The Legacy (38 page)

“Yes, he will,” Adagio assures him. “We need to pray that
the police find him and bring him home soon.”
“I want Phillip,” he cries, his bottom lip trembling. I hold
him close and caress his hair, not speaking. I don't trust myself
to speak. I look at Adagio and he understands.
“Phillip with be back with us really soon. I promise you.
Maybe even by tomorrow.”
When he says the last, I glare at him, my thoughts and
emotions becoming irrational. I want our son back more than
anything, but how can he promise something he doesn’t know
for sure will happen? I know I should also try to think positive,
but my emotions aren’t letting me. There is no telling how far
Gladys is by now.
I read the hurt in Adagio's expression and I feel a little
guilty. This isn't his fault and I shouldn't have reacted that way.
His eyes plead with me to understand that he needs to give
Ingo as much hope as he can. He wants to give me hope as
well.
We hold Ingo a little longer before finally putting him to
bed. When we enter our room, Adagio suggests we have a
prayer of our own. I ask him to offer it because I don’t think I
can. For the first time in a long time, my faith is wavering and I
don’t know how to stop it. My heart is so full of fear and anger,
I honestly don’t think my prayers would get very far.
Holding hands, we kneel by the bed. Fresh tears roll
down my face as Adagio pours his heart out to God, praying
for our son to be found safe and well. When he finally utters an
amen, I sit on the floor and sob uncontrollably. Adagio sits
next to me, holds me in his arms, and cries with me.

Adagio feels completely helpless. Their son could be
anywhere. He wishes he could do something, anything instead
of just waiting for a phone call.

“I am here, baby,” he croons softly, his voice breaking
with emotion. “Everything will be all right.”
When Cisely’s sobs quiet and he manages to get his own
emotions under control, he stands and gently lifts her, holding
her against his chest for a moment before placing her on the
bed and taking off her shoes. She turns to her side and
continues to cry silently. Neither of them have the strength or
the desire to undress. He takes an extra blanket from the closet
and spreads it across her. Turning off the light, he lay with his
arm draped over her and his face pressed into her hair. All he
can do is listen to her painful whimpers and be there for her.
Neither of them will find sleep tonight.

The next morning, Officer Payne stops by Adagio and
Cisely’s hotel room to show them a copy of the flier being
posted everywhere in several states with Phillip’s picture on it.

Adagio watches his wife’s eyes tear up as she gazes at
their son’s photograph. It is hard for him to believe the photo
they had taken only two months before is now on a missing
child poster. Her tears fall onto the paper as she reads the
information printed below Phillip’s picture. She hands it to him
and quietly leaves the room.

Ed shakes his head sadly and says he wishes there was
something else he could do. He tells Adagio that he questioned
Cisely’s uncle and his wife and they seemed pretty shocked to
hear about what Gladys had done. And after questioning them
further, he knew they had no knowledge of where she was.

“So, what do we do now,” Adagio asks wearily.
“Aside from posting these and doing another search of
Asheville and surrounding areas, we wait,” Ed answers with a
tired sigh. “At this point, it’s about all we can do. She’s bound
to make a move sooner or later, and when she does, we’ll get
her.” He pauses. “There have been many missing child cases
here in Asheville, but this is the first one I have personally been
involved in investigating. We'll do all we can.”
“We appreciate your efforts. We are willing to do what
ever it takes to help get our son back.”
“I know. I'll keep you updated.”

A little before noon, Adagio calls their friend Sam. His
head chef is emotional as Adagio tells him about Phillip. Sam
and the rest of the staff at the restaurant love Adagio and
Cisely’s children, and Sam is almost like an uncle to the two
little boys.

“Would you like me to come there?” Sam asks, taking
Adagio by surprise. “I know Angelo and Tony will cover my
shifts for me, and the new guy, Dominic, is even doing well
enough that he can take a couple of extra shifts.”

“You would really come here?” Adagio didn’t think Sam
would ever leave Italy, not even for a vacation. He’d never even
ventured out of the Veneto region.

“You need support right now and I want to be there for
you and Cisely. I wouldn't be able to stay long, but I know a
week would not be a problem. I think any longer than that and
your kitchen will fall apart.”

