bought mussels from a street vendor, and ate Belgian waffles while they wandered the beautiful city square. Of course, they ate pizza, though neither of them thought it compared to the pizzas they had in Italy.

Tris and Tobias found the city's unofficial mascot, a small statue called Mannequin Pis. The figurine depicted a little boy urinating in a fountain. People from around the world sent clothes for the little statue to wear, and he was dressed in a soccer uniform when they were there.

The young lovers visited a cathedral. Tris tried to capture pictures of the stained glass windows, but the photos just couldn't live up to reality. Church bells rang as they walked back to the hotel. Tris and Tobias stopped to kiss and take it all in.

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When they got home on Sunday evening, they stepped into the foyer of the Eaton estate and were met by the sound of a child's laughter.

"Who is that?" Tris asked.

"Edon," Tobias said with a grin as he grabbed Tris by the hand and pulled her toward the kitchen.

"Kush është në kuzhinën time?" (Who is in my kitchen?) Tobias called out in a loud, playful voice.

"Zonti Edon!" (Mr. Edon!) called a small child.

Tobias opened the door to the kitchen, and a little boy crashed into his legs. He laughed and lifted the preschooler into his arms. The boy hugged Tobias around the neck, babbling quickly in Albanian. Tobias laughed and responded enthusiastically.

"Kush është ai?" (Who is that?) the little one asked, suddenly realizing that his friend had someone with him.

"Tris," Tobias said, smiling at his girlfriend, "this is Roza's grandson, Edon. Edon, kjo është e dashura ime. Emri i saj është Zonjushë Prior." (Edon, this is my girlfriend. Her name is Miss Prior.)

"Gëzohem që ju takoj," (It's nice to meet you) Tris said.

Tobias beamed at Tris and her effort to speak Albanian to the small boy. Edon jabbed away, obviously thrilled to see Tobias and have a few minutes of his attention.

When the small boy said something to Tris that she couldn't understand, Tobias informed him that Tris spoke only English.

"Anglisht?" Edon exclaimed. "Unë di të flas anglisht!" (English? I know how to speak English!) "One, two, three, four."

"Shume mire!" Tris encouraged.

"Let's go!" the boy called out cheerfully.

"Where are we going?" Tris asked Tobias, who laughed.

"Edon knows English phrases from a cartoon show," Tobias explained. "You have the show in America, too, but the characters speak English and teach Spanish phrases. Here the cartoon is in Albanian, but they teach some English phrases. He's just saying the things he knows."

Tris laughed. "Vamonos!" she said. "I know that show."

"I didn't know Edon would be visiting," Tobias said to Roza, who was taking advantage of the child's distraction to work on dinner.

"Yeta's baby is coming too early," the housekeeper said, obviously distressed. "I was visiting while you were gone. The pains started too soon, so they took her to the hospital, and I brought Edon with me."

"When is the baby due?" Tris asked.

"Six more weeks," Roza replied, shaking her head.

"Edon is always welcome here," Tobias said comfortingly. "You know that. If you need to go to Yeta, he can stay here with us. Tris loves children. That's what she is studying at university - how to help children. I'm here to translate, and you know Edon is my pal."

Roza stopped what she was doing, and for a minute she just stared at her boss, who was still holding her smiling grandson.

"Tobias," the housekeeper said with a voice full of emotion as tears began streaming down her face. "You are nothing like your horrible father. If you didn't have the same blue eyes, I would never think that you were the same family. You are a wonderful man. Thank you for caring, and thank you for being so kind."

Tris gave Roza a hug. Edon squirmed to get down, alarmed by his grandmother's tears.

Tobias, Roza, and Edon had a conversation in Albanian. Tris understood some of it, but the rest moved too fast or was unfamiliar. Roza's tears didn't last, and whatever they said calmed Edon. In just a few minutes the youngster was tugging Tobias' arm, pulling him toward the door.

"Ejani me ne, Zonjushë Anglisht," the little boy said to Tris, reaching for her hand as well.

She understood the command to come with them, but was confused about the reference to English. Tobias and Roza's laughter added to her confusion.

"You have a new nickname," Tobias explained. "He called you 'Miss English'. I don't think he remembers your name."

Tris laughed too, and followed the boys to the den. Edon ran to one of the sofas and planted himself right in the middle, facing the big television. He jabbed happily in Albanian as Tobias messed with the television.

Edon patted the sofa beside himself, and Tris understood the command in Albanian for 'Miss English' to come sit with him. The boy patted the cushion on his other side and said something about "Mr. Edon."

"Is he calling you by his name?" Tris asked, thinking she had the foreign accent mixing her up.

"Yes," Tobias said. "Eaton and Edon sound enough alike that he believes we have the same name. Roza has tried many times, but he refuses to believe that we're talking about my surname, or that it's Eaton, not Edon."

Tris giggled. "He really likes you," she said.

Tobias smiled at Tris over Edon's head. "I haven't been around little kids very much," he said, "but there's just something pure and special about a child's admiration."

"Zoti Edon, qëte!" the little boy whined.

"He wants me to be quiet," Tobias translated for Tris.

The couple sat and watched the cartoon with the little boy. Tris found it funny to see the familiar show in another language. And to hear the characters teaching simple English.

"Big!" Edon repeated after the characters, then looked to Tris for approval. She smiled and nodded encouragingly, and the little boy beamed with pride.

Roza brought dinner to the den for Tris, Tobias, and Edon, then sat with her grandson to help him eat neatly and mind his manners.

The latest message from Yeta's husband at the hospital was that the doctors had not been able to stop her labor and the baby was coming soon. Roza insisted that there was nothing she could do for her niece, and that she would stay with Edon until she heard otherwise.

Tobias repeated his offer to watch the boy if Roza was needed at the hospital. When they finished eating, he turned on an animated movie, and Tris joined Edon on the sofa while Tobias and Roza talked about the upcoming week.

A few minutes into the film, Edon turned to Tris. With a trembling lip, he said "Zonjushë Anglisht, dua mamen."

Tris understood the simple statement. Edon wanted his mom. With nothing else to offer, she opened her arms, and the little boy climbed onto her lap, tucking himself under her chin as he put his thumb in his mouth. She didn't know what to say to comfort him, so she just held him close.

Some time later, Tobias sat down beside Tris and put his arm around her. "Edon is asleep," he said quietly. "Would you like me to change the channel?"

Tris smiled down on the little boy in her lap. "Sure," she said. "Or we could carry him to his bed and go to our own."

.

Yeta gave birth to a daughter, and they named her Elira. She was small, and needed some time in the hospital to finish growing, but the doctors were confident that she would be healthy and caught up with all her milestones by her first birthday.

Edon stayed with Roza at the Eaton estate while his parents and baby sister stayed in the hospital, though he and Roza went to visit twice. Edon grew quite attached to Tris in spite of the language barrier, and Tris found that her Albanian improved dramatically when she was surrounded by the little boy and his simple preschool shows and movies. Edon soon came to understand Tris' name, and mostly called her 'Miss Prior' instead of 'Miss English'.

Edon spent part of his days with Roza, and part of his time with Tobias and Tris so Roza could get work done. The young couple took the boy swimming and for walks on the beach. They talked a little about babies and being a big brother. They colored pictures and made simple crafts.

When Elira was cleared to go home from the hospital, Roza took a few days off to take Edon home and help her family through the adjustment. Tris found that she missed the child's company.