A Family For Keeps by Lucy Gordon

Author:Lucy Gordon [Gordon, Lucy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2005-01-08T23:00:00+00:00

The two young men took over, laying Piero gently on a trolley. Julia planted a last kiss on his forehead before he was wheeled away, down into the garden and into the ambulance boat tied up in the water.

Together they stood at the window as the ambulance pulled away down the Grand Canal, until its lights were no longer visible. When it had gone Vincenzo opened his arms and she went into them.

‘I’m going to miss him so much,’ she said.

‘So am I. But you were right. He was happy at the end and that’s what matters.’ He took her face in his hands and looked down at her.

‘You were wonderful,’ he said tenderly.

He brushed the hair back from her face, then drew her against him, with her head on his shoulder, and they stood like that in silence for a long time.

‘I’m taking you away with me,’ he said at last. ‘You can’t live here alone.’

‘All right, I’ll move. But not now.’ She turned back into the room, suddenly so lonely. ‘I want to spend one more night here.’

Piero’s few pathetic possessions were still there, including the gifts she’d given him. She sat down on the bed, lifting his gloves, looking at them, stroking them.

‘Who was he really?’ she asked.

‘Professor Alessandro Calfani, a philosopher. Once I thought I knew him well, but now I think I never knew him in any way that mattered. Did you understand what he meant about Elena forgiving him?’

‘He told me she used to call him Babbo, but stopped after some kind of estrangement. It sounded as though they had a big row. I guess when he wanted to say sorry, it was too late.’

‘But it was all right for him in the end.’ Vincenzo sat down beside her, and slipped his arm around her shoulders.

Suddenly the sight of Piero’s things hurt her unbearably, and she buried her face in her hands. She struggled to fight the tears, but it was useless, and at last she cried without trying to stop.

‘I loved him so much,’ she wept against Vincenzo’s shoulder.

‘So did I,’ he said sombrely, holding her tightly as much for his sake as hers.

‘Stay with me here tonight,’ she said. ‘I want to remember him with you.’

He drew her down onto the bed that was only just big enough for the two them, and drew blankets over them.

She was still weeping and he made no effort to stop her. Sometimes he kissed her tumbled hair. Once he drew it back and stroked her face with tender fingers before kissing her gently on the mouth. She looked at him quickly.

‘It’s all right,’ he whispered. ‘Go to sleep. I’m here.’

She closed her eyes and he felt her relax. At last her breathing told him that she was asleep. He rested his head against her and had begun to drift off when she stirred and began to mutter.

‘Julia,’ he whispered, but then, ‘Sophie.’

She gave a gasp that was almost a cry, and awoke.

‘What is it?’ he asked.

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