Chapter 4 - The Unopened Envelope|
When Luca finally stepped back, his eyes were visibly wet—a sight that no man in that room would ever dare speak of again.
"You should have called me," Luca said, his voice unusually raspy. "I would’ve sent a car to bring you here."
"And miss my buses?" Rosa patted his cheek with a wrinkled hand. "You were spoiled enough as a boy. A little fresh air never killed anyone."
A few genuine chuckles broke out among the older guests near the back. Vanessa did not laugh. She stood frozen in her red gown, her jaw clenched so tight her cheekbones looked sharp enough to draw blood.
Luca’s eyes drifted down to the wax paper package I was carrying. He stared at it for a long second, his nose twitching slightly.
"Is that... apple?" he asked, sounding like a ten-year-old boy for a brief moment.
Rosa smiled warmly. "Your mother’s exact recipe."
For the first time all evening, a genuine, relaxed smile broke across Luca’s hardened face. "You remembered."
"Of course I remembered," Rosa said gently. Then she reached out and placed the yellowed envelope directly into his hands.
Luca’s smile instantly vanished. He looked down at his name written in his mother's handwriting, his entire body going completely still.
"Where did you get this, Mama?" he asked quietly.
"Your mother gave it to me three days before she passed," Rosa whispered. "She made me swear an oath to hold onto it until you chose a wife."
Vanessa stepped closer, forcing a light, airy laugh as she slipped her arm through Luca's stiff elbow.
"Well, then I suppose tonight is absolutely perfect timing!" Vanessa declared brightly, turning to face the curious crowd. "A blessed message from the past for our engagement!"
Rosa looked at Vanessa, her expression unreadable. She said nothing.
May you like
Luca broke the dry wax seal with his thumb and pulled out a single sheet of aged paper. He read the lines silently, his eyes moving back and forth across the page.
Then he read the last paragraph again.
