Chapter 6 - A Fragment of Peace
Back at the Bedford compound, Elena was quickly becoming a favorite of the household staff. Despite her status as a protected guest, she refused to sit idle. Gabriel found her in the courtyard three days later, helping the elderly head gardener prune the white rose bushes.
"You don't have to work, Elena," Gabriel said, stepping onto the stone path.
She didn't stop clipping the thorns. "Sitting in that room makes me feel like a caged animal, Mr. Moretti. I’ve worked every day of my life since I was fourteen. My hands don't know how to be still."
"Daniel woke up this morning," Gabriel said softly.
Elena froze, her shears hovering over a branch. She turned around, her bruised eye now a faint yellow. "Is he... is he okay?"
"He’s asking for the 'mop lady,'" Gabriel smiled faintly, the hard lines of his face softening for a split second. "He remembers you. He remembers the blue uniform."
The EncounterElena followed Gabriel down to the medical wing. The room was bright, filled with sunlight from a large window overlooking the gardens. Daniel was sitting up in bed, color finally returning to his cheeks, holding a small plastic race car.
When he saw Elena, his eyes lit up. "You're the lady from the hospital."
Elena walked over to the bedside, a warm, genuine smile transforming her face. "I am. But I don't have my mop today, Daniel."
"Papa said you fought the bad monsters," Daniel said, his voice full of childhood wonder. "He said you have superpower arms."
May you like
Elena laughed, a light, musical sound that Gabriel hadn't heard inside his home in years. "Just regular arms, buddy. But I wanted to make sure you got some rest."
Gabriel watched them from the doorway. For the first time in his life, he saw someone interacting with his son who didn't want anything from the Moretti name. Elena wasn't looking at a multi-million dollar empire or a mafia lineage. She was just looking at a boy who needed a friend.
