The Legacy (48 page)

Happy
Thanksgiving,
amore.
”
Adagio
places
the
breakfast tray over my lap.
“Thank you, my love.”
“You're welcome.”
I smile at my husband, grateful for his thoughtfulness. It
seems the morning sickness is twice as bad with this pregnancy
and I am having to force down more than just a croissant and
juice to feel well enough to get up. I am also becoming even
more exhausted during the day than normal. Adagio is always
there, taking extra care of me, making sure I have everything I
need. I can’t ask for a more loving or attentive husband.
I take a sip of the juice and touch his face. “Thank you
for loving me so much, and for taking such good care of me.”
He smiles tenderly, yet the look in his eyes is intense. “I
was born to love you, Cisely,” he says with strength.
“There you go again, being a poet.”
“You always bring it out in me.”
“And you make me so happy.”
“The feeling is mutual, angel.”
He kisses my brow and leaves me to eat while he gets
breakfast ready for Ingo.
Eating as much as I can, I am finally able to get up and
shower. After getting dressed, I head to the kitchen to get
started on dinner preparations. Adagio and Jessica are a big
help and it isn’t long before we have everything done.
“What time should we leave to pick up Sadie?” I ask,
practically
dropping
into
a
chair
from exhaustion.
I can’t
believe how little energy I have.
Adagio looks at me, his brow furrowing. “Jessica and I
will leave in a few minutes. However, you, my love, will stay
here and rest. We will take Ingo with us.”
I want to argue that I am fine to go, but I have to admit
I'm not. “I guess I really could use a short nap,” I say, getting
back up. “But promise me you will wake me as soon as you get
back.”
“I promise,
amore
.” Adagio scoops me up and carries me
to the bedroom, placing me gently on the bed. As he leans over
me, I hold his face in my hands.
“I love you, Adagio.”
“And I love you.” He kisses me tenderly. “I will be back
soon.”
I smile, then turn to my side, immediately falling asleep.

Sadie checks her reflection in the compact mirror as the
plane slows on the runway. Peter had agreed to her request and
removed the bandage around her head that morning with strict
instructions not to let her head get wet. With a little work, she
was able to maneuver the hair on the back of her head since it
is
slightly
longer
than
the
sides,
and cover
her
stitches
somewhat. She is grateful for a capable hairdresser who always
keeps her short and trendy style looking just right.

Filled with nervous excitement, Sadie exits the plane, then
enters the terminal and heads to the baggage claim area. She
lets her eyes quickly scan the crowd when she sees an attractive
man holding a sign with her name printed in large letters. With
him is an older woman and a little boy. She approaches them.

Adagio smiles, taking her hand. “I am Adagio St. John,
and it is truly an honor to meet you and have you as our guest
for the holidays.”

Sadie smiles tearfully. Looking at Adagio is like seeing
Phillip in the future, the little boy looks so much like his father.
“Truthfully, I’m the one who is honored, and it is a pleasure to
meet you.”

“My wife is sorry she couldn't come. She is pregnant and
has been sick, but she is waiting at home and looking forward
to seeing you.”

After Adagio introduces Sadie to Jessica and Ingo, they
retrieve Sadie’s luggage and are soon on their way.
When they reach home, Jessica and Ingo visit with Sadie
while Adagio puts her suitcase in the den. They will be using it
as a second guest room since the small sofa folds out into a
bed. He heads to their bedroom to awaken Cisely.

“
Amore,
” Adagio whispers, pressing a kiss to the back of
my hand. “Sadie is here.”
Smiling sleepily, I sit up. “Thank you, my love. Just give
me a minute and I’ll be right out.”
“Are you feeling a little better?” he asks as I head to the
bathroom. “Can I get you anything?”
“No, I think I’m okay.”
When I come back out, Adagio is still waiting for me, his
eyes expressing a mixture of love and worry. “Is something
wrong?” I ask.
He smiles, pressing a hand against my cheek. “I am just a
little worried about you. I really think we need to get a checkup
scheduled.”
I silently
agree.
Normally
I would already
have
one
scheduled back home in Italy. I am very fond of my midwife in
Venice and we have become good friends through the years. I
dread having to find one in Asheville because it makes our
situation somehow seem a little more permanent, but I do
know how important it is to get a healthy start for myself and
the baby.
“I suppose I have been putting it off,” I admit.
“I know, baby
,
” he says softly.
“But I'll start calling around in the morning and get an
appointment scheduled, all right?”
“Okay.” He kisses me. “I just want to make sure you are
all right.” His eyes hold mine and I see the love reflected in
them. “I couldn't bear it if anything ever happened to you.”
Wrapping my arms around his waist, I pull him closer.
“Everything will be all right. I promise I’ll take care of myself,
and I will find a midwife right away. Okay?”
“All right.” He rests his forehead against mine a moment.
“Well, are you ready?”
“Yes. Let’s go and meet my cousin.”

