CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY SIX – THE NURSERY

Their painting adventures continued over the next few days, with varying degrees of success. The mural Rebecca had insisted on turned out to be more challenging than anticipated. "Is that supposed to be a deer or a very tall dog?" Luca asked, tilting his head as he examined Rebecca's handiwork. Rebecca huffed, putting her hands on her hips. "It's obviously a deer. See the antlers?" Luca squinted. "Ah, yes. Of course." Despite the challenges, they eventually managed to create a passable woodland scene. It might not have been professional quality, but it was uniquely theirs. As Rebecca's pregnancy progressed, so did her cravings. What started as a simple desire for pickles and ice cream quickly evolved into increasingly bizarre and specific requests. One night, around 2 AM, Rebecca shook Luca awake. "Luca," she whispered urgently. "I need stuffed zucchini flowers. The ones from that little trattoria in Fiesole." Luca blinked blearily. "Rebecca, it's the middle of the night. That