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Daughter | Bk 3 | 03 | Paradiso

Foreward

The last act of the trilogy.

Warning: I am attempting a reconciliation... of sorts. Not a RAAC.

******

Previously on Daughter: Purgatorio

Giulia faced the slow burn of accountability head on. She began rebuilding trust with her children, navigating therapy, and learning to live with consequences. Her relationship with Tony thawed, not through grand gestures but quiet moments of honesty.

Tony, meanwhile, closed the chapter on Meredith and began cautiously opening his heart again.

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Daughter | Bk 03 | Pt 03 | Paradiso

"L'amor che move il sole e l'altre stelle."

"The love that moves the sun and the other stars."

-- Paradiso, Canto XXXIII

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Chapter 01 | Limbo

January 1, 2026 | New Year's Day

The windows stretched wide offering a panoramic view of cracked earth and stone pillars.

The restaurant was mostly empty, just a few early risers and one old guy flipping through a crinkled newspaper like it still mattered.

He couldn't go back to his room. He needed coffee. And solitude.Daughter | Bk 3 | 03 | Paradiso фото

Choosing a booth near the back, he dropped into the seat, and stared through the glass like the rocks might stare back. The waiter brought his coffee, strong, black, and exactly as bitter as the thoughts he'd been trying to sift through since sunrise.

Cassie's voice still echoed in his head.

He'd only intended to be cordial with Giulia last night. Definitely hadn't meant to kiss her. And yet...

"Had a feeling I'd find you back here."

Tony looked up. Sara. Hair pulled back. No makeup. Determined.

"If you're here to yell..." he started.

"I'm not." She flagged down the server without looking away from him as she sat. "But we're talking. About last night. And about whatever this is you've been doing for months."

She ordered a coffee, and blueberry muffin, then waited for him to leave.

"Do you remember what you said to me?" she asked. "When all this started? How my indecision, my silence made me complicit."

Tony looked down at his cup. The steam blurred his vision for a second.

"That was different," he muttered.

"Was it?" Sara leaned forward. "Because what I see is a man doing the same thing. Avoiding the hard part. Hoping it'll fix itself."

"Nothing to fix Sara. I made my choice," he said. "I filed for divorce."

She shook her head. "Did you? Because last night... that didn't look like a man who's let go. That looked like a man still hanging on, just too scared to admit it."

He didn't answer.

"You watch her when she dances. You intervene when a guy gets too close. You kiss her at midnight like it means something... and then what? You vanish in the morning like none of it happened." She didn't raise her voice. She didn't need to. "That's not closure dad. That's limbo. And it's hurting you both."

Tony's hand tightened around the mug.

"You're still angry that she lost herself. That she stopped being the woman you married." Sara's voice softened, but her eyes held steady. "But are you still the man who raised me? The one who said integrity mattered more than pride?"

Sara let that hang for a moment.

How could he explain it to her... without it sounding pathetic? That after everything... he still loved the woman who broke him?

"It's not that simple, Sara."

"You taught me better than this," she continued. "You told me that courage meant choosing, even when it was terrifying."

He finally met her eyes.

"She's not the same dad," Sara said. "Not the selfish woman from two years ago. She built something out of her mistakes. Wrote about it. Owned it. Created a space to help other women avoid the same damn cliff. You may not trust her yet, but don't pretend she hasn't changed."

Tony stared out the window again. The Badlands looked different... like something was waiting to pounce just beyond the Ridgeline.

"And what if I'm wrong?" he asked quietly. "What if I trust her, and it all breaks again?"

"Then you'll know you tried. And you'll still have me. Scott. Your own damn integrity." She reached across the table and squeezed his hand. "But this halfway thing? It's costing you more than you know. And it's hurting all of us."

She stood, kissed his forehead, and stepped away.

"Decide who you want to be in this story, dad. The man who gave up... or the man who tried again."

Tony didn't move. The sun crept higher. His coffee went cold.

The Badlands didn't care as the morning colors painted the landscape in shades of possibility.

Chapter 02 | bAcK hoMe?

Sunday January 4 2026 | 8 AM

Tony stirred, one arm stretching across the mattress, reaching for something warm.

Vanilla. That scent again.

His hand brushed empty sheets. For a second, he thought she'd just shifted away. Maybe she was still here, tangled in blankets, half-asleep in the morning light.

But when he turned, the bed was empty. Of course it was.

He blinked up at the ceiling. The room felt colder now.

He pushed the heavy blankets to the side and propped himself against the headboard, raking a hand through his hair. His shirt clung damp to his chest.

Sweat from the dream, probably. Or the memory.

Hell, maybe both.

He didn't usually dream of her. Not anymore. But something about the wedding, seeing her like that, had twisted things. The dress. The dance. That kiss under the fireworks.

Too much like the first time. Too easy to forget the space between.

The morning after had been worse. Waking up with her beside him. Her bare shoulder against his. His body responding to her disheveled nudity. That same scent, sweet, soft, familiar. A new perfume, maybe. Or just a different soap.

She smiled at him. Sleepy. Beautiful. Like she'd never left.

For a second, he wanted to stay in that illusion. Just a second.

Then it hit him. Hard.

Those videos.

Not the warmth of her skin. Not the way she used to whisper his name. Just... betrayal, replayed in perfect resolution.

His body froze. He pulled away before she could feel the shift.

Before she could see it happen all over again.

He swung his legs off the bed, peeled the shirt from his back, and tossed it near the laundry basket. The chill hit his skin, but he welcomed it. The cold made sense.

He'd been home two days now. Left South Dakota early. Avoided the family. Avoided her.

Still hadn't decided if that made him strong... or just tired.

Outside, the lakeside was covered in a light dusting of snow. The morning sun sparkling like diamonds through twisted tree branches.

His eyes flicked to his camera on the desk.

Maybe if he could capture something outside... something real, something untouched by memory... he could get his head straight. Maybe the freezing air, he could quiet the heat burning through him.

Or maybe he was just running. Again.

Morning Walk | 9 AM | Marcus

Tony snapped pictures from different angles, trying to enhance the jewel-like quality of the light reflecting off the snow and ice. He was lucky to get out early, as the sounds of melting picked up pace.

He tried for one last shot. Kneeling down to capture a different angle, he heard the light crunching of footsteps behind him.

"Tony! Looks like I'm not the only one that likes a brisk morning walk."

Tony got up and gave his friend a handshake. "Well, to be fair, I'd rather be sitting with a hot cup of coffee right now watching from the window."

"And miss this glorious splendor?" said Marcus, spreading his arms. "No. We are blessed to have all the seasons here in the northeast. You need to enjoy it."

"Someone's chipper. Glory sleep over last night by any chance?" asked Tony.

"Yes, she did... but that's because she lives with me now."

"Jeez, go away for a weekend...." said Tony, his hand clasping his friend's shoulder.

Marcus's face lit up. "Yeah, well... Turns out, life's not finished with me yet. I got so used to thinking that I didn't deserve love again... But she's changed me. I've let go of my past, and even apologized to my ex."

Tony's jaw flexed. The words sat heavier than expected.

"Haha, she had the same reaction. Anyhow, we figured why wait."

"Sorry. Congrats." He wrapped Marcus in a hug. "I'm happy for you both. Everyone deserves love in their life."

"Oh Oh. I take it the wedding didn't go well?" asked Marcus.

"No, no. The wedding and reception were amazing. Way over the top in every way imaginable. I'll show you pictures later."

"You know I'm not talking about the wedding, right?"

"Yea, I caught that... let's just say that I came back... unsettled. C'mon, let's head back home for that coffee and I'll fill you in."

Chapter 03 | After-Dinner Drinks

Sunday January 4 2026 | 5 PM

Marcus's deck lights buzzed softly overhead, casting faint halos in the steam curling off their beers.

The snow outside had crusted over, hard and cold, but the patio heater pushed back the chill just enough to pretend it wasn't winter.

Glory handed Tony his drink, then eased into her chair like someone who already knew where the conversation would go.

"You're brooding again," Glory said, her voice gentle but firm.

Tony took a sip, eyes fixed on the edge of the frozen lake. "Not brooding. Just... sorting things out."

"About Julie?" When Tony's head snapped up, Glory smiled. "Marcus filled me in. About the midnight kiss, and the almost night together."

"Of course. She goes by Giulia now, and I'm not brooding," Tony protested, but it sounded weak even to him.

"Aren't you?" Glory leaned forward. "Because from where I sit, you look like someone who's trying to find ways to hold on to his anger."

Glory's voice softened. "Forgiveness doesn't mean weakness Tony. It's what's stopping you from moving forward."

Tony's gaze remained on the lake. "She broke everything we built."

"Yes, she did," Glory agreed. "And she hurt and betrayed you. And you made her pay for it with the divorce."

Tony sighed, setting down his drink and rubbing his eyes behind his glasses.

"I've read her blog... She's owning her mistakes and all the hurt she caused her family. Have you even looked at it? She's trying. The question is, are you strong enough to see who she's become, or are you too busy protecting yourself from who she was?"

Tony wanted to argue. To tell her it wasn't about pride. Trust wasn't something you could just build back, because someone said they'd changed.

But hadn't he also changed? Hadn't the past two years reshaped him, too?

"You men of a certain age..." she shook her head with a small smile. "You were taught that strength means never showing vulnerability, never admitting when something hurts."

Glory let that hang between them. A long moment passed before she spoke again.

"My husband was the same way, probably worse. Never speaking about his feelings. Kept it all inside... because he always needed to show strength. Can't show the outside world weakness. He'd say. Then on that last day in the hospital, he opens up and lets it all out... then begs for my forgiveness. The hell was I going to do with that?"

Marcus pulled Glory in for a hug. Glory then sat back and continued.

"So I forgave him, but inside I mourned the marriage we could have had, if he'd let me in sooner."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Glory," said Tony.

"Water under the bridge." Waving her hand. "I've made my peace with it, and then through you I found Marcus. I got my second chance... But real strength, in your case?"

She waited until Tony met her eyes.

"It's admitting when your pride is costing you more than it's worth. It's standing in your pain and choosing love, anyway. That's the kind of strength that changes lives and heals families."

"I've forgiven her, Glory." Tony whispered. "I... but I don't trust her."

"No, it's about pride," Glory countered. "You can earn trust back. It takes time, but from what I've read on her blog, she spent the last two years earning it. But pride... that's the wall you've built around your heart. You're not afraid she'll hurt you. You're afraid people will see that she already did. That's what's keeping you from seeing what's right in front of you."

Tony thought about Sara's words at the hotel, about Cassie's frustration with him. About the way Giulia had looked in that midnight blue dress, so different from the woman who had betrayed him, yet somehow more authentically herself than ever. Not Julie the betrayer. Giulia, the believer.

