Maybe Stand By Me

Four: 2003

 Life in the states was different than it had been in college, Luca figured. He didn't mind the monotony of his day to day life, if anything he embraced it. As much as he missed home and his family along with it, he had to do what was best for the family he was creating. He went, taught in an inner city school for sixth graders and got to come home every night to the woman of his dreams, and the family she had provided for them. Despite everything, and the guilt he knew she felt, he refused to let it affect their marriage, because, even if she didn't believe it, he was genuinely happy.

He had never heard from his parents after they left, much to his surprise. He had assumed they would at least reach out, and the pain of them essentially rejecting him and his child was more than he could stomach. But he put on a brave face and a big smile whenever his wife mentioned his family, which was less and less frequent as of late. He didn't mind it, happier to pretend the issue didn't exist.

Their first Christmas in the states had been difficult; Kiara had only been a month old and spent the entirety of said month screaming, crying and wailing until all hours of the night. And Luca had sat by the front door each morning, sifting through the various bills and postcards from friends on their own adventures, never finding the one letter he had hoped to see, though never expected to actually get. He had sent one letter, the day after Kiara was born, containing a picture of her and the phone number to their landline. He had cursed himself for not knowing his family's phone number and hoped that in giving his, his parents would be delighted to hear from him.

When the phone remained radio silent, Luca realised that maybe his grandmother had gotten to them, and that had hurt more than the banishment itself.

Melinda's parents had been a godsend. He knew Melinda had come from a small family, but he didn't realise small had meant just her parents. They had been slightly older, so their parents had long since passed, and neither of them had any siblings, which only served to make Luca feel that much guiltier for moving them to Italy. He remembered the day they had arrived at the airport, and the never ending hug he had found himself captured in, though he didn't mind.

They had made a small life for themselves, completely under the radar, with Melinda's parents happy to let them live with them for as long as they needed. And time passed, as it tends to do, and before Luca knew it, it had been three and a half years. He found himself in the garden he had been working on in the backyard, Kiara steadfast by his side in a floppy garden hat that was far too big for her tiny head.

"Papa!" She squealed, shoving a daisy in his face, "Look, look!"

"Wow, honey." He beamed, taking the daisy from her and tucking it behind his ear with a flourish, "Do I look pretty?"

"The prettiest!" She clapped her hands together delightedly, squealing as her father's hands poked her sides.

He took a moment to look at her, to truly look at her and take her in. Guilt was an emotion that seemed to take over his entire being, something he could never fully shake. Guilt over how his family treated his wife, guilty for taking his wife away from her home for so long, guilt for getting angry at the slow driver in front of him before realising it was an elderly man. Every action he took had a connotation of guilt attached; but not Kiara.

She was the one thing he had done right, and the one thing he had never felt guilty about.

"Papa!" She giggled, poking his nose with her finger, "Hello?"

He blinked himself from his thoughts, eyes settling on his daughter who was watching him with wide, trusting eyes. She was the image of him, tanned skin, dark eyes and long, sleek hair that always seemed to pick up with the wind and blow strands all over her face. Even so, her personality was entirely her mother's; hardheaded and stubborn but open and trusting in a way he could almost fault the toddler for. She would walk away with anyone that shot her as much as a smile, despite how much he scolded her for speaking to strangers.

"Come on, sweetie. Let's have some lunch."

"Lunch, lunch, lunch!" She beamed, grabbing his hand in her tiny one and dragging him back towards the house.

Once inside the house, Kiara propelled her tiny body onto her designated chair at the kitchen table, swinging her legs patiently and turning her attention to the small tv perched on top of the washing machine. The sound of music blared from the tinny box and she hummed along to whatever was playing, Luca rarely took any notice of it. Humming along, swaying her hips as she smoothly moved around the kitchen, was Melinda. She hadn't noticed his presence, content to turn down the stove and twirl as she made her way towards the fridge.

He leant back against the island, a smile on his face as he watched her, radiant as ever.

He had been wrong before - there was one other thing he had done right.

"Jesus!" Melinda squealed, slapping a hand to her chest as she spun around and noticed him standing there, "Bello...warn me next time!"

"Sorry." He beamed, not seeming sorry at all, "I just couldn't take my eyes off of you."

Her cheeks flushed that endearing shade of pink and she moved towards him, reaching up and brushing a tendril of hair from his forehead. He caught her hand before she could pull it back, planting a kiss to her knuckles and holding it to his heart, content to stare at her face and simply soak in the feeling of being warm, content, and home.

"Are you okay, mio caro?"

"I am perfect."

–

"Zoo! Zoo! Zoo!"

"Yes, sweetheart." Melinda ruffled her daughter's hair, squished next to her in the packed car, "Zoo!"

Luca glanced at them through the rear view mirror, a warm smile spreading across his face. His wife's eyes were wide as she pulled faces at their daughter, who was giggling and pushing her away gleefully. Melinda's father, Curt, was in the third seat, head lolling to the side as he was already dozing off, before the car had even left the driveway. He stared until Melinda's mother, Doris, cleared her throat, elbowing him with a smirk and he flushed in response, shaking his head and turning the key into the ignition.

The zoo was normally a straightforward drive, about thirty minutes out of town. But as Luca pulled onto the main road he noticed dozens of signs; 'road closures ahead. Follow diversions'. Luca simply shrugged, indicating left and allowing the diversions to take him onto the highway, changing the radio station as it turned to lowly static.

He made half-hearted conversation with Doris as he tried to focus on the road, eyes zoning in on the cars to his left that were flying past with inhumane speed. He hated the highway, always had, never trusting the other drivers much and refusing to overtake unless absolutely necessary.

His eyes glanced in the rear view mirror and he frowned as he noticed a car directly behind them, close enough to see a man's frowning face as he likely swore at Luca for being too slow.

Then, the moment shifted. In something he couldn't quickly describe, everything moved in slow motion. The car behind had moved to the left hand lane, speeding up and trying to cut into his. But something went wrong. The car swerved, brakes screeched and Luca's foot felt like lead as he tried to move it to his own brake.

The car ahead turned on its side and Luca knew that there was no way he could avoid it, taking over the entire two lanes are cars honked and swerved to avoid it.

There was a crash. A crunch. Screams. And the final moment where Luca's eyes met his wife's in the rearview mirror as she threw her body over Kiara's.

Then there was darkness.

And silence.