Chapter 13
Luca recovered faster physically than the adults did emotionally.
Within weeks he was back to running through the estate, dropping toys on stairs, interrupting conversations, and asking questions that had no relationship to whatever adults were discussing.
Vittorio encouraged almost all of it.
Dr. Rebecca Lin stopped him.
“Don’t turn permissiveness into compensation.”
Vittorio frowned.
“He was punished for being loud.”
“That doesn’t mean he never needs limits again.”
“He’s three.”
“Three-year-olds need limits.”
Vittorio disliked therapy more every week.
Mostly because Rebecca kept being correct.
The goal was not to create a child who believed rules were dangerous.
It was to create a child who understood safe adults could set rules without making love conditional.
So Vittorio learned to say:
“No, you cannot throw bread at dinner.”
And then remain in the room when Luca became upset.
“No, you cannot draw on that wall.”
And still hug him afterward.
“Bedtime is bedtime.”
And still answer when Luca called.
That last part mattered.
One night Luca woke crying.
Vittorio entered.
The boy sat upright.
“You came.”
“Of course.”
“Grandma Bernie said crying is bad.”
Vittorio sat beside him.
“Crying isn’t bad.”
“Loud?”
“You can be loud sometimes.”
Luca thought.
“Really loud?”
“Let’s not get ambitious.”
The boy smiled.
Then his expression became serious.
“Grandma Bernie coming?”
Vittorio hesitated.
“No.”
“Ever?”
That question was harder.
“I don’t know.”
Luca accepted the uncertainty and went back to sleep.
Vittorio stayed beside the bed longer than necessary.
May you like
For the first time, he understood that justice would not decide every future relationship for his son.
Some decisions would belong to Luca when he was old enough to make them.