He took another swig of beer.

"Either way, you'd better decide what you want, and act, before someone takes away your choices, or makes them for you."

She stood, squeezing Tony's shoulder as she passed. "Just remember... forgiveness isn't about erasing the past. It's about choosing to build a future, anyway. And that's the strongest thing a person can do."

Chapter 04 | Airless World

Tuesday January 6 2026 | 1 PM

Tony glanced around at the desolate landscape as he lazily propelled himself forward with his jump tank. This world held no oxygen and the low gravity allowed him to glide through the airspace. Easily bounding over mountains. No clouds, no water, no greenery whatsoever.

Just a stripped bare world of rocks, craters, hills, mountains and caverns.

The Starfield engulfed him as he floated. Stars as far as he could see. The stark beauty of this planet reminded him of how he had streamlined his life after the divorce.

The base he built here was simple. Just a circular pressurized room with a starship landing pad attached to one side. He added various technology accessories to make his life easier and even decorated the outside with an orange flag.

What he was most proud of was the underground garage he built under the landing pad that housed an ATV. It took a while to finagle the pieces into place, but the result was worth it.

The only storms on this planet were the hourly meteor showers that struck the surface.

Hundreds of potential wishes impacting the planet every hour. Burning, brilliant, brief. Raining down on a lifeless world. Just like regrets.

The attack was unexpected. He'd wandered too far from the safety of his base, too lost in the stars to notice until it was too late.

The flight of planetary protectors surrounded him, scanned him, and cast fiery judgement as his screen faded to black.

He leaned back on the couch, tossing the controller on the table. A phrase came on screen as his game regenerated to his last save point.

"I release what no longer serves me..."

--a common phrase for people seeking growth.--

He let out a slow breath. The game's philosophy was doing it to him again.

Calling him out more directly than two of his closest friends. What was it that the Atlas had said to him months ago?

"The simulation is flawed, but it is also perfect in its imperfection."

Both statements seemed to hit on the issues he was dealing with regarding Giulia.

The dinner conversation with Glory and Marcus roared back into focus.

"So, why are you having such a hard time? It's been almost two years. Are you better off?" Asked Glory.

"I am better off. I've rediscovered my creativity. Regained my physical and mental health. I've created a new life away from boardrooms and deadlines." replied Tony.

"Great, so what's missing?" said Marcus.

"I miss what I thought I had... the love and companionship that we'd built, the partner I thought she was. That's hard to find again, at my age."

"I can understand that." Said Glory, placing her hand gently on Marcus' lap with a squeeze.

"But would it be so hard to try again?" asked Glory.

"I... I don't see how I can. I keep seeing those videos playing in my head. It's like they overwrote all the amazing things we did together."

"Then choose to make newer, stronger memories. That's how Glory's helped me," Said Marcus.

Tony took the evening's verbal assault in stride. Their hearts were in the right place. And they weren't wrong. Pride had kept him tethered to the past. Fear had frozen him in place. And neither could build a future.

To be fair, he tried to make new memories.

In the last year, he'd been on dates with 3 different women. Had sex with 2 of them. The women were attractive, and the sex was... relieving. The only woman he found interesting... was not only younger... but ‌... achingly familiar.

"I release what no longer serves me..."

In the beginning, hating what Giulia did, had been consuming... draining.

"The simulation is flawed, but it is also perfect in its imperfection."

"Could it really be that simple? Just letting go of pride?" he thought. Take those last steps... embrace that their marriage was... imperfect... yet take the chance to become something... new.

Maybe the real question wasn't about second chances at all.

But about finding the courage to live again.

He sat there long after the screen went dark, the game's cryptic message echoing louder than expected.

"I release what no longer serves me."

He reached for his phone. Not to call Giulia.

But to make an appointment.

Chapter 05 | The Wound You Tend

Monday January 12, 2026 | 2 PM | Dr. Bowne's Office

The room was quiet, save for the low hum of the radiator.

Winter light slipped through half-closed blinds, catching the edges of the framed diplomas on the wall. Dr. Bowne sat across from him, her legs crossed, one hand resting on a worn leather notebook she rarely opened.

Tony sat with his arms folded, gaze fixed on a muted abstract painting behind her.

"I didn't think I'd come back this week. Thought I was done," he said finally.

"But you did," she replied, tone even. "Something brought you back."

He nodded, jaw tight. "The wedding. Giulia was there..."

A pause. He looked down at his hands.

"I'm not proud of my actions."

Dr. Bowne waited, letting the space breathe.

"We danced. I kissed her. Midnight. Fireworks, champagne, nostalgia... it all came rushing back. And for a moment, it felt right. Familiar." He exhaled through his nose. "Then I woke up beside her. And panicked."

"Because it felt wrong?"

His eyes finally met hers. "No. Because it felt like home..."

Tony shook his head.

"And I don't trust home anymore."

She tilted her head. "So you don't trust her. That's norm..."

"No!" he interrupted. "I don't trust me. To see clearly. To not get pulled back in."

Silence again. Thick with things unsaid.

"Do you want her back?"

Tony stared at the floor.

"I want peace. I want the ache to stop." His voice dropped. "But I don't know if that peace comes from going forward with her... or finally letting go."

"You've been circling that question for a while."

"I know." He ran a hand through his hair.

"The truth is, I forgave her a long time ago. I just didn't tell myself that."

"And the trust?"

He hesitated.

"I don't think I'll ever trust her the same way. But maybe that's not the point."

She waited.

He looked up. Voice steadier now.

"Maybe the point is... I'm allowed to build something different. Not because of what we had. Because of what we survived."

A long breath.

"And maybe it's not about trusting her perfectly. It's about trusting myself to handle whatever happens."

Dr. Bowne smiled... small, knowing.

"That sounds like a man who's made a decision."

Tony nodded. Slowly.

"Not about us. About me."

"I'm done punishing her for who she was. And done punishing myself for not knowing what to do with the grief."

She uncrossed her legs.

"So what now?"

He leaned forward, elbows to knees.

"I reach out. Not to start over. Just to talk. Face to face."

His voice softened. "I need to know that the man I am now... can face her without breaking."

 

Dr. Bowne nodded. "Then we've arrived."

Tony offered a faint smile.

"Took the scenic route."

She smiled back.

"The only one worth taking."

Chapter 06 | Text

Wednesday January 7 2026 | 10 AM

The flight home took longer than expected.

A snowstorm hit Midway. Canceled her connection, forcing her and Cassie to spend one more night in the desert hotel, watching clouds roll across red rock like ghosts with nowhere to go.

They'd stayed after the wedding, long enough to hike the park trails. Sandstone towers, quiet canyons. Beautiful in a way that made your chest hurt.

Now she was back.

The new dress was zipped into its garment bag. Her bags sat half-unpacked on the floor. The house, still and too large, greeted her like an old echo.

Giulia dropped into the chair in her writing nook. The cushion gave with a familiar sigh. She stared at the wall across from her, blank, white, patient.

A week without the blog had been good.

Her breath had come easier. She wasn't sure she wanted to pick it up again. But the words kept circling.

The mess with Tony... and the gentle detour with Arthur, her new actor friend... had given her new material to explore.

Her old blogs had been about forgiveness. Healing. Picking through broken things and figuring out which pieces were worth keeping.

But this was different.

Maybe it was time to write about what comes next, about moving forward. Finding love again. Not in the rom-com sense, but in the messy, uncertain space where trust has to grow back from scratch.

She glanced at her phone. A new email. Her agent.

The publisher's marketing team wanted a new angle for her upcoming book. A three-city mini tour. Readings. Meetups. Social Media. Press. It felt rushed.

Giulia frowned, rereading the message.

It wasn't a request. Just a heads-up. This had been in motion. They just needed her "go."

She thought back to her first tour. Sara had been barely walking. Tony juggling work. It had been chaos, sweet, but impossible chaos. Hotel breakfasts, daycare calls, exhaustion. She barely remembered the cities. But she remembered Tony carrying her bags, her baby, her fears.

A chime cut through the quiet.

She turned to her phone.

His name.

Just a flash on the screen, but enough.

Her heart skipped. One beat of hope. Another of dread.

She stared at the message. Didn't open it. Didn't breathe.

Not again.

She turned the phone face-down and pressed her palm to her chest, as if that might steady the ache.

She wasn't strong enough for rejection right now.

She'd survived too much to break again.

Thursday January 8 2026 | 11 AM | Texting Giulia

The session stayed with him. Not like a revelation, but like a bruise he kept pressing.

He didn't walk out of Dr. Bowne's office with a solution, just something better... resolve.

So he wrote the text. Simple. Honest.

Not to ask for anything. Just to stop hiding from the one person he'd been avoiding most.

Himself.

Delivered.

Unopened.

Unread.

He understood, not wanting to respond.

But not even wanting to know?

That... hurt.

Chapter 07 | Sara

Thursday January 8 2026 | 1 PM

"No. I'm not getting in between you two again," said Sara.

"I'm not asking you to," Tony replied. "Just... get her to respond. A text. Anything."

"Dad? You wanted the divorce. Maybe you should start acting like it."

He sighed. That heavy kind. "I just... I need to talk to her. Maybe for the last time. I'm free this weekend."

"She won't be home. She has... plans."

"You can say it. It's a date, right?"

She hesitated. "Yeah. With that actor from the wedding. He's in the city for auditions."

Tony had spent two years believing Giulia was alone too, that she was holding space, keeping a candle lit, but if she wasn't waiting anymore...

The thought hollowed him out more effectively than any argument ever could.

"Can you get her to respond?" he asked again, quieter this time.

Sara pinched the bridge of her nose, eyes closed. She'd been the glue too long. She was tired. And she wasn't sure it ever held.

"Fine," she said. "I'll try. No promises. She's hurting."

Tony's voice cracked just slightly.

"We both are, Sarabelle."

Chapter 08 | Date Night

Saturday January 10 2026 | 5 PM

Giulia moved through her old bedroom with practiced ease. She didn't sleep here anymore, but the smaller room downstairs had never really belonged to her.

At her vanity, she fastened a delicate gold earring. The lamplight was warm. The silence was not.

She had always known how to prepare for Tony. He liked when she left her hair loose, when she chose soft, elegant colors instead of bold ones.

But tonight wasn't about Tony.

She used to get so excited and a little nervous when preparing for a night out. But tonight, looking at herself in the mirror, she tried to feel something other than fear.

Her mind flashed back to the last time she prepared herself for a date. She had bought a new dress and undergarments, and couldn't contain her enthusiasm... but in the end, she never left the hotel room and ended up in the hospital.

Tonight would be different. There would be no hotel rooms and, against his disagreement, she told Arthur that she would meet him at the restaurant.

