Chapter 5 - THE JOB SHE WANTED ME TO LOSE
“Gone before the wedding?”
Luca repeated Mrs. Carter's words slowly.
Vanessa looked furious.
“That isn't what I meant.”
Mrs. Carter kept her eyes on the service book.
“Miss Bellini, you told me to prepare for Emily's departure.”
“I told you we might need another employee.”
“You said Emily wouldn't accept the new arrangement.”
Vanessa looked away.
Luca moved closer.
“Then why were you still threatening to fire her tonight?”
She looked at him.
“Because she was refusing to cooperate.”
“With a schedule she hadn't even seen?”
Vanessa didn't answer.
I sat completely still.
Lily was leaning against me, quietly playing with the edge of Teresa's shawl.
She had finally stopped shivering.
I should have felt relieved.
Instead, I kept thinking about the weeks I'd spent trying to arrange childcare.
Every time I asked Mrs. Carter whether my temporary schedule was still approved, she'd reassured me.
And every time I saw Vanessa, she'd reminded me that the arrangement wouldn't last forever.
Now I understood why she'd sounded so certain.
She'd already decided I wouldn't be staying.
“Miss Bellini,” I said quietly.
Vanessa turned.
“What?”
“Why didn't you just tell me you wanted someone else?”
She stared at me.
I continued.
“I could have started looking for another job. I could have saved some money. I could have made a plan for Lily.”
Vanessa's expression hardened.
“This isn't personal, Emily.”
I looked at my daughter.
Then back at her.
“You told my little girl I was going to live somewhere without her.”
Vanessa shifted uncomfortably.
“That was a misunderstanding.”
“You told her she had to work to be allowed inside.”
“I said she could help.”
“And you left her outside in the cold.”
Vanessa looked away.
My voice shook.
“How could that not be personal?”
For several seconds, nobody answered.
Then Teresa spoke.
“Emily has taken care of me for nearly three years.”
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“Teresa, please.”
The older woman continued.
“She knows when my knees are hurting before I say anything. She remembers that I don't like sugar in my tea.”
I lowered my head.
Teresa reached for my hand.
“And when I was sick last winter, she stayed late because I was frightened.”
Luca looked toward me.
“I didn't know that.”
I swallowed.
“Mrs. Moretti had a fever. Mrs. Carter was already working a double shift.”
Teresa smiled sadly.
“Emily sat beside me until I fell asleep.”
Vanessa folded her arms.
“I've never questioned Emily's ability to work.”
Luca looked at her.
“Then why were you so determined to replace her?”
Vanessa's eyes moved toward Teresa.
For a moment, something flickered across her face.
I couldn't tell whether it was jealousy or pain.
Perhaps both.
“She isn't just an employee anymore,” Vanessa said.
Teresa frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Vanessa gave a bitter little laugh.
“It means every time I suggest something, someone asks Emily what she thinks.”
I stared at her.
“That isn't true.”
“Isn't it?”
She looked toward Luca.
“Your mother asks Emily which flowers should go on the table. She asks Emily whether she should wear the blue dress or the green one.”
Teresa looked confused.
“Because Emily helps me get ready.”
Vanessa continued.
“And when I wanted to change the household schedule, Emily went directly to you.”
Luca frowned.
“Because her daughter needed childcare.”
“Exactly.”
Vanessa looked at me.
“She knew you'd say yes.”
I stared at her.
I'd gone to Luca because Vanessa had refused to discuss my situation.
He was the only person with the authority to approve a temporary change.
I hadn't been trying to undermine anyone.
I'd been trying to get home in time to put my daughter to bed.
Luca seemed to understand.
“Vanessa, are you angry because Emily asked me for help?”
“I'm angry because you keep making exceptions.”
He looked toward Lily.
“An exception for an eight-year-old?”
“For everybody!”
Her voice rose.
Then she stopped herself.
Several guests looked uncomfortable.
Vanessa pressed her fingers against her forehead.
“I wanted this house to run differently after we got married.”
Luca watched her.
“You wanted to manage it.”
“Yes.”
“That wasn't a problem.”
“Until someone disagreed.”
He shook his head.
“Until you started treating people as though their lives didn't matter.”
Vanessa's eyes filled.
For a moment, she looked less angry than exhausted.
“I wanted to feel like I had some say in the home I was marrying into.”
Teresa looked at her.
“You did have a say, dear.”
Vanessa gave a small, wounded laugh.
“Not when Emily was involved.”
I felt my face burn.
Teresa's expression changed.
“Vanessa, Emily isn't trying to take anything from you.”
“That's easy for you to say.”
The older woman fell silent.
Vanessa looked around the table.
“Everybody loves Emily. Everybody trusts Emily. Even Luca asks her whether things are all right.”
She turned toward me.
“And you stand there looking innocent while everybody takes your side.”
I stared at her.
I had spent years doing everything possible not to attract attention.
I wore the same black uniform.
Kept my head down.
Completed my shifts.
Went home to Lily.
I hadn't imagined anyone could mistake that for competition.
“I don't want your place,” I whispered.
Vanessa looked at me.
“I never wanted anything that belonged to you.”
She didn't answer.
Luca stepped forward.
“Emily shouldn't have to apologize for being trusted.”
Vanessa wiped her cheek.
Then Lily tugged at my sleeve.
“Mommy?”
I turned immediately.
“Yes, baby?”
“Can I take my coat off?”
My heart tightened.
She'd been sitting in that thick blue coat the entire time.
I unbuttoned it.
“Of course.”
She hesitated.
“Will I need it again?”
I stopped.
“No, sweetheart. Not until we go home.”
She looked toward Vanessa.
Then whispered, “Okay.”
I gently removed the coat.
It was still cold near the cuffs.
I folded it across my lap.
And suddenly I understood that Lily hadn't kept it on because she was cold.
She'd kept it on because she thought someone might send her outside again.
Luca saw it too.
His eyes filled.
He turned toward Mrs. Carter.
“Please let the guests know they're welcome to leave whenever they're ready. There's no reason to make anyone stay for this.”
Several people quietly rose.
Teresa continued holding Lily's hand.
Vanessa reached for her purse.
“I've heard enough.”
Luca nodded.
“You can leave.”
But Lily suddenly spoke.
“She told me what to say.”
Vanessa stopped.
I looked at my daughter.
“What do you mean, baby?”
Lily's eyes filled again.
“When I got cold.”
My stomach tightened.
Luca remained still.
Lily looked at the blue coat in my lap.
May you like
Then whispered the words Vanessa had apparently hoped she'd remember.
“She told me to say I wanted to wait outside, so you wouldn't get in trouble.”
