Chapter 2 - The Empty Seat
“STOP MAKING YOUR FATHER FEEL GUILTY! HE HAD MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO DO!” THE MAFIA BOSS'S FIANCÉE HUMILIATED HIS 11-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER FOR BRINGING HER SCHOOL CONCERT MEDAL TO HIS ENGAGEMENT DINNER—BUT WHEN THE LITTLE GIRL WHISPERED, “DADDY, I KEPT LOOKING FOR YOU,” LUCA PUT DOWN HIS GLASS.
“Put that thing away, Sophie.”
Vanessa Bellini stood beside the dining table in her fitted red silk gown, staring at the little gold medal in eleven-year-old Sophie Moretti's hand.
Twenty-eight guests watched beneath the chandeliers of the Moretti family's historic Italian restaurant in Chicago.
“It's from my concert,” Sophie whispered.
“Yes, sweetheart. You've shown everyone.”
The little girl looked toward the head of the table.
“I wanted Daddy to see it.”
Vanessa sighed.
“Your father has important guests tonight. Stop trying to make him feel bad because he couldn't attend your little school performance.”
Sophie's face turned pink.
“I saved him a seat.”
“Well, he obviously couldn't come.”
I stood beside her, holding the navy-blue coat she'd worn over her concert dress.
And I knew something Vanessa didn't want anyone to know.
Luca Moretti hadn't missed his daughter's concert because he was busy.
He'd missed it because someone told him it had been postponed.
My name is Emily Carter.
I'm twenty-seven, and I've worked as a housemaid for the Moretti family for nearly two years.
My mother raised three children alone after my father left.
She cleaned offices at night and still managed to attend every school concert we ever had.
Sometimes she arrived wearing her work uniform.
Sometimes she fell asleep during the second half.
But she always came.
That's why what happened to Sophie that evening hurt so much.
Her mother had died four years earlier.
And tonight was the first time Sophie had agreed to sing a solo in front of an audience.
She'd practiced for weeks.
Every afternoon, I'd hear her singing softly in the upstairs sitting room.
Sometimes she'd stop halfway through.
Sometimes she'd cry.
Because the song was one her mother used to sing while brushing her hair.
That morning, Sophie had asked me to help fasten the little blue ribbon on her dress.
“Do you think Daddy will recognize the song?”
“Of course he will.”
She smiled.
“Then maybe he'll remember when Mommy used to sing it.”
At six thirty, I took her to the school auditorium.
Her father's reserved seat was in the third row.
She looked toward it before walking onstage.
And again before her solo.
But the chair stayed empty.
Now, two hours later, she was standing in front of thirty strangers, trying not to cry.
“Emily,” Vanessa snapped, “take Sophie upstairs.”
I hesitated.
“Mrs. Bellini, she hasn't had dinner.”
“Then feed her in the kitchen.”
Sophie lowered her eyes.
“It's okay, Emily.”
Those words nearly broke me.
She sounded like a little girl who'd learned not to ask for too much.
I gently touched her shoulder.
“Sweetheart, why don't we show your father the medal first?”
Vanessa's smile disappeared.
“Emily, I gave you an instruction.”
Then a chair moved at the head of the table.
“Why is Sophie going upstairs?”
Luca Moretti had stopped speaking to his uncle.
Thirty-six years old.
Dark swept-back hair.
Black three-piece suit, with tattoos visible along his neck and hands.
Vanessa immediately smiled.
“Darling, she's upset about her school concert. Emily keeps encouraging her to make a fuss.”
Luca frowned.
“What concert?”
Sophie looked up.
“My concert, Daddy.”
His expression changed.
“The one next Friday?”
I felt my stomach drop.
Vanessa quickly interrupted.
“Oh, sweetheart, the school changed things around. Sophie performed with a smaller group tonight.”
Luca looked at his daughter.
“You performed tonight?”
She nodded.
“I sang by myself.”
He slowly set down his glass.
“Your solo?”
“Yes.”
For a moment, he didn't move.
Then he came around the table and knelt in front of her.
“Princess, I thought your concert was next week.”
Sophie blinked.
“But Vanessa said you knew.”
Luca looked toward his fiancée.
“Knew what?”
Vanessa gave a nervous laugh.
“Luca, the school schedule was confusing. I probably mixed up the dates.”
He looked back at Sophie.
“Sweetheart, did you save me a seat?”
Her chin began trembling.
“Third row. Right by the aisle.”
Luca's face softened.
Then Sophie whispered something so quietly I almost missed it.
“I kept looking for you.”
His eyes filled.
“Oh, baby.”
He pulled her into his arms.
She started crying against his shoulder.
“I sang Mommy's song, Daddy.”