A soft chirp from her cell interrupted her thoughts. She knew it would be Tony. Sara had asked her earlier that day to respond... with anything.

She picked up her phone and opened the text.

Jules. Would you be open to meeting me? There are things we need to discuss. Please let me know.

She stared at the words, then rolled her eyes. Tony was no wordsmith, but he was direct.

I'm busy this weekend. Maybe another time.

Three dots appeared as she was putting the cell down.

With the actor?

The shortness of his question made her stomach tighten. Not anger, not jealousy... panic.

How dare he!?!?

Still NOT your business!!!

You're right. I'm sorry. Still need to talk. In person, preferably.

I leave tomorrow. Ten-day tour. Jan 21st, 2PM? Meadows?

Can we meet at the house instead?

I'll be in the city that morning.

That's Ok. I'll come early and prepare lunch while I wait for you.

[...]

[...]

[...]

Fine.

She refused to let Tony ruin another night for her.

She placed the cell down and dusted a soft bronzer along her cheekbones, blending with precision before reaching for her lipstick... a deep shade of red, bold but not too loud.

She stepped into the dress, silk, understated, cut just right.

Vanilla and sandalwood clung to her wrists.

The mirror reflected gray strands, softened lines, the steadiness of someone who'd come undone and stitched herself back together.

This night wasn't for Arthur.

Not even for Tony.

It was for her.

And that was enough.

She gathered her clutch and cell and left the house, ready for her date.

Chapter 09 | Boston

Friday January 16 2026 | 9 PM

Giulia locked the door behind her and leaned back, exhaling.

One day left on the tour. One last day, of listening to her growing community and their stories as they talked about their lives and her forthcoming book.

Her perfume still lingered. A ghost of last night's glamour. Two more book store sessions and a late dinner with Aspen, her publisher's event marketer. It had been a full day.

She hadn't expected the book tour to work this well.

Her first one had come after the book. This one came before it.

But Aspen explained that since her blog had so much positive energy going for it, her fans would want to spend time with her, listening to her read and discussing excerpts from her forthcoming book. The goal was to drive pre-release orders.

And drive them, it did.

Aspen's giddy report over dinner proved the risk had been worth it. Pre-orders were climbing by the hundreds, and online buzz was building. The in person events were super successful, and releasing them as online videos was trending positively.

Giulia was happy for Aspen, as this event was her baby, but she was looking forward to flying back to NY tomorrow, for the final two store sessions... and home.

Kicking off her heels, she exhaled and padded across the plush carpet, unfastening her earrings and dropping them onto the dresser with a quiet clink.

She shrugged off her coat, draping it over the chair before heading to the bathroom, where she wiped away the evening's carefully applied makeup, watching her reflection shift from polished to bare. The cool water against her skin was grounding, but the silence pressed in as she changed into a soft pajama.

Sitting cross-legged on the bed, back against the headboard, she swiped on Cassie's number. She had let a call from Cassie go to voicemail during dinner.

"Hey sis, am I calling too late?" asked Giulia

"Nope, still early for me. How's the tour going?"

"It's been an amazing and exhausting experience. It's one thing to pour your heart out on a forum and interact with readers, but something entirely different when you are sitting in front of 50 to 60 people, listening to their heartbreaks and stories."

"Wow. Sounds like a lot of women needed an outlet to be heard and heal."

"Not just women, Cass. There've been a surprising amount of men that attended the sessions and opened up. Heartbreak and infidelity go both ways. It was... enlightening, to say the least."

"Hmm... maybe you should add a dating tab to the site," said Cassie.

"Right, cause I'm so good at matchmaking." laughed Giulia.

After a few seconds of hesitation, "He texted me before I left," Giulia said. "Wants to meet. In person."

"Tony?"

"Yeah."

A pause.

"After everything?"

"Exactly."

"You're gonna meet him?"

"Wednesday. Lunch. At the house."

Cassie didn't answer right away.

"I used to admire that man, but this whole situation has changed my perception of him. He pissed me off in South Dakota."

"Retract the claws, Cass... this is all my fault. I pushed him into a position he never expected to be in."

Cassie didn't answer right away.

"I get it," she said finally. "I just... I don't want you waiting around for a man who doesn't know what he wants."

"I know. South Dakota still stings," she said. "But this conversation? It's the last one."

"And after that?" asked Cassie.

"I move on. With or without him."

Chapter 10 | Westchester

Sunday January 19 2026 | 5 PM

The bags were unpacked. The tour already fading.

Giulia wandered the house, letting the memories brush against her like static.

And one deluded exchange.

The house had been full of life for over 25 years, longer, if you count its legacy. Built by Tony's grandparents in the 50s, passed to his father, then to Tony...

So much history, so much love.

This house had always been full. Kids. Chaos. Sunday mornings.

It wasn't built for one person and a ghost.

That's why she had to leave.

New year's eve with Tony was the last straw, of many last straws.

She tried so hard to show how remorseful she was. Accepted all the responsibility for her actions. Did not fight the divorce... hoping that he could find a way to forgive her. But waking up in his arms and then watching him leave.... Again... was too much for her.

She was ready to let go. She spent two years forcing herself forward, even when it hurt. And yet, as she stood in the kitchen, memories of the first time Tony introduced her to his parents and Nana.

Scott's face when he realized that his room used to be his dad's and that his parents probably had sex in there. Sara's tantrum at Giulia for not letting her go to Cancun with Em.

The writer's nook would be the hardest to leave.

He built it for her. Before everything broke. Before the words became therapy instead of joy.

So many little things that he used to do for her... but the baggage that this house represented was a weight she could no longer bear as she moved forward with her life.

Arthur may not be her future, but at least he didn't leave her shivering under old memories.

With him, she could be present.

The talk with Tony was set. Wednesday.

One last conversation.

One final straw, laid atop the pile she'd carried for too long.

Chapter 11 | Sara

Tuesday January 20 2026 | 7 PM

Giulia held her breath as the call nearly went to voicemail. Then...

"Hey, Mom. Sorry. Left my phone in the bedroom. You still on tour?"

"Hi Sara. No. I've been back since Sunday. They dropped the tour schedule by two days. I've been home... thinking."

"Oh oh. You already spoke with dad?"

"No.... That's tomorrow. He's coming over here for lunch."

"Any idea what he wants to talk about?" asked Sara.

"No, but I have some things I need to discuss as well."

"Well, good luck with that. I just hope you guys finally figure it out. Speaking of, how did the date go last week?"

"It was nice."

"Nice?"

"It was."

"That's code for 'no spark.'"

"That's not true." Giulia added. "He's nice, and we had a good time. Entertaining conversation over good food and drinks. It was a fun first date. We even kissed goodbye."

"Buuuuut..."

"But... At the end of the night, he asked me up to his hotel room... And I refused. He called it childish. Said we were adults. But I didn't feel like an adult at that moment. All I could see was myself in that hospital bed. Broken."

"Oh, mom... I'm so sorry. Do you want me to come over?"

"No, it's ok. I'm good. He texted an apology in the morning before his flight. We're ok. I just want to get through tomorrow and then keep pushing forward. A lot of good things are happening to me right now, between the blog site and the book and even Arthur. I didn't expect dating for a relationship to be easy at my age."

Sara could hear it, the calm, the steadiness in her mother's voice that hadn't been there a year ago.

"I love you, Mom."

"I love you too."

"And hey... I'm proud of you. You've come a long way. No matter what happens tomorrow."

Chapter 12 | NY Meeting

Wednesday January 21 2026 | 11 AM

The pit in Giulia's chest deepened as the meeting came to a close. It was time to go home and face Tony. With half smiles, she accepted the congratulatory handshakes as Aspen guided her out of the room towards reception.

By all measures, the meeting had gone well. She watched the presenters speak and the slides shift.

Pre-orders had spiked by 2000 and the trends across bookstores and online platforms pointed up. Online buzz and social mentions and engagement were positive and also trending up. Early reviews from industry publications were mixed, but generally positive.

Aspen received praise for her hybrid book/social community tour idea and the effort contributing to those numbers.

Giulia tried smiling back at the presenters as they spoke to her and the senior editorial staff, but she just didn't have it in her to show the great enthusiasm they expected.

She ate another muffin she didn't want as she thought about the spice rack. The fridge. The love letter she hadn't thrown out.

Manic didn't begin to cover it, restocked the fridge and even watered the plants.

"It's just lunch..." she told herself.

Then why had she spent an hour picking out the perfect dress? A summer dress in January. The same one she'd worn the weekend he first called her beautiful in front of his mother. Who does that?

Why had she worn his favorite perfume?

Why had she left the last fragment of his love letter on the counter... as if it might answer a question he hadn't yet asked?

What was she expecting? That Tony would walk in, see her, see it, and remember?

Or was it all just a relic now... like everything else she couldn't seem to let go of?

Aspen's voice pulled her out of her thoughts. They were in the reception area.

"Giulia?"

"Oh... sorry Aspen... just lost in thought..."

"No worries." she laughed, rolling her eyes. "Those meetings can be really boring with all the numbers. I want to thank you for being so open and agreeing to do the pre-release tour. You could have easily said no. It helped me a lot today."

"Not a problem. You were a fun travel buddy and hopefully we'll get to do it again."

"100%. I'm already working on a west coast week and some conferences."

"Sorry that I was off in there. I have lunch with Tony today."

"OH! That's great!" said Aspen.

"Hmm?" said Giulia, with furrowed brows.

"You'll have new content coming out."

Giulia gave her a stern look and shook her head.

Aspen grinned. "Sorry. That sounded mean. I really hope that it goes how you want. I've been reading your blog posts for months, and I want a happy ending for you."

Giulia gave a noncommittal shrug. "I don't even know what that looks like anymore."

Aspen tilted her head, considering. "Then maybe that's the real question. What do you want? Not what you think you should want. What do you actually want?"

Giulia opened her mouth, then closed it.

What did she want?

A kiss that meant forgiveness? An apology that healed old cracks? A reason to finally let go?

She didn't know. Not yet.

"Good luck" as she gave Giulia a hug goodbye. "Rooting for you partner." Raising both hands with crossed fingers.

The elevator doors opened as Giulia followed the push of the crowd. Aspen's words ringing through her thoughts. "I really hope that it goes how you want.... I want a happy ending for you."

She wasn't sure what things going her way looked like, and a happy ending was lost in obscurity.

The cool January air cut through the warmth she'd built up inside. She pulled her coat in tight, ready to face the weight of what came next. And the question she couldn't answer...

What do I want?

Chapter 13 | Lunch

Wednesday January 21, 2026 | 9:00 AM | Lake House

The trunk clicked shut.

Groceries packed. Homemade dough in its container, fresh toppings packed neatly. The grill-top pizza oven, already loaded. He checked his watch. He still had time.

