Page 102 of Meet Me in Montreal

“Not great, but okay. They think I’ll get to go home in another day or so. Not the burnt one,” she amended quickly. Home? Where was that now? The thought was overwhelming. “I’m going to my brother’s in Chappaqua when I get out.”

Instead of looking relieved, Gina’s face creased with worry. She didn’t ask what would otherwise have been a natural question, something Vanessa had wondered herself: why wasn’t she going to stay at Santino’s house?

Gina glanced over her shoulder at her mother, who lifted her hand in a slight wave. Carolina looked the same. Ear-length brown hair, light blue eyes. Gina and Santino, her two blond children, didn’t have her coloring, but Santino had her chiseled features.

Gina made room for herself on the bed to chat for a few minutes, then she excused herself, pointing at the container of takeout she carried in a bag.

“Mom made you some penicillin soup. We’re gonna fix you up way better than whateverthatis,” she said, gesturing at the leftovers on the tray Vanessa had pushed to the side. “I’ll go heat it up in the cafeteria. Be right back.”

Giving her mother a small, encouraging smile, Gina took the bag and left before Vanessa could stop her. She actually wasn’t all that hungry, but then, she figured the point of Gina leaving wasn’t really about soup, anyway. That guess was proven correct when Lina moved closer.

She fluffed her hair with nervous fingers, her eyes taking in Vanessa’s hospital gown, makeup-free face and hair done in not very neat two-strand twists with a bandana tied at her hairline. In prior times, Vanessa would have been embarrassed to be under that searching gaze without being coiffed and on point, but these days, after everything, she cared a whole lot less.

“Hello Vanessa. I’m so glad to see you, even under these circumstances.” Hesitant, still, Lina hovered at the foot of the bed.

Glad to see her?Too shocked to speak, Vanessa remained quiet.

Lina settled herself into the empty chair, making sure the skirt of her pretty navy dress was smooth as she did. At her throat, her grandmother’s gold St. Theresa medallion glinted with the light. The dress was paired beautifully with a pair of red pumps. Vanessa had to hand it to her; Lina had style. Their love of quality, understated clothing had been something they’d had in common. Then Lina’s smile faded.

“We drove by the house. It looks…Well. Was Santino able to salvage anything?”

“I wouldn’t know. We haven’t really spoken in a couple of days. I had most of my docs in a fireproof box on the second floor, so at least I hope I won’t have to jump through hoops proving I’mmyself.” That bit of foresight was due to Santino, who’d insisted on shelling out the money for it when they moved in.

Suddenly, the suspicion that Lina’s purpose was to ask about the insurance money for the house popped into her head. Was she coming to demand it on Santino’s behalf since he’d bought the place? Waiting for the punchline, the other shoe to drop, or whatever other phrase applied, Vanessa paused again.

She and Bobby had been talking a lot about what he called the Season of Honesty. All the truths, both big and small, that they’d all kept to themselves over the years had cost them big when revealed. They’d pledged to stay honest from this point on.

Season of Honesty? This one’s for you, Robert Neville Watson.

In a voice that was measured, Vanessa asked, “Why did you really come here today, Lina?”

“To see how you were. Why does anyone come to see someone in a hospital?” Lina replied archly. She straightened the pointed collar of her dress.

“I can understand Gina coming to visit me. She actually likes me. But whyyou? Was it to check for a pulse?”

Maybe that was too honest. Vanessa waited for the outraged tirade and instead, was shocked again when Lina’s shoulders began to shake. Soon enough, she broke out in laughter and Vanessa joined in.

“My gosh. That’s such a Vanessa thing to say.” Lina laughed for a bit longer, wiping her eyes. Then she sobered, her gaze at Vanessa piercing and direct. “I came to see if my daughter-in-law was alright after surviving what sounded like a traumatic ordeal. And I never disliked you as a person. I know I was hard on you. I didn’t give you a lot of reasons to believe I cared. I’m…” She took a gulp of air. “Sorry.”

An apology from Carolina D’Alessio Donahue? Unheard of. Just not done. But yet, she’d offered one.

While Vanessa was busy absorbing that little chip of rare gold, Lina expelled a quick breath and continued. “I wouldn’t have come all the way here just to say that except for Santino and what he’s about to do. He’s leaving New York.”

How could four words stop her entire world like that? Four words, and her heart ceased beating. She’d thought, after everything, they might talk and work things out. Despite his signing, despite the fact that he hadn’t been by her side when she woke up, she’d assumed they would…

So stupid.

What the fuck had she been thinking? She’d thought she hadn’t heard from him because he was back at work, or maybe his injuries had caught up to him after all. But now it was clear he was avoiding her. That last kiss she’d felt when she’d been dreaming, the things he’d said. None of it had been a dream. He was leaving, for good.

“He’s been avoiding me up until I tracked him down at the station house and when I saw him…” Lina had to stop. “He’s not like he was the first time you broke up with him. That was scary enough. It’s different this time. He’s different. That light in his eyes is gone. It’s just gone. I don’t know if it’s about what happened in that house or if it’s you. Or both.”

Here it came.Look what you did to my son, you bitch.Bracing herself for the accusation, the blame, Vanessa held her breath. She’d fractured Santino’s heart in so many places. And yes, she was the reason he’d been in that house when the world had turned to flame, and he’d had to hurt someone to get her out of it.

“Tino... Tino was my last baby, so yes, I was even more overprotective of him than the others. He was mine, and then he was yours. I want him whole again. When he was with you, he was happy. Is there any way, at all, even after everything that’s happened, that you could see it in yourself to reach out to him?”The question seemed to drag itself out of Lina’s mouth, but there was sincerity in her eyes.

Quickly, she added, “I’m not just asking you to do it for my own selfish reasons, although I realize that must be what it sounds like. I’m asking because I love my son, and he loves you. Nothing has changed for him since the day he came home and told us he’d met the woman he was going to marry. Your mother says it’s the same for you.”

“My mother said what about me?” Vanessa’s head was spinning and not because of the residual headache from the incident. “How long have you been talking to my mother?”

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