Chapter 5 - What was inside the gift
The wrapped present belonged to my brother Luca.
That was unexpected.
He had not been invited.
We had not spoken directly since I removed him from two Moretti family companies the previous winter.
But he had sent a gift through a driver.
Inside:
A handmade wooden jewelry box.
Nothing extravagant.
Our mother’s old photographs of Emmie as a toddler had been copied beneath the lid.
Inside the box:
A gold charm bracelet.
Eight charms.
One for each birthday.
Luca had purchased one charm every year since Emmie was born.
I did not know that.
There was also a note.
For Emmie. None of our mistakes are yours. Happy eighth birthday. — Uncle Luca
Bianca had seen who sent it.
That was why she grabbed it.
Not because the gift was inappropriate.
May you like
Because Luca had reached toward reconciliation with my daughter.
And Bianca understood what that might mean for her.