But the nerves were back. Low, steady, uninvited.

The crunch of tires on gravel pulled his eyes up. Jon's car rolled into the driveway.

"Wasn't expecting you this morning," Tony said as Jon stepped out, holding a small toolbox.

"Thought you might want your set back," Jon said, holding it out. "Figured you'd need all the right tools today."

Tony gave a soft chuckle, but Jon's expression didn't shift.

"You all right?" Jon asked, leaning against the car.

"Not sure," Tony admitted. "Heading down early to get things started. Figured I'd cook, talk... see where it leads."

Jon nodded, watching him closely. "She texted Sara last night. Said she couldn't sleep."

Tony looked down. "Neither could I."

A pause settled between them. Not awkward, just quiet.

Jon broke it.

"Can I tell you something?"

"Of course."

"There was a point, right after Sara told me she might want an open marriage... where I was done. I felt humiliated, betrayed. I packed a bag. Thought I'd leave."

Tony's head turned sharply. "You never told me that."

Jon gave a sad smile. "Didn't want to disappoint you. You and Mom always seemed solid... until you weren't."

"We weren't," Tony said softly.

"I know," Jon said. "It's a good thing I had that business trip scheduled. Gave me time to think it through... and I came back. Not because I wasn't angry, or scared. But because I saw who Sara was when she was scared too. And I realized, if I left, I wouldn't just be punishing her. I'd be punishing myself. I'd be giving up the one person who continues to choose me."

Tony swallowed hard. "It's not the same."

"No," Jon agreed. "But it's not that different either."

 

The morning air stilled. A bird chirped somewhere high in the pines.

"You've always been the strongest person I know," Jon said. "But strength isn't staying angry. Sometimes it's staying open. Even when everything in you wants to close."

Tony nodded slowly, the words sinking deeper than he expected.

"Whatever you decide today," Jon said, reaching to clap his father-in-law's shoulder, "just make sure it's a decision. Don't let fear write your ending."

"We still on for dinner tonight?" asked Tony.

"Definitely. We're picking up Scott and Liv at the station. We should be over around 5 - 5:30. We'll bring desserts and wine."

Tony nodded. He'd invited the kids over to the house for a surprise dinner to celebrate Giulia's book tour.

Jon turned toward his car, then paused. "Oh, and Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"Try not to burn the crust this time."

Tony huffed a laugh. "No promises. Besides, a little burn adds flavor."

Jon drove off. Gravel. Sunlight. Silence.

Tony stood still.

The car hood warmed. His chest didn't.

But something in him shifted.

Time to cook. And maybe, finally, to speak.

12 PM | Westchester Home

The dough was rising. Giulia's Nonna's recipe. He hadn't made it in years.

The toppings and the grill top pizza oven were all ready to go, waiting for the sound of the garage door to open.

He had been there since 10:30. Making sure everything was ready for lunch, and hopefully a civil conversation. The kitchen was clean... too clean. It didn't feel lived in. It felt... paused.

All except the plastic bag left on the counter filled with scraps of paper. He almost threw it out until, after closer inspection, he realized what he was holding.

His first love letter to Giulia at college.

The one he wrote, then ruined in the wash. Back pocket mistake. He took it out of the bag and ran his fingers over the fragile, wrinkled paper, feeling the uneven ridges where they had once tried... so pathetically... to tape it back together, making it look more like a ransom note, than a letter filled with love.

She kept this?

It was a great memory. He remembered the words he wrote sounded cheesy, but his heart was in the right place. Giulia didn't care though, he admitted that he loved her, and they spent the rest of the afternoon and evening skipping classes and making love all over his dorm room.

His chest tightened. After everything... after two years of silence, after the divorce, after South Dakota... she still had it. Not packed away. Not forgotten. Sitting out like a reminder.

Why now? Why here?

She was dating the actor. He was the one making her laugh, touching her, kissing her.

His jaw tightened, heat creeping up the back of his neck before he could stop it.

The ridiculous, irrational jealousy boiled up fast... so fast it caught him off guard. The letter crinkled in his grip, and he forced himself to set it down before he tore it in half.

What the hell was he doing? Tony paced the kitchen.

What if he'd come to rebuild... and she'd already packed up the past? What if this wasn't a door... it was a goodbye?

His stomach twisted at the thought.

Sara's voice from the other day echoed back at him. "If you don't know what you want, let her go."

And maybe that was the real problem. He had spent two years avoiding the question.

He looked around at the silent house. Her perfume was faint, her plants still green. But it no longer felt like his life. Just the echo of the one he left behind.

The ticking of the kitchen clock hammered against his ribs like a countdown to something he wasn't ready for.

The world outside hadn't changed... but inside him, something had shifted.

What did he want?

Chapter 14 | Home Again

Giulia pulled into the driveway. Her stomach was tight, her fingers ice-cold despite the car's heater. She continued into the garage, shut her car and just sat there as the garage door closed. Tony's car in it's spot beside hers.

She had spent days convincing herself that this was nothing more than a polite meeting between two people who had untangled their lives from each other.

So why did it feel like stepping into that house might break her all over again?

What did Tony want to talk about? He didn't call or reach out after South Dakota. Didn't try to explain what happened.

Then he calls and texts her about wanting to meet face to face. This wasn't casual. And couldn't just be closure.

So what does he want?

Her grip tightened on the wheel. Is Meredith back in the picture? Does he want to say goodbye for good?

Or... does he want to fix things?

The idea sent a flicker of something dangerous through her chest... hope.

But she stomped it out just as quickly. "No." she said. She couldn't let herself believe that.

Not after everything that had happened. "And especially not after South Dakota." she thought in anger.

But then, after a deep sigh... Not after she'd finally built a life outside of him.

She gathered her things and stepped out of the garage and into the mudroom, pausing for a breath before pushing the door open.

The soft scents of dough and tomatoes drifted through the house, wrapping around her like a memory. For a second, she just stood there, listening... the soft scrape of a knife against the cutting board, the rhythmic kneading of dough against the counter.

This used to be what home sounded like.

Tony was standing by the counter surrounded by bowls of sauce and toppings, as he kneaded a dough.

"Nonna's pizza." She thought, as images of him working shoulder to shoulder with her Nonna, determined to get the recipe right, warmed her heart.

"Hi Tony."

"Jules, hey." he said, brushing some flour off hands. "Do you need like 15 minutes to clean up before I put the pizzas in the oven?"

"Yea, but 10 is fine. I just want to change."

"Ok, see you soon."

She saw the crumpled love letter on the counter, creased, worn, familiar. Part of her wanted to smooth it flat. Part of her wanted to let it be.

She exhaled and let it go, moving toward the stairs. If he wanted to talk about it, he would. And if he didn't... Well, maybe that was answer enough.

Walking into the bedroom, she stripped and tossed her clothes onto the chair. Blazer, pants, bra, shedding the professional woman's visage.

She picked up the summer dress from the bed, the one that held their memories... and decided against it.

Remembering the past wouldn't help them.

Instead she chose a button down green damask sundress and held it to her frame, standing before the full-length mirror. She'd bought it before everything went wrong... before she changed... when she loved to look good for Tony.

Her reflection watched with quiet patience, waiting to see who she'd choose to be.

The fabric was silky soft as she slid her arms through and wrapped herself in the dress. She buttoned it slowly, watching herself in the mirror... not just seeing, but recognizing.

The woman looking back at her wasn't the same one who had fallen apart in this house. She wasn't the desperate wife, begging for forgiveness.

She paused, eyes closed. She wasn't the crone who got lost looking for more.

She was here. And she was enough.

Moving onto the bed, she slid on thick comfy house socks.

With a last look in the mirror and a smile, she walked out the door and down the stairs.

Not the woman she had been. Not yet the woman she was becoming.

But one ready to face whatever came next... with hope.

Chapter 15 | Final Prep

Giulia paused as she reached the last step. The sounds of 80s new wave, Tony scraping dough and his footsteps surfaced memories of their past life.

The kitchen, that had been mostly dormant for the last two years, pulsed with energy.

Turning the corner, Tony was at the counter, rolling out a second dough with practiced precision.

He didn't look up immediately, focused on kneading, stretching, and shaping. The familiar rhythm of it was almost hypnotic.

She moved to the sink, washing her hands, letting the warm water soothe her nerves.

"Sauce is ready," he said without looking up.

"Everything smells amazing," she replied, reaching for a towel to dry her hands. It felt easy. Familiar.

"Is there anything that I can do to help?"

"Yep, can you finish setting the table? I brought wine and made ice tea. Not sure which you wanted."

"Wine sounds great." Said Giulia, walking into the kitchen, with measured steps. Her heart steadying itself with every breath.

She moved through the kitchen, hands finding plates, glasses, silverware.

The rhythm came back like breath, unspoken, automatic.

All the while, stepping around Tony as he finished placing toppings on the first pizzas, like they always had in the kitchen. It was a dance they had perfected over decades, and even after two years apart, they still knew the steps.

It wasn't just the ease of movement. It was the moments in between.

The way their bodies angled toward each other without them realizing it.

And then... the moment everything changed.

She reached for the salt.

He did too.

She should've known better.

She'd always known his rhythm.

Until now.

But her fingers kept going, and his hand covered hers...

They both stilled.

His head turned up, and he really looked at her.

Not just a glance. Not just recognition. He saw her.

The green dress. The way it hugged her figure, the way she held herself... not like the woman who had fallen apart, but a woman who had rebuilt herself.

He had told himself she was different now, beyond the way the dress fit her, or the way her shorter hair framed her face.

She had changed into someone new. But standing this close, her warmth pressing into his skin, the scent of her perfume threading through the air, he understood the truth... she hadn't become someone else; she had become more herself.

And she wasn't waiting for him anymore.

Giulia swallowed, but she didn't pull away. Her pulse beat against his fingertips, and Tony realized he was holding her hand just a little too long.

He let go. Slowly.

"Jules..." his voice came out rough, unsteady.

She met his gaze.

She had spent months believing she was invisible to him... that she was nothing more than a ghost in his world. But now, as his fingers rested over hers, as his gaze finally... finally... held her in place, she realized she had been wrong... because in this moment; she had never felt more seen.

"Tony..."

His name hovered between them, unfinished. For a second, she thought... maybe... he'd finally say what he had come here to say. But the moment stretched, then slipped through their fingers like sand.

"... let's eat..."

"Right..." His fingers flexed once before retreating completely. Letting go was the right thing. But damn if it didn't feel like the hardest thing he had done in years.

"Oven's ready. Let me get these babies out there."

Giulia didn't move. Her hand drifted to her chest, as if to quiet her heart. She said nothing. But her silence filled the room like a held breath.

"I'll bring out the serving platters," she said softly.

