Chapter 4 - The Lake House With the Yellow Door|
Luca left for Wisconsin before sunrise.
I learned that from Mrs. Alvarez, who arrived in the kitchen carrying Lily's breakfast tray.
“He didn't sleep,” she said softly.
I looked toward the empty driveway.
“Did he say when he'd return?”
“Tonight, hopefully.”
I nodded.
Then I noticed Lily standing in the doorway.
She wore her school uniform and held the repaired recipe card between her fingers.
“Claire?”
“Yes, sweetheart?”
“Did Dad like my cake?”
I smiled.
“He loved it.”
She looked down.
“Then why did he leave?”
The question hurt more than I expected.
I crouched beside her.
“Your dad had something important to take care of.”
“Because of Mom?”
“Yes.”
Lily was quiet.
Then she whispered, “Is Vanessa still going to marry him?”
I couldn't answer honestly because I didn't know.
So I said, “Your dad will talk to you about that.”
She nodded slowly.
Then asked something that nearly broke my heart.
“Do you think Dad is happier when I'm not around?”
I stared at her.
“Lily, why would you think that?”
Her eyes filled.
“Vanessa said grown-ups need time without children. She said Dad worked late because he wanted peace.”
I felt something hot and angry rise inside me.
I gently took her hands.
“Your father works because he has responsibilities. That doesn't mean he doesn't want to be with you.”
“But he smiles more at Vanessa.”
I swallowed.
Luca had been grieving for years.
He'd worked long hours.
He'd tried to rebuild a life.
And somewhere along the way, his daughter had mistaken his exhaustion for rejection.
“Lily,” I said carefully, “your father calls you every night when he travels, doesn't he?”
She nodded.
“Even when he's tired?”
“Yes.”
“Even when he's in another city?”
“Yes.”
“Do you know why?”
She shook her head.
“Because hearing your voice matters to him.”
Her lips trembled.
“Really?”
“Really.”
She threw her arms around me.
I held her until her breathing steadied.
At noon, Luca called.
He asked to speak to Lily.
I handed her the phone.
“Daddy?”
Her face brightened.
Then she listened.
“Yes, I ate breakfast.”
Another pause.
“No, I didn't eat cake for breakfast.”
I smiled.
Luca must have said something funny because she giggled.
Then her expression softened.
“I love you too.”
She handed me the phone.
“Dad wants you.”
I brought it to my ear.
“Mr. Moretti?”
“Claire. Is she all right?”
“She's worried about you.”
He exhaled.
“I know.”
“Did you find anything?”
A pause.
“Yes.”
My stomach tightened.
“What?”
“Sarah left something behind.”
I waited.
“But I need to speak with Lily before we discuss it.”
He sounded different.
Not simply angry.
Shaken.
“Of course,” I said.
Then he added, “Claire, thank you for taking care of her.”
I looked toward Lily, who was now arranging slices of apple into a smile on her plate.
“She's easy to love, sir.”
Luca was silent for a moment.
Then whispered, “I know.”
He returned just after six.
I was helping Lily decorate a small tray of cookies when his car pulled into the driveway.
She abandoned everything.
“Daddy!”
He entered the kitchen carrying a wooden photograph frame.
Lily ran into his arms.
He lifted her.
Held her tightly.
Then kissed her hair.
“I missed you, peanut.”
“You were only gone one day.”
“One day too long.”
She smiled.
He carried her into the sitting room.
I followed with the cookies.
He sat beside her on the couch.
“Lily, do you remember the lake house?”
She frowned.
“The one with the yellow door?”
He smiled.
“Yes.”
“Mom liked that house.”
“She did.”
Luca placed the photograph frame on the table.
Inside was a picture of Sarah holding baby Lily beside a lemon cake.
Lily stared.
“That's me?”
“That was your first birthday.”
She smiled.
“Mom made cake.”
“Yes.”
Luca swallowed.
“And she left something there for us.”
He opened a small wooden box.
Inside were several photographs, a folded letter, and a tiny silver bracelet.
Lily gasped.
“My baby bracelet!”
Luca nodded.
“Your mother kept it.”
He placed it in her hand.
Then carefully unfolded the letter.
It was addressed to Lily.
He looked at his daughter.
“Would you like me to read it?”
She nodded.
He began.
My sweet Lily,
If you're reading this someday, I hope you've grown into a brave, kind girl who knows how deeply she's loved.
Lily leaned against him.
I want you to remember that families can change, but love doesn't disappear.
Luca paused.
His voice trembled.
If Daddy ever falls in love again, I hope the woman he chooses understands that loving him means loving you too.
My eyes filled.
Luca continued.
And if anyone ever makes you feel that remembering me is wrong, please tell your father.
Lily looked up.
“Mom knew?”
Luca shook his head gently.
“She was writing about the future, sweetheart.”
Lily touched the paper.
“Did she know Vanessa?”
Luca went still.
He glanced at me.
Then back at his daughter.
“Why do you ask?”
Lily looked toward the photograph.
“Because Vanessa told me Mom made Daddy unhappy.”
Luca closed his eyes.
For several seconds, he couldn't speak.
Then he gathered Lily into his arms.
“Your mother made me happier than I knew how to say.”
The little girl began crying.
“And so do you.”
I turned away to hide my tears.
But before I could leave, Luca spoke.
“Claire, stay a moment.”
He waited until Lily had gone upstairs with Mrs. Alvarez.
Then placed a second envelope on the table.
“This was hidden beneath the floorboards of the lake house kitchen.”
I stared.
“What is it?”
“Copies of company records.”
He handed me a photograph.
It showed two men standing beside a warehouse.
One was Richard Bellini.
The other was a man I'd seen at the mansion several times.
Daniel Mercer.
Luca's chief financial officer.
I looked up.
“Why would Sarah hide this?”
Luca's expression hardened.
“Because she discovered money disappearing from my company.”
He placed another photograph beside it.
This one showed a woman entering the lake house.
Her face was turned toward the camera.
I recognized her immediately.
Vanessa.
But the date printed beneath the photograph was five years old.
I looked at Luca.
“She's been here before.”
He nodded.
Then pointed toward the corner of the photograph.
A small child stood near the doorway.
Holding a stuffed rabbit.
Lily.
May you like
And written across the back of the picture were six words in Sarah's handwriting.
SHE CAME HERE LOOKING FOR THE BOX.
Related Stories