Adagio smiles, wiping at the tears that come. “It would
mean a lot to me if you would come.”
“I will get the arrangements made and be there as soon as
I can.”
“
Grazie
, Sam.” He appreciates the sacrifice his friend is
making more than he can say.
After Adagio ends the call, he goes back in to Cisely and
sits on the edge of the bed. Her back is turned to him, but her
breathing is deep and he is grateful she has finally drifted off.
She hadn’t slept last night, and he hadn’t either. Leaning over
her, he presses a kiss to her forehead, then stands and walks to
the door, turning for a moment to gaze at her slender form
once more. He’s been doing his best to comfort her, but for the
first time in their marriage, his presence seems to make no
difference to her and nothing he says seems to help. He is
beside himself as to what to do. She continues to slip further
into despair and it is becoming harder to hold himself together.
Cisely has been in bed the entire day. She seems to have
no strength to even function and Adagio has never seen her so
distanced from the world. He decides to keep his distance for a
while and give her some space, but by evening he is so worried
about
her,
he
doesn’t
know
what
to
do.
He
had prayed
throughout the day for a way to help her and is again on his
knees when the answer finally comes to him. Taking Cisely’s
address book from her purse, he quickly looks up Jessica’s
phone number. If ever there was a time Cisely needed Jessica it
is now. He slips into the other room and dials her number,
becoming a little emotional when he hears her voice.

“Adagio, my boy! What a wonderful surprise! How are
you? And how is Cisely?”
“She is . . .we are . . .” Adagio can’t continue as emotion
overtakes him.
“Adagio! Adagio, what is it? What has happened?”
He hates that he can’t keep himself from falling apart. He
should be stronger than this, but he has no strength left. When
he is finally able to pull himself together, he tells Jessica where
they are and about Phillip’s kidnapping, and then waits quietly
as Jessica cries. He knows she loves their children as if they
were her own grandchildren, and the thought of Phillip being
out there somewhere with someone as evil as Gladys hurts her
terribly.
“How is Cisely?” she asks, the emotion in her voice under
control.
He sighs, wiping at the fresh stream of tears. “She is not
good, Jessica. I try to comfort her, but she is in so much pain,
she won't let me near her. I don't know what to do. Ingo is also
having a hard time. I don't know how we will make it through
this.”
“You will make it. It will be hard, but I promise you will.
I am going to try and get a flight out tomorrow. I want to be
there to help in any way I can.”
Adagio heaves a grateful sigh. “Thank you, Jessica. I think
Cisely really needs you right now. One of our good friends is
coming as well, but it still won't be the same for her as having
you come.”
“Tell Cisely I love her and everything will be all right.”
“I will. I know having you come will mean a lot to her.”
After talking for a few more moments, Adagio hangs up,
grateful for the inspiration to call Jessica. He hopes her being
there will make a difference. He only wishes he didn’t feel so
helpless. All he can do for his son is pray, and all he can do for
his wife is be there for her.
He sits with Ingo for a while, watching him color in the
new coloring books he’d bought for him earlier. He also
purchased an assortment of toys and puzzles, trying to find
things to keep their son busy and his mind occupied. Ingo has
said very little since Phillip’s disappearance and Adagio is
worried about him as well.
Wishing he had something to occupy his own thoughts,
Adagio leans back on the sofa and rubs his tired eyes as a
different sadness fills him. His heart is heavy, his soul wearied,
and it is taking all his strength to keep from breaking down
again. He is handling his emotions the best he can. He thinks
about Jessica coming to stay with them and her willingness to
be there for Cisely, and he is again grateful.
Even still, he wishes with all his heart he could be the
one to comfort Cisely. He is her husband and it is his place.
And right now, he desperately needs comfort from her.

Staring through the large bedroom window, I absently
finger the silky green drapes. Until Phillip is found, we will not
leave the country or even the state. After a few days of looking
for a place to live, we bought a lovely and spacious condo in
Biltmore Forest. I find it ironic that I am now temporarily
living in an area I spent so much time dreaming about when I
was
younger.
Under
different
circumstances
I
would
thoroughly enjoy my surroundings, but I am no longer able to
find much joy in anything.

Even after a month, the police still haven’t come up with
any leads and are no closer to finding Phillip. I continue to go
through the motions of thinking positively, but my faith is so
shaken, I feel utterly lost and nothing can comfort me. Various
people we met at the wedding occasionally stop by and offer
their support, bringing food and kind words. I appreciate their
efforts, but no amount of comfort can soothe my aching heart.

Adagio manages to get through the days, but it is hard.
He continually prays his son is okay and will return soon, but
he also prays for his wife to return to him as well. She has been
so distant and he misses her more than he can say. He misses
the closeness they shared. He misses holding her, being loved
by her. This whole ordeal is beyond painful and he needs her
love and strength to help him through this, and he desperately
wants to comfort her.

Jessica’s presence does help to make things better for
Ingo, but sadly, it does little to comfort Cisely. Still, Adagio can
tell she is grateful Jessica is there, and so is he. He is also
grateful for the week Sam was there. He had needed good
friends more than he realized, and he appreciated Sam's love
and support.

Adagio does his best to fill the void that both Phillip’s
absence and Cisely’s distance leave in him by keeping busy with
little projects around the house, as well as trying to do what he
can to help locate their son. Whenever he is engaged in the
latter, Cisely eagerly does what she can to help him. Those are
the only times they seem to be able to connect. But he needs
more than that.