Chapter 16 | Small Talk

The smells of tomatoes and crispy bread filled the kitchen and dining area with warmth.

Giulia had been alone in the house for nearly two years and she missed these moments.

They ate and spoke about neutral topics like Giulia's successful blog and book tour.

Tony's decision to quit his job and his growing desire to refocus on his love of photography.

Finishing their last bites, they ended the discussion by talking about their impressions of Em's wedding. The conversations were polite and easy, avoiding anything near their deeper emotions. They knew this banter was essentially meaningless. Only a way to enjoy their potential last meal and get comfortable before the real talking begins.

Tony poured them another glass of wine as they moved into the living room for the main event. Giulia placed two coasters and her glass on the table, then sat on the couch, positioning herself to give Tony room to sit, only to be disappointed when he sat on the nearby chair.

Tony watched as she repositioned herself, crossed her legs, then smoothed her dress out, giving him an uncomfortable smile.

She picked up her glass of wine before leaning back.

"You said there was something you wanted to talk about. Want to start?"

He was fishing. Anything to break the surface.

"That can wait till later."

"You look great." He said. "I see you went back to the floral scent... I liked the new vanilla one."

"Thank you. Just a habit to wear the older scent, I guess." It thrilled her he noticed her fragrance. But she was on edge as she had never seen him be so... careful with his words. "But I don't think you wanted to talk about my perfume choice. What is this about Tony?" she asked nervously.

"Yeah, ok... The actor... Have my actions pushed you towards him?"

Giulia sat up and placed her glass on the coaster. Tony's mixed signals were confusing over lunch, but now she was getting angry.

"That's still none of your business. Jesus! Yes, I've been seeing someone. That's what people do... after divorce. I can't believe that you came here to talk about who I'm dating. What if I asked you how you felt fucking Meredith in our bed? Would you be so forthcoming and..."

"She was you," Tony said quietly, cutting through her tirade like a blade.

"What...?"

The words landed... unexpectedly. She had spent two years convincing herself that Tony had written her off completely, that he had no desire to even try again. But now, hearing this... knowing he had been searching for pieces of her in someone else... it made her stomach twist.

He had moved on. But not really.

"Meredith was an intelligent andvery sexual young woman. An excellent conversationalist, and was desperately searching for her big break as a serious writer, while hoping to get married and start a family. She was... you."

"Tony... no..." was all Giulia could get out before biting her lower lip.

"I waited a while, after our divorce, before I would even consider dating. Friends set me up on two hilariously disastrous dates with two different women before Meredith reached out. It was effortless how easily she just fit into my life."

Giulia sat stunned. Understanding how close she was to losing him... to a younger version of herself, no less. He leaned back in the chair as she stared into his eyes.

She could no longer read him like she used to.

Recollecting her thoughts, she asked, "What happened in South Dakota? Why did you leave?"

Tony swallowed hard, his fingers tightening around the stem of his wine glass. He had promised himself he wouldn't talk about South Dakota... that it was one more thing better left in the past. But looking at her now, her eyes searching him for something real, something true, he knew he couldn't keep it buried.

"I'm sorry about that," he said finally, his voice low. "Not my best moment."

"Everything about the wedding... dancing, the New Year's Eve kiss, and then waking up with you in my arms felt natural. Too natural. When you opened your eyes and smiled at me... It felt like our first time at college, I wanted you, but then all I could see were flashbacks of the videos... from that club. I just couldn't stay."

Giulia leaned forward, dropping her face into her hands. "How long will I be paying for my mistake?" she thought. Surprised at how hard his words kept hitting her, but no, she had already taken responsibility for those actions. Wiping her eyes, she turned her head.

"Thank you for being honest, and I'm sorry you felt that way. The actor... I mean, Arthur was a gentleman. He's funny and charming. We talked for hours. We may try to go out again at some point, but he lives in California. So... not so easy for us," said Giulia.

"Yes. What happened in South Dakota forced me to be open... to dating." She said.

Tony nodded. He watched as she pushed stray hairs away from her face, behind her ear. Regaining her composure.

"I understand. Thank you for answering," said Tony.

Giulia gave him a confused look. This couldn't be what he wanted to talk about. Then, as if on cue...

Tony watched her, his throat dry. This was it. The moment he had run from in every text left unsent, every night spent alone. Two years of silence collapsing into this one fragile question.

He should let it go. Should let her go. But the words burned in his chest, rising before he could stop them.

"The reason that I wanted to talk in person was because... I needed to know if we're really over," he finally admitted, voice raw.

Her breath hitched. For all the ways she had prepared herself for this lunch, she hadn't expected him to be the one to break first.

"This is what you wanted..." she said. "You made your point very clear during the divorce. I'm damaged goods..." she said.

"I was... angry back then. I said a lot of things... You told me to be okay with it. With you and other men."

"And you called me boring. Old-fashioned. Like that was a bad thing."

Giulia laughed, shaking her head. "Yes, I did. That still fucking haunts me... every goddamn day, when I walk into the kitchen."

She looked away, her heart hammering in her chest. This was too much. Too soon. If she didn't pull away now, she wasn't sure she could.

Tony swallowed hard, the confession slamming into him harder than any accusation ever had.

It wasn't defiance in her voice.

It was grief.

It was the sound of someone still standing inside the wreckage she had caused, without making excuses for it.

"Tony, I can't give you an answer. This is... beyond unexpected." She said, her voice quieter now.

His thumb scraped absently along the rim of his glass, needing something solid to hold on to.

She looked down at her hands. The heat between them had turned into something else, tight, cornered.

She needed an out.

"I need to get out of this house. Can we sell it?"

Tony shook his head in surprise. "No... I can't.... won't sell this house. It's my family's legacy. Do you need money? I can take some from my 401K, or you can move to the lake house."

"No. I don't need money and the lake house won't work. That was supposed to be our retirement. Going there would be just... just as bad. I need to get away."

"To California?"

"I don't know... I just can't be here."

"This house makes me forget who I've become."

"Selling this house isn't part of our divorce agreement. You have no claim."

"I know it's not mine. I don't want it. I just... can't be in it."

Tony reached forward and grabbed both glasses.

"Let's clean up. Give ourselves a few seconds to breathe. Then maybe we can talk for real."

"Fine..." said Giulia.

But she wasn't fine. She was unraveling by inches... and holding it together with nothing but spite and the last threads of pride.

Chapter 17 | ????Clean Up, Clean Up????

They rose, ‌‌each trying to let the other pass first in an awkward back-and-forth dance, until Tony stopped, stepped back and moved his hand toward the dining room, allowing Giulia to pass.

The scrape of chairs against the hardwood floor broke the silence first, followed by the soft clinking of dishes as they gathered the remnants of lunch.

Neither spoke as they moved toward the kitchen, the conversation from the living room hanging between them like an unfinished sentence.

Giulia stacked their plates, walking ahead of Tony, not looking back... not because she didn't want to, but because she wasn't sure what she'd see if she did.

Tony followed a step behind, rubbing a hand over his jaw, exhaling as if trying to steady himself.

The silence wasn't awkward. It was the waiting.

 

 

The familiar sounds of the kitchen filled the space... the rush of water, the clink of dishes, the scrape of utensils against ceramic. It should have been routine, but nothing about this felt routine.

Tony washed, Giulia dried. Tony filled the dishwasher. Giulia snapped lids on the leftover containers before placing them in the refrigerator.

They moved around each other, wordlessly slipping into a rhythm that had once been second nature.

Their hands brushed. Once. Twice.

Each time, neither of them pulled away too quickly.

It wasn't deliberate.

But it wasn't accidental either.

Giulia reached for a dish towel, just as Tony did. Their fingers overlapped.

Neither of them moved.

His skin was warm against hers, and for a second... just a breath of a second... he flexed his fingers before slowly pulling back.

She swallowed, gripping the towel a little too tightly before turning back to the dishes.

Another moment.

She brushed past him to grab a glass from the counter, her arm ghosting against his chest.

Tony felt it. She knew he did.

And yet, he didn't move away.

Neither did she.

The next touch lingered longer.

She reached for a bowl, and his hand came down at the same time to steady it. His fingertips skimmed the inside of her wrist.

A slow inhale. A held breath.

Neither spoke.

But neither let go, either.

Giulia stepped onto her toes, reaching to place a plate on the drying rack.

Tony watched the movement, the way her dress shifted with her body, the way her hair fell loose over her shoulder.

Something low and deep inside him twisted.

Then, before he even thought about it, he stepped in behind her, reaching over to place another plate on the rack.

His chest hovered just behind her back. Not touching, but close enough to feel the warmth radiating off her skin.

His hand settled on the small of her back to steady himself.

Not firm. Not possessive. Just there. Warm, steady, grounding.

Giulia held her breath.

The air between them shifted, going from something fragile to something inevitable.

Tony felt her exhale beneath his fingertips, the slow, deliberate rise and fall of her breath.

His pulse pounded in his ears.

His fingers flexed slightly. Not a request. Just an unspoken question.

And she didn't step away.

She turned her head just slightly, enough that he could see the rapid flutter of her pulse at her throat, the way her lips parted, the way she was waiting.

This was the moment.

Move forward, or move apart.

There was no middle ground anymore.

Then, as if sensing her need for space, Tony stepped back, his hands falling to his sides. He watched as Giulia gathered herself, her body trembling with a decision too big for words.

Her head and shoulders dropped. Hands cradling her face as her body shudders.

Is she crying?

"Tony... I..." Her breath was uneven as she swallowed hard.

I won't ask him to take me back. I can't.

But I can show him I'm still here... if he wants to come home. she thought.

He reached out and brushed his fingers across her shoulder. He wasn't sure if he was steadying her or himself. The words rose in his throat, unsteady, unsure... but true.

"Giulia... Jules... I forgive you. I'm having trouble forgetting, but I forgive you."

Her body shook at his words, and her arms were moving.

"Tony..." she whispered, her voice barely there. "I'm terribly afraid." Her eyes met his, unguarded now. "I need you to know that."

He stepped back watching her turn towards him.

She hadn't been crying. She'd unbuttoned her dress... all except for one button.

The top button.

The fabric parted down her body, revealing the soft swell of her breasts, the gentle curve of her stomach, the green silk of her underwear. A single lock of hair fell across her collarbone, as if trying to preserve one last sliver of modesty.

Her breathing came in slow, uneven waves... less seduction than surrender, less heat than hope.

Tony's breath came rough and uneven. He had imagined this moment, feared it, wanted it, and ran from it. And now? Now it was right in front of him, waiting, breathing, watching.

"One button left. I want you. I need you. But only if we can build something new. Together."

Her fingers hovered at the last button, her breath uneven as she swallowed hard.

