Chapter 7 - THE APPRECIATION BREAKFAST
The elementary school cafeteria smelled of cheap coffee and maple syrup.
It was noisy, filled with parents, grandparents, and children showing off their art projects.
I sat at a small, folding table, wearing the only nice dress I owned.
Ben was sitting next to me, his hair combed neatly, wearing his dad's black necktie.
And sitting on the other side of Ben, wearing a casual sweater instead of a tailored suit, was Luca Moretti.
Several parents had stared when the towering, tattooed former mafia boss walked into the room, but Luca didn't care.
He was focused entirely on my little brother.
"Are you nervous, buddy?" Luca asked, handing Ben a plastic cup of orange juice.
Ben shook his head.
"No. I practiced."
Mrs. Patterson, the teacher, tapped a microphone at the front of the room.
"Welcome, families. To begin our breakfast, Benjamin Mitchell would like to read his essay."
Ben stood up.
He walked to the front of the room.
He unfolded his piece of lined paper.
I held my breath, tears already stinging my eyes.
"My hero is my big sister Sarah," Ben read, his voice clear and brave over the microphone.
He read the words exactly as he had written them.
He talked about macaroni and cheese.
He talked about me checking his homework.
And when he reached the final paragraph, he looked directly at me.
"Some kids have more stuff than me," Ben read. "But I think I'm lucky because I still have Sarah. And now, we don't have to be scared anymore."
The cafeteria erupted into applause.
I buried my face in my hands, sobbing quietly.
Luca reached over and placed a warm, steady hand on my shoulder.
"He's a good kid, Sarah," Luca said softly. "You did an amazing job."
When Ben ran back to the table, I pulled him into a crushing hug.
"I love you so much, baby," I whispered.
After breakfast, we walked out to the school parking lot.
The crisp autumn air felt clean and hopeful.
Luca stopped by his car.
"Sarah," he said, turning to face me. "The family court judge approved your permanent guardianship this morning. The paperwork is finalized."
I gasped, covering my mouth.
"Really?"
Luca nodded, handing me a manila envelope.
"It's official. He's yours forever."
I threw my arms around Luca's neck before I could stop myself.
He hesitated for a second, then wrapped his strong arms around my waist, holding me tightly.
"Thank you," I cried against his shoulder. "Thank you for everything."
When I pulled back, Luca was looking at me with an expression I hadn't seen before.
It was soft.
Vulnerable.
"I bought a house," Luca said quietly. "In Colorado. In the mountains. It's quiet. Safe."
He looked down at Ben, who was kicking a pebble near the tire.
Then he looked back at me.
"It has a big kitchen. And a lot of space for a kid to run around."
My heart did a strange, fluttering rhythm in my chest.
"Luca?" I asked softly.
"Come with me, Sarah," he said, his voice filled with raw honesty. "Let me take care of you both. Let me be part of that home."
I looked at this man.
He had given up his empire, his wealth, and his entire life to protect a maid and her little brother.
May you like
I reached out and took his hand.
"We'd love to go to Colorado," I smiled.
