Chapter 14 - THE DAY SOPHIE FELL INTO THE POOLSophie was twelve when she fell into that same pool.
Not pushed.
Running.
Against explicit rules.
She slipped on wet stone and went straight in wearing shorts and a T-shirt.
I heard the splash from the terrace.
My body reacted before my mind.
For half a second, I was thirty-two again.
Pregnant.
Falling backward.
Bianca’s hands on my shoulders.
Then Sophie surfaced laughing.
“Mom!”
Nolan was already moving.
I put one hand on his arm.
“She’s fine.”
Sophie swam to the edge.
Pulled herself out.
“Sorry.”
“You’re supposed to walk.”
“I know.”
“You could’ve cracked your head.”
“I know.”
“You scared me.”
That silenced her.
She saw something in my face.
“Because of Bianca?”
I hesitated.
“Yes.”
Sophie sat beside me.
“I barely remember it.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
“Yes.”
“All the time?”
“No.”
That was true.
Not anymore.
Later that afternoon, Bianca arrived for Catherine’s annual garden meeting.
She saw Sophie’s wet hair.
“What happened?”
“I fell in.”
Bianca froze.
Sophie noticed.
“So now we both made Mom panic.”
“Not funny,” I said.
Sophie grinned.
Bianca did not.
She looked at me.
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“Still.”
One word.
Enough.
We stood beside the pool.
The geography was almost identical to the day everything broke.
White stone.
Turquoise water.
Fountain crest.
Bianca in pale clothing.
Me barefoot.
But nobody had power over the other.
No keys.
No badges.
No hidden proposals.
Just history.
Sophie ran toward the garden.
Walking this time.
Bianca watched her go.
“She looks like you.”
“Unfortunately.”
Bianca smiled.
Then:
“Catherine would’ve loved her.”
I almost asked whether that was true.
Stopped.
Maybe.
Maybe not.
Dead people do not need to certify living relationships.
“I wish Sophie could’ve met her.”
Bianca’s expression softened.
“Me too.”
That was the closest we came to uncomplicated grief.
No ownership attached.
No argument.
Then Bianca asked:
“Does Miles know?”
“About the pool?”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“Will you tell him?”
“When it matters.”
“What will you say about me?”
Truthfully.
That answer from another family story came back to me.
“I’ll tell him you did something dangerous because you were angry and entitled.”
Bianca nodded.
“And?”
“That you took responsibility eventually.”
Her eyes filled.
“That’s more than I deserve.”
“No.”
I looked at her.
“Deserving doesn’t decide whether I tell the truth.”
She smiled through tears.
May you like
“Still a lawyer.”
“Always.”
