Chapter 7
Vanessa stared at the words printed across the program.
"That isn't what I was trying to do."
Luca held up the page.
"Then tell me what this means."
"Julia believed in education."
"Of course she did."
"And Sophie is her daughter."
"That doesn't explain why you used Julia's name without asking me."
Vanessa's eyes moved toward the guests.
"Please lower your voice."
Luca glanced at Sophie.
Then he lowered it.
Not because Vanessa had asked.
Because his niece was sitting beside him, looking as though every word might decide where she belonged.
"Did you arrange this entire dinner around announcing her departure?"
Vanessa didn't answer.
Madame Fournier did.
"I was told the Moretti family wished to establish an educational gift in Julia's memory."
Luca looked at her.
"That's the first I've heard of it."
A woman seated near the far end of the table spoke carefully.
"Vanessa mentioned a scholarship during the reception."
Several guests nodded.
Luca looked around.
"How many people here were told Sophie was leaving?"
Nobody wanted to answer.
Finally, the woman raised her hand slightly.
"I was told she had been offered a wonderful opportunity abroad."
Luca looked at the cream-colored program.
"Was anyone told she didn't want to go?"
The woman shook her head.
"No."
Sophie whispered, "I didn't even know it was Friday."
The guest's face softened.
"Oh, sweetheart."
Vanessa stood very straight.
"I was trying to build something meaningful out of a difficult situation."
Luca folded the program carefully.
"The difficult situation was something you created."
"That's not fair."
"You told my niece I didn't want her. You used my sister's photograph. You copied my signature."
Vanessa's voice trembled.
"And you're going to pretend you never wanted Sophie to have opportunities?"
"No."
"Julia wanted her to learn French. You know that."
Luca hesitated.
"Yes."
Vanessa seized the opening.
"She wanted Sophie to travel. To see places outside Chicago."
Sophie looked up.
"Mommy liked France."
"Exactly," Vanessa said.
"She told me about the ocean."
Madame Fournier smiled gently.
"The Mediterranean?"
Sophie nodded.
"She said the water looked like somebody spilled blue paint everywhere."
For a moment, the tension eased.
Then Vanessa continued.
"Julia didn't want Sophie growing up afraid of the world."
Luca stared at her.
"How do you know what Julia wanted?"
Vanessa hesitated.
"She spoke about it."
"When?"
"You know we discussed her future."
Luca frowned.
"We discussed summer programs when Julia was sick."
"And she wanted Sophie to be independent."
"She wanted Sophie to have a childhood."
Vanessa's mouth tightened.
"Those things aren't mutually exclusive."
"No," Madame Fournier agreed. "They aren't."
Everyone looked at her.
The French woman placed her hands on the table.
"A child can learn independence without being separated from the person who makes her feel safe."
Vanessa looked down.
"Then perhaps I chose the wrong school."
Madame Fournier shook her head.
"The problem is not the school."
I noticed Sophie studying the photograph in the program.
She traced her mother's face with one finger.
Then she frowned.
"That's from Mommy's memory box too."
Luca looked down.
"What?"
"The picture on the front."
"Isn't that one of the photographs in the hallway?"
"No."
She pointed to Julia's necklace.
"Mommy was wearing Grandma's little cross. She only wore it in that picture."
I looked more closely.
Sophie was right.
The photograph showed Julia on a summer afternoon, holding her daughter against her shoulder.
It was softer and more personal than the framed photographs displayed around the mansion.
"Vanessa," Luca said, "how many things did you take from Sophie's memory box?"
Vanessa looked irritated.
"I borrowed photographs."
"Did you tell her which ones?"
"She was there."
Sophie shook her head.
"You said you were only taking the picture of us in the backyard."
Vanessa's expression changed.
"I may have taken another photograph while I was arranging the surprise."
Luca looked toward the blue folder.
"Was this supposed to be the surprise?"
Vanessa said nothing.
Mrs. Carter moved closer.
"Miss Sophie, perhaps you should have some water."
But Sophie barely heard her.
She was still looking at the program.
"Mommy wrote me something when she was sick."
Luca nodded.
"I remember."
"She put it in an envelope."
"Yes."
"She said I could read it whenever I missed her."
Vanessa's eyes flickered.
I saw it.
So did Luca.
"Where is the letter now, sweetheart?"
Sophie looked at him.
"I thought it was in the memory box."
"Isn't it?"
She shook her head.
"Not anymore."
Luca slowly turned toward Vanessa.
"Do you know where Julia's letter is?"
Vanessa took a breath.
"I found an envelope while choosing the photographs."
"Did you open it?"
"It wasn't sealed."
"That wasn't my question."
Vanessa's cheeks burned.
"Yes."
Sophie stared at her.
"But Mommy wrote it for me."
Vanessa looked uncomfortable.
"I wanted to understand what Julia hoped for your future."
Luca stood.
"You read a dying mother's private letter to her daughter?"
"I was preparing something to honor her!"
"Then why didn't you ask Sophie?"
Vanessa's hands began trembling.
For a moment, I thought she might finally apologize.
Instead, she reached toward the cream-colored program.
"There were things in that letter you should read before judging me."
Luca frowned.
"What things?"
Vanessa swallowed.
"Julia wanted Sophie to go out into the world. She didn't want her growing up trapped in this house."
Sophie shook her head.
"That's not what Mommy meant."
Vanessa looked at her.
"Sweetheart, you were ten when she died."
"I know how old I was."
The quiet firmness in her voice surprised everyone.
Then Sophie pointed toward the folded program.
"Vanessa put Mommy's letter inside that when she was showing it to the lady who printed everything."
Luca looked at the papers.
"Vanessa, give it to me."
She hesitated.
Sophie reached for his sleeve.
"Uncle Luca, please read all of it."
May you like
Her eyes were full of tears.
"Vanessa only showed me the part where Mommy said I should go away."
