The Message I Finally Understand

On my birthday, I go out to eat with my family. I make a wish, hoping that we will always stay happily together.

When I open my eyes, I see my son, Luigi Marino, holding up his tablet.

On the screen, a line of text reads, "Dad, Maria says she's pregnant with your baby. Am I going to get a new mom?"

Giovanni Marino is busy taking pictures of me with a Polaroid. He glances at the screen casually before writing a reply on the back of the photo.

"No. I made a promise with your mom. If either of us betrays the other, we will have to disappear from the other's life forever. I can't live without your mom. So, you have to help me keep this from her. Even if Maria's baby is born, they will never appear in front of your mom."

After writing that, he looks at me and asks in a gentle voice, "What's wrong, my love? Why are your eyes red? Did the smoke from the candles irritate them?"

My tears are about to fall, but I force a smile and reply, "I'm fine. The birthday gift you all prepared for me is wonderful. I'm so touched that I can't help but cry."

He doesn't know that my dyslexia was cured a week ago.

It seems I no longer have to hesitate about the job offer from a well-known international nonprofit that teaches children with dyslexia how to read.

The paperwork will be done in seven days. When that time comes, I will disappear from their world completely.

"My love, what were you just writing? I'm curious."

Under the table, my hand clenched tight, my nails digging into my palm. But I felt nothing.

"Just wishes for you. Luigi wished you a happy birthday on the tablet just now. I can't let his love for you outshine mine."

Giovanni Marino picked up the photo and kissed the image of me making a wish. "I didn't even ask. What did you wish for? Your husband can make it come true."

"No need," I said softly. "I wished for our whole family to stay happy together forever."

He froze for a moment, then pulled me into his arms, deeply moved. "Chiara Faraci, you really know how to make me love you! What a beautiful wish. Why wouldn't you say it all these years?"

Yeah. I never said it. Because I was afraid that if I said it out loud, it wouldn't come true.

Only now did I realize that I had been making things difficult for the god all along. What I wished for was never something that could come true.

My chest tightened painfully. I reached for my wine glass and accidentally knocked it over. Red liquid spread across the white tablecloth, spilling over the edge and dripping onto my dress.

Giovanni immediately grabbed napkins and dropped to one knee to wipe it. His brows were tightly knit, and his voice was urgent and fierce.