Chapter 12 - Lucia’s Silence
Mara stared at Charles.
“What happened to my mother?”
Charles shook his head.
“Nothing.”
Anna’s voice remained on speaker.
“Wrong.”
Charles stood.
“I have her letters.”
“What letters?”
“Elena kept them.”
Mara whispered, “What did Mom write?”
Anna read from one.
He offered me money to stop asking. When I refused, the immigration office suddenly came to the restaurant.
Mara went pale.
Anna continued.
Another letter.
I lost the job at Mercer House. Then every other house on their street stopped hiring me.
Mara looked at Charles.
“You blacklisted her.”
“No.”
“Your father?”
Charles did not answer.
Julian said, “Did you know?”
“Yes.”
Mara stood.
“You let it happen.”
Charles whispered, “I was trying to keep Elena safe.”
“By destroying Lucia?”
“I sent money.”
“I know.”
Mara laughed through tears.
“Good.”
Charles looked smaller than Julian had ever seen him.
Not evil.
Worse, in a way.
Anna said, “There is one more letter.”
Mara closed her eyes.
Anna read:
Charles came to apologize. I told him apologies are cheap when other people pay the price.
Julian looked at his father.
Lucia had understood him decades ago.
Charles sat.
“I was a coward.”
No one disagreed.
The next morning, Anna arrived at Mercer House.
Fifty-two.
Gray eyes identical to Charles.
Julian saw it immediately.
So did everyone else.
Anna looked at him.
“You must be Julian.”
“Half-sister.”
“Still counts.”
For the first time, she smiled.
Then she looked at Mara.
The two women hugged.
No speeches.
Finally, Anna turned toward Charles.
He whispered, “Anna.”
She did not hug him.
“My mother wanted you to have this.”
Charles opened it.
Inside was one sentence:
May you like
Tell Julian who really sealed the room.
Charles went white.
