Page 103 of The Unraveling of Julia

Julia opened the door to the waiting room, and Sherry rallied with a smile, gesturing to Marshal Torti.

“Julia, I hear you know Marshal Torti.”

“Yes, hello, Marshal Torti.” Julia masked her emotions. “What brings you here?”

“I wished to pay my respects to Mr. Moretti’s family.” Marshal Torti smiled. “We are concerned about serious accidents on our roadways. We’re putting a sign at the curve to warn that it’s dangerous when wet.”

Sherry teared up. “Good. We don’t want this to happen to someone else.”

Tonio added, “Yes, I agree.” He continued in Italian, and Julia got the gist that he was thanking Marshal Torti, who nodded.

“Well, I should go. It’s been lovely to meet you both. I will continue to pray for your son’s full recovery.”

“Thank you,” Sherry said, sniffling.

“Thank you again.” Tonio shook Marshal Torti’s hand. “We’ll keep you apprised.”

“Yes, please do.” Marshal Torti said goodbyes all around and left the room just as a nurse wearing patterned scrubs appeared and opened the door. Julia recognized her as the nurse she’d spoken with yesterday, and the nurse spoke in Italian to Tonio, Sherry, and everyone else, then turned to Julia and Courtney.

“I’ll speak English, for you. This is too many people for our unit. We’ve bent the rules but now we must enforce them. The only people who may remain will be immediate family. Antonio, Sherry, and Raffaella.” The nurse pointed to each in turn. “No grandmothers, or cousins fromSan Francisco,” she said pointedly, letting Julia know she hadn’t been fooled. “Everyone else must leave.”

“Okay.” Julia knew what she had to do. “I’ll say my goodbyes, and then we’ll go.”

Courtney nodded. “Sorry, we’ll go.”

“Thank you.” The nurse left, and Julia hugged everybody goodbye, but when she came to Raffaella, she took her by the arm.

“Do you think we could step out and talk a moment?”

“No.” Raffaella pursed her lips so firmly her pierced hoop twisted. “I said what I had to say to you.”

Sherry shot her a Mom-look. “Raffi, really?”

“Fine.” Raffaella rolled her eyes, then left the room with Julia and Courtney, and the three of them walked down the hall.

Julia swallowed hard. “Raffaella, look, I know you don’t like me.”

“I don’t like you for my brother.” Raffaella pushed back her blue bangs. “I don’t think you’re committed to him the way he deserves.”

“I get it, but we can discuss it another time. What I have to tell you is serious and I have to confide in you.”

Raffaella smirked. “Oh, are we girlfriends now?”

“No, but you said you always look out for your brother, and I don’t want to upset your parents.”

“What about my brother?”

“We both know Gianluca is a careful driver, right?” Julia weighed her words. She didn’t want to tell Raffaella about her vision because she didn’t have time to convince her it was true.

“Yes.”

“Weren’t you surprised when you found out about the accident? That he’d been speeding in the rain? Driving carelessly?”

Raffaella’s smirk evaporated. “Yes. That’s why I never worried when I lent him my Vespa.”

“Well, I don’t think he had an accident. I think somebody ran him off the road.”

“Like road rage?” Raffaella recoiled, her eyes rounding. They were pretty and dark, almost black.