Alessandro assessed Matthew as best as the Zoom would allow. Despite the tense nature of the call, Matthew seemed otherwise well. Fantastic, in fact. He seemed happy and healthy and content. More than Alessandro could remember him being for some time.
Dropping the tension and terse tone, he said, ‘She’s been good for you, Matthew. Anyone can see that.’
Matthew gave a wry smile. ‘She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me, Dad. Honestly. But now I needyourhelp.’
‘What kind of help?’
‘I have a proposal for you; a means for us all to move forward. Together.’
Alessandro’s eyes narrowed and he reached for a pad and pen. ‘I’m listening.’
quarantadue
Sarah didn’t know if it was the heaviness of that second glass of wine, or the decadent Christmas dinner they had shared, but her face was warm and her head was giddy with joy.
Matthew erupted in laughter upon opening Margherita and Riccardo’s gift, and held up the cookbook entitled,Burnt toast and limp lettuce – becoming a domestic God.
‘Where has this been all my life?’ he joked, and immediately began thumbing through the pages. ‘Grazie mille!’
Sarah caressed his shoulders as he sat by her feet on the floor. ‘You’ve come a long way,’ she assured him.
‘And the last one is for Sarah!’ Margherita said, handing across a small parcel.
Sarah smiled, and blew them both a kiss. ‘Thank you, guys.’
‘Open it!’ Margherita wailed.
Sarah tore through the paper to find it was a small cardboard box. She peeked inside and withdrew a compact jewellery case, complete with a lockable lid. ‘It’s so beautiful,’ Sarah said, tracing her fingers over the bevelled glass sides.
Margherita was pink with glee. ‘It was my mother’s.’
Sarah’s eyes quickly darted to Margherita’s face. ‘No, Marghe—’
‘No, I want you to have it. You must leave it in the kitchen, so your jewellery is safe when you are cooking. I have one the same.’
Sarah reached across and gave Margherita a full-bodied embrace. ‘I’ll treasure it and put it to good use. Thank you.’
Matthew noted how Riccardo had given Margherita a gentle elbow poke. This prompted him to re-read the situation.
At that exact moment, Sarah noticed a three-inch wide square of white paper inside the jewellery case. Brows furrowed, she opened it and took out the paper. ‘What’s this?’ Margherita held her breath as Sarah turned it over, revealing the black and white lines of an ultrasound image. The tiny grey figure in profile at the centre of the image caused Sarah to shriek. ‘Oh my God! Are you pregnant?’
Margherita nodded and Sarah threw herself onto her, squealing in excitement.
Matthew also reached across and gave Riccardo a congratulatory hug. ‘Amazing news,’ Matthew said. ‘When are you due?’
Through tears, which she couldn’t place as being derived from hormones, joy or laughter at seeing Sarah fly through the air, Margherita said, ‘Mid-June. A summer baby.’
Sarah couldn’t take her eyes off Margherita. ‘I am so utterly delighted for you. For you both. This is just the most wonderful and beautiful news.’
Matthew watched Sarah carefully, just in case she needed a little extra support from him. The women were now stood a few feet back and Margherita was showing Sarah the little pout of her abdomen. ‘It could just be gas. People might think I’ve just put on weight. Butweknow the truth.’ Sarah gave the teeny bump a caress then scooped Margherita back into her arms for another cuddle.
That was Sarah. Despite her own traumas and challenges, she would always put others first. Matthew’s mind wandered to a place where he allowed himself to imagine what an announcement for the two of them might feel like.
As they settled back on the floor and began clearing the Christmas wrap mess, Sarah said, ‘I thought the jewellery case was a gorgeous present. But then you went and did that! What a surprise!’
Jewellery case.
. . . the case.
