Unbroken pieces

Lina stared at the box with the pictures of Matteo stacked in it, ready to be closed and forgotten, for, like the therapist had said, it would be hard but also do her good.

She had rounded the house, picking things that reminded her of Matteo, but she knew all of it wasn't going to do, for when she looked at Luca, she saw him; she saw her Matteo, staring back at her face.

and that had her restraint crumbling into dust.

Their relationship has strained a lot since Matteo died; he tried, and she knew he tried, everything to get to her and bring her back from the shadows she was slipping into, accepting it was all his fault even though she knew it wasn't.

They hadn't spoken for almost a week now since the last fight. When she told him he was both a bad father to Matteo and a bad husband to her, she'd seen the hurt in his eyes as he left her alone in the room, and so badly she wanted to reach out, but then didn't he deserve it?

He made Matteo go through a lot, denying him what he wanted the most: to be close to his own father. His own father, who was supposed to support him, didn't, instead picking up every opportunity to drag him through the mud.

And she?   Lina gulped as the tears began to fall again. She'd just watched and prayed that things were going to get better.

She stood up from the bed, bending to pick up a picture frame of baby Matteo and hugging it to herself, the sobs coming down now in torrents.

When was it ever going to stop—the sleepless nights, the sudden tears, and then finally forgiving Luca?

The future looked blank.

The door suddenly slammed open, and she raised an eye to see Maya dragging in a stumbling Grace, who didn't look so sure about what they were about to do.

There were tear streaks on Grace's face, which contrasted deeply with Maya's excited ones. And why was Maya in a robe? Couldn't the news wait before she got dressed?

Maya frowned when she saw her on the floor and asked, "What the hell are you doing there?" Her support system suddenly placed a hand against her hip.

Lina wondered if Maya had suddenly gone mad in the space of one night.

"Get up, Lina," Maya ordered, walking to her. Now behind her, she began to drag her up. "I said get your ass up, Lina."

Lina's forehead creased. "You go crazy, Maya?"

Maya pinched her on the side of her hips, and she "oowed," adding, "What's going on here, Maya?" She turned to look at Grace, who was shifting on her feet and chewing on her bottom lip. "Grace, did anything happen?"

Anything worth disturbing the moment she shared with her son?

"Grace has something to tell you," Maya announced, holding her shoulders. Lina could feel her bubbling with anxiety. "Come on, Grace, say something," Maya urged.

The young girl began to sob, "Aunt Lina, uhm, I shouldn't...."

"Speak Grace, you're not too old to receive a spanking." Maya's voice wasn't stern enough, but the girl still shuddered, "Now tell her."

Grace swallowed, "Aunt Lina, I'm pregnant." She raised her lids to look at the two women, "for Matteo."

Lina froze and staggered back; Maya held her so she didn't go crashing, and for a while she heard nothing else except Maya's distant voice, "Lina, Lina, say something; Lina, are you ok?"

Maya was in front of her in seconds, placing a worried palm on her cheek and tapping gently. "Lina!"

Finally Lina gasped, her fingers beginning to tremble so much that she clenched them at her side.

"Grace" she whispered, "Grace are you rea..."

Grace nodded, her voice shaky, "I got the test results, aunt Lina," she wiped the tears, "Aunt Maya, my mom will kill me if she finds out about this.."

"Oh God!"  Lina gasped again, her eyes falling on Grace's stomach, not hearing Grace, who was still rumbling.

"I swear to God, Aunt Lina, I know you're going through a lot, but I swear I didn't mean to get you another chore; it's ok if you can't...

"Shut up, Grace." Lina's voice came up strong for the first time.

Grace's lips pressed against each other. 

Lina's legs felt heavy as she walked up to Grace, finally in front of the younger woman, and she searched her face, hope plastered in the tired eyes. "Are you sure, Grace?"

"Hell, she's sure, Lina," Maya suddenly yelled, hurrying to them, "I saw it—every damn thing."

Lina raised her shaky hands to the girl's face, and then, in a swift second, she wrapped the girl in a strong, shaky hug, tears of joy pouring from her face. "Oh Grace, how can I thank you enough?"

Grace had other concerns of her own: "Aunt Lina, my mom will kill me."

"Shhh, darling, Maya take care of Abby."

Maya groaned playfully, "Why me now?"

Lina hugged the girl to herself, laughing and crying at the same time, as she caressed the girl's hair.

Matteo wasn't gone forever after all.

The future didn't look blank after all.