Page 5 of Christmas Treasures

“There’s no one else,” Camilla said. “I am too old and have my own family to worry about. If you don’t take her, I don’t know what will happen to her.”

“Yes, yes. I promised Lucia.” She’d begged him, just days before her death. If anything happened to Rosella, he would take her.

“I can come to bring her home,” Max said. “As soon as possible.”

“No need. I’ll bring Bianca myself. Rosella anticipatedthis, and she left funds for me to fly with Bianca to America. She made me promise to see Bianca safely into your care.”

Max’s breath caught. “When?”

“It will take a few days. We have to bury Rosella first. But I checked and there’s a flight we could take in three days’ time.

Three days. Good Lord.

He sank onto the stool they kept behind the counter.

“Yes, that will be fine.”

“Max, Bianca…she hardly remembers you. She was so young when you left. Her English is very limited. This will be difficult for her.”

He rubbed his forehead, chest tightening. “Of course. I understand.”

“Rosella believed it important that I stay for a few days during the transition,” Camilla added gently. “If it’s not an imposition.”

“Stay as long as you wish.”

“I’ll have to be back for Christmas, or my family will be upset,” Camilla said.

“Yes, of course. I have an extra bedroom where the two of you can stay.” Right now it was more of a storage area. Three days to clean it out and get furniture? This might be a job for his mother.

“Thank you, Max. Bianca will be relieved. I’ll send you the flight information. We will fly from Florence to Boston and then to Burlington. I have never been on a plane, but I will be brave.”

“You’ll be fine. Thank you, Camilla. Truly.”

“It is my pleasure.”

“What’s Bianca like?” She would be eight now. The last time he’d seen her, she had just turned five.

“She’s quiet but sweet. She loves school and her friends. I’m sorry to say, she will be homesick at first.”

He nodded, rubbing a temple with his free hand.

“But Rosella wanted her with you in America,” Camilla said. “So it is what we will do, yes?”

“Yes, it makes sense. I can provide much more for her here.”

They spoke for a few more minutes about logistics. After the line went quiet, Max slowly set the phone down, the cheese and everything else forgotten. Bianca and Camilla would arrive in less than a week. Lucia’s daughter would soon be his responsibility. He would be her father, essentially. Could he really do this? Could he provide a stable home and the love Bianca would need? The idea of her struggling here—isolated, afraid—made him sick to his stomach. He would ask his big, messy family to wrap their arms around the little girl, to welcome her as if she were one of their own. She would be.

He lifted his gaze as the bell jingled to see Charlie Keene storming in, her dark eyes blazing.

“Max Hayes.” Her voice sounded like the snap that accompanied a broken guitar string. She planted her hands on her hips. “You bought all my cheese!”

He stared blankly, still reeling from the phone call. “What?”

“You took every wheel of Bramblewood Ash.” Her fury was palpable. “That cheese is the centerpiece of my winter pizza special. You know what a limited supply they have. When I called to find out where the rest of my order was, they told me they’d sold it all to you. On accident. Or so they say.”

He rubbed a hand over his face. “I didn’t realize I had taken it all.”

“It’s right there.” She pointed at the case where he had the rounds displayed.

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