“Yes, Dad.Are you still at the office?”
“Yep, still here.I'll be done soon, though.Sorry for that.”
“I'm actually in town, picking up some things for school.Can I swing by?I can wait as long as you need, and we can head home together.”
“Of course, sweetie.”
I felt a mix of emotions at the thought of seeing him,
unsure of how it would feel to look into his eyes knowing that my mom was off somewhere with someone else.But it wasn't my place to bring it up; that conversation belonged to her.I needed to confront her about what I knew.
Within ten minutes, I arrived at his dental office, located in a five-story building.I made my way to the fourth floor and approached the door that read “Dr.Elio Bernardi.”I pressed the buzzer, and upon hearing the chime, I pushed the door open to enter a small waiting area furnished with four chairs, pale yellow walls, and a brochure stand.
“Hi, Luna!Great to see you,” greeted my dad’s assistant with a warm smile as she came to check who had entered.She looked to be in her thirties, with green eyes and golden hair.Her slender frame matched her soft voice, but her beaming smile revealed perfectly aligned teeth.
“Hi,” I replied, returning her smile.“I'll wait here.”I settled into one of the chairs.
“You can actually wait in his office; Dr.Bernardi is just wrapping up with his last patient,” she suggested.I nodded in agreement.
I followed her through a narrow corridor, the same soft yellow hue lining the walls.To the left, there was a small room with a dental chair, followed by a bathroom door, and at the end, two more rooms where my dad was working.I decided not to check on him, afraid to disturb him, and turned right into his office.
Inside, I found a polished reddish wooden desk accompanied by a black leather office chair and two other chairs facing it.A small window behind the desk offered a view of the public garden below, a pleasant sight from the fourth floor.The shelves were lined with dental textbooks, denture molds, and various brochures.
Family photos adorned the shelves in black frames, capturing moments from my childhood—one taken when I was about three, others at ages five and thirteen.On his desk was a wedding portrait of my parents.I picked it up, gazing at my mom in her stunning white gown with a long veil, while my
dad looked dapper in a black tuxedo.He was beaming, just as she was, both radiating joy on what was undoubtedly one of the happiest days of their lives.
“Luna.”I startled at the sound of my dad’s voice calling me from the doorway.A picture frame I had been holding slipped through my fingers and crashed to the ground, shattering into countless pieces.I sank to my knees, desperately trying to gather the fragments as if I could piece them back together.
“Oh, no, no, no!”I cried, tears streaming down my face as I leaned over the wreckage.My emotions spiraled out of control.Again.
My dad hurried to my side.
“Oh, Luna, it's alright.Don't fret,” he said, trying to soothe me with a gentle rub on my back.
“No, it's not alright!It was there for so many years, and now it's broken!”My voice trembled as my vision became a blur of tears.
“I'll get you a new one.It's really not a big deal,” he replied, his expression a mix of concern and confusion at my reaction.
“But it won't be the same!”I looked into his kind, bewildered eyes, tears cascading down my cheeks.He wrapped his arms around me.
“Shhh, everything will be okay.Whatever you're facing will eventually pass,” he whispered softly, stroking my hair.We sat there on the floor, surrounded by shards of glass that would never be whole again.“Shall we head home?”he suggested softly.
“I'd love to,” I replied as we both stood up to help each other.We gathered our belongings and stepped outside, leaving his assistant to finish tidying up the studio.
“How about I whip up some pasta for us?”he proposed, a smile brightening his face as we approached the house.
“Sounds great, Dad.”
“Oh look, your mom's back!”he exclaimed cheerfully, and a chill ran down my spine at the sight of her car parked in the driveway.My dad was so eager that he leaped from the car and hurried inside.I followed more slowly, unsure of how my emotions might betray me.
“Luna!”she greeted, enveloping me in a warm embrace as I crossed the threshold.I stood still, not returning the hug.
“Hi, Mom,” I managed to say with a slight grin.She quickly retreated to the kitchen, where something was simmering on the stove.
“I've missed you both so much!I'm making cheese ravioli with white sauce and spinach,” she called out from the kitchen.
“Oh, and Marco stopped by about thirty minutes ago.I invited him for dinner too,” she added.I remained silent while Dad headed upstairs to shower.The table was already set, waiting for our meal.
