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Two glorious weeks pass in which I have my family all to myself. Well, mostly. Brad adopted Sophie and follows her around like a lapdog. My mom takes the boys shopping, tasking them with carrying the baskets of fruits and vegetables she buys at the market, and they assume the responsibility as if our lives depend on it.
My brother and Celeste take the kids under their wing when the other adults are busy. Ryan won’t admit it in so many words, but he took a liking to Johan. Why else would my brother teach Johan to play chess, his sacred pastime he hasn’t practiced in years? He stopped going to his chess club when he joined Dad in the business. It’s as if he’s rediscovering the fun and challenge of the game. He told me what Angelo did, that he gave him back Dad’s business. Even though Ryan didn’t say he respected the gesture, the approval in his eyes implied as much.
Celeste puts Sophie in charge of watching Brad while he plays with his boats in the water for a few minutes after his bath. Mattie bought Sophie a hairdressing doll and is teaching her how to make a French braid. Heidi dishes out chores for the kids. The boys pack and unpack the dishwasher while Sophie sets the table. Mom takes charge of the washing because she’s a maniac when it comes to sorting colors. Celeste vacuums and Mattie changes the bedlinen. Ryan hangs out the washing while Angelo drives the kids to school and helps them with their homework. He makes good on his promise to enroll Guillaume for piano lessons at school and promises to get a home tutor as soon as my piano arrives from South Africa. As the doctor advised, he takes not only Johan and Étienne but the whole lot for a dentist visit. When he’s not busy with the kids, he oversees the garden maintenance and the security. Everyone jumps in to lighten the burden because with all the cooking, Heidi and Doris have their hands full. I feel guilty for not being able to help, but I get stronger every day.
Angelo and my family behave politely when they cross paths or when we sit down for lunch, but they’re avoiding one another as much as possible. On Saturday, Angelo takes the kids to Bastia, discreetly giving me more time with my family alone. When they get back, Sophie has a gray, wiry-haired puppy, and Étienne is beside himself with excitement about his new white mouse. To Johan’s great amusement, Mom runs a mile when he shows her his pet snake curled around a branch in his reptile cage.
The big surprise Angelo and the kids planned turns out to be a kitten that Angelo adopted at the animal shelter.
“I wanted to do that for a long time,” he says as he hands me a tabby with enormous whiskers.
The kids decide I should call him Tiger, and Tiger quickly becomes my new best friend. He only betrays me when we go to bed and he curls up on Angelo’s chest, which I’ll admit always makes me jealous.
All good things must come to an end, and eventually, my family has to return to their own lives. When the day of their departure draws near and there’s a flurry of activity surrounding the preparations and packing, Doris informs me that, after conferring with my mom, she decided to stay with Angelo and me. She reckons with the four kids and a small zoo on our hands, we need her more. She says these days, she’s mostly alone in the big house anyway as Celeste and Ryan are working and Brad goes to kindergarten. She reasons Celeste can employ a company to clean the big house once a week. Jared and Mattie have Mom to help them. When I tell Angelo about her suggestion, he agrees to arrange the work permit and visa she’ll need.
The day before my family’s flights are due, Heidi serves me dinner in the bedroom. I eat lunch with everyone in the dining room, but when the evenings come, I’m still tired.
“Do you have everything you need?” Heidi asks after putting a tray with grilled fish and artichoke hearts seared with balsamic vinegar on my lap.
“This is great, thank you. I appreciate all your help.”
“You’re almost on your feet.” She hovers at the side of the bed, hesitating for a moment before sitting down.
I stop eating to look at her. “Is everything all right? The work isn’t too much, is it? I know the last few weeks were taxing with so many people in the house and me like an invalid too.”
“Not at all.” She irons out the bedcovers. “That house in Saint-Tropez is calling me, and now that Doris is staying, I think it’s time to move on to something different.”
I still. “Are you leaving us?”
“I never would’ve left you if things between you and Angelo weren’t sorted out. He needs you, Sabella. He needs a woman like you in his life. You’re here now, and everything is going to be fine.”
Everything is going to be fine.
Sometimes, I’m still scared to believe that.
“Heidi.” I reach over and take her hand. “What will I do without you?”
She takes my hand between both of hers. “You’ll do just fine.” She adds with a smile, “Like I always knew you would.”
I swallow the lump that gets stuck in my throat. “When?”
“As soon as Mr. Russo signs the retirement paperwork.”
“Did you tell him?”
“I wanted to speak to you first.”
“You deserve to put your feet up for a change and to do nothing but drink champagne with all those widowers on their fancy yachts.”
She raises a brow. “I hope you’ll come to visit?”
“As soon as I can twist Angelo’s rubber arm.”
She pats my hand before letting go. “I’ll be off next week then.”
“So soon?” I ask, disappointed and a bit fearful. I not only love her like a friend, but I also came to depend on her.
“I reckon Doris can do with a bit of space and privacy.”
