The Magnate's Holiday Proposal Read online

  “I spent it with my cousin. We did a lot of early Christmas shopping. What about you, Gabi?”

  “My mother and I drove to Venice for the fun of it.” Gabi had done a little sketching.

  “How wonderful!”

  Pretty soon everyone had settled down. Stefania opened the mailbag and distributed a bundle to each of them. Gabi opened her envelopes and pulled out the letters. Then they each took a turn to read a letter. In the afternoon they would form a consensus of what to turn over to Edda for final consideration. All the letters came from children who were deserving of blessings.

  Just before lunch Gabi picked up her last letter. Most of them had been written in cursive by an adult. This one had been printed by a youngster and there was no greeting.

  “My name is Dino Berettini.” She didn’t know of another Berettini except the international Berettini plastics conglomerate near Venice. The billion-dollar business helped keep the country afloat financially.

  “I am seven years old. Every night I tell God I am afraid to have an operation because my mamma died and won’t be with me. But if it will take away my headaches and make my papà happy again, I will do it. He is never happy and I love him more than anyone in the entire world.”

  The words make my papà happy again swam before Gabi’s eyes. They took her back to her childhood when at the age of seven, her adored father was dying. She’d gone to the priest after Mass and begged him to ask God to make him better. The priest smiled kindly and told her she should ask God herself.

  Hurt that he hadn’t said he would do it, she still went home and said her prayers, begging God to save her papà. Within two days he rallied and got better. In Gabi’s mind a miracle had happened.

  Touched by the sweet, prayer-like missive from this boy, she was moved to tears.

  “Gabi?”

  She looked up. Everyone was staring at her, so she read them the letter.

  “What else does the letter say?” Stefania asked her.

  “There isn’t anything else. This child wrote what was in his heart. Obviously an adult had to address the envelope and mail it to us, but I’m convinced no one helped him with the wording.”

  “I agree. Read it to us again.”

  Gabi looked at Stefania. “I don’t think I can without breaking down.”

  “I’ll do it.” Luisa reached for it and read it aloud. After she’d finished, she said, “What a sweet little boy. But he hasn’t asked for anything.”

  “Yes he has,” Gabi murmured. “He wants the foundation to grant his wish not to be afraid for the operation that will help him feel better and make his father happy.”

  “But we can’t do that,” Clara exclaimed.

  Stefania shook her head. “No. It’s beyond our power, but this is one letter Edda has to read. Enjoy your lunch. I’ll see you back here at one thirty.”

  They all got up and left the building. Luisa and Gabi walked around the corner to the trattoria where they usually ate. While they ate pasta and salad, Luisa asked her why the letter had touched her so deeply.

  “I don’t know exactly. A combination of things made me tear up. He mentioned losing his mother, and it reminded me of my miscarriage and how I would never raise my child. As I told you, Santos and I got pregnant on our honeymoon. But I lost it after carrying it five weeks, and nothing could comfort me.”

  Luisa eyed her compassionately. “I can only imagine how painful that would have been for you.”

  “That was over two years ago. But when I read Dino’s words today, some of those feelings returned. Now he’s the one suffering so terribly.”

  “The poor little thing has lost his mother. The pathos in that one line squeezed my heart.”

  “I know,” Gabi murmured. “Especially the last line that said his father was never happy.”

  Luisa shook her head. “In the six months I’ve been working here, we’ve never had a letter like this one.”

  “I agree. Today I found myself wishing a miracle would happen for that boy. He wrote that letter as an act of faith because of Edda’s program. The trouble is, she can give any child a tangible gift, but she can’t move mountains.”

  “No.” Luisa shook her head. “It needs a miracle.”

  “Do you remember me telling you about the time I wanted a miracle so my father wouldn’t die? That did happen and he lived until three years ago when he finally passed away from heart failure. If only one could happen again for Dino...”

  On that solemn note they left to walk back to work. A half hour later Stefania told Gabi to go in Edda’s office. Since Gabi had been the one who’d opened the letter and had been affected by it, their boss wanted to talk it over with her.

  Gabi and Luisa exchanged surprised glances before she walked down the hall and entered Edda’s private domain. The trim, classily dressed philanthropist with titian-colored hair smiled at Gabi and asked her to sit down opposite her desk. She held the letter in her hand.

  “Stefania told me about your reaction while you were reading this. I confess tears welled up in my throat, too. That adorable child’s simple plea for help leaves us with a dilemma.”

  “Luisa and I were talking about that over lunch. How do you move a mountain?”

  “Exactly.” She picked up the envelope the letter had come in. “Someone mailed it from Maniago. I did research while you were at lunch. There are two Berettini families living in that town. Does the name Luca Berettini mean anything to you?”

  “No, but I immediately thought of the Berettini Plastics Company near Venice.”

  She nodded. “It’s the family business. Recently the elder Berettini stepped down as head and now Luca Berettini, his son, has been made CEO. Dino is his boy.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “Because of a tragedy that happened to that family two years ago. It was all over the media and in the newspaper. You didn’t hear about it or see it on TV?”

  Gabi lowered her head. “That was a difficult time for me and I’m afraid I hadn’t been paying much attention to the news.”

  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 operat
ion. 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

  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 hi
s 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 he can put on a table.”

  Tears kept welling in her blue eyes. “What I’d give if that present and your kindness to come in person will help him face the operation! My son is absolutely desperate.” The older woman clasped her hands under her chin. “Since I want it to be a surprise, this is what I’d like to do. If you’d be willing, I’d like you to follow me to my son’s villa.”

  “Of course.” Gabi had made her first phone call there apparently.

  “When we get there, I’ll go pick him up at school and tell him I have a surprise waiting for him at home. The cook will have our lunch prepared. He’ll be delighted to get out early since his father doesn’t normally bring him home until one. But not today! I’ll leave a message at his office that I wanted to pick him up. That way my son can stay at work longer.”

  That made sense to Gabi, who was eager to meet Dino.

  “When he comes running in the house, he’ll see you and the gift. We’ll go from there.” She stood up and called to her maid.

  “He sounded so sweet in his letter, I’m looking forward to meeting him, Signora Berettini.”

  “He’s a combination of imp and angel. I’ll get my car and ask Carla to take the present back to yours.”

  “Thank you.”

  In a few minutes she found herself following the black Mercedes sedan through the hills. When she rounded the next corner, she let out a quiet gasp at the sight of a sprawling two-story yellow villa set in the mountain greenery like it had grown there.

  From the style, she imagined it had been built in the eighteenth century. Gabi had toured through many splendid villas from the past opened to the public. But she’d never seen anything more gorgeous than this one owned by the wealthy Berettini CEO. How sad his money couldn’t fix what was wrong with Dino.