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"What about in your regular life?"
He thought about that for a minute."I've moved around so much that my regular life hasn't involved romantic relationships in a while."He decided they'd talked enough about his love life."How did you become a reporter?"
"I wanted to be a journalist from the time I was young.And once I set my mind on something, I don't stop until I get what I want."
"I believe that.But what made you want to be a journalist?"
"When I was a kid, I loved watching reporters on TV.It seemed exciting to be out in the field, covering a car chase, or a kidnapping, or a corrupt politician.I liked the idea of being able to put a spotlight on something important, to stop someone from getting away with something."
She paused, then added, "It's ironic that it was a reporter digging into my stepfather's company who figured out he was a fraud.I probably should have hated that person because she started the ball rolling on an investigation that sent my mom to jail.But when the story broke, I thought,yes, someone else finally sees this guy the way I do.While I liked him in the beginning, I saw the shady side of him long before my mother did.She believed everything he told her.And she did everything he wanted her to do, including signing papers, giving him money, and never asking a question.I guess that was what was really at the heart of my desire to be a reporter.My mother never asked questions and ended up in trouble.I wanted to ask every question so I could see exactly what was happening around me."
"Why aren't you close to your mom now?Are you still angry with her?"
She let out a sigh."I'm not sure how I feel about her anymore.I've had a hard time loving her the way I used to when I was small, when it was just the two of us, before Gary, my stepfather, came into our lives.Even after she went to prison for him, she didn't seem to blame him for anything.That was hard to stomach."
"I can see that.Did you ever talk to her about that?"
"I sort of tried, but I was really mad when she first got out.I was living away at college, and I didn't want to be a part of her life.I barely spoke to her when she called, and I refused all invitations to go back and see her.Eventually, as time passed, I relented, and we started talking again.But by the time I graduated, she was involved with another man I didn't like, and I just didn't want to go down that road again.So I put the distance back between us."
"That makes sense.What do you think about her moving to Florence?"
" Grandma thinks it will be good for her to be in Italy and in the art world again.I have no idea if that's true or if it's another bad decision."
"Would your mother know something about Lucinda's painting?It was with her belongings.You might need to talk to her about that."
"Let's leave that as a last resort," she said with a yawn."Tell me something random about yourself."
"Random, huh?"He paused for a moment."I like to fish."
"You do not," she said with disbelief."That seems way too slow for someone who moves as fast as you do."
"That's why I like it, not that I do it very much.My grandfather used to take me to Lake Bracciano when I was a kid.We'd spent half the day on the lake catching black bass.Sometimes we'd be lucky if we caught any, though.I like to fish, but I'm not very good at it, and I don't think my grandfather was, either."
"That's a nice memory to have."
A memory that now made him feel sad because he'd never see his grandfather again.He pushed away that painful thought."Tell me something random about you."
"I'm a good singer."
"Like in the shower or on a stage?"
She laughed for the first time since he'd known her, a sweet, melodic sound that made him want to make her laugh again.It seemed like she needed some lightness in her life.
"I'm terrific in the shower, and not bad on the stage," she continued."I actually sang with the glee club in high school.Until my mom went to jail, and then there were too many eyes on me."
And just like that, the darkness was back in her voice.
"What's your favorite kind of book?"he asked."I'm guessing since you're a writer, you're probably a reader."
"True crime, suspense, thrillers, history.I love non-fiction.Oh, and biographies, too."
As she continued to talk about her favorite books, he found his eyes growing heavy.He finally felt relaxed.
When she asked him to talk about his favorite books, he had to tell her he wasn't big on reading, but he had watched a great documentary a few weeks earlier.He was just getting into the story when he heard her breathing change.He paused."Isabella?"
She didn't answer.He had finally bored her to sleep.He smiled to himself and closed his eyes, feeling like he could sleep now, too.
ChapterEleven
