Chapter 3 - THE REUNION IN THE DARK
|
I sat beside Lily on the velvet sofa in the grand library on the third floor.
The heavy mahogany door was bolted shut, just as Luca had commanded.
Lily had refused to put the braid down for even a second.
She cradled the linen bundle against her chest, her chin resting on the pale-blue ribbons.
“Miss Emma?” she asked, her voice cracking with exhaustion.
“Yes, sweetheart?”
“Do you think Mommy is awake?”
I looked at the antique grandfather clock ticking softly in the corner.
It was barely nine-thirty in the evening.
“I’m sure she is, honey,” I replied, gently smoothing a stray lock of hair away from her damp cheek.
“Moms don't sleep when their babies are hurting.”
A soft knock rattled the heavy oak door.
Three distinct taps, followed by a pause, and then two more.
“It’s Luca, Emma,” his deep voice called through the wood.
I rose quickly, unlocked the brass deadbolt, and pulled the door open.
Luca stood in the hallway, his jacket unbuttoned and his black silk tie loosened at his throat.
Behind him stood a woman wearing a simple camel-colored wool coat and dark trousers.
Her brown hair was cut into a short, elegant pixie style, highlighting her warm hazel eyes and delicate cheekbones.
Lily gasped, the breath rushing out of her lungs in a sharp sob.
“Mommy!”
Caroline dropped her leather handbag onto the carpet and fell to her knees right there in the doorway.
Lily scrambled off the sofa, her black patent shoes skidding against the polished wood floor.
She threw herself into her mother’s open arms with so much force that both of them tumbled back against the doorframe.
“Oh, my baby,” Caroline wept, burying her face into Lily’s neck.
“My sweet, sweet girl.”
“Mommy, I didn't say it!” Lily cried hysterically, clutching Caroline’s coat with white knuckles.
“I never said you weren't pretty!”
“I wanted you to come tonight!”
“I practiced the speech every night so you could come home!”
Caroline pulled back, cupping Lily’s face in both of her hands, kissing her forehead, her cheeks, and her nose.
“I know, my love,” Caroline whispered through her own streaming tears.
“I know you never said that.”
“A mother always knows her daughter’s heart.”
Caroline looked up, her gaze shifting to the jagged, uneven strands of hair framing Lily’s ears.
Her hazel eyes filled with profound sorrow, but she smiled with radiant warmth.
“Look at you,” Caroline said softly.
“You have my jawline now.”
“You look so grown up, Lily.”
Lily sniffled, wiping her nose with the sleeve of her dress.
She reached down and picked up the white napkin from the floor, holding it out like a sacred offering.
“I saved it for you, Mommy,” Lily whispered.
“I grew it for three whole years so you could have your braid back.”
Caroline stared at the thick brown hair resting against the white linen.
Her shoulders shook as fresh tears streamed down her cheeks, washing away months of silent heartache.
She pulled Lily back into her embrace, rocking her slowly beneath the warm glow of the library lamps.
“It is the most beautiful gift in the entire world,” Caroline choked out.
Standing in the doorway, Luca watched the two of them, his jaw clenched tight against the tears burning in his own eyes.
He turned his head slightly and caught me watching.
May you like
For a fleeting second, the terrifying mafia boss of Chicago looked like nothing more than a grateful, humbled father.
He bowed his head toward me in silent, undeniable respect.
