Chapter 9 - The Woman Who Taught a Mafia Boss to Come Home
Years later, the family gathered for Christmas.
Eleanor sat by the fire.
Sam's children played on the floor.
Kayla cooked.
Gunther decorated the tree.
Badly.
“You put the angel on crooked,” Kayla said.
“It has character.”
“It looks drunk.”
“She has had a long year.”
Kayla laughed.
Their daughter, now ten, ran over.
“Mom!”
“What?”
“Dad said I can stay up until midnight.”
Gunther looked over.
“I did not.”
“You implied it.”
“I implied nothing.”
Kayla smiled.
The house was loud.
Warm.
Alive.
Nothing like the empty rooms of the past.
Then Gunther received a call.
He listened.
His face changed.
“Silas is sick.”
Kayla waited.
“What?”
“He wants to see you.”
Gunther shook his head.
“No.”
“Why?”
“He's dying.”
Silence.
Kayla understood.
“Go.”
“Why?”
“Because you don't want to become him.”
Gunther looked at her.
“And if he asks for forgiveness?”
“Listen.”
He nodded.
He went.
Silas was in a hospital.
Older.
Broken.
He looked at Gunther.
“You won.”
Gunther sat.
“No.”
“What?”
“I survived.”
Silas laughed weakly.
“You were always better than me.”
“No.”
Gunther shook his head.
“I had someone to teach me.”
“Kayla.”
“Yes.”
Silas closed his eyes.
“I was wrong.”
“I know.”
“Can you forgive me?”
Gunther thought.
“Yes.”
Silas cried.
The next morning, he died peacefully.
Gunther returned home.
Kayla was waiting.
“How was it?”
“He asked for forgiveness.”
“And?”
“I gave it.”
She smiled.
“I’m proud of you.”
He held her.
“I wouldn't have done it without you.”
She kissed his cheek.
“I know.”
He laughed.
“You finally don't hate that phrase.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because now it means trust.”
She rested her head on his chest.
Outside, snow began to fall.
Inside, their family laughed.
The story of the mafia boss and the maid had become a legend.
But Kayla always corrected it.
“He wasn't saved by a maid.”
People would ask:
“Then what happened?”
May you like
She would smile.
“He was saved by a woman who refused to let him remain the man he thought he had to be.”
