Chapter 15 - THE SENTENCE
Alessandro received his sentence eleven months after Emma’s kidnapping.
Twenty-two months.
Not decades.
Not freedom.
Twenty-two months in federal custody after credit for cooperation, acceptance of responsibility, and substantial assistance.
Sophia sat beside Elena during sentencing.
Elena cried.
Sophia did not.
Not until Alessandro turned before marshals escorted him away.
Emma was too young to attend.
He had said goodbye to her that morning.
She did not understand.
“Business trip?”
“Something like that.”
“How sleeps?”
“In another building.”
“Bruno come?”
“No.”
Emma frowned.
“Bad business trip.”
“Yes.”
She handed him Mr. Buttons.
Sophia almost objected.
Emma said, “He helps.”
Alessandro took the worn teddy bear.
“I’ll return him.”
“Promise?”
He hesitated.
Then nodded.
“Promise.”
Prison was the first place Alessandro lived where nobody cared how many rooms his house had once contained.
He wore the same clothes as everyone else.
Stood in lines.
Followed instructions.
Waited.
At first, other inmates tested him.
Then stopped.
Not because of old reputation.
Because Alessandro did not react the way expected.
He avoided conflict.
Read.
Exercised.
Worked in the library.
Sophia visited twice a month.
Emma came once she was old enough to understand the rules.
The first time, she pressed both hands against the glass partition.
“Why you behind window?”
“Rules.”
“Stupid.”
Sophia whispered, “Emma.”
“What?”
Alessandro smiled.
“Accurate.”
Emma brought drawings.
Bruno wearing a cape.
Sophia with very large hair.
Alessandro standing beside a normal-sized house.
No guns.
No cars.
No guards.
One drawing showed four figures holding hands.
Sophia.
Emma.
Alessandro.
Bruno.
Technically Bruno did not have hands.
Emma did not care.
After the visit, Alessandro kept that picture inside his Bible despite not being particularly religious.
Sophia wrote letters.
Not romantic masterpieces.
Real letters.
Emma said a squirrel stole a bagel.
Bruno refused medication unless hidden inside cheese.
The washing machine broke.
Sophia started working part-time at an assisted living facility coordinating housekeeping staff.
She liked it.
Elena attended therapy.
Marco opened a private security consulting company.
Richard repeatedly complained that Bruno was overweight because Emma continued sneaking him food.
Normal things.
Alessandro discovered he loved normal things.
One afternoon he received a letter containing only a photograph.
Sophia and Emma standing outside the new house.
Bruno between them.
A sign in the yard said SOLD.
On the back Sophia had written:
We chose it.
Not you.
Us.
There is a room available when you come home.
Alessandro read it four times.
His release came three months early.
Sophia knew the date.
Emma did not.
They planned the surprise.
Rain fell that morning.
Alessandro stepped from the facility wearing a plain dark coat and carrying one bag.
No motorcade.
No armed men.
A blue SUV waited.
Sophia stood beside it.
For several seconds they simply looked at each other.
“You cut your hair,” she said.
“So did you.”
“You noticed.”
“I notice when you’re in the room.”
She smiled.
“That line improved with repetition.”
He walked toward her.
“Where’s Emma?”
“Home.”
“She doesn’t know?”
“No.”
“Bruno?”
“Also home.”
“How?”
“Sedation.”
He stared.
“I’m joking.”
He exhaled.
“That was cruel.”
Sophia drove.
The house stood at the end of a quiet street.
Large maple tree.
Fenced backyard.
Porch swing.
Not an empire.
A home.
Alessandro stepped from the SUV.
Sophia opened the door.
Emma was in the kitchen.
“Emma?”
The child froze.
She had grown.
Four years old now.
Longer hair.
Bigger.
For one terrible second Alessandro wondered whether she would hesitate.
She screamed.
“YOU CAME BACK!”
She ran.
Alessandro barely had time to kneel.
Emma hit him like a small hurricane.
He lifted her.
She wrapped arms and legs around him.
“You came back!”
“Yes.”
“You took forever.”
“I know.”
“I was mad.”
“I know.”
“You bring Mr. Buttons?”
Alessandro reached into his bag.
The bear appeared.
Emma gasped.
“You kept him!”
“I promised.”
Bruno entered the hallway.
Older.
Grayer.
Slower.
He stopped when he saw Alessandro.
The dog stared.
Alessandro put Emma down.
“Bruno.”
The Cane Corso stood still.
Then his tail moved.
Once.
Twice.
He walked forward.
Alessandro crouched.
Bruno pushed his enormous head against Alessandro’s chest.
Hard.
Alessandro closed his eyes.
Sophia watched from the doorway.
Emma hugged both.
“Family sandwich.”
Sophia laughed.
“Family sandwich?”
“Yes.”
Emma grabbed Sophia’s hand.
“You too.”
Sophia joined them.
Bruno grumbled beneath the weight.
Alessandro looked at Sophia.
“I thought you said no one gets to decide for you.”
“I am choosing this.”
His eyes softened.
“Good.”
That evening they ate pasta at the kitchen table.
Emma told Alessandro everything he had missed.
Preschool.
Her friend Ava.
Bruno’s hatred of the vacuum.
Sophia’s burnt pancakes.
Sophia objected.
“They were slightly overcooked.”
“Black.”
“Thank you, Emma.”
Alessandro listened.
No captains.
No guns.
No crisis.
After Emma slept, he and Sophia sat on the porch.
Rain tapped the roof.
“Do you regret it?” she asked.
“What?”
“Giving everything up.”
He looked toward the warm kitchen window.
“No.”
“Even prison?”
“Yes.”
She raised an eyebrow.
“I regret choices that put me there.”
He corrected.
“I don’t regret accepting the consequence.”
Sophia nodded.
“Better.”
He looked at her.
“And you?”
“What?”
“Do you regret staying?”
She considered.
“No.”
Then added, “Ask me after you learn to load a dishwasher correctly.”
He smiled.
She rested her head against his shoulder.
Inside, Bruno barked once.
Emma shouted from upstairs.
“BRUNO STOLE MY BLANKET!”
Sophia closed her eyes.
Alessandro stood.
“Apparently I’m needed.”
She laughed.
“Go handle your empire.”
He looked toward the small house.
May you like
Then smiled.
“This one I intend to keep.”
