Chapter 10

TEN

MAY 2019

Thursday

"You're going to Italy?" Molly asked. "I want to go to Italy!"

Despite the seriousness of the conversation, Tori smiled sympathetically at Molly, who was sitting on the living room rug, petting Albie's belly. She had told Marilene her plans earlier that day, and in anticipation of her trip, Marilene had suggested the three of them have dinner at their favorite Italian restaurant. Tori also suspected Marilene wanted to do something different for dinner, since Jeremy normally would come to the house to eat with them on Thursday evenings.

They'd shared an array of family-style pasta dishes along with a Margherita pizza. And now that they were home, Tori had told Molly that she was heading to Italy. She'd decided it was best not to tell Molly the whole truth right now. She would tell her the complete story at some point; but it didn't make sense to spring everything on her today and then head out for Europe, disappearing just as Molly would likely be coming up with more and more questions. Her daughter was going to be shocked to learn that Marilene was not her biological great- grandmother. It seemed better to save that news for after she'd returned.

"Of course, you want to go to Italy," she said. "And you will. But not this time."

"Why not?"

"You have school. And besides, it's only a quick trip. There won't be time for sightseeing."

"You're just going to look at a dress?"

From the living room sofa, Tori glanced across the room at Marilene, who rested her elbow on her armchair, her chin lowered and her eyes focused downward. Tori could tell that she didn't approve of this trip. She suspected that having had a couple of days to think about it, Marilene now wished they'd never seen the postcard with the wedding dress. Maybe she'd decided no good could come from dredging up her past. But for Tori, dredging up the past was exactly what was needed—because Marilene's past had become Tori's present. And Molly's future. Tori couldn't stay home and will herself to forget about Giulia's existence. No, she had to try to find Giulia. If Giulia was still alive.

She turned to Molly, who glared at her, her chin jutting forward. "You're just going to look at a dress?" she repeated. "No one goes all that way just to look at a dress. You already saw it on the website."

"I also want to meet the designer, if I can find her," Tori said. "The dress is in a museum that recently opened, and there may be some documents there that can help me find out where she lives now."

"Just google her!" Molly said.

"That doesn't always work." She had tried repeatedly to find a Giulia Sancino in Rome last night, browsing search engines and pulling up links to both Italian and English websites. It turned out there were many Giulia Sancinos in the world, including an apparently very important economist based in Minnesota who had written at least a dozen academic books. But she could find no listing for a dressmaker living in Rome. Given Giulia's past and her age, it was entirely possible that she would have no internet presence.

The only information Tori could find about the island where Marilene had grown up and where Giulia had landed was that it had changed hands numerous times and was now known as Mauricio Island. It was owned by Carlo Mauricio, the head of a family of bankers with no ties to the Ciani family at all.

"The museum director said they tried to find her, but they haven't been able to," Tori told Molly. She didn't mention that even if she did find the right Giulia somewhere online, it was doubtful she'd get the woman to answer an email. Not everyone her age was as comfortable on the internet as Marilene was. More to the point, this woman had left her baby decades ago and, from all appearances, never tried to find her. Why would she willingly respond to an inquisitive email now?

"And you can't wait until summer to go?" Molly said. "So I could come, too?"

"I can't, because of the store," Tori said. It was true. Brianna had finals coming up and was starting a summer internship program in fashion design in New York next month. She was happy to take care of the store for the short term, and Marilene had offered to step in and help if necessary—she did the books, after all, so she was familiar with the vendors and the merchandise.

Of course, the other reason Tori had to go right away was Giulia's age. If she was alive, who knew what kind of health she was in? Tori needed to track her down as soon as possible.

"I'll take you another time," Tori said. "When we can do the things you'd want to do."

"How long will you be gone? "

"Ten days," she said.

Molly sighed dramatically. "I guess it's okay." She paused a moment, then continued. "I guess I have to stay here anyway. Because of the ballet show, I mean. I don't want Mademoiselle Diana to think that I'm not interested in being Alice or I'm not serious about the recital, which she might think if I just went away. I should be here to keep up with everything."

"You really think that?" Tori said, her heart aching a bit for her daughter, who feared she'd be penalized for taking a family trip.

"She might think someone else cared more. Whatever, it doesn't matter now. When are you leaving?"

"Sunday evening," Tori answered.

"Fine, okay." Molly gave Albie a final rub and then went over to sit next to Tori. "But you better bring me back a lot of whatever they have in Italy. Like chocolate or really good pizza sauce or something, okay?"

"Of course." Tori wrapped her arms around her daughter, hoping to bring back something even better. News of a great-grandmother who wanted to meet her. Who had a valid reason for never coming back to reunite with the baby she'd left behind. Who had plenty of answers that made good sense.

She kissed Molly's head, feeling uncomfortable that remembering the ballet cast was what had changed Molly's mind about wanting to go on the trip. Molly's need to "keep up with everything," as she'd said, was so characteristic of her—and a little troubling. It was as though she didn't believe she could trust what would happen with the casting unless she maintained the status quo. And strangely, Tori knew just how she felt. It was so similar to what she'd told Jeremy about why she didn't want to get married. I have order. Why make a change?

They both equated ceding control with unbearable risk. That wasn't good. But she didn't know how to change that. For herself or her daughter.