Chapter 7

• Vittorio drove through the bustling streets of the city, his eyes fixed on the road, but his mind was somewhere else. He thought about Ellis, about the years that had passed since the last time he saw her. In all the ways he had imagined that encounter, none of them involved picturing her at the entrance of an elementary school. It was as if destiny was playing with him, putting Ellis in his path at the most unexpected moment.
• Eleonora glanced at Vittorio, sensing the seriousness on his face. She commented, breaking the tense silence, “I never imagined we would run into Ellis right at our son's school.”
• Vittorio turned his gaze to his wife and nodded, still processing the recent events. Eleonora repeated, emphasizing, “Truly didn't expect to find Ellis here.”
• He nodded in agreement, though her words didn't lessen the intensity of his own thoughts. She continued, expressing her concerns, “This isn't the best time for this to happen, Vittorio. It was difficult enough to secure a spot in such a prestigious school, close to home, with all the amenities...”
• Eleonora turned to Vittorio, a gentle smile on her lips. “Despite this unpleasant encounter, know that I'm glad you came with us today, Vittorio. After all, it's what the psychologist recommended, strengthening family ties, you know. Showing our son that we love him and that we are normal parents like any others. I hope we can do this again later.”
• Vittorio agreed again, but his mind was far away, trapped in his own reflections. As he drove, he tried to understand why Ellis was at that school. And then, like a devastating blow, the truth hit him in full force. The only reason for Ellis to be at that school was that she had a child. A child who was the product of her relationship with John Smith. And that revelation cut through his heart like a sharp blade.
• The truth was too harsh for him to accept, as that was his dream, the dream he had nurtured over the years: to have a child with Ellis. The idea that she had built a family with another man, especially John, hit him hard, making him question so many things.
• Eleonora continued, almost as if she didn't sense the storm in Vittorio's thoughts. “I hope Ellis had a boy. It would be good for her.”
• Vittorio looked at Eleonora seriously, his eyes expressing a mix of complex emotions. He almost questioned the sanity of his wife's words, but he held back. Instead, he noticed they had arrived in front of Eleonora's workplace. He parked the car and, without a word, looked at the building's facade.
• Eleonora sensed the shift in mood and lightly touched Vittorio's hand. “We'll get through this, Vittorio. Together.”
• He looked at her, her words echoing in his mind. Together. But his heart was still divided, and the unanswered questions weighed on him like a constant shadow. While Eleonora got out of the car, Vittorio remained seated for a moment, lost in his own turbulent thoughts.
• ***
• Ellis arrived home and closed the door behind her, but her mind was still filled with the day's twists and turns. She took a deep breath, deciding she couldn't remain stuck in the past; after all, Vittorio had moved on. Determined to follow suit, she headed to the various boxes scattered around the house, symbols of the changes unfolding in her life.
• With determination, Ellis started unpacking the boxes, placing each family belonging in its rightful place. Over the next few hours, she organized the kitchen, the living room, her bedroom, John's office, and the dining room. Now, only two boxes remained in Donna's room. She smiled, imagining that they probably held the adorable teddy bears her daughter loved.
• Ellis knelt beside the boxes and opened the first one. However, what she found wasn't just the teddy bears; it was a large pearl-toned album, with the name “Donna” engraved in golden letters on the cover.
• Curious and nostalgic, Ellis picked up the album and descended to the living room. She poured a glass of red wine and settled comfortably on the couch, carefully opening the album.
• ***
• Ellis stared at the first photo in the album, her breath catching for a moment. It was a black and white image, the first record of Donna in the ultrasound, at just fourteen weeks. There, in those indistinct lines and shapes, was the promise of life, the seed of a love that would grow within her. Her heart tightened in her chest as the memory of that day six years ago flooded her mind.
• Destiny seemed to have a peculiar sense of humor, she reflected. After all, it was also in a moment of change that this photo was taken. Six years ago, she was packing up her things in Brownsville's house to move into John's apartment. It was a significant step in her life, a move towards a new beginning when the past still hurt.
• On that day, she had come across her brother's room, a place she had avoided since Jason's death. But with the imminent move, she knew it was time to face the reality she had so long evaded. She entered the room slowly, looking at the things that were still there, tangible memories of her brother. As she sorted through Jason's things, tears streamed down her face, a mixture of longing and pain.
• The emotion was so overwhelming that a strong cramp ran through her body, accompanied by a sudden warmth between her legs. Panic seized her when she noticed a slight bleeding. Her heart raced, and concern for her baby became her sole priority. She reached for the phone and called John, although her voice was trembling and nervous.
• On the other end of the line, John finally answered after what felt like an eternity to Ellis.
• “Ellis, are you okay?”
• “John, please, John! John, I'm losing it! John, I'm losing the baby!”
• “Ellis, calm down. What's happening?”
• “John, I... I'm bleeding. Something's wrong,” Ellis revealed with a trembling voice.
• “Call a taxi and go to the hospital. I'm heading there now, alright? Don't panic.”
• Ellis hung up the phone and sat on the floor of Jason's room, tears flowing freely. At that moment of anguish, she felt incredibly alone, confronted with the possibility of losing something so precious that had barely begun.