The Magnate's Holiday Proposal

It was two years ago that Gabi had discovered her husband had been unfaithful to her. She’d already had a miscarriage. With her marriage in shambles, she’d filed for divorce. It had been a horrific time for her and she’d been blinded to anything going on around her at the time.

“I’m sorry to hear that. You’ve been a wonderful employee.”

“Thank you. I’ve been so much better since you hired me to come to work for you. It’s so marvelous making children happy. I’m more grateful to you for this job than you could possibly know.”

“I’m glad of it.”

“Please tell me what happened to Dino.”

“Luca Berettini was a downhill alpine skier who became a gold medalist in the Olympics in his early twenties.”

“I remember something about that. I was probably around sixteen at the time,” Gabi murmured. “But that was ten years ago. I haven’t heard anything about him since.”

“You wouldn’t have. He could have gone on for more medals but was taken into the family business early because of his brilliant marketing acumen. He married, and he and his wife had a son. Two years ago the three of them were skiing near their chalet in Piancavallo when they were caught in an avalanche.”

“Oh, no—”

“I don’t recall the details, but his wife was killed. According to all the reports, Luca saved his son from certain death.”

“The boy would have been five then. Old enough to have memories of his mother.”

“Yes. According to this letter, he needs some kind of an operation to cure his headaches.”

Gabi’s head lifted. “But he’s afraid because he wants his mother with him.”

“Sadly no one can bring her back, and they don’t need money for an operation. Our foundation can’t help him, but I’ll get you the unlisted phone numbers of the Berettini families, hopefully before the day is out. When I do, why don’t you try to reach the person who mailed Dino’s letter and set up a time to visit him? He needs a personal visit to know we received it.”

“I think that would be wonderful.”

“Would you like to be the one to go from our office?”

“I’d love to be the one to visit him. I know what it’s like to want a wish to come true.”

Gabi was reminded of another experience at Christmastime around twelve years of age. One of her best friends had almost died from a bad appendix. Their group of friends were so sad, and someone suggested they wish on a star for her so she’d get better.

None of them really believed it would do any good, but they’d grasped at any hope to pull their friend through. Wonder of wonders, she did recover. To Gabi it had been another miracle. This boy needed one, too.

“Good. However, the family may not allow it. But if they do, you can take him a gift to let him know we received his letter. Since it’s getting close to Christmas, I’m thinking the latest building blocks game. It’s a Christmas scene with trees and snowmen. Children that age love it. I’ll ask our gift department to get it ready for him. But if it turns out the family doesn’t want anyone to come, then we’ll send him the gift.”

“I knew you’d have a solution. You always do. Thank you for giving me this opportunity.”

Gabi left her office and rejoined the others in the conference room. She told them what Edda had said. Near the end of the day Edda’s secretary walked in and gave Gabi a sheet of paper with the telephone numbers of the Berettini families.

Stefania smiled at her. “Go ahead and make your call at the desk while we finish up.”

“Thanks.” She walked over to the corner of the room and sat down, wondering which number to choose first. But it didn’t matter as long as she reached the person who sent the letter.

On the first call she was asked to leave a message. Gabi decided not to do that before trying the other number. On the third ring, someone picked up.

“Pronto?”

“Hello. My name is Signora Parisi. I’m calling from the Start with a Wish foundation in Padova. Today we received a letter from a boy named Dino Berettini. There was no address on the envelope, but we saw that it was postmarked from Maniago. Edda Romano, the founder, has asked me to speak to the person who knows about it.”

Maybe Dino mailed it himself and no one in his family knew about it. If he’d wanted to keep it a secret, it was too late now.

“Signora Parisi? I’m Giustina Berettini, Dino’s grandmother, the one who sent it for him.” Her answer filled Gabi with relief. “I’m surprised you received it so quickly. I only mailed it on Friday.”

“We try to be prompt with a reply when the letters come in because we know the desperate needs of these children.”

“I was home with him on Friday when he said he wanted to watch your program,” the older woman said. “I’d heard of the foundation, of course, but I’d never seen it on TV. Before long he asked me to help him with his letter and mail it. What he printed came straight from his heart.”

Gabi nodded. “When I read the letter to my coworkers, we were all very touched. Once Edda read it, she suggested I contact your family. We realize he needs an operation, and we can’t bring back his mother, but would it be possible for me to come and bring him a gift? Edda wants him to know all our prayers will be with him.”

“That’s very kind of you. He’ll be so thrilled.”

It would be a thrill for Gabi, too. “I’ll bring it when it’s the best time for you. I believe the sooner he receives it, the better.”

“Would it be possible for you to come to my house in the morning? Say nine o’clock? Or is that too early? I don’t have any idea about your hours of work.”

“Nine o’clock would be no problem. What’s the address?”

After writing it down, Gabi hung up and told Stefania what was planned. Then she headed for the gift department to pick up the Christmas-wrapped set and put it in her car.

Excited over her mission, she drove home to Limena and shared all that had happened with her mother. They talked until late and she slept poorly, waiting for morning to come.

CHAPTER TWO (#u8e94ccb2-2aad-58d4-b61b-4aeb50f60895)

THE DRIVE ON Tuesday morning took an hour and a half. Gabi was familiar with part of the route leading to Venice, but she’d never had a reason to take the turnoff going north to reach Maniago. The picturesque town filled a valley surrounded by the Italian pre-Alps.

Her car’s sat-nav helped her drive to a lovely pale pink villa located in the foothills. Gabi found the property enchanting as she made her way along the tree-lined path to the front door carrying Dino’s gift.

She rang the bell. Now that she was about to meet Dino, she was feeling nervous for fear she might say the wrong thing. At least his grandmother would be with him. Gabi would follow the older woman’s lead.

Soon the door opened. A sober-faced woman in a maid’s uniform appeared. She eyed the gift. “Buongiorno! You must be Signora Parisi from Padova. Signora Berettini is waiting for you. Come in.”

Gabi followed her through a luxurious entrance hall to a set of opened French doors on the left. Her gaze traveled to the elegantly dressed older woman who was probably the same age as Gabi’s mother. She detected traces of silver in the woman’s black hair. The boy’s grandmother was tall and very attractive, but there was such sadness in her eyes.

She asked the maid to take the package and put it on the damask love seat, then turned to Gabi. “Thank you for being on time.”

“I enjoy getting up early. It was a beautiful drive and I’m anxious to meet Dino. Is he here?”

“No. He and his father live in a villa on an estate about two minutes away. Luca has already driven him to school. Come and sit down.”

The news disappointed Gabi, who didn’t understand why his grandmother had asked her to come if he was at school. And why not at Dino’s home?

“Thank you.” She found an upholstered chair opposite her and took her place.

“Allow me to explain. His father doesn’t know about the letter. If he’d heard about it, he might have discouraged me from sending it in order not to get Dino’s hopes up. What if there’d been no response? He adores that child and doesn’t want anything to hurt him. That’s why I preferred that you and I meet here first.”