Chapter 10 – THE BROTHER WHO HAD TO BEGIN AGAIN

“Matteo can’t return as general manager?”

Luca looked from the paper to Diane.

She didn’t apologize.

“That’s what the employees voted for.”

Matteo stood a few feet away.

He’d heard every word.

For several seconds, he said nothing.

Then he looked toward Ray.

“Is that what you want too?”

Ray removed his glasses.

“It’s what I think the shop needs.”

Matteo swallowed.

“I’ve worked here since I was sixteen.”

“I know.”

“I stayed when other people left.”

“I know that too.”

Ray’s voice softened.

“But you stopped listening to the people who were trying to help you.”

Matteo looked toward Luca.

For a moment, I thought he might ask his older brother to overrule the employees.

Luca didn’t give him that opportunity.

He looked at Diane.

“Were all employees given a chance to vote?”

“Yes.”

“Was the decision voluntary?”

“Yes.”

Luca nodded.

“Then it deserves serious consideration.”

Matteo’s face tightened.

“You’re agreeing with them?”

Luca looked at him.

“I love you.”

His voice was gentle.

“But loving you doesn’t mean pretending your decisions didn’t hurt people.”

Matteo looked away.

Teresa stepped beside him.

He whispered, “Dad wanted me to run this place.”

She took his hand.

“Your father wanted you to become a good man.”

His eyes filled.

“He wouldn’t have wanted this?”

“Sweetheart, your father made mistakes too.”

Matteo looked at her.

“He did?”

“Oh, yes.”

She smiled sadly.

“He trusted the wrong people. Got angry when someone corrected him. Sometimes he was far too proud to admit he needed help.”

Matteo gave a faint laugh.

“That sounds familiar.”

Teresa squeezed his hand.

“But when he made a mistake, he tried to repair it.”

She glanced toward the garage.

“And he never thought he was too important to pick up a wrench.”

Matteo was quiet for a long time.

Then he looked toward Ray.

“If I step down, can I still work here?”

Ray studied him.

“Doing what?”

“Whatever needs doing.”

“No signing contracts?”

“No controlling the accounts?”

“No making promises to the employees without talking to them?”

Matteo nodded.

Ray crossed his arms.

“You’ll answer to the new manager.”

“I understand.”

“And you’ll have to earn people’s confidence again.”

Matteo looked at the familiar workbenches.

The stained concrete.

The old red sign beyond the window.

Then he said quietly, “I’d rather work here as a mechanic than lose this place because I was too proud to change.”

Ray held out his hand.

Matteo shook it.

It wasn’t a complete reconciliation.

But it was honest.

And after everything we’d been through, honesty felt like something worth celebrating.

The workers selected Ray as interim operations manager, with Diane overseeing the financial records.

Luca agreed to establish independent oversight and a structured plan for the garage’s future.

Matteo accepted a regular mechanic’s position.

For the first few days, he arrived before sunrise.

He cleaned equipment.

Organized replacement parts.

Helped prepare the safe bays for reopening.

When the independent engineer identified what needed repair, Matteo worked alongside the contractors instead of simply accepting their invoices.

He asked questions.

Checked the delivered materials.

And listened when the experienced mechanics explained something he hadn’t understood.

One afternoon, I found him sitting on an overturned bucket beside the workbench.

His hands were covered in grease.

He looked exhausted.

“Rough day?” I asked.

He smiled faintly.

“Frank made me redo the same repair three times.”

“Why?”

“Because I kept rushing.”

I laughed.

“Did you get it right?”

“Eventually.”

Then his smile faded.

“Emma, I never thanked you.”

“For what?”

“For telling Luca the truth at dinner.”

I looked at him.

“I was trying to help your mother.”

“I know.”

He rubbed his hands with a cloth.

“That’s what makes it worse.”

I sat beside him.

“Why?”

“Because I was so worried about what Luca would think of me that I forgot what Dad would’ve thought about the way I was handling things.”

He looked toward the garage entrance.

“You protected Mom when neither of her sons knew she needed protecting.”

I shook my head.

“Your brother protected her too.”

“Yes.”

Matteo swallowed.

“But you were the first one brave enough to speak.”

For a moment, neither of us said anything.

Then he reached into his coat pocket.

He brought out a small gold pocket watch.

Antonio’s watch.

The one Vanessa had wanted for the engagement photographs.

“I took this out of Dad’s study the day before the dinner.”

I looked at it.

“Why didn’t you give it to Luca?”

Matteo turned it in his hands.

“Everything happened so quickly. Then I couldn’t decide who should keep it.”

He opened the cover.

The hands had stopped.

Inside was a faded photograph of Teresa when she was young.

I smiled.

“She was beautiful.”

Matteo nodded.

“Still is.”

He closed the watch.

“I think Mom should have it.”

That evening, we brought the watch to Teresa.

She sat in the mansion’s dining room, sorting Antonio’s old recipe notes.

When Matteo placed the watch in her hands, she became very still.

“Oh, sweetheart.”

She opened it.

Touched the photograph.

Then smiled through her tears.

“He carried this everywhere.”

Luca sat beside her.

“Did he really keep your picture inside?”

“Of course.”

She looked at both sons.

“He used to say he needed reminding what time he was supposed to come home.”

Matteo laughed.

Teresa closed the watch.

Then placed it beside the blue enamel pot.

“Your father loved that garage,” she said.

“But every Sunday, he came home.”

She looked toward Luca.

“And I think we need to remember why.”

Luca smiled.

“Because he wanted dinner?”

“Because he wanted everyone to have somewhere they belonged.”

She considered something.

Then looked at both sons.

“I have an idea.”

Matteo grinned.

“Should we be worried?”

“Probably.”

She laughed.

“Next Sunday, I want us to have dinner at the garage.”

Luca raised his eyebrows.

“At the garage?”

“Yes. The employees. Their families. Anyone who helped us through all this.”

Matteo nodded.

“I like that.”

“Good.”

Teresa picked up her old wooden spoon.

Then placed it in Luca’s hand.

He stared at it.

“What’s this for?”

She smiled sweetly.

“You’re making Antonio’s Sunday gravy.”

Luca looked horrified.

“Mom, I can’t even chop onions properly.”

“Then you’ll learn.”

She looked at me.

“Emma, sweetheart, would you help him?”

I tried not to laugh.

“Of course, Mrs. Moretti.”

Teresa folded her hands.

“Wonderful. I’ve already invited everyone.”

Luca went still.

“How many people?”

Teresa smiled.

“Forty-six so far.”

He looked at the little wooden spoon.

Then at the enormous blue pot.

And whispered, “Mom, you’re going to have to tell me everything Dad did.”

Teresa’s eyes filled.

She reached for his hand.

“Then you’d better come into the kitchen early, sweetheart.”

Her smile trembled.

“Because there’s one thing about his recipe I never told you.”