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“I understand Tee-times are a priority.”

“Emmanuel, I am not finding this visit very entertaining.”

“Nor am I. I would have preferred to go straight home from the airport, but I needed to get some things out in the open.”

“You were away?”

“Yes, we took a visit to Vancouver…”

Watching this discussion was like watching an animal in the wild playing with its food before pouncing.

“…and met Leonardo Baldi.”

Christ!Aside from the visible gulp, Ivy had to give it to Larson. His Adam’s apple slowly slid up and down in his throat, but he gave no indication he knew that name. “Alright.”

“It was quite an experience coming face to face with my mirror image. But you know exactly who the hell he is.” It was then Manny’s gaze locked onto his father. “So why would you pretend otherwise?”

“Emmanuel, I don’t know what you are trying to imply. This conversation is becoming arduous. Please get to the point.”

Manny’s jaw ticked, and his other hand gripped his knee, exposing the whites of his knuckles.

“Of course. Leonardo Baldi is my twin. Which you already knew. It was an emotional visit. To be honest, my intent when I set up my visit was to crush him for the stunt he pulled. I have say, it also bothered me that he didn’t claim his own son. His own flesh and blood. What kind of man doesn’t claim their children?”

Larson cleared his throat. “Well, I hope you found the answers you needed.”

“I did. He certainly wasn’t what I expected. You know I wasn’t expecting him to share our mother–”

Her father-in-law cut off Manny. “Grace is your mother. She raised you.”

“Of course, she raised me.” Manny’s tone seemed indulgent, yet condescending. “I am grateful for the man she helped me to become. But I was referring to my biological mother. The woman who gave birth to Leonardo and I. Concetta Bianchi.”

Just the mention of her name had the blood draining from Larson’s face. Ivy wasn’t the only one to notice.

“What’s the matter? You would think you saw a ghost.”

Larson turned pleading eyes towards Ivy. “I’m sure the trip was taxing for you both. Perhaps you both should head off.”

“Taxing? Yes. If you call reading your dead mother’s journals taxing. Yes, I suppose it is accurate.”

A bead of sweat appeared at Larson’s hairline. “You read Connie’s journals.”

Fuck!Any hope Ivy had that Emmanuel was wrong disappeared. Connie. Short for Concetta. She wondered if Larson realised the slip he had just made.

Emmanuel certainly hadn’t missed it. He let go of her hand and then looked at her. As if checking to make sure she had heard what he did. Her eyes fluttered close and then nodded. Manny exhaled deeply, then pursed his lips. Before his expression became blank, a meridian of emotions flashed across his face.

He reclaimed her hand before answering, “I did.”

In a flash, Larson’s clenched fist slammed into his open palm. “You had no right!”

He jumped to his feet with the agility of a much younger man. His outburst turned to a faint mumble, “no right. No right.”

“You don’t think Leonardo had the right to share with his twin brother his mother’s story? How she grieved over the child she was forced to give up throughout her far too short life? He didn’t have the right to share the journal? Or did you mean something else?” With every word, his voice became more strained as his anger became more evident. Manny moved to stand as well, but Ivy tightened her hold, preventing him. Red blotches appeared on his cheek.

“What?” Larson asked, looking back and forth wildly.

“Was there something else he didn’t have the right to share with me? Sit the fuck down before you fall over. Don’t think you will avoid this conversation so easily.”

Surprisingly, Larson followed Manny’s instructions. Although he sat at the edge of the chair. Something in him seemed calm. He still looked ashen, but that calculating gleam returned.

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