She wasn't just offering herself. She was offering everything. In a way that she never had before. It terrified her.

The last button stood between them, the barrier between the past and something new. Something terrifying. Inevitable.

"If you don't want me," Giulia said, voice shaking, "if you don't want this, just say it. But if you do, Tony... let's stop running."

The ticking of the hallway clock faded beneath the pounding of their hearts...

Not waiting for permission...

Just waiting for a choice.

Chapter 18 | "If You Do..." | 1 PM

For a single, agonizing second, Tony stood still, caught between the wreckage of the past and the trembling hope in her eyes, of a different future.

His breath hitched.

The weight of every sleepless night, every whispered what-if, every memory that refused to fade, tightened in his chest.

And then he chose.

One half step forward, electricity bursting through his chest.

It was all she needed.

Giulia surged toward him, crashing into his lips like a wave finally breaking against the shore. The kiss, powerful... infused with passion and desperation.

Her fingers twisted into his shirt, yanking him closer, and he answered her with equal force. His hands buried in her hair, his mouth fierce and desperate against hers.

This wasn't gentle.

It wasn't careful.

It was two years of aching need collapsing in on itself.

No words.

There was nothing left to say.

Only the frantic rush of their breathing filled the room, then the clatter of a glass tumbling into the sink, the soft thud of a bag of flour tipping over, and the low, broken moan she gave as Tony pinned her against the kitchen counter.

She clawed at the buttons of his shirt, breaking some, as the fabric gave way. He responded in kind, his hands grasping her dress and ripping the last button off, baring the silk and heat beneath.

He lifted her easily, hoisting her onto the counter with a strength born of memory and muscle. Her legs wrapped around his hips, her breasts arching into him, a silent demand, a plea written in every movement.

She tore at his belt; he ripped her thong. No patience. No pause.

She guided him to her core with no hesitation, no fear.

This was not about seduction. This was a mutual reclamation.

Tony entered her in one fluid thrust, their bodies finally, finding each other again. A gasp tore from Giulia's throat, answered by the ragged groan in his. Her legs wrapped around and held him in place as she ground her pelvis against him.

They moved together like a memory rediscovered. Like instinct reawakened. Like home, rebuilt by touch.

Her head fell back, his mouth finding the curve of her throat, his fingers digging into her hips as if she might disappear again. She clutched at his back, his shoulders, his hair, anything to keep him close, anything to keep the moment from slipping away.

Nothing but the chorus of breath, skin and need.

They burned.

Against the cool marble beneath her, against the fractured history between them, they set everything alight. Not to erase the past, but to forge something new from the ashes.

When the wave crested and broke between them, they stiffened and shook to the pulse of their mutual release. It was less of an explosion and more of a collapse, breathless, exhausted, undone.

Tony's forehead pressed to hers, both of them trembling, their bodies still locked together, hearts racing in sync.

She didn't cry. He didn't speak.

They just held.

And for the first time in three years... they felt whole.

Outside, the world kept spinning. Inside, time had stopped... just long enough for them to find their way back.

Chapter 19 | Shower | 2 PM

They held onto each other tightly as Giulia's hips ground soft circles against him, her body stiffening a second time, as their breath mingled in soft gasps.

The world outside the kitchen was unimportant. In this moment, it was just them, tangled limbs, flushed skin, and the quiet aftermath of something bigger than either of them had prepared for.

Giulia let out a soft laugh, her lips brushing the corner of his mouth. "We're a mess."

Tony's chest rose and fell against hers as he caught his breath, still buried in the weight of what they'd just shared. "Yeah," he murmured, pressing his lips gently to her hair.

"But the right kind of mess."

She smiled and ran her fingers through his hair. "I really do like your longer hair... We should clean up."

Tony lifted his head slowly, eyes locking with hers. "Together."

There was no hesitation this time.

******

The bathroom was warm, quiet. The steady rhythm of the shower calming the storm echoing in their chest.

Steam curled around their bodies as they stepped beneath the gentle spray, as it kissed their skin.

They didn't rush.

Tony reached first, taking the bar of soap from the ledge. His touch was slow, reverent, as he washed her arms, her back, his palms gliding over her skin like he was relearning her shape. There was nothing sexual in it.

Just the awe of presence. Of forgiveness.

Giulia closed her eyes, letting him touch her. Letting him feel her.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. The water on her face wasn't just water anymore. She didn't hide the tears. She didn't have to.

Tony's hands stilled for a moment. Then he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her shoulder.

"I wanted to let you go," he said, voice low, like it had taken years to form the words. "I told myself I had. But I didn't."

She turned in his arms, water falling between them. Her hands rose to his chest, fingers tracing the lines of muscle and memory. She washed him gently, the soap gliding over his skin with quiet devotion.

"I tried too," she said. "I tried so hard."

He cupped her cheek, his thumb brushing under her eye, catching the tear she hadn't meant to shed. "I know."

Their foreheads met again, breath shared in the thick warmth of the steam.

"I missed you," she whispered, like it was a secret she'd kept even from herself.

His hands slid to her waist. "I missed us."

She pulled back just slightly, enough to look him in the eyes. Her voice steadied.

"I never set out to end up there," she said. "I won't say it was an accident... or a mistake. That's just a way of saying it wasn't my fault. It was. I made a series of bad choices. I failed to communicate with you. I didn't give you the chance to be the good man I know you are."

Tony swallowed, but didn't speak. He let her continue.

"Maybe we couldn't have saved our marriage. Maybe things had already gone off the rails. But I didn't give us that chance. And I deeply regret that. I always will."

The water ran between them, soft and relentless.

She saved his face for last. Her hands were soft but unflinching as they passed over his jaw, his temples, his mouth, cleansing not just his skin, but the years between them.

He washed her hair like he used to. Fingers slow, soothing, combing through the strands with care that spoke of decades. She tilted her head back, letting the water rinse it all away.

The past.

The pain.

The versions of themselves that failed each other.

And when they stood together again beneath the falling water, clean and quiet, they didn't need words. Their fingers interlaced, their foreheads pressed together, and the silence wasn't empty... it was sacred.

This wasn't about erasing the past.

It was about choosing to carry it together.

And choosing to begin again.

They stepped from the shower, hand in hand. The steam behind them, the future still ahead. They didn't leave the past behind. They carried it forward... together.

Chapter 20 | Living Room | 5 PM

Giulia stepped into the living room wearing nothing but one of Tony's old t-shirts. Her bare feet soundless against the hardwood floor.

She crossed to the fireplace mantle and placed her phone carefully, angling it just so wide enough to capture the room, but intimate in its framing. Her thumb hovered over the screen for a moment before pressing the record button.

She heard the steps creak and swiftly positioned herself before the sofa, facing the camera.

Tony entered, drying his hair, completely unaware. The air between them had shifted again, no longer fragile, no longer hesitant.

They didn't speak at first. They just stood across from each other, watching, listening to the silence that now hummed with possibility.

He smiled. The vintage tee was so short it left nothing to the imagination. Her curls were soft and untamed, still damp from the shower.

"That was amazing, but I don't want to force you into any decisions," Giulia said softly, her voice barely above a whisper, "if you don't want this, it's ok..."

His breath caught.

He crossed the space between them with deliberate calm, and for once, there was no urgency, no frenzied need. Just quiet certainty. When his lips found hers, it wasn't a collision... it was a return.

Their bodies molded together as if no time had passed, her hands sliding over his chest, tracing the lines of him like she was reading a favorite passage. He groaned softly as her fingernails raked against his nipple, sending a jolt through his body. The sound sent a shiver through her chest.

"Jules, you don't have to..."

"Please," she whispered, voice breaking as she cupped his face. "This isn't guilt. This is love. I want you."

He kissed her again, slower now, his hands memorizing her skin. The bath towels fell away between kisses, between quiet laughter and breaths held. When Tony lowered her onto the couch, it wasn't with urgency; it was reverence.

She pulled him down with her, their foreheads pressed together, her lips brushing his, breath warm between them. She was straddling him now, her body ready, her heart unguarded... but something held her back.

Her hands trembled where they cupped his jaw. "Before we do this... I need you to know something."

Tony's breath stilled. "Okay."

She leaned her forehead against his, gathering strength.

"Back then... with William..." She swallowed. "If he hadn't been cruel... if he'd been gentle or kind or even remotely decent... I think I would've kept going."

She felt his body tighten under hers. But she didn't stop.

"I was that lost, Tony. That delusional. I told myself I was empowered, that I was enlightened... but really, by that point, I was just broken. I was chasing something that didn't exist, trying to fill a hole I didn't even know I'd carved into myself."

The confession hung between them.

"The way he treated me... it was horrifying. And... it saved me. That pain, that degradation... it snapped me out of the fantasy. And I've hated myself for how far I had to fall before I finally woke up."

Her voice cracked. "I just need you to know that. Before we do this. That woman... the one who would've left you if the world hadn't burned her down first... she's dead. I buried her."

Her eyes met his. "You're not loving a version of me that's still torn between lives. You're loving the woman who clawed her way back to herself. To you."

Tony didn't speak at first. He touched her face, brushing a tear away with his thumb.

"Thank you for the honesty," he breathed. "For trusting me with the worst of it."

He kissed her... slow, sure, steady.

"And for what it's worth... I don't see her. I see you. The real you. And I've missed her."

She expected silence after that. Maybe distance.

But he surprised her.

"You weren't the only one tempted," he said. "Meredith was... intelligent, kind. Fun. Present. If we weren't twenty-five years apart, I would've stayed. It could've worked."

He looked down, then back at her.

Giulia blinked, her throat tightening.

"That doesn't scare me," she said. "That you almost stayed."

"Good," Tony replied.

They didn't speak again for a moment.

But their silence was no longer full of avoidance.

Giulia let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding as she slid her body down.

This time, when their bodies came together, there was nothing left to confess.

Their movements weren't rushed... just deliberate. Grounded. Every touch asked a question. Every sigh replied in kind.

Her hands framed his face as she rode him with purpose, their foreheads pressed together, their kisses threading apology into longing and forgiveness. Into home.

"Where do we go from here?" she whispered, her voice trembling.

Tony's hands traced her waist, holding her like she was both fragile and indestructible. "I don't know. Tomorrow?" he breathed, eyes locked on hers.

Giulia's smile let him know that she understood.

Tears slipped from the corners of her eyes as she kissed him again, soft and searching. "Thank you... for staying. For still seeing me."

He smiled into her kiss, his voice low. "Jules... I never stopped."

Their rhythm deepened, their bodies moving as one. This time wasn't about regret or desperation, it was the slow unfurling of a love that never really left. A promise remade with every stroke, every gasp, every tear shed between kisses.

They held each other tightly as they reached the edge, not wanting to fall alone. When they did, it was together, shaking, sobbing, laughing. No more pride. No more pain. Just release.

