Chapter 13 - THE FAMILY THAT STOPPED CALLING FEAR PROTECTION
Seven years after Emilia appeared outside Luca’s school, she stood beside him on the roof of Boston General and argued about whether helicopters were environmentally irresponsible.
Luca was twenty-one.
Emilia eighteen.
I was older than I enjoyed calculating.
Giovanni had gone almost completely gray and denied it every time I mentioned.
“You are silver.”
“Distinguished.”
“Gray.”
“Hostile wife.”
Good.
We were at hospital because Second? No, source had hospital support fund. Maybe annual fundraiser where Luca now biomedical? Let's decide Luca studying pediatric medicine? He could be public health/fire? Source illness maybe he chooses medicine? Let's make emergency medicine? Better: he enrolled medical school? At 21 maybe college graduation, premed. Emilia starting university. He had volunteered in pediatric unit.
The hospital invited families for opening of new family-support center funded by many donors including anonymous Moretti but named no one.
Luca had helped design youth advisory room.
No one cared helicopter story except children.
A six-year-old asked:
“Did your dad land here?”
Luca said:
“Yes.”
“Cool.”
I rolled eyes.
Giovanni smiled.
Some things permanent.
But full happy ending needs close old arc.
Barone had died in federal prison two years prior.
No one attended funeral from us.
His final statement claimed loyalty.
We ignored.
Matteo’s murder officially closed with conspiracy findings; no perfect justice.
Emilia knows father’s real story.
May you like
Elena healthy.
Lauren/Giovanni stable.
