Chapter 2 - THE NAME ON HER APRON
“Were you planning to make an eight-year-old girl work in my house just so she could keep seeing her mother?”
Luca's question hung over the dining table.
Vanessa stared at the white strip of fabric in his hand.
“Of course not. Don't be ridiculous.”
“Then explain this.”
She gave a nervous laugh.
“It was a little game. Children like pretending to be grown-ups.”
I felt Lily's fingers tighten around mine.
“A game?” Luca repeated.
“Yes. I told her she could pretend to be one of the housekeepers. It was supposed to make her feel included.”
Lily lowered her head.
I looked at my daughter.
“Baby, is that what happened?”
She didn't answer.
Vanessa stepped closer.
“See? She's embarrassed because everyone is staring at her.”
Luca immediately turned toward the guests.
“Please give her some space.”
Several people looked away.
Then he crouched beside Lily's chair.
“Sweetheart, you haven't done anything wrong. You don't have to answer questions if you don't want to.”
Lily looked at him.
“Okay.”
He smiled gently.
“Would you like another blanket?”
She nodded.
Teresa immediately removed the soft shawl from her own shoulders.
“Here, honey.”
She draped it around Lily.
My daughter pulled it close.
“Thank you.”
Teresa kissed the top of her head.
“You're welcome, sweetheart.”
Luca looked toward Mrs. Carter.
“Please have someone check whether Lily needs medical attention. Her hands are still very cold.”
“I'll take care of it, sir.”
“And bring her something warm to drink.”
I wanted to thank him.
Instead, I sat beside my daughter and rubbed her small hands.
They were finally beginning to warm.
She leaned against me.
“Mommy?”
“Yes, baby?”
“Are you mad?”
My heart twisted.
“Not at you.”
She looked toward Vanessa.
“I tried to do it right.”
I froze.
“Do what right?”
Lily glanced at the strip of fabric.
“The folding.”
Vanessa's expression changed.
I looked at my daughter.
“What folding?”
“The napkins.”
She spoke so quietly that I had to lean closer.
“The lady said I could stay where it was warm if I helped.”
I stared at her.
“Helped with what?”
“Making the squares.”
She held up her little hands.
“I wasn't very good.”
My throat tightened.
Luca looked toward Mrs. Carter.
“Were you aware of this?”
She shook her head.
“No, sir. I left Lily in the staff sitting room with her book while I handled the caterers.”
Vanessa interrupted.
“Honestly, Luca, she folded a few napkins. Children do things like that at home.”
Luca looked at her.
“At home, children help because they're part of a family. You made her believe she had to earn the right to stay warm.”
“That isn't what I said.”
Lily suddenly whispered, “She said I had to be useful.”
Vanessa fell silent.
I felt something painful tighten inside my chest.
My daughter was eight years old.
She should have been worrying about spelling tests and whether her stuffed rabbit needed a new blanket.
Instead, she'd spent the evening trying to prove she was useful enough to stay near her mother.
I held her closer.
“Lily, you never have to work to make Mommy love you.”
She nodded.
But she didn't look convinced.
That frightened me more than anything Vanessa had said.
Luca placed the cotton label on the table.
“Where did this come from?”
Mrs. Carter examined it.
“It's from the uniform supplies.”
Vanessa looked away.
Mrs. Carter continued.
“We received a shipment of new apron material last week. Miss Bellini asked for name labels to be prepared.”
“For whom?” Luca asked.
“The employees she wanted assigned to overnight service after the wedding.”
My stomach dropped.
Luca looked up.
“Overnight service?”
Mrs. Carter nodded.
“Miss Bellini said the household would operate differently once you were married.”
He frowned.
“What employees?”
Mrs. Carter hesitated.
“Emily was supposed to be one of them.”
I stared at her.
“What?”
She turned toward me.
“I assumed you'd been informed.”
I shook my head.
“Nobody told me anything about overnight shifts.”
Vanessa folded her arms.
“It was only a proposal.”
Luca looked at her.
“A proposal Emily knew nothing about?”
“I was going to discuss it with her.”
“When?”
“After the engagement dinner.”
I felt dizzy.
My rent was due in eight days.
I needed my paycheck.
But overnight work was impossible.
Lily had school.
She needed me to make breakfast, help with homework, and put her to bed.
I had no one who could take care of her through the night.
“Miss Bellini,” I whispered, “you knew I couldn't work overnight.”
Vanessa looked at me.
“Plenty of working mothers make arrangements.”
“With whom?”
She didn't answer.
“My babysitter broke her wrist. That's why Mr. Moretti approved my early schedule.”
Vanessa sighed.
“Emily, the household can't accommodate every personal difficulty forever.”
Luca turned toward her.
“You told me the new schedule was about improving service.”
“It was.”
“You never mentioned requiring Emily to live here.”
Vanessa looked frustrated.
“I knew you'd object before hearing the details.”
“Because she has an eight-year-old daughter.”
“Because you always give her special treatment.”
The words came out sharper than she intended.
Teresa straightened.
“Special treatment?”
Vanessa looked toward her.
“Teresa, please.”
“No, dear. Emily works hard. I've seen her here before breakfast and after dinner more times than I can count.”
I lowered my head.
Teresa continued.
“She shouldn't have to choose between earning a living and caring for her child.”
Vanessa rubbed her forehead.
“You're making this into something it isn't.”
But Lily had started trembling again.
I looked at her.
“Baby, what's wrong?”
She reached into her purple backpack.
Then pulled out the drawing she'd made at school.
The yellow sun was wrinkled.
One corner had been folded over so many times that the paper was nearly torn.
“Mommy?”
“Yes?”
She pointed toward the two stick figures.
“That's us.”
“I know, sweetheart.”
She looked toward the fabric label.
Then whispered, “The lady said this picture wouldn't be right anymore.”
I stared at her.
“What do you mean?”
Lily's eyes filled.
“She said you were going to sleep here.”
I swallowed.
“And you would go home?”
My daughter shook her head.
“No.”
The entire table seemed to disappear around me.
Luca leaned closer.
“Lily, where did she say you would sleep?”
My daughter looked terrified.
May you like
Then she reached for my hand.
“She said Mommy already agreed that I would live somewhere else.”
