“She’ll mourn the loss for a long time because it has followed on the heels of losing Leo, but it won’t last forever.”
“I won’t know what to say to her.”
“There isn’t anything to say. Platitudes don’t help at a time like this. What she needs is for people to be there for her, Lucca. Seeing you, drawing from your strength—that will do her the most good. She’ll probably want to talk about her husband because you were with him at the end. It’ll do you good to mourn with her too. There’s comfort in doing that together. One day she’ll get better.”
Lucca moved his arm to the back of the
seat. She felt his fingers massage the nape of her neck. “Are you better, Annabelle?” he whispered. “Some people say divorce is worse than death for a spouse.”
Not since I came to Ravello. Annabelle wanted to say those words aloud, but then Lucca could be in no doubt how she felt about him. Until he spoke the words she needed to hear, they’d remain unsaid.
“It’s true my divorce left a void because my husband took up space. But I feel fine. Who would want a rootless man who isn’t capable of love? You taught me that.”
He reached for her hand and grasped it. “Did you want a baby from him so badly?” He was terrified for Stefana.
“I thought I did, but with hindsight I can see I wouldn’t want to raise a child alone. In time Stefana will meet another man and have babies with him. Wait and see.”
Annabelle didn’t tell him that to a girl growing up, the idea that one day she’d become a woman and carry the child of the man she loved was part of what a woman believed was her rite of passage. To see him in her child, to see his smile or his eyes, or the way he walks or laughs—that was a woman’s dream.
To have Lucca’s babies, to watch for his traits in them—for Annabelle that would be one of the ultimate joys of marriage to him. But she feared it wasn’t going to happen.
It was seven in the morning when Annabelle pulled into the drive of the farmhouse. The visit with Stefana had drained Lucca. Upon leaving the hospital, he’d taken three pain pills because the pain was worse. Ten minutes ago he’d fallen asleep. She’d almost gone to sleep at the wheel herself.
Somehow she managed to wake him long enough to get him to his bedroom. She undressed him down to his suit trousers, then made him lie down so she could pull off his shoes and socks. After adjusting the pillows between his legs, she started to draw the lightweight cover over him and felt him tug on her arm.
“Don’t go away,” he begged, sounding drugged. “I need you next to me.”
To appease him, and herself, she curled up next to him. His arm automatically went around her and pulled her closer, as if they’d been doing this for years. She was in love with this man, the heart-wrenching kind you never got over. To lie in his arms all night was her dream, but he was in a deep sleep and most likely wouldn’t waken until afternoon.
When next she had cognizance of her surroundings, she heard her cell phone ringing. It came from her purse, which she’d put on the dresser when they’d come in. Carefully she slid off the bed and made a grab for it, afraid it would waken Lucca.
She hurried out in the hall to a kitchen filled with daylight. One glance at the caller ID showed it was her boss. She’d assumed it was her parents, whom she’d neglected for the last few days during the rush to get ready for the party.
“Mel?” Her mind was so blank, she had trouble gathering her wits. “Hi! How are you?”
“More to the point, how’s the Amalfi Girl this afternoon?” She looked at her watch. It was one o’clock. She’d slept close to six hours. Lucca was still out for the count and probably wouldn’t stir till later in the day.
“I’m back to being Ms. Marsh.”
He laughed. “Lovely as she is, that’s good to hear. I miss my assistant. Guilio and I had a long talk at breakfast with his staff. He said he was through with you until August. He said he felt guilty to have kept you away from me this long. But not too guilty obviously.” Mel chuckled. “Since I’m flying out of Naples at five this evening, do you want to fly home with me?”
No. No. No. No.
“Annabelle? Are you still there?”
“Yes.”
“For a minute it went so quiet, I thought our call had been dropped.”
“I thought the same thing,” she said.
“If you’re going with me, it means we’ll have to be at the airport by three at the latest. Because of traffic, Guilio said we’ll need to get going within the hour. He’s going to drive us to the airport. On the way he’ll tell you all the wonderful things everyone said about you.”
She’d just come from Naples. She’d spent all night with Lucca. How could she just leave?
How can you not, Annabelle!
Her work was done here a few days earlier than originally planned.