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And if I want to have any kind of relationship with my child, I have to play by her rules.
For now.
After breakfast,Luna begins to… bounce.
I have no other words to describe it.
She seems to vibrate, as though with some kind of energy that I can’t understand. I arch an eyebrow at Caterina as Luna giggles hysterically. “Is she well?”
Caterina sighs. “Sugar high. Does this place have a yard or something?”
I snort.
This is a villa. I have curated outdoor spaces. An orchard. A small vineyard. A pool. Acres of cultivated land that we can meander.
I do not simply have a ‘yard’.
Noting my snort, Caterina throws her hands up in mock surrender. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to insult your giant house. Can she get outside to run some of this off?”
“If that will help, certainly.”
“Great,” Caterina says as she stands, gathering Luna’s hand. “If you just point us in the direction, Luna and I can go.”
“May I attend?”
I realize that this gives me two favors, and Caterina has not asked for one in return yet.
I think she realizes this as well. Her head tilts and she considers me for a minute.
“Mommy, let Mr. Mommy’s friend come with us! I don’t know where anything is. Does he have a playground?”
I open my arms in a shrug and look at Caterina. “Mr. Mommy’s friend does know his way around.”
She rolls her eyes. “Fine. Show us out to where we need to go.”
I try not to congratulate myself on my victory.
We set off down the hall, Luna buzzing and fluttering in front of us as we go. Caterina is dead silent. I point out some of the features of the house, hoping to get some interest out of her.
Nothing.
Outside, I decide to lead them to the sculpture garden. It isn’t a playground, but I would be happy to let Luna climb on the statues.
It’s not like they’re priceless or anything.
The walk has the benefit of being quite a long one as well. Perhaps on the way, I will learn what Caterina is going to ask of me in return for what I have asked of her.
We’re almost to the sculpture garden when she finally speaks. “So, if it wasn’t you, who organized the hit on Nonna Mia and Luna?”
I don’t tell her what my initial suspicion was, which was that Marco had faked the entire thing in order to find a way to blame me for it.
“I am not certain,” I say slowly instead. I don’t know how much Caterina knows of the world that Marco and I live in. I know that she likely understands some of what the two of us go through on a daily basis. She is, after all, a direct consequence of the games we play.
I pretend the thought doesn’t hurt.
I stop to regard Caterina for a second. She’s staring at me with the same guileless expression that Luna often adopts.
Caterina honored me with truths. She has given me two wins today as I work to earn the title of Luna’s father.
