Chapter 23
Ruby met Valentina when she was seventeen.
Her request.
Domenico said no first.
Of course.
Ruby waited.
He corrected himself.
“I need to think.”
“Better.”
Barely.
Daniel was involved because Valentina’s relationship with Ethan still existed.
Ethan was not.
That mattered.
He did not arrange the meeting.
Did not attend.
Did not ask Ruby to go.
He said:
“If you want it, okay.”
Nothing else.
The meeting took place in a neutral therapist’s office.
Forty-five minutes.
Domenico next door.
Valentina entered without jewelry.
Older.
Smaller than Ruby remembered.
Fear had given her more height.
Ruby noticed.
“Hi.”
Valentina swallowed.
“Hello, Ruby.”
No hug.
No reaching.
Ruby began immediately.
“Why Ethan?”
Valentina looked down.
“Because Marcus said seeing another child in your chair would affect your father more.”
“That not why Ethan.”
No.
Valentina understood.
“Because he was my son.”
Ruby waited.
“I believed I could tell him what to do and he would obey me.”
Ruby’s expression changed.
“So easier.”
“Yes.”
“Did you think he’d be hurt?”
“Emotionally?”
“Any.”
Valentina thought.
“I told myself he would be confused, not harmed.”
“Was wrong.”
“Yes.”
“Did you know I’d fall?”
“I knew pulling the chair could make you fall.”
“That’s yes.”
“Yes.”
Good.
Ruby continued.
“Did you hate me?”
“No.”
“Did you love me?”
Valentina took longer.
“I cared about you.”
“That not love.”
“No.”
Ruby looked at her.
“I resented what your place beside Domenico represented.”
“My chair.”
“More than the chair.”
“What?”
Valentina’s eyes filled.
“Certainty.”
Ruby frowned.
Valentina continued.
“You never wondered whether you belonged to him.”
Ruby stared.
“You were his daughter.”
Another pause.
“I was his wife and still sometimes felt like I lived inside a structure that belonged to him before it belonged to us.”
Ruby listened.
That was explanation.
Not excuse.
Valentina continued.
“When Marcus’s fraud threatened my family, I chose to use your certainty against Domenico.”
Ruby became quiet.
“You wanted him lose house.”
“Temporarily.”
“So you get it.”
Valentina closed her eyes.
“Yes.”
“And you used me to make him lose.”
“Yes.”
“Did being scared of him make that okay?”
“No.”
Immediate.
Good.
Ruby asked:
“Do you want me forgive?”
Valentina’s face changed.
“I would like forgiveness.”
Ruby stiffened.
Valentina continued.
“But wanting it does not make it something I should ask you to provide.”
Better.
The meeting ended after forty-one minutes.
Outside, Domenico stood.
“How are you?”
Ruby thought.
“Fine.”
He waited.
She looked at him.
“Don’t do face.”
“I have one face.”
“No.”
Then:
“She was telling truth.”
“You think?”
“Yes.”
“Does that change anything?”
Ruby shrugged.
“Some.”
“What?”
“I understand more.”
Another pause.
“Still don’t want relationship.”
Domenico nodded.
That was enough.
May you like
A meeting could answer questions without becoming the first step toward reunion.
Adults had spent enough years assuming every opening needed to lead somewhere.