She collapsed against his chest, her arms wrapped around his neck as she laughed breathlessly against his skin.

Then came... the clap.

A slow, deliberate sound echoing through the room, from the front door, shattering the spell.

Tony exhaled with a chuckle.

Giulia froze, but didn't have to turn to know.

"Well, well, well..." Sara said dryly, amused. "I see you two have figured out how to... fit the pieces back together again."

"SARA!" Giulia yelped, scrambling to pull a towel up.

"Oh, please," Sara said, waving her hand. "Like this is the first time I've walked in on you two going at it. Jon's probably gonna need therapy, though."

Jon kept his eyes on ceiling as Sara breezed past them and into the kitchen, setting a bag on the counter.

"What's with the mess? Is that..." she squinted, then grinned, "... an ass print in flour?"

"Hey Jon..." Tony called out casually, giving a lazy salute.

Jon stood frozen in the doorway. "Uh... hi. Mom... Dad."

Sara re-entered the living room, shaking her head slowly, an expression somewhere between amusement and mild trauma.

"Jon and I..." she gestured between herself and her husband, "... are going back to the car for more groceries." Her hands swept dramatically toward the front door.

Then, with mock seriousness, she pointed one finger skyward. "That's your cue to wrap things up..."

She flipped her palm down, made a slow, exaggerated downward motion. "Or clean up. Your call."

Giulia pulled the towel tighter, her tone flat. "Oh, for God's sake, Sara... we were having sex, not trying to land a plane."

"Just making sure the pilot is safe in the cockpit," Sara said with a wink.

Giulia groaned. "That sense of humor is definitely not from me."

She smacked Tony's shoulder.

Tony just stretched, completely unbothered. "Clean-up time is fine, Sarabelle. You two good with Chinese?"

Jon, still flustered, blinked. "Yeah. Uh, yeah. Sure." As he fumbled with a thumbs up.

Sara let out a sigh. "God, you really are unbothered by this, aren't you?"

Tony shrugged with a smile.

Sara rolled her eyes as she turned toward the front door.

"Just remember, mom... third chances aren't a thing."

 

Sara's voice softened.

"Don't make us need one."

"C'mon." said Sara grabbing Jon's hand. "We need to stop Scott and Liv from walking in on this."

And as the door closed behind them, they could hear her mutter,

"Gonna need a priest and a deep cleaner for that couch..."

The End

******

Epilogues

"E quindi uscimmo a riveder le stelle."

"And we emerged, to see again the stars."

-- Inferno, Canto XXXIV

******

Chapter o1 | The Rekindled Brunch

Sunday January 18 2026 | 10 AM | Meadows Diner

Sara pushed through the door as the entry bell chimed, exchanging a bright smile with Taylor behind the counter. A single glance warmed her heart, and without a word, she slipped her hand into Jon's as they turned toward their usual table.

The corner booth at Meadows had seen its fair share of family drama over the years... birthday breakfasts, post-recital milkshakes, tearful post-game pep talks. But today wasn't the start of a new chapter. It was the start of a brand-new book.

Penny still moved like a woman who'd been slinging plates longer than some customers had been alive, and with the sassy attitude to match.

But what had changed was something she never thought possible two years ago. The people sitting in those seats.

Scott and Liv were by the window. Liv's face lit up, her arm shooting into a wide, gleeful wave.

On their right sat her mother and father. Together. Her mother brushing a curl from her face with a smile and shaking a couple of sugar packets, unbothered by her proximity to Tony.

Tony sipping on his coffee. Their arms and shoulders rubbing against one another.

She watched her parents pass the butter without flinching and felt something inside her loosen. Maybe healing wasn't always loud or dramatic. Maybe it was just this, her mother's laughter drifting over coffee, her father letting it reach him. A slow return.

"Hey!" called out Liv as Sara slid into the booth beside her. Jon's knee brushed against hers as he settled in.

"You two are here early. No traffic from Brooklyn this morning.?" asked Sara.

"We stayed over at the house last night. So, easy commute," said Scott indifferently.

"Oh," said Sara with a furrow in her brow, but before she could ask another question...

Penny swooped in like a hawk with perfect timing, no notepad, pen behind one ear, eyebrow arched like a sitcom judge.

"Well damn, look at you all, still standing. Still shining." She said, scanning the table like it was a crime scene. "Hello Julie. Looks like the apocalypse went and patched itself up."

She giggled, the sound polite but unsure, more out of courtesy than agreement, fingers curling tighter around her mug. "Work in progress..." she said, almost to herself.

"It always is, hon. But you're here. So... we going usuals, or is someone feeling daring today?"

Usuals were the response around the horn.

"Oh, and..."

"I know, hon," said Penny with a hand on Jon's shoulder, "with an extra side of sausage."

"Yes, please," said Jon with a chuckle.

"OK, I'll get the order in and be right back with coffee and refills."

"No helper today, Penny?" said Giulia.

"It's been a while for you, hasn't it? She graduated into her own section by the back exit. She's doing well."

"They grow up so fast." Giulia laughed "Well, congrats on getting another one started."

Penny blushed and gave a nod, then turned, yelling their orders across the diner.

Tony cleared his throat as he spread butter into a hot biscuit from the basket.

"So, before we get into it, we have a few things to tell you this morning," he said, his voice steady. "Your mother and I... we've decided to try again."

Sara blinked. "Not exactly news, but at least you're both wearing clothes, I'm assuming you mean together, right?"

Tony gave a slow nod. "Together."

Sara's brows rose. "So... you regret rushing the divorce?"

"No!" Giulia and Tony responded in unison.

"No." Julie repeated, "It was well warranted. I ruined that marriage. The divorce forced me to face... consequences. There was no going back to what we were."

"True," added Tony. "And we've both changed. Experienced different things and grew away from each other."

Scott leaned back. "So... what then? That doesn't sound like you're getting remarried?"

Tony chuckled. "No. We're not trying to recreate what we had. We're not who we were. And that's the whole point."

"We want to see if we can build something new," Giulia said, reaching for Tony's hand. "Try new things. Together."

Scott leaned back in his seat, arms crossing reflexively.

"So, what... you guys just hit reset and pretend none of it happened?"

The table stilled. Even Liv glanced sideways at him.

Tony didn't flinch. "No. None of it's forgotten, Scott. Least of all by me."

Giulia set her mug down carefully. "We're not asking anyone to forget. We're just... choosing not to live in the wreckage."

Scott took in a breath, then exhaled, nodding his head with a dry huff. "Guess that's fair."

Liv touched his arm. "It's brunch, babe, not group therapy."

That broke the tension. A few quiet chuckles. Conversation flowed again.

"So we're taking it day by day. It's entirely possible that in two, three, or even six months, we could decide to go our own way..." said Giulia.

"But at least we will have tried." interrupted Tony.

"I'm hopeful that we can succeed." added Giulia, moving her hand over Tony's.

There was a moment of silence, the kind that comes after a wave has hit and receded, just long enough for everyone to process.

Then Jon smiled. "That's... honestly great news. I'm happy for you."

Sara wiped her eyes discreetly. "Cautiously optimistic," she said with a smile. "But happy."

"We are too," Giulia said. "More than we thought possible."

Tony looked across the table. "Which leads us to something else..."

He pulled an envelope from his coat and slid it across to Sara and Jon. "This is for you two."

"We want you to have the house."

Sara's mouth dropped open. "What? No. Dad! Are you serious?"

"As serious as I've ever been," he said. "It's too big for us."

"And has too many... memories," said Giulia.

Tony gave Giulia's hand a squeeze, then continued.

"The house was passed down to me by my grandparents and father, and it is meant to stay in the family."

Jon was already reading the printout inside. "You're giving us the deed."

Tony nodded. "We'll go through our family lawyer to finalize, but then..."

"It's yours," Giulia said, eyes misting. "We want you to build your own memories there, and maybe get us some grandkids to spoil already!"

Sara rolled her eyes, but her smile lingered. Her hand reaching across to give her mother a squeeze.

"You two will be the fourth generation in that home. Continue building great memories."

Sara blinked back tears. "Thank you... thank you so much."

"Well," Scott said with a grin, "that works out... because Liv and I are in the market for an apartment. Together. Now that yours is free, think we could take over your old lease?"

"No need," Jon said, shaking his head.

"I bought into that condo before Sara and I got married. Given the gift we just received... It's yours. We'll have Dad's lawyer handle the paperwork as well. You guys just pick up the remaining mortgage payments and HOA fees."

Tony reached out and grasped both Jon's and Scott's hands.

For a moment, he just held them there, in firm grips, the weight of decades between them. He had spent so long mourning what he'd lost; he hadn't realized what had quietly grown in its place. Two men, strong and steady, building homes of their own.

And somehow, through the wreckage, still tethered to him.

He cleared his throat, blinking against the heat behind his eyes.

"Looks like we're finally getting something right."

They squeezed back.

Sara's brow furrowed. "Wait... why were you two at the house last night? Did something..."

She stopped mid-sentence, eyes dropping to Liv's hand as it slowly rose from under the table.

A delicate, modest ring gleamed in the morning light.

Sara's hand flew to her mouth. "Oh, my God."

"He asked me last night," Liv said, her voice barely containing the joy behind her grin.

"And she said yes," Scott added, his usual smirk replaced by something warmer.

For a moment, the table fell into joyful noise, clapping, laughter, a clink of silverware.

"Quite the arc, you two," Giulia said with a warm smile. "From mugshots to matrimony."

"I'm so thrilled," Sara said, wrapping them both in an awkward, over-the-table hug. "I'm getting another sister!"

The table erupted in congratulations, laughter filling the space between clinks of coffee mugs as Penny delivered their food with a smile.

"So then, what are your plans? The lake house?" asked Sara, her fork slicing through her omelet.

"For now," said Tony. "This is the first time in... forever, that we find ourselves in a position to not have to plan... anything. Your mother has her growing blog community and business to handle, and I'm going to explore the NY lake country for my photography. Maybe go back to the badlands. The sunlight on those rock formations was beautiful," said Tony.

"And I plan on joining him," Giulia added, "Writing about the places we visit, the obstacles we face, and the ways we keep choosing each other along the way. It could become a third book." Giulia said, her voice softer now. "Not a self-help book. Just... the messy in-between. The stumbles. The choosing. With great photography!"

"That already sounds like a great title," Liv said, nudging her.

"I'll take that under advisement," Giulia replied with a smirk.

Tony gave a short laugh, then raised his cup. Everyone followed suit, while Sara lifted her orange juice.

"This has been an unexpected two years. A lot of turmoil, and a lot of growth for us as a family. Including landing us our newest member, Liv. I don't know where this path will lead for your mother and I, but I am heartened to be on this journey with my family."

