Chapter 26 - GIOVANNI’S LAST MORNINGHe died in sunlight.
Nora always remembered that.
Not a storm.
Not gunfire.
Not machines screaming.
Sunlight.
The curtains in room 4B were open.
Lily was beside him reading a picture book badly.
She skipped words she did not know.
Giovanni never corrected her.
Lucia sat near the fireplace.
Lorenzo stood at the window.
Nora knew before the others.
His breathing had changed overnight.
She checked his pulse.
Weak.
Giovanni looked at her.
Nora whispered:
“Do you want the hospital?”
Two movements.
No.
“Are you sure?”
One.
Lorenzo turned.
“What?”
Nora looked at him.
His face broke before she spoke.
“No.”
Giovanni lifted one trembling hand.
Lorenzo knelt.
Lucia moved to the other side.
For decades Giovanni Moretti had built rooms where everyone waited for him to speak.
Now his children leaned toward him, waiting for whatever his damaged body could give.
He looked at Lucia.
“Dau…”
Her mouth trembled.
“Yes.”
“Daughter.”
Barely a whisper.
Lucia began crying.
Then Giovanni looked at Lorenzo.
“Son.”
Lorenzo closed his eyes.
Finally he looked at Nora.
She tried to smile.
“You don't need to say anything.”
Giovanni disagreed.
Of course he did.
His mouth moved.
Nothing.
Again.
Nora leaned closer.
“Thank…”
Her eyes filled.
“No.”
He tried.
“You…”
Nora took his hand.
“You already did.”
Lily climbed carefully onto the edge of the bed.
“Grandpa Gio?”
His eyes moved toward her.
“Are you going to sleep?”
Nora stopped breathing.
Giovanni looked at Lily.
One movement.
Yes.
Lily hugged him.
“Okay.”
She whispered:
“I'll be quiet.”
Giovanni smiled.
Twenty minutes later his breathing stopped.
No alarms.
No frantic resuscitation.
No one shouting.
Because Nora knew what he wanted.
And because loving someone sometimes meant not dragging them back simply because you were afraid to lose them.
Lorenzo pressed his forehead against his father's hand.
Lucia held Giovanni's other arm.
Lily cried because everyone else did.
Outside, staff gathered silently in the corridor.
May you like
Years before, Giovanni Moretti had been left alone facing a wall.
He died surrounded by people competing to hold his hand.
Related Stories
