Forgotten Moment

Part 20... No Way!

"I'm finished Papa." Adriano said poking his head around my office door. I beckoned him to come in. He skipped over to me and Iifted him onto me.

"Have you had your bath mio figlio?" I asked rubbing his head. 

Adriano nodded.

"Brushed your teeth?" I continued.

"Yes, I brushed my teeth, see." Adriano gave me a wide toothy smile.

"Great, now all you are missing is-

"A bedtime story." We said together. We burst out laughing afterwards.

"What you working on Papa?" Adriano asked looking at the computer screen which was open to a spreadsheet page.

"I am looking at some accounts from a company I want to purchase." I informed him. Adriano had an affinity towards numbers like I did.

I pointed out the different columns to him.

"Debit means money that is spent and credit is money that you have." Adriano appeared entranced as I showed him the information on the screen.

"What does balance mean?" Adriano said pointing to the column on the computer monitor.

"That shows all the money that is in the bank." Adriano put his finger to the total column and looked up at me.

"They have a lot of zeroes in the money in the bank." I laughed at my son's astuteness.

"That is why I want to buy them. They know how to keep a lot of zeroes in the bank."

We remained like that for a while as I explained some business terms to him.

"Is Vera coming soon Papa?" Adriano asked softly.

"She is still very busy. I know she misses you a lot but she needs to finish this project before she can come back to us." I lied again to my son.

"I miss her very much." I hugged my son tightly.

"You and me both mio figlio, you and me both." I repeated holding Adriano in my arms.

Adriano was a bit depressed about Vera missing Christmas and not being able to see her. My mother and I had been trying to divert his attention but the bond he had with his mother was strong and he missed her terribly.

"Is he asleep now?" My mother asked as I walked into the living room.

"Yes after getting me to read him two stories." I told my mother as I sat beside her on the sofa. She was watching one of her favourite crime dramas. We watched the TV for a few minutes because neither of us wanted to say what was on our minds.

I heard my mother sigh next to me and I looked over at her. She was watching the TV but appeared distracted. I remained silent as I turned back to the screen. My phone vibrated and I took it out of my trouser pocket. There was a new email from Giorgio. I quickly opened it and read the short message before reading the attached file. I was engrossed in the information I was reading that I failed to notice that my mother had sidled closer to me and was also reading the same information that had me in knots.

"I think you need to go find her yourself." I looked at my mother in shock as I noticed that she had read the latest report I had received on Vera's whereabouts.

I could not respond to my mother's advice. I was too numb from being without the woman I loved.

"Where can she be Rui? Is finding out about Adriano that terrible? I understand that she was in shock but to abandon him when she finds out the truth is puzzling. I don't believe that she would do that." My mother said her face filled with worry.