Taking her hand into hers, Joy squeezed it. “I’m all right, honey, okay?”

Jaime blinked back tears. “Are you?”

“I am.” Joy reached up and placed some strands of hair behind Jaime’s ear. “I promise.”

“Dad said you were pretty upset.” Jaime looked down at her bare feet on the carpet.

“I was, that’s true. I was upset.” Joy exhaled. “What exactly did he tell you?”

“That he messed things up pretty badly.” Jaime twisted her lips. “And that he was really stupid.”

Joy nodded. “Yes, he was. Really stupid.” She chuckled.

“Mom, I’m so sorry.” Jaime turned to face Joy. “I mean it.”

“Don’t be. You didn’t do anything.” Joy furrowed her brow.

“Yeah, I did. I feel like I pushed you and Dad together, and I shouldn’t have.” She stood and paced the floor. “I had some idiotic childhood fantasy of seeing you two back together and thought I could make it come true. You know me, stubborn as ever. I thought if I could get you two alone together, you’d see how perfect you are for each other.”

Joy smiled at her daughter’s naiveté.

“I jumped at the chance once Dad and Tiffany split up. I knew he was still in Milan and you were in Venice, so I pushed. I had no idea you had fallen for that Alessandro guy. If I had known, then I would not have—”

Joy perked up. “Wait, what?”

Jaime stopped pacing. “What?”

“Dad told you that I had fallen for Alessandro?” Joy shot her a curious look.

Jaime nodded. “Yeah. He said it was obvious you had fallen for him.”

Joy opened her mouth to speak, but no words formed.

“Is it true?” Jaime stared at her mom. “Or is it not true? I mean, I could hear it in your voice when you talked about him.” Jaime smiled.

Joy attempted to speak again but shook her head instead.

“Oh, well. I guess I got that wrong. Dad too. Although he said it was pretty obvious when you guys went dancing. He described to me how you and Alessandro danced a lot. Like several times that night.” Jaime crossed her arms again.

Joy stammered. “Well, I . . . uh, I . . .” She searched for the words. “I do like him . . . a lot.”

Jaime sat back down next to her. “You do? I knew it.”

“I mean, I think he’s really nice and a gentleman. And we had a great time together. I met his children. I wish you could meet him, too.” Joy pictured herself sitting on the bench in the garden with him.

“Dad said it made him jealous.” Jaime giggled. “To see you with him.”

“We did have a wonderful time together, Alex and I did.” Joy relaxed into that warmth that flowed through her when she thought of him. “I felt so safe with him. Like I could be myself, you know?”

Jaime nodded.

“I didn’t go to Venice to find love but I have this feeling it found me. We were just getting started when…”

Jaime rubbed tears from her eyes as she listened.

“Is it too late for me? For us?” Joy shrugged. “I don’t know. All I know is that Alex is there and I’m here. How on earth could it work?”

“Oh mom. You make it work, you know?” Jaime took her mom’s hand into hers.

Joy shook the idea out of her head. “Anyway, what your dad did was terrible, but I want you to know that he did pay for my hotel.”

“He did?” Her mouth dropped open.

“Yep. So there’s that.”

“Wow, that was thoughtful of him.”

“Or maybe he felt guilty?” Joy shrugged. “Who knows. I just thought you should know.”

Jaime sat silent for a moment.

“And what happened between Tony and me actually helped me more than hurt me.”

Jaime crinkled her nose in confusion. “Not following you, Mom.”

Grabbing her daughter’s hand, Joy exhaled. “Look, when I saw your dad flirting with that waitress, it crushed me, I’ll admit that. My mind went all the way back to when we were first married and I caught him flirting with my best friend. When I heard him deny it just like he always denied things, it woke me up, honey. I’m wide awake now. Awake to the fact that I need to figure out who I am and what I want in life, you know? I’m awake to the fact that I don’t deserve that kind of treatment. I deserve to be loved and respected for who I am.”

Jaime’s eyes shone with tears.

“It woke me up to the realization that you are going to be with Michael, and even though I will always be your mom, I need to remember who Joy is.” She pointed to her heart. “Who was I before your dad and you came along? I barely even remember. And when I worked in that flower shop with Dina and Vito back in Venice, bam. I remembered.”

Jaime smiled and wiped her eyes. “That’s great, Mom.”

“And I’m excited.” Joy grinned. “And a little scared, yes, but excited. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but for the first time in a long time, I am excited about the future.”

Wrapping her arms around her mom’s neck, Jaime squeezed her tight. “I’m so proud of you.”

Joy rubbed Jaime’s back, reflecting on how she would rub her daughter’s back when she was a little girl afraid of the storm. And now it was Joy who was afraid.

“Thanks, honey. And I’m so proud of you too. You’ve come such a long way since your heart was broken by Carl. I know it wasn’t easy for you to trust in love again, but you did it. And you inspired me to give it a try.” Joy leaned back. “I’ll need your prayers and encouragement, though, that’s for sure.” She glanced around the room, venting air between her lips. “It’s going to be strange living in this big house all alone.”

“Well, you’ll have grandkids coming over someday.” Jaime stared out the window. “I hope.”

Joy reached over and put her arm around Jaime’s shoulder. “I hope so too.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes with their heads together.

“Are you going to be okay, honey? Not seeing your dad and me together? I know it was a dream of yours, and I so wanted to make it come true.” Dancing with Tony, riding in the gondola on the Grand Canal, and strolls through Venice alleyways flashed in her mind. “I really did try.”