Villa Vittorio, June 1940
Sally screamed out, “Luca!” as she bolted up to find herself in their bedroom in Villa Vittorio. Her heart racing, at first, she thought it may have been a horrible nightmare, but then Rita was quickly at her side in the bedroom and Luca wasn’t there. “It wasn’t a nightmare, was it?” Sally sobbed as Rita took her into her arms.
“No, my dear, it wasn’t a nightmare. He’s gone from us I’m afraid,” Rita replied choking back her tears. “You were so distraught and inconsolable understandably that the doctors kept you sedated until we could get you back home here at Villa Vittorio. I never left your side and insisted I be with you until you regained full consciousness,” Rita continued. “I couldn’t let you wake up and face all this alone my friend. Especially, since it is all my fault what happened to Luca!” she cried.
“The terrible moments are all coming back to me now,” Sally cried as well. “But you were not at fault Rita,” she consoled her friend. “Luca and I both insisted it was the best time to go and retrieve the painting. None of us could have predicted the Nazi officers being there to seize your family’s artwork,” she continued through her tears. “Oh, my darling Luca being the brave yet foolish one thinking he could stop those Nazi officers,” Sally cried against Rita’s shoulder. “How long have I been sedated?” she asked suddenly. “They haven’t already,” she broke off, not able to finish the sentence.
“No, darling, they haven’t had the funeral yet.” Rita replied, interpreting Sally’s unfinished question. “After the paramedics did all they could do for Luca at the hospital, we contacted the Count and Countess Cavallo with the devastating news. They immediately dispatched their trusted staff and confidants to plan arrangements to bring Luca’s body and you home as quickly and safely as possible,” she continued, delicately as possible, not to upset Sally with too much detail. “The family insisted they wouldn’t hold any formal funeral arrangements until as such a time as you were awake and able to manage them emotionally. Interim plans have been made, but await your final review and approval, when you are ready,” Rita concluded solemnly.
Sally nodded understandingly, “It will be one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done, but I do want to ensure that Luca’s funeral service truly honors him as he deserves,” she cried then suddenly added, “Oh, what a horrible mother I am! Where is Luciano? How is my son, our son?” she asked weeping.
“Luciano is safe with his Nonna and Nonno and they haven’t talked to him yet about his father,” Rita replied. “They wanted to talk with you first and follow your wishes for how to talk with Luciano about what happened,” Rita continued.
Sally smiled weakly through her tears, “Thank you so much Rita! I don’t know what I would do right now if you weren’t here with me.”
“I will always be your friend and by your side,” Rita replied tearfully. “We were close friends before, but this tragedy has linked us much closer as friends and sisters,” Rita added. “I will always be here for you,” she concluded while giving Sally another hug.
“What about the Italian police in Turin?” Sally suddenly asked. “Did they do anything about the murderous German Nazi officers who killed my darling Luca and stole your artwork from the villa?” she questioned with anger rising in her chest again as she saw the Nazi officer smirking as he shot Luca and pushed him back into the street before fleeing with the stolen artwork.
“Unfortunately, the local and national policia seem to be turning a blind eye to what happened and trying to cover it up,” Rita replied,
equally enraged thinking about what happened to Luca. “They forced the hospital and other attending officials to sign a vow of confidentiality around the whole matter, and they confiscated all the evidence saying they would do any official investigation, but we have heard nothing from them. Most of us feel as if they are trying to cover it up as Il Duce has now brought Italy officially into the war on the Axis Powers side with Nazi Germany. I fear nothing will be done to see justice for our Luca’s murder,” she concluded angrily. “I’m afraid that we are on our own at this point to realize any justice for Luca’s murder,” Rita said with frustration.
“If it takes the rest of my life, I will see to it that Luca’s murder is avenged, and he did not die in vain!” Sally suddenly shouted, finding her voice through the tears. Throwing back the duvet on the bed, leaping to her feet, Sally continued defiantly, “We must not sit here and only weep for our darling Luca, but get to work first honoring his life and sacrifice as only befitting such a noble man, husband, father, son, and friend. Then, once the burial is done, we begin the work to avenge his death and see to it that those who contributed to this pay the cost, your artwork is returned, and ensure Luca’s death was not in vain,” Sally added with conviction of purpose, as a lone tear rolled down her cheek. This is my life’s purpose now, and so it continues, the next chapter remains for us to define it for ourselves, not by others,” she concluded, grabbing her dressing gown and preparing to go down to face the dawn and difficult days ahead with the confidence her darling Luca instilled in her for just a time as this.
