Page 17 (1/2)

And that daainst the world

It would change everything, her next question Take what little she and her mother had left and rip it apart

He doesn’t know about you He’d love you if he did

Lina seized the co and the lu a deep breath, she closed her eyes, unable to look at her mother when she asked the question “What’s his name, Mom? That’s all I want for my birthday Just a name”

For a second, everything went quiet and still

“Whose name?” Mom said at last, her voice soft So soft, as if she knew, knew and was afraid

Lina opened her eyes andof conscience, kne much her next words would hurt her s aside “My father”

“Oh my God,” Francis whispered

Lina didn’t spare hilance, just stared at her mother, as soShe stood frozen in the ently away froht red silk of her blouse was a jarring sainst her throat

“Well?” Lina prompted

Color crept up herhand to her forehead and pushed away a nonexistent lock of hair “Your father…” She stopped, threw an uncertain look at Father Francis

Lina had a sudden, horrifying thought “Is it hihed sharply, almost hysterically, but it wasn’t funny Hoas it that she’d never considered this possibility? Her middle name was Francesca Oh, God, it was hysterical, really it was Who better for her perfect mother than a ive you for that one?”

“No,” Francis said “I wish I were your father, Lina, but I’m not”

Lina’s breath exploded in a sigh of relief He wasn’t her father, hadn’t lived beside her for all these years a hidden liar, a father ouldn’t admit it He was still her friend, the uncle she’d never had, the only extended family she’d ever known All at once she remembered a hundreda scraped knee, playing Candy Land, taking her to the father-daughter luncheons She moved woodenly toward hily, tears filled her eyes, but she couldn’t will them away “But you knoho he is, don’t you? You know” Francis paled He shot a confused look at her mother “Mad—”

“Don’t ask her” Tears spilled down Lina’s face She grabbed Francis’s hand and squeezed it “Please…”