Chapter 4 - The Promise Sophie Never Meant
“You told Vanessa she could take Mommy's things?”
Luca repeated the words carefully.
Sophie nodded.
Then she covered her face.
“I'm sorry, Daddy.”
He immediately pulled her hands away.
“No, sweetheart. Look at me.”
She wouldn't.
“Sophie.”
Finally, she raised her eyes.
“You haven't done anything wrong.”
“But I said yes.”
“What did you say yes to?”
She wiped her nose against her sleeve.
“Making you happy.”
Luca went quiet.
Sophie continued.
“Vanessa said you got sad whenever you saw Mommy's clothes. She said if we put them somewhere else, you'd feel better.”
My throat tightened.
It sounded so simple when Sophie explained it.
An eleven-year-old girl had been asked whether she wanted her father to stop hurting.
Of course she'd said yes.
Luca gently held her shoulders.
“Baby, did you want Mommy's things sold?”
She shook her head.
“Did you want her piano taken away?”
“No.”
“Then you didn't agree to those things.”
Sophie looked uncertain.
“But Vanessa said I promised.”
“A promise doesn't count when somebody doesn't tell you what they're asking.”
He kissed her forehead.
“And none of this is your responsibility.”
She leaned against his chest.
“Are you still sad about Mommy?”
Luca closed his eyes.
“Sometimes.”
“Because of me?”
He pulled back immediately.
“Never because of you.”
He took a slow breath.
“I miss your mother because I loved her. And sometimes I don't know what to do with that.”
Sophie's eyes filled.
“Me too.”
“Then we'll figure it out together.”
For a few moments, they held each other.
I turned away to give them privacy.
But I couldn't stop thinking about how easily Vanessa had made Sophie believe she was responsible for her father's happiness.
At eleven, she should've been worrying about homework and friends.
Not whether keeping her mother's music box would make her father miserable.
Daniel returned with Mrs. Russo.
“Mr. Moretti, we found the removal instructions.”
He placed a folder on the table.
Mrs. Russo looked uncomfortable.
“I should've asked you about the piano, sir.”
Luca frowned.
“You knew it was being moved?”
“Miss Bellini told me you wanted the room cleared before the wedding.”
She glanced toward the fireplace.
“I thought perhaps you were planning to have it restored.”
Luca shook his head.
“I never authorized removing it.”
Mrs. Russo lowered her eyes.
“I'm sorry.”
He softened his voice.
“You were given instructions by someone I trusted. I need you to tell me exactly what happened.”
She opened the folder.
The estate company had collected seven boxes from the Moretti residence on Wednesday.
They contained clothing, photographs, jewelry, and smaller personal belongings.
The restaurant piano was scheduled for collection the following morning.
Daniel showed Luca the authorization form.
Vanessa had signed it herself.
Under the heading Family Representative, she'd written her name.
Beneath it was a handwritten note.
Items no longer required by the family. Permanent removal requested.
Luca read the sentence twice.
Then placed the paper down.
“Anna isn't here to tell us what she would've wanted,” he said quietly.
“But Sophie is.”
He looked at his daughter.
“Do you want me to try to bring everything home?”
“Yes, Daddy.”
“Then that's what we're going to do.”
Daniel explained that the company would need to identify which belongings were still in its possession.
The paperwork wasn't proof that everything had been sold.
But the instruction to remove the belongings permanently made their recovery more complicated.
I noticed Sophie watching the folder.
“Can I see the list?” she asked.
Luca hesitated.
Then turned it toward her.
She read slowly.
Blue wool coat.
Cream evening dress.
Silver jewelry box.
Family photographs.
Personal accessories.
Her finger stopped near the bottom.
“Where's Mommy's music box?”
Daniel checked the second page.
“I don't see it listed separately.”
Sophie looked frightened.
“But I saw the man carry it.”
“What did it look like?” Daniel asked.
“Brown wood. Little flowers painted on top.”
She thought for a moment.
“And one corner was scratched.”
Luca gave a sad smile.
“I remember that scratch.”
Sophie looked up.
“You do?”
“You dropped it when you were five.”
She gasped.
“I forgot!”
“Your mother told me not to fix the corner. She said it made the box ours.”
Sophie smiled for the first time in nearly an hour.
Then the smile disappeared.
“What if they threw it away?”
Luca looked toward Daniel.
“We need to find out.”
Daniel studied the inventory again.
“Some smaller items may have been grouped together.”
Mrs. Russo stepped closer.
“I saw the moving crew loading boxes on Wednesday. One man asked Miss Bellini about a small wooden box.”
My stomach tightened.
“What did she say?” I asked.
Mrs. Russo hesitated.
“She told him it wasn't suitable for resale.”
Sophie stared at her.
“Why?”
“I don't know, sweetheart.”
Luca turned toward the manager.
“Do you remember anything else?”
“She seemed particularly concerned about that box.”
“How?”
Mrs. Russo looked down.
“She asked whether the company could guarantee it wouldn't be returned to the house.”
The room went silent.
Daniel checked the final page of the removal instructions.
Then stopped.
“Mr. Moretti.”
Luca looked up.
“What?”
Daniel pointed to a line near the bottom.
Under a separate category for items deemed unsuitable for resale, Vanessa had written a brief description.
Small wooden music box. Painted flowers. Damaged mechanism.
Beside it, she'd selected a disposal instruction.
Not storage.
Not safekeeping.
Not even ordinary consignment.
DISCARD — DO NOT RETURN TO OWNER.
Sophie stared at the words.
Then looked at her father.
“Daddy?”
He knelt beside her again.
“Yes, sweetheart?”
May you like
Her voice broke.
“Why would Vanessa want to throw away the only thing that still plays Mommy's song?”
