Elena's door opens and small feet pad into my room. "Mama? Where's Daddy?"
She's been calling him that for three days now, and every time she does, my heart clenches.
"He went to work, baby. But he'll be home for dinner."
"Can we make the red pasta? He likes it."
"We just made that two days ago."
"But it's his favorite."
I smile, pulling her into bed with me. "Okay. We'll make the red pasta. But you have to help."
"I always help!"
"You always help make a mess."
She giggles, and I hold her close, breathing in the scent of her shampoo. My daughter. Safe and happy and calling another man Daddy.
I should feel guilty about that. About erasing Draco from her life so completely. About replacing him with a man who killed him.
But I don't.
Because Elena is thriving. She's happier than I've ever seen her. More secure. More confident.
Lupo is good for her. Good for both of us.
We get up and start our day. Breakfast, then chores. Elena "helps" me hang laundry, which mostly means her running around with wet clothes and getting them dirty again. I don't mind. Her laughter is worth a little extra work.
By mid-morning, the sun is hot and I'm sweating. "Let's go to the market," I tell Elena. "We need tomatoes for the pasta."
"And bread? And candy?"
"We'll see."
We load into the truck and head to the village. It's the same market we've been going to for weeks now. The same vendors, the same faces. I've become a regular. Just another local buying produce for her family.
No one looks at me suspiciously anymore. No one asks questions. I'm just Isabella, the woman from the old farm with the cute daughter.
Safe. Anonymous. Normal.
Signora Russo smiles when she sees us. "Ah, Isabella! And little Elena! How are you both?"
"Good. We need tomatoes today. Lots of them."
"Making sauce?"
"Red pasta. For my..." I hesitate. What do I call Lupo? Boyfriend seems too casual. Partner too formal. "For Lupo. It's his favorite."
Her eyes twinkle. "I've seen him. Very handsome. And good with children, I hear."
"He is."
"You're lucky. Good men are hard to find."
If she only knew.
I buy tomatoes, garlic, fresh basil. More than I can really afford, but Lupo gave me extra money yesterday. Said he got a bonus at the site.