Luca closed his eyes.
For several seconds, he couldn't speak.
Then he kissed the top of her head.
“I would have been there, sweetheart. I promise.”
Vanessa stepped forward.
“Luca, she's being dramatic. It was just a school concert.”
He looked up.
“It was the first time my daughter sang her mother's song without her mother there.”
The room went silent.
He gently took Sophie's medal.
Then turned toward me.
“Emily, who took her to school?”
“I did, sir.”
“Did anyone tell you the concert had been postponed?”
I shook my head.
“No, sir.”
Vanessa immediately said, “Emily probably forgot to mention the schedule change.”
Luca looked at me.
“Did you?”
My hands began trembling.
I needed this job.
My mother's rent had increased again, and I was helping her pay for groceries.
Vanessa knew that.
But Sophie was still crying against her father's shoulder.
“No, sir.”
Luca waited.
I swallowed.
“Mrs. Bellini told me not to remind you about the concert.”
Vanessa's face hardened.
“Emily!”
Luca slowly stood.
“Why?”
I looked at Sophie.
“Because she said you needed to stop organizing your life around your daughter.”
Nobody spoke.
Luca turned toward Vanessa.
“Did you say that?”
She folded her arms.
“We're getting married, Luca. Things have to change.”
He stared at her.
“My daughter isn't something I need to change.”
Vanessa looked away.
Then Sophie caught his sleeve.
“Daddy?”
He immediately turned.
“Yes, sweetheart?”
“Are you mad at me for singing Mommy's song?”
His expression crumpled.
“Why would I be mad?”
She looked toward Vanessa.
“Because she said you were trying to forget the sad things.”
Luca went still.
“What sad things?”
“Mommy.”
I watched his eyes fill again.
Sophie continued.
“She said when you marry her, we're supposed to start making new memories.”
Luca gently held her face between his hands.
“Baby, loving Vanessa would never mean forgetting your mother.”
Sophie started crying harder.
He hugged her again.
Then looked directly at his fiancée.
“You told my daughter I wanted to forget her mother?”
Vanessa swallowed.
“I was trying to help her move forward.”
Luca shook his head.
“She's eleven. She doesn't need you deciding when she's finished grieving.”
He pulled out the chair beside his own.
“Sophie, you're eating dinner with me.”
Vanessa started to protest.
But Luca wasn't listening.
He helped his daughter into the chair.
Then placed her medal beside his plate.
For the first time that evening, Sophie smiled.
I thought the worst was over.
But when I brought her a bowl of pasta, she caught my wrist.
“Emily?”
“Yes, honey?”
“Can you tell Daddy about tomorrow?”
My stomach tightened.
Because I'd almost forgotten what Vanessa had ordered the movers to collect.
Luca looked up.
“What happens tomorrow?”
Sophie stared at her dinner.
Then whispered, “They're taking Mommy's piano.”
Luca stopped moving.
“What?”
“The one downstairs.”
He looked toward the restaurant's old upright piano beside the fireplace.
The piano his late wife had played every Sunday afternoon.
The piano Sophie had been practicing on for months.
Vanessa quickly stood.
“Luca, we're simply making room for the wedding decorations.”
He stared at her.
“You arranged to have her piano removed?”
“It's taking up valuable space.”
Luca looked at Sophie.
“Baby, did you know about this?”
She nodded.
“Vanessa said you agreed.”
His voice broke.
“I didn't.”
Sophie looked confused.
Then reached for his hand.
“But Daddy, she said you already gave away the other things.”
Luca became very still.
“What other things?”
The little girl lowered her eyes.
“Mommy's things from your old bedroom.”
Nobody moved.
Vanessa whispered, “Sophie, sweetheart, that's enough.”
But Luca gently squeezed his daughter's hand.
“What things, baby?”
Sophie swallowed.
“Her clothes. Her jewelry box. The little music box Grandma gave her.”
Luca slowly looked at Vanessa.
“Where are they?”
She didn't answer.
“Vanessa?”
Finally, she whispered, “I had everything put into storage.”
Luca stared at her.
“Where?”
Vanessa's voice trembled.
“Away from the house.”
Sophie suddenly shook her head.
“No, Daddy.”
Luca turned.
“What is it?”
The little girl began crying again.
“She told the man not to take them to storage.”
Luca stopped breathing.
“Then where?”
Sophie looked toward Vanessa.
Then whispered the words that made every person at the table fall silent.
“She told him to make sure nothing could ever be brought back.”
Luca slowly turned toward his fiancée.
May you like
“Vanessa, what did you do with my wife's belongings?”
And for the first time that evening, Vanessa couldn't look him in the eye.
