Chapter 8 - The Last Debt
Gianni returned.
He looked older.
Smaller.
Lena found him sitting outside her new restaurant construction site.
“You came.”
“I wanted to apologize.”
She didn't answer.
“I know I don't deserve forgiveness.”
“No.”
He nodded.
“I don't.”
He handed her an envelope.
“What is this?”
“Everything I have left.”
Lena opened it.
Property documents.
Bank records.
Letters.
Evidence that he had secretly kept money aside for her.
Not much.
But enough to show that somewhere beneath his fear, he had tried to leave her something.
“I was going to give you this after the debt was paid.”
“You should have given it to me before.”
“I know.”
Lena sat beside him.
“I can't forget what you did.”
“I don't expect you to.”
“But I don't want to spend my life hating you.”
Gianni cried.
Lena hugged him.
It wasn't forgiveness.
Not yet.
But it was a beginning.
Across the street, Dominic watched.
When Lena joined him later, he asked nothing.
She took his hand.
“I think I'm ready.”
“For what?”
She looked at him.
“To choose you.”
He smiled.
“Are you sure?”
“No.”
He laughed.
“That's honest.”
“I know what I want, but I'm still scared.”
“Then we'll be scared together.”
She leaned against him.
The restaurant opened three months later.
Lena named it Caruso.
Her mother's name was engraved beneath the sign.
The kitchen was hers.
Every recipe was hers.
Every decision was hers.
Dominic owned no part of it.
That mattered to her.
He sat at the first table on opening night.
Lena walked over.
“How's the food?”
“Excellent.”
“That's all?”
He looked up.
“You want a longer review?”
“Yes.”
“You're the best chef I've ever known.”
She smiled.
“And?”
May you like
“And I love you.”
“Better.”
