Chapter 20

• It had started all by accident.
• Carlina’s grandfather was a tailor, a damn good one at that. While his son had had his sights set on a comfortable office job crunching numbers, the elderly man had cared for his granddaughter. Keeping her safe, rolling fabric onto bolts. As she got older, that extended to ordering and stock organizing of it - especially when he started teaching her everything he knew. The only condition of the knowledge was not to come onto the floor when the shop was open.
• He never said why, and she never thought to pry. Until she was older, an adult in her own right, and the long days were taking a visible toll on him. “Nonno, let me help.” Her grandfather hadn’t taught her much Italian, her retention for second languages wasn’t great, but she never forgot the word Nonno. He had reluctantly agreed, on the condition, she promise to be careful - some of their most loyal customers were not people you wanted to get on the wrong side of.