Chapter 6 Part 5

Thinking of giving it another try, Olivia reached for the baby bottle and carefully placed it in Gianna's mouth. Strangely, Gianna accepted it readily, sucking the milk inside hungrily. This sudden development left Mrs. Claire and the nurse exchanging puzzled glances.

"It seems, Miss Gianna likes Miss Olivia's scent," the nurse suddenly remarked.

Olivia raised her head, her forehead creased in confusion. The woman smiled.

"It's hard to explain logically or medically. But many babies choose scents. They find comfort in the 'smell' of certain people. Most children cling to their mother's 'scent,' and sometimes their father's. And some find comfort in the 'smell' of specific individuals.

"You know, Miss, babies who resist being with anyone but their own mother. So they cling to their mother's embrace constantly and refuse to be apart. If they are even slightly detached, the baby will cry and squirm, wanting to return to their mother's arms, making it impossible for the mother to do anything.

"In this case, perhaps Miss Gianna likes Miss Olivia's 'scent.' That's why she's more comfortable in her arms than in mine or Mrs. Claire's." The nurse explained to Mrs. Claire.

"But this doesn't make sense, Nurse. I'm not anyone to Gianna," Olivia responded, unable to contain her confusion.

The nurse smiled. "You don't have to be 'someone' to make a baby comfortable, Miss.

"Babies, toddlers, children, they're sensitive souls. They know who can make them feel safe and comfortable. They can sense sincerity, just as they can sense someone's panic, fear, or even anger." She continued, still wearing a smile on her face.

The woman's gaze shifted back to Mrs. Claire, who was observing her sleeping granddaughter, having consumed three-quarters of the bottle's contents and now closing her eyes due to drowsiness.

The tired-looking woman displayed a gentle yet sad smile. Somehow, it made Olivia feel sad too.

"Help me take care of Gianna, Olivia," Mrs. Claire requested, a plea Olivia couldn't refuse. Shortly after, the woman left Gianna's room, followed by the nurse, leaving Gianna and Olivia alone in the room, both smiling.

After the door was closed and seeing Gianna already asleep, Olivia gently laid the baby on the queen-sized bed, ignoring the baby crib against one wall. Her left hand stroked the baby's head, wrapped in a blanket, while her right hand still held the baby bottle, which Gianna was still sucking on.

Olivia's lips hummed a soft tune until, unknowingly, she too fell asleep, alongside Gianna.

Unbeknownst to her, outside the small nursery, Mrs. Claire was talking to Rianna, asking her to persuade Olivia to agree to become Gianna's caretaker.

Meanwhile, elsewhere,

A bonfire blazed in the midst of the dark night and cold air. The sound of the river, nocturnal creatures, and the crackle of burning wood became the night's accompanying music. A tall man with somewhat long, tied-back hair stared at the reddish-orange glow with vacant eyes.

"How long will you be like this, Zio?" Zello gazed at his cousin, who had completely ignored his presence since he arrived. The man sat on a folding chair on the other side of the bonfire and looked sharply at his cousin's face. "How long will you be like this? Ruining yourself. Hurting the people who love you."

"You don't know how I feel," Ignazio replied coldly and softly.

"I may not know how you feel. But I know our family's feelings because I feel the same way they do." Zello retorted somewhat roughly. Zello was older than Ignazio, but in the family hierarchy, Ignazio remained his elder cousin, the son of his mother's cousin.

"We lost you, Zio. I know you feel lost and sad. I don't know what it's like. But Zio, you can't be sad forever.

"Gretta is gone. God decided her fate, and you can't fight that.

"Sadness has its time, but it doesn't mean forever. Don't forget our living family. Remember Aunt Claire, Uncle Antony, who never stops thinking about you. Do you think they're not sad about your current state?

"Don't forget Gianna. She's your child. The fruit of your love with the late Gretta. Don't blame the innocent baby for her mother's death.

"I'm not blaming her," Ignazio replied flatly.

"If you're not blaming her, why are you hiding from her like this? Why aren't you by her side as a father should be?" Zello asked accusingly.

"I need time, Zello," Ignazio said coldly. He stood up and stared sharply at Zello. "I don't blame her for Gretta's departure. But her presence constantly reminds me of the pain Gretta endured all this time.

"I don't resent her, but seeing her tortures me.

"To protect her, I lost Gretta, the love of my life.

"Because of Gianna, here," he pointed to his chest. "I feel pain and emptiness simultaneously." Ignazio said softly. He sat back down on his folding chair and covered his face with his hands, then began to cry softly.

"Zio..." A voice Ignazio recognized broke the silence of the night. Ignazio lifted his head and saw the screen of the phone in Zello's hand light up. "Dad knows you're feeling sad and lost right now. Dad knows even though Dad can't feel it.

"Dad knows you need time to heal the pain of losing Gretta. But please listen to Dad, son.

"Come back. Not now. But don't stay away for too long either.

"Have pity on your mother. She's very sad because you're gone. If you love your mother, come back.

"Also, remember Gianna. She needs her father. She needs the presence, attention, and love of her father. Don't let her experience what your sister did back then.

"Don't let Gianna feel what your sister felt. No matter how much love Mama, Dad, your siblings, and I can give to Gianna, it will never be enough for her because what she needs is her father's love.

"Don't experience what Dad feels, Zio.

"Because until now, Dad's biggest regret in life is not being by your sister's side when she needed Dad. Don't repeat the same history. That time can't be repeated."

Ignazio slumped even further. Hearing his father's words involuntarily touched his heart too. A small realization dawned on him; he didn't want the past to repeat itself. He didn't want his daughter to experience what his sister had gone through.

But what could he do? The pain of loss still haunted him. It haunted him every night.

His beautiful memories turned into endless nightmares. And after all that, he had turned his daughter-the daughter he had once longed for, the daughter he should have loved-into his outlet.

"What happened to Gretta, it was destiny. You understand that, right?" his father's voice echoed again. "Go, heal your heart until you think it's enough. Mom and Dad will take care of Gianna for you. But not forever.

"Gianna is your responsibility. And we're not getting any younger. God only knows when He'll call us and join us with Gretta.

"But before that happens, Dad hopes you've returned and taken care of Gianna as you should."

"Come back, Zio. Return to your family. Return to your daughter. Gianna is waiting for you. Gianna needs you. Come back before it's too late." And the recording ended, accompanied by Ignazio's quiet, painful sobs heard by his cousin alone.