Chapter 13
Valeria asked to see Margaret after a year.
Mother refused.
Six months later, Valeria asked again.
Margaret agreed.
No Ava.
Not yet.
They met at the atelier café during closed hours.
I stayed away.
Mother told me afterward because she enjoyed criticizing everyone involved.
Valeria apologized first for the shove.
Specific.
Then for making Margaret’s dislike seem irrational before the photograph appeared.
That mattered.
She admitted she had spent months telling me Mother was territorial.
Not entirely false.
Mother is territorial.
But Valeria exaggerated it so any future accusation would sound expected.
Preemptive discrediting.
Margaret said:
“That was clever.”
Valeria looked ashamed.
Mother continued:
“Don’t be proud.”
Then the airport.
Why kiss Luca there?
Not hidden enough.
Valeria laughed bitterly.
Because she wanted to be seen.
Not consciously by Margaret.
But part of her was tired of secrecy.
Interesting.
Affairs often contain exposure wishes people refuse to admit.
Then Margaret asked:
“Did you ever love my son?”
“Yes.”
“Do you still?”
Valeria said:
“Yes.”
Mother answered:
“Unfortunate.”
Of course.
Then:
“Do you want him back?”
“No.”
That surprised Margaret.
Valeria had learned something.
She did not want to return to being Dominic’s fiancée.
She wanted Dominic to someday see she had not needed betrayal to become herself.
Different need.
Mother understood.
They did not become friends.
But Margaret stopped calling her “airport girl.”
May you like
Mostly.
Progress.
