Chapter 8 - THE REPLACEMENT SHE HAD ALREADY CHOSEN
Vanessa stared at Luca.
“Of course I was going to let Emily keep her job.”
He didn't move.
“Under what conditions?”
She looked toward the service book.
“If she could meet the requirements of the new position.”
I felt my stomach tighten.
Luca nodded slowly.
“So the job she already had would no longer exist?”
Vanessa hesitated.
“The schedule was changing.”
“Because I asked you to change it?”
“No.”
“Because Mrs. Carter needed different coverage?”
Vanessa glanced toward her.
Mrs. Carter shook her head.
“Our existing staff could have covered the evenings, sir.”
Luca looked back at Vanessa.
“Then whose idea was it?”
Vanessa didn't answer.
I stared at the folded blue coat in my lap.
I'd bought it at a thrift store the previous winter.
It was a little too small now.
The sleeves barely covered Lily's wrists.
I remembered promising myself I'd buy her a new one before the next cold spell.
All week, I'd been counting the hours left on my schedule.
Wondering whether I could afford the coat and still pay rent.
And Vanessa had been discussing how to take those hours away.
I looked up.
“Miss Bellini, was there anything I could have done to keep my regular job?”
Vanessa stared at me.
I continued.
“Anything at all?”
She pressed her lips together.
“You could have been more flexible.”
I shook my head.
“I couldn't leave my daughter alone overnight.”
“Other employees make sacrifices.”
“Then you should have asked whether I was willing to make that sacrifice.”
She looked away.
I took a breath.
“You didn't ask because you knew what I'd say.”
Luca watched me.
I felt my hands trembling.
But I kept speaking.
“You knew I would choose Lily.”
Vanessa's expression changed.
“Of course you would.”
I stared at her.
“Then why make me choose?”
She didn't answer.
Teresa leaned forward.
“Vanessa, may I ask you something?”
Vanessa looked exhausted.
“What?”
“Did you ever actually want Emily to work overnight?”
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Vanessa frowned.
“Why wouldn't I?”
Teresa looked toward the service book.
“Because when Mrs. Carter recommended Emily for the regular morning schedule last month, you told me she was one of the best employees we had.”
I looked up.
I hadn't known that.
Vanessa shifted uncomfortably.
Teresa continued.
“You said Emily was dependable and knew the household better than most of the new staff.”
“That was true.”
“Then why suddenly give her a position she couldn't accept?”
Vanessa looked down.
I could see the answer forming behind her eyes.
But she wasn't ready to say it.
Luca turned toward Mrs. Carter.
“When did Vanessa ask you to look for a replacement?”
Mrs. Carter opened the service book.
“Last week.”
“Before the wedding?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Before Emily was told her schedule might change?”
Mrs. Carter nodded.
“Yes.”
Luca looked toward Vanessa.
“Who was supposed to tell Emily?”
Vanessa hesitated.
“I was.”
“When?”
“After we settled the arrangements.”
I stared at her.
She'd planned to replace me before I'd even been given a chance to discuss the job.
That wasn't a misunderstanding.
It was a decision.
And I'd been the last person expected to hear about it.
Mrs. Carter slowly turned another page.
“Mr. Moretti, there's something I should explain.”
Luca looked at her.
“Go ahead.”
She hesitated.
“Miss Bellini asked me to describe the replacement position as permanent, with regular daytime and evening hours.”
I frowned.
“Daytime and evening?”
Mrs. Carter nodded.
“The candidate would work four days a week. No overnight stays.”
My heart stopped.
Luca stared at her.
“What?”
Mrs. Carter looked ashamed.
“The advertised position was similar to Emily's original job.”
Vanessa's face went pale.
Luca looked at the service book.
“Then why was Emily being told she had to live here?”
Nobody answered.
I felt something shift inside me.
For hours, I'd been trying to understand how Vanessa could believe overnight work was reasonable for a single mother.
Now I realized she hadn't needed overnight work at all.
She'd invented the requirement for me.
And only me.
“Miss Bellini,” I whispered, “you weren't trying to fill a night shift.”
She stared at me.
“You were trying to make me leave.”
Vanessa's eyes filled.
“That isn't fair.”
I shook my head.
“Then why didn't the replacement have to live here?”
She looked away.
Luca moved closer to the table.
“Answer Emily.”
Vanessa wiped her cheek.
“I thought someone without childcare complications would be easier to schedule.”
“That's not what you told Emily.”
“I thought if she couldn't accept the new arrangement, she'd look for something else.”
Luca became very still.
“And you wouldn't have to dismiss her.”
Vanessa didn't answer.
For a moment, I felt no anger.
Only a deep, exhausted sadness.
I'd spent nearly three years proving I could do my job.
And none of it had mattered once Vanessa decided my daughter made me inconvenient.
Teresa reached for my hand.
“Emily, sweetheart, you belong here as much as anyone who's worked honestly for this family.”
I tried to smile.
But my eyes filled.
Lily looked up from her dessert.
“Mommy?”
I turned.
“Yes, baby?”
“Are we going home?”
I nodded.
“Very soon.”
She smiled faintly.
“Can we still have pancakes?”
I laughed through my tears.
“Of course we can.”
Then Mrs. Carter spoke again.
Her voice was trembling.
“Mr. Moretti, I need to correct something else.”
Luca looked toward her.
“What?”
She placed the replacement schedule beside my original one.
Then she pointed toward a small notation near the bottom.
“I thought Miss Bellini wanted another employee because Emily might resign.”
Vanessa stared at her.
Mrs. Carter continued.
“But the agency was told that Emily's position would definitely be vacant.”
Luca looked toward Vanessa.
“When did you tell them that?”
She didn't answer.
Mrs. Carter swallowed.
“The interview requests were prepared before Emily's babysitter broke her wrist.”
I went cold.
Before the childcare problem.
Before my temporary schedule.
Before any disagreement about leaving at six.
Vanessa had already wanted me gone.
Luca slowly turned toward her.
May you like
And for the first time, his voice sounded more hurt than angry.
“Vanessa, what did Emily do to make you decide she didn't belong here?”
