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.
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.”
Gabi nodded. “I can understand that. Edda gave me some background about the avalanche where Dino lost his mother, but she didn’t know specifics or why he needs an operation. I honestly don’t know how you survive a tragedy like that.”
“I’m not sure we’re doing it very well,” the older woman said in a sad, quiet voice. “But I don’t want to dwell on it. What’s important is that you’ve come. It will make him so happy.”
“I’m glad Edda sent me.”
She wiped her eyes. “I could never deny my grandson anything. He and my son are both in a fragile emotional state at the moment. As the time gets closer to the operation, I’m afraid Luca has grown as anxious as Dino. You see, when my grandson was brought in to the hospital after the avalanche, the scans revealed a benign brain tumor.”
“Oh, no.”
“The doctor says it’s the reason for the headaches. But removing it could cause other complications, increasing our anxiety.”
“Of course.” Gabi clasped her hands together. “How soon does he have to have it?”
“December 21. That’s three weeks from now. The neurosurgeon will fly in to Padova and perform it at San Pietro Hospital.”
“No wonder your son is so worried. How frightening for all of you.”
“Exactly. But we can’t afford to think about anything negative now. The family has videos of Dino with his mother at various ages, and he watches them whenever he misses her too much. I hope that your quick response to Dino’s letter and the fact that you came in person will cheer him up even if it can’t solve the problem. He’s struggling so terribly over the loss of his mother you can’t imagine.”
Gabi’s heart went out to her, to all of them. “The poor thing. Everyone at the foundation is praying for him. Edda sent a gift for him. It’s a building blocks game
