Page 152 of A Dangerous Kind of Love

“Come,” I tell her. “We sit, yes? You need to sit, tesoro mio.”

She looks up at me, a little confused. “What does that mean?”

“Hmm?” I ask, already taking her hand and guiding her to the chair. She follows, like she doesn’t have the strength to argue.

“What you called me.”

“Tesoro mio?”

“Yes.”

I smile at her. “It is nothing. Just a little name. It means my darling.”

She gives me a small smile, and I kneel down in front of her, taking her hands in mine. She looks at me, her eyes already shining.

“My mom died,” she says. Her knee begins to bounce, and I feel her hands trembling in mine.

I knew her mother was not herself anymore. Katie told me that day in the kitchen, the way her memory was going, and how hard it had become.

“Oh, dolce cara,” I murmur.

She begins to cry.

“I just want Michael.”

The strong one, the stubborn one I’ve been watching these last weeks, she is gone. Now there is only a girl, heartbroken, sitting in front of me.

“Will he be here soon?”

“Yes. He is on his way.”

“Beatrice, a word please.”

Katie looks up.

“I’ll be right back, sì?” I say gently.

I take my handkerchief and wipe her face, then push her hair back, tucking it away. She nods. I rise and smooth my uniform before I go. Sal stands off to the side.

“Yes?”

“Mr. Amato is at least an hour out. It would probably be best if you took Miss Miller to another room.”

I nod. “I will take her to Mr. Amato’s room.”

“I’m not sure if that—“

I cut him off with a look.

“Sal,” I say, calm but firm, “is she not with Mr. Amato?”

“Yes, but he’s not here.”

“And you think he would be pleased, hmm, if she is not allowed in his room? Especially now?”

He pauses, then steps back.

“Of course,” he says.