Chapter 405

Once they returned to the hotel, Giovanni had arranged to have the electric turned back on, paid for a healthy supply of groceries for the small staff, and began the preparations for moving Fontanna from Paris. By the time winter settled in, the mother and son would be cozy and warm in their own home, Cathy’s wedding gown would be completed – at last – and she and Giovanni would be married. If she had to anticipate how this year would end when it started, she would never have dreamt of any of this. It was the ending to an unusually long year, and the beginning to a dream come true.

Irena sat at her desk, the report of Cathy’s CT scan in front of her. She and Dr. Burns had reviewed the findings as well as the images and had decided that surgery would be a good idea. They were both confident it would be successful.

After speaking with Cathy earlier that same day, she had arranged for the surgery on Wednesday, the clinic’s normal O.R. day. She was disappointed that the woman had decided