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‘I came here to sort things out,’ Alessio gritted in a driven undertone.
‘That does not include ripping my house apart!’
‘I won’t be ripping it apart.You were worried that I was going to storm into your offices and chuck everyone out on their ears! Have I done that?’
‘If I had known you would start a campaign of home improvement I would never have allowed you to...to...help out.’
‘You had no choice, Dad.’
Sophie was fascinated by this back and forth—two powerful personalities at war. She could see both sides, but was quietly impressed that Alessio was going beyond what had been put on the table originally to help out with the business.
‘Sorting out the company finances isn’t something I begrudge doing,’ Alessio muttered. ‘And getting this house back on its feet isn’t something I’m going to begrudge doing either.’
‘You don’t understand, son.’
‘What don’t I understand?’
‘I don’t want... Your mother...’
He flung his napkin to the table and staggered up, and Sophie raced to his side, stricken.
‘Your mother...she’s here with me. I don’t want that to change. I don’t want anything about this house to change. Her soul is here and I don’t want it to go away.’
Leonard waved his hands about, and just like that Alessio was standing opposite her.
Their eyes met and there was an urgent request in his as he said, in a low voice over his father’s head, ‘I’ll take it from here.’
Leonard had slumped, a diminished figure, his weakness evident now that the bluster had been blown aside.
‘Of course,’ Sophie said without hesitation.
‘But wait here for me. Apologise to Sarah and tell her that dessert will have to wait until tomorrow.’
‘Yes, of course.’
She felt Leonard fumble with her hand, and she squeezed his fingers in return and watched as Alessio walked, supporting him, out of the dining room.
This was what it must feel like to be in the eye of a storm, Sophie thought, sinking into her chair.
She was barely aware of Sarah entering, or even of telling her that there would be no need for dessert and that she could head home. Her mind was all over the place.
‘Is everything okay?’ asked Sarah. ‘I don’t mind staying on...’
Sophie looked at the tiny, earnest young girl and smiled. ‘Make sure you get a cab back to your parents, Sarah, and I’ll see you in the morning.’
It was not yet seven-thirty. Should she remain seated at the dining table? Sophie had no idea how long Alessio would be, and she could barely keep still because of her anxieties.
Her head all over the place, she went into the kitchen and began clearing away the dishes. She took her time as the minutes ticked past, stretching into an hour...longer.
The routine of the kitchen...the cleaning of the counters and putting things away in their proper places...was soothing, and she was just beginning to relax when she was aware of Alessio in the kitchen with her.
When had he come in?
She didn’t know.
She swung round to find him lounging in the doorway, his face paler than usual, fingers hooked over the waistband of his jeans.
In the middle of stacking the dishwasher, Sophie stopped and stared at him with concern. ‘How is he?’