Penny looked up after dropping off a check and gave a smile. Very few relationships survived the breaking of trust, but she had high hopes for her friends.

Chapter o2 | Moving Out

Saturday January 31 2026 | 11 AM | Westchester Home

The house felt different. Still warm, still full of memories... but expectant. As if it, too, knew a season was ending to make way for the next. The walls echoed a little more; the closets stood bare, and sunlight pooled over cardboard boxes stacked in careful rows in the living room.

Giulia sat cross-legged on the floor of her writer's nook, just outside the kitchen, laptop open, one last post queued to publish. Tony sat nearby, sorting through pots and pans, occasionally pausing to take in the room, his past.

She clicked submit and leaned back with a quiet breath.

"I started writing to tell the story of how I lost everything," her words now live on the blog. "Now I'm writing to tell you what happens when grief gives way to grace, and love finally comes home."

She glanced out the window as her laptop refreshed, glimpsing the old tree in the backyard, the one Sara used to sit under for hours, lost in her books or whispering secrets to the wind.

"It grounds me," Sara once said with a shrug, maybe nine or ten. She'd been barefoot, dirt on her knees, her hands pressed to the roots like they held a pulse.

Giulia hadn't understood it then. Maybe she still didn't. But today, watching the winter sun spill across the branches, she felt something. Not sadness. Not exactly nostalgia.

Something older.

Like the house, and whatever lived in the soil beneath it, was letting go. Not with sorrow, but with intent. Ready for the future.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you," she said, her thoughts distracted by the beep on her screen. "The site's growing faster and attracting more sponsors. I'm being approached about a podcast show. Even the Observer reached out wanting to extend our partnership. I'm hiring a new writer and moderator."

Tony looked over. "Yeah? Anyone I know?"

She gave him a pointed look. "Merry."

His brows lifted. "Merry? As in..."

"Yes, Meredith," she said, lips twitching. "I've been reading her new pieces. She's improved and found a strong voice. Sharp instincts. Passionate about the mission. I think she'll add a lot."

Tony narrowed his eyes, mock suspicion on full display. "This isn't some kind of karmic therapy assignment where you two make amends by moderating trolls together?"

"Oh please," she scoffed, waving a hand. "She's here for her talent, not our shared debacles."

Then, in a voice low and teasing, she added, "Besides... there will be no sex with Merry."

"That membership tier is closed. Permanently."

He shook his head with a laugh and crossed the room to kiss her forehead. "I'm keeping my eye on you, Castellano."

"Good," she murmured, fingers curling into his shirt. "I like it when you do."

Chapter o3 | Giulia Castellano, Porn Star???

Sunday February 15, 2026 | 9:12 AM

Tony leaned back in his chair, feet propped up on the edge of the breakfast table. His coffee, black, no sugar, was still piping hot in the mug he'd owned since 1996.

The lake house was quiet, save for the occasional creak of the heater kicking on and the distant cry of a bird outside.

He scrolled through emails lazily, half-listening to the instrumental playlist playing from the speaker in the corner. Winter light flooded through the windows in sharp gold lines, warming the hardwood floor where his camera gear lay partially unpacked.

His phone buzzed.

Message from: Giulia ❤️

He smiled, expecting a sarcastic meme or a note reminding him to pick up more oat milk.

But instead found a video attachment.

The title read One.

The timestamp in the corner was recent.

His thumb hovered, muscles tightening. Last time, her had cracked him in half. Last time, it wasn't love, it was the moment love died.

But this wasn't the same story. He wasn't the same man.

His breath hitched as he tapped.

The screen came to life.

Their voices. Their laughter. That moment on the couch, when the weight of two years lifted just long enough for truth to crash into want. Her body against his. His hands learning her all over again. Not reclaiming. Not apologizing.

Just being.

Just love.

He watched in silence, his throat tightening, his chest swelling with something heavy and warm.

She was trusting him with her vulnerability, not out of desperation... but intimacy.

When the screen finally faded to black, another message popped below it:

Giulia: Can't wait to make more. ❤️

Tony chuckled, shaking his head utterly undone. He took a long sip of coffee, set the mug down with a soft clink, and opened the keyboard.

He typed.

A stunning debut by the ever-talented Giulia Williams.

Beautiful framing, electric chemistry, and a lead actress who absolutely wrecked me... in the best way.

10/10. Would love a sequel. Preferably tonight. ????????❤️

Send

The typing bubble popped up instantly.

Disappeared.

Popped up again.

Vanished.

Tony smirked, leaning back, waiting. A beat later...

You're absolutely ridiculous.

But I'm in. ????❤️

He closed his phone and leaned back in his chair, stretching with a satisfied groan. The lake glimmered beyond the windows.

Their second draft of life was already being written, one scene at a time.

Best damn movie he'd ever made.

Chapter o4 | Giulia & Glory

Thursday February 19, 2026 | 7 AM | Lake House

The lake wore a hush this early in the day. Mist danced across its surface in delicate coils, the air still enough that each ripple felt like a secret kept between the water and sky.

Giulia sat alone at the edge of the dock, one knee pulled to her chest, the other leg stretched long. The flannel wrapped around her shoulders was unmistakably Tony's, worn at the elbows, too big for her frame, the scent of cedar wood wrapping around her.

Behind her, gravel shifted under soft footsteps.

"Mind if I join you?" came a voice, low, unhurried, like the lake itself.

Giulia turned her head, brows lifting slightly. Glory stood there, holding out a second mug. Her silver hair braided back, her jacket unzipped despite the chill.

"Of course," Giulia said, adjusting slightly to make space. "You must be Glory."

"Guilty as charged," Glory replied with a grin, extending the second mug. "Figured it was about time we officially met."

Giulia accepted it. Their fingers brushed lightly, and the gesture felt both effortless and weighted.

They sat side by side in silence at first, feet dangling above the water, coffee steaming between them.

The lake breathed quietly, like it too was listening.

After a while, Glory glanced sideways, teasing gently. "So... you're the infamous Giulia Williams."

Giulia snorted. "Depends who you ask. Some days I'm the villain. Some days, just the woman trying to learn how to be enough."

Glory nodded, her gaze still on the lake. "Aren't we all, honey?"

Another long pause.

Then Glory said, softer now, "I'll tell you something, from an outsider's perspective? You and Tony... you look like two people figuring it out the hard way. Which, far as I can tell, is the only way that's worth doing."

Giulia let her eyes fall to the mug in her hands. Her thumbs made slow circles near the rim. "It doesn't feel certain yet. We're... trying. No promises. No rings." She shrugged. "Some days it feels like I'm standing at the edge of something beautiful... other days, it feels like a cliff."

Glory let out a warm chuckle. "Baby, if it doesn't scare the hell out of you, it's not love. That's a hobby."

That earned a surprised laugh from Giulia, quick, unguarded, almost girlish.

Glory tilted her head. "You're not starting over, Giulia. You're building something new. On the ground that's seen earthquakes."

She tapped the dock with the toe of her boot. "And you know what this ground is now?"

Giulia glanced over, waiting.

"Solid. Stronger than before. Sure, you'll feel aftershocks. You'll doubt. You'll want to run some days. But if you stay? You'll grow something different. Maybe even better."

Giulia swallowed hard. Her voice came out in a whisper. "Sometimes, I don't know if I deserve another chance at this."

Glory's voice softened. "Deserving's got nothing to do with it. The question is... do you want to be brave enough to stay?"

Giulia was quiet for a long beat. Then...

"Marcus is a good man," she said softly. "I'm glad you found each other. He's lived with his regrets for a long time... but you helped him do the work. You can see it in how he holds himself now. There's a calm to him."

She paused, her gaze drifting across the water.

"Before, I think I mistook that kind of peace for passivity. But it's not. It's courage, the quiet kind. The kind I used to run from."

She looked at Glory, eyes clear. "Now? I respect the hell out of it."

Glory took a slow sip of her coffee, her eyes on the water.

"Yeah," she whispered. "He carries the guilt now like a man who's tired of pretending it didn't matter. And that... made room for something real."

She turned to Giulia, her voice gentle but clear. "Takes a different kind of strength to own your damage and still offer someone your heart. Most people never get there. But Marcus... he chose not to waste the second chance."

She gave a small, crooked smile. "Looks like he's not the only one."

The silence that followed wasn't empty.

It held reverence.

Giulia's gaze drifted across the water, where the sunlight had caught along the shore, making the mist glow. Her chest rose in a slow breath. The coffee mug warmed her hands. The dock held her weight.

 

She clinked her mug gently against Glory's.

"To earthquakes, then," she murmured.

Glory's grin was wide and knowing. "And the women crazy enough to dance through 'em."

They sat there, side by side. Two women, two pasts, one quiet morning.

No men.

No makeup.

Just earned peace and the soft, steady sound of healing.

The End

******

Afterword

This has been an unexpected three years. Great fun too. Thank you to everyone who took a chance on Sara's journey inDaughter.

What began as a simple writing class assignment (a family secret unfolding in public) grew into a rich world of layered characters.

Writing the stories allowed me to explore deeper character development, relationships, and their messy complex emotions. And play with dialogue.

Your constructive comments, starting all the way back with Book One, helped me spot weaknesses in my writing (Heavy descriptions and unnecessary repetition).

I've tried to honor that feedback, and make changes along the way, while remaining true to the characters and how they would process their thoughts/emotions.

Your comments and direct emails are always appreciated.

Thank you again for riding this journey out with Sara and me.

P. S. Scott didn't get shafted on his inheritance. Just... delayed. ????

What's Next:

1. Em & Stephen return in their own standalone romance. Showcasing Em's overly-confident sexuality, movies... and the woman in apartment 312?

2. Liv & Scott get their own standalone story. Messy, passionate, full of music... and Tessa.

3. I have bonus material (like Tony's ill-fated date scenes) that could be released as aDaughter companion.

4. Sara will return in an unexpected way. (The seeds have already beenplanted throughout the daughter series.)

4. I'm researching a few one-shot ideas in the standard Loving Wives-format. Plus an extension to an existing story that affected me. (No. I will not be adding to the February Sucks merry-go-round.)

Regular updates on my profile.

******

Disclaimer

Copyright ©2025TalesRekindled. All rights reserved. Uploaded to Literotica. com, which covers published materials with a site copyright. This story also remains the property of the author, who reserves all rights under international, UK and US copyright law.

Any unauthorized reproduction, publication, use, or reprint without the author's expressed authorization is strictly prohibited. This includes use on YouTube, Amazon, Medium, or similar platforms, even with attribution or credit.

All stories are entirely fictional and do not represent any real person or event. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Rate the story «Daughter | Bk 3 | 03 | Paradiso»

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