Chapter 18 - ELENA'S BOX
The basement records room had not been opened since Elena died.
Inside, dust covered everything.
Lucy had followed a loose ribbon under the door while playing with Emma.
Behind a cabinet they found a cedar box.
Elena's handwriting was on top.
FOR LUCY - WHEN SHE IS OLD ENOUGH TO ASK WHO WE WERE.
Vittorio sat on the floor.
Inside were birthday cards for future years.
Photographs.
A recipe book.
A letter for Lucy.
And one for Vittorio.
He almost could not open it.
Elena wrote:
If you found this, then either I finally became brave enough to leave the family business, or something stopped me.
Vittorio's eyes burned.
She did not accuse him of being cruel.
She accused him of being passive.
You keep thinking that because you do not order the worst things, you are separate from them. But silence is still a decision when powerful people are hurting others in your name.
He had spent years telling himself he was cleaner than his father.
Elena had seen the flaw.
Cleaner was not the same as clean.
At the bottom she wrote:
Lucy will watch what you excuse. Be careful what you teach her to survive.
Vittorio folded the letter slowly.
Lucy sat beside him.
"Was Mom mad at you?"
"A little."
"Are you mad at her?"
He smiled sadly.
"No. She was right."
Lucy leaned against him.
Then she opened one of the future birthday cards.
Vittorio stopped her.
"That's for nine."
"My birthday is soon."
"Three days."
She grinned.
"That's basically now."
Emma appeared at the door holding her phone.
Her face was serious.
"Vittorio."
He looked up.
"What?"
"The prosecutor found one more account in Salvatore's ledger."
"How much?"
"Money isn't the problem."
She handed him the phone.
May you like
The account was in Lucy's name.
Opened two years before Elena died.