Cisely's smile is wide when she sees Sadie.
“It’s so good to finally meet you,” Cisely says, hugging
her. “You and Velma look a lot alike, and you're just as
beautiful.”
Sadie accepts her warm embrace, then draws back, taking
in her features. Cisely is without a doubt the most beautiful
woman she has ever seen, and her kindness again leaves Sadie
in awe. “Thank you. It’s good to finally meet you, too.”
Emotion rises in her voice. “I can't tell you how happy it makes
me to have family to spend the holidays with.”
Cisely hugs her again. “We’re very glad you’re here. And
we’re so glad you were there for Phillip.” She swallows against
rising emotion, squeezing Sadie’s hand. “You are more of a
blessing than you could possibly know.”
“Thank you,” Sadie says softly, not trusting herself to
speak anymore.
The family spends a little time getting to know each other
more. Sadie loves hearing about Cisely and Adagio’s life in
Italy, and after Jessica shares the history of her relationship
with Cisely, she is even more amazed. She can’t believe they
now consider her a part of their family. It is a dream come true.
The only thing that will make her happiness complete is for
Phillip to be found and brought back to his family.
To our family,
Sadie affirms.
After visiting for a while, Cisely, Adagio and Jessica head
to the dining room and set the table for dinner while Sadie
keeps
Ingo
company.
She
can’t
get
over
how
warm and
accepting they are to her, and the love she'd instantly felt for
them is growing with each passing minute. Her offer to help in
the kitchen is flatly refused and Cisely insists she rest since she
is still recuperating from the terrible ordeal with Gladys.

When the table is set and the food is placed out, Sadie
and Ingo join us in the dining room and we all take our places
around the table. I smile at Adagio and he takes my hand. I am
sure my expression mirrors the mixture of emotions in his own.

As Adagio blesses the food, he give thanks for the
blessings we have received through this long ordeal, including
having my family in our lives. His voice cracks with emotion as
he prays for Phillip’s well being and expresses the hope that he
will be found. He asks God to help our son know how much
we love him, and he also gives thanks for the new baby that will
soon join our family and prays all will be well.

Ending the blessing, Adagio looks up, finding us all
drying our eyes. He leans over and kisses my cheek.
“I love you, angel,” he whispers.
“I love you, too.”
Dishes of food are passed around the table while Adagio
carves the turkey. I pour lemonade for Ingo and help him fill
his plate, kissing his brow. Though I miss Phillip terribly, I am
grateful for this beautiful little boy, and I do my best to show
him how much he is loved.

As Sadie watches the scene before her, she can’t help
thinking of a Thanksgiving painting she’d seen hanging in an
art store earlier in the year. It was a picture of a family sitting
around a large table just as they are. The father stood at the
head of the table carving a turkey and smiling lovingly, just as
Adagio is doing. Every time she saw the picture, she thought of
it as an elusive dream. She didn't think anyone really lived a life
like that. She didn’t believe there was really such a thing as a
happy family. How wrong she had been. Because she is sitting
with such a family. And despite all they have gone through and
are still going through, their very countenances express a peace
she has never seen, and being here with them brings her that
same peace. She has never felt anything like it.

Jessica watches Sadie and smiles, almost reading her
thoughts. She knows the look on the young woman's face well,
because it is the same look Cisely wore when she came to stay
at her home in Utah. Jessica places her hand on Sadie’s arm.
“We’re so glad you’re here.”

Sadie smiles back. “Thank you. So am I.”

The
meal is
relaxing
and conversation
flows
freely.
Gazing around the table, I smile, trying to hide the sadness that
comes when I think of Phillip's absence, but I am grateful for
every person present.

Thinking back on how I closed my heart to my husband
and everyone around me, I am still a little saddened to think of
all the time I spent buried in my own grief instead of sharing
my feelings with Adagio and offering him comfort. But he is a
patient man, and I am grateful. There is no way I could have
continued to make it through all this without Adagio’s love and
comfort.