Renata

Chapter 10

Luca

When I was 6, I took the initiative to teach myself how to ride a bicycle without training wheels. My curious young self had sneaked into our neighbor's yard and got on their bicycle and tried to ride it. In my mind, I was so sure that nothing could go wrong. But as soon as I got on it and tried to balance, I fell and scraped my knee. I didn't stop crying until Serena came. She consoled me and bandaged my knees. She also scolded me and told that she would help me learn how to ride the bicycle once I was alright.

I had the habit of removing my bandage repeatedly to check if the wound had healed so that she can start teaching me already. I was impatient and eager. Serena caught me doing exactly that and she told me something that stuck with me till now.

She said that to heal a wound, you need to stop touching it. The more you poke it, the more it will hurt and eventually it will leave a scar that you'll have to carry forever. That sometimes, it was better to leave things be.

Back then I didn't understand the full depth of what she said but as I grew up, her words started to make sense. I understood that she wasn't just referring to physical wounds.

It's been two months since I came to Italy and yesterday I had asked my dad about what happened to mom. It took him by surprise but he also knew that I would want to know, so he was prepared. He told me that she was murdered 4 years ago, probably by the same people that had kidnapped me. He didn't go into details about her death but rather promised to tell me all about her and also show me photos.

Now as I sit with my dad in the library, going through the photo album, I realize that he was revisiting his old wounds so that I can heal mine. The wounds that I didn't even know I had. I could see the love in his eyes for the woman in the photo. Her dark blond hair and light blue eyes, just like mine and a smile so captivating. My mother was so beautiful. Now I know why I look so handsome.

We had been going through albums of mom and my brother's childhood pictures for half an hour now when a sage colored album caught my eye. I took it out and sat next to dad. He was still staring at one of mom's old photos, so I opened the one in my hand and the first one was of a new born baby in a crib. I turned the pages and slowly I understood who this was. I felt like I had found some treasure.

I kept going through it until I stopped at one. My breath hitched. It was a photo of my uncle and Serena. She looked about 4 years old, sitting in front of her dad, while he braided her long black hair. They both had similar grins on their faces, their deep blue eyes shining with joy. Serena was holding the sage coloured dinosaur stuff toy she still had, wearing a white frock while uncle looked much younger and happier than he was now.

Serena looked so happy and carefree. I had seen my sister grinning and smiling before but never like this. I wished I could see her this happy again.

Perhaps I was staring at it for a bit too long that my dad diverted his attention to the album in my hand. He gently took it from me and stared at it, his thumb stroking Serena's face with a sad smile on his lips. "This was your sister. Victor had 4 children. She was the youngest." He said, his eyes still on her. "What happened?" I ask already knowing most of it. Dad sighed, "A car accident 14 years ago. To be precise, a day before you were born. Your mother couldn't handle Serena's death and the stress led to an early labor. You were born prematurely." He looked at me with his smile faltering as he recollected his memories.

"Serena was the most excited when we announced the pregnancy. She was the youngest at the time and was so happy to be a big sister." Dad chuckled and I smiled knowing Cherry loved me even before I was born. "She would sit beside your mother and tell stories to her belly hoping you could hear. In fact she was the one who named you Luca. We asked why that name but she never told us. And after you were born, your mom didn't even think twice about naming you that. Andrea loved that little girl. Everyone did. If she were here, you would've loved her too." His voice was sorrowful.