Chapter 8 - MAYA'S QUESTION
Vincent received a long prison sentence.
Vale too.
Maya asked only one question.
"Do I have to hate Uncle Vincent?"
Luca said:
"No."
"Do you?"
He thought.
"Sometimes."
"All the time?"
"No."
She nodded.
"Good."
"Why good?"
"Hating people all the time sounds tiring."
Children remained inconveniently wise.
Luca progressed to a cane.
Then short distances without one.
The first time he crossed the baseball diamond on foot, everyone gathered.
He hated gatherings.
Maya ignored him.
Elena stood near home plate.
Tommy at first base.
Marco pretending the event was not emotional.
Luca started at the porch.
Cane.
Brace.
Step.
Another.
Slow.
By halfway, sweat soaked his shirt.
Maya shouted:
"Don't be dramatic!"
Luca laughed.
"Helpful!"
He continued.
When he reached home plate, Maya hugged him.
Hard.
He nearly lost balance.
Elena caught his arm.
For one second, the three of them stood together.
Luca said:
"I built this diamond for children I didn't have."
Elena looked at him.
"You had one."
"I didn't know."
"No."
Maya interrupted:
"You can build another thing."
"What?"
"A dance place."
Luca stared.
"Absolutely not."
Three months later, a small studio stood beside the diamond.
Wood floor.
Mirrors.
Maya called it sleeping-leg headquarters.
Luca regretted everything.
The paternity story eventually became public.
A photographer caught Maya calling Luca Dad.
Media exploded.
Elena prepared for cruelty.
She got some.
Gold digger.
Secret child.
Maid's daughter.
Scandal.
Luca wanted lawsuits.
Elena said no.
"Some."
He looked offended.
"Some?"
"Defamation, yes. Mean opinions, no."
"I can make them stop."
"There."
"What?"
"Control."
He closed his mouth.
She smiled.
"Learning."
They released one statement.
Luca Costello recently learned that Maya Harper is his biological daughter. Her mother, Elena Harper, raised her independently and privately. The family requests that a minor child be left outside public speculation.
Nothing about wealth.
Nothing about custody.
Nothing about romance.
Maya read it.
"Minor child sounds like a tiny miner."
Luca laughed.
"Please don't tell reporters that."
She absolutely did.
The story softened.
Then came a harder question.
One night Maya asked:
"Did Mom keep me from you?"
Elena froze.
Luca answered first.
"No."
Maya looked at him.
"She didn't know how to find me after I got sick."
Elena added:
"And I didn't know who he really was."
Maya frowned.
"That's weird."
"Very."
"Did you love each other?"
Silence.
Elena looked at Luca.
Luca looked at Elena.
Maya sighed.
"Adults."
Then Elena said:
"Yes."
Luca's heart stopped.
"Then?"
Maya asked.
Elena continued.
"We lost each other."
"Are you found now?"
No one spoke.
Maya rolled her eyes.
"I'm going to bed."
After she left, Luca said:
"You said yes."
"To what?"
"That you loved me."
"Twelve years ago."
"Ah."
Elena looked at him.
"Don't do that."
"What?"
"Turn vulnerable into charming."
"Occupational defense."
"I'm serious."
"So am I."
Luca took a breath.
"I love you now."
There.
Honest.
Costs something.
Elena closed her eyes.
"That is incredibly inconvenient."
"I know."
"I don't know if I can build a life inside your world."
"I'm changing the world."
"That's a very Luca sentence."
"Fair."
She stepped closer.
"I love you too."
He forgot how to breathe.
Then she added:
"But I'm not moving into your house."
May you like
Luca laughed.
"Naturally."
