Page 13 of Reclaimed Dreams
Sofia’s question pulled her back to the conversation and reality. Dom might have pissed her off, but she couldn’t just abandon her kids. Before she could force the anger away, her phone buzzed again, this time with a message from Alessandro. “Yes.”
A: Leaving now. See you soon. :)
“Can I bring Adrian along?”
Jo sighed and turned her phone facedown on the table so Fi couldn’t see the texts. Sofia probably wanted to celebrate the successful pilot, and she really didn’t want to have to put on a happy face for company, even if it was just Adrian, a man she’d known and worked with for years. “I wish we didn’t have to bring business to the table, but I suppose it’s fine.”
“It’s not business, Ma. I’m seeing him.”
Jo snapped her head up at that. Oh. Oh no. This was unexpected and not at all what she’d hoped for her daughter. True, Jo had needed to get the hell out of that office after Gabe had died, and at the time she’d been grateful that Sofia had stepped in to help. But she’d never intended it to be permanent.
She’d thought Dom would see Sofia struggling and hire someone else like he should have done years ago. But no, her tunnel-vision husband hadn’t noticed or hadn’t cared, and now her daughter was caught in the same trap she had been. Dating their crew chief was no way to get out of it. But Jo couldn’t say any of that without giving in to her own guilt and regret, so she stayed silent.
Besides, Fi was a grown woman and didn’t need her permission to date whoever she liked. Jo settled on a nod. She took a sip of her coffee that now sat sickly sweet on her tongue.
“So what have you been up to lately?” Sofia broke the tense silence with a desperate question.
Jo was happy for the change of subject. “I’ve joined a group for older adults that plans outings to local sites of interest. It has been so fun! We got in for a tour of Moffett Field and the Rosicrucian Museum. We even helped prune back the roses at the San Jose Rose Garden. I’ve learned so much!”
Jo’s discontent receded as she shared her new interests until her daughter made an innocent assumption.
“Did Dad like being put to work on his day off?”
Jo didn’t look up from her mocha and flicked the lid with her thumb, desperately trying not to snap at Fi. “He didn’t come. He was too busy.”
Jo picked up her phone where it buzzed on the table.
A: Five minutes out.
J: I’ll be ready.
She typed her reply before turning back to Sofia who stared at her wide-eyed.
“In fact, I’m heading out for a tour of the Winchester Mystery House in a little bit, so I’m afraid I can’t stay long.”
“Oh. That’s okay. I just missed catching up with you.”
“You’re so sweet. How are things outside work?”
Jo tried to get this conversation back on familiar ground, but Sofia stalled as if she didn’t know how to answer that softball question. Jo hadn’t realized it had gotten this bad. She tried to stay quiet and not offer her opinions where they weren’t wanted, but this struck too close to home. She had to say something.
“Judging by your silence, I’m going to assume you’re still working your fingers to the bone for that damn place.” Jo leaned forward and gripped Sofia’s hands tightly. “Listen. Don’t do what I did. Nothing—no company, no job, no man—nothing is worth sacrificing everything for. I gave that place thirty years of my life. I don’t want to see you trapped in the same pit.”
And what had she gotten for her years of dedication? A silent, angry bed, years of dreams put on hold, and a husband who didn’t think she should be consulted about major life plans. She was sick of it. Jo could feel her pulse behind her eye and knew she needed to get out of there before she said something she’d regret.
“That’s easy to say when you’re the one who walked away and left me holding the shovel,” Sofia said.
“I never said you had to take over the office work.”
“Who was going to make sure the bills got paid? Who was going to send out invoices and keep the place afloat? Who was going to make sure our employees still got their paychecks? Dad? Enzo? Frankie? No. I was the only one stepping up.” Sofia’s voice quivered with frustration.
The teen years had been the last time Fi had triggered Jo’s defensive temper so quickly or deeply. All of her filters were already stretched far too thin. Jo’s guilt and fear and anger squeezed her throat tight, and she lashed back. “You always do this. You tear people down with all these questions. I don’t answer to you, Sofia. I did what I had to do, and I don’t regret it. No one is making you stay and do those things, Sofia.”
“I am, Ma. I want my design business to be an integral part of Valenti Brothers. We have the reputation you all worked so hard to build, the opportunity to expand our brand through the show, and I am finally getting to do what I love. I can’t walk away from the business side and let it all fall apart before I have a chance to succeed.”
Jo pulled her hand away and checked her phone again before tucking it inside her purse.
D: Well you can plan to come home to an empty house. I’ll be celebrating at the office.
