Chapter 17 - ISABELLA’S LAST LETTER
Almost two years after the breakfast, Isabella sent another letter.
This time Alessandro opened it.
He did not know why.
Maybe because enough time had passed.
Maybe because he no longer feared her words could control him.
The letter was short.
She wrote that prison had taken away every mirror she used to define herself.
Beauty.
Money.
Influence.
Attention.
She said she finally understood that she had mistaken being desired for being valuable.
Then she apologized again.
No excuses.
No childhood story.
No blame.
At the bottom, she wrote.
I do not expect forgiveness.
I only wanted the truth to exist somewhere outside a courtroom transcript.
Alessandro folded it.
He felt sadness.
Not love.
Not longing.
Sadness.
For her.
For himself.
For the life that almost happened.
He placed the letter in a drawer.
He did not answer.
That evening, Luca found him drinking coffee.
“Was it from her?”
“Yes.”
“You okay?”
“Yes.”
“You sure?”
Alessandro smiled.
“You’re becoming annoying.”
“Fatherhood.”
“Apparently.”
Luca sat down.
“Elena says I hover.”
“You do.”
“She says I’m overprotective.”
“You are.”
“She said if I put another tracking tag in Sofia’s backpack she’s going to attach one to me.”
Alessandro laughed.
Then Luca became serious.
“I still think about what would have happened if Sofia stayed quiet.”
Alessandro looked at him.
“So do I.”
“You would’ve married Isabella.”
“Yes.”
“And maybe—”
“Don’t.”
Luca stopped.
Alessandro continued.
“There is no useful ending to that sentence.”
They sat quietly.
Then Sofia ran into the room carrying a school project.
She had drawn a family tree.
Alessandro looked at it.
Vittorio.
Luca.
Sofia.
Elena.
Then a branch extended sideways toward Alessandro.
Under his name she had written.
LISTENS TO KIDS.
Alessandro stared at it.
Luca burst out laughing.
“That’s your legacy.”
May you like
Alessandro smiled.
He could live with that.
