REMOVE THAT EMPTY CHAIR! I'M NOT HAVING YOUR MOTHER SET A PLACE FOR A DEAD PERSON AT MY ENGAGEMENT DINNER!” THE MAFIA BOSS'S FIANCÉE HUMILIATED HIS 80-YEAR-OLD MOTHER IN FRONT OF 36 GUESTS—BUT WHEN THE OLD WOMAN WHISPERED, “I PROMISED HIM I'D KEEP HIS SEAT,” VINCENT ROMANO SLOWLY PUT DOWN HIS GLASS. AND WHAT HIS MOTHER REVEALED NEXT MADE HIM STARE AT A MAN SITTING ACROSS THE TABLE -

Chapter 8 – THE EMPTY CHAIR FILLED

For a long moment, the only sound was the grandfather clock ticking in the hallway.

Vincent walked into the room and took the papers from Thomas. He read them in silence.

I held my breath, waiting for the explosion. Waiting for the mafia boss to erupt into violence.

Instead, Vincent let out a long, heavy sigh. He handed the papers back to his brother.

“I knew,” Vincent said quietly.

Thomas blinked, stunned. “You knew?”

“You think I run New York by being blind?” Vincent smiled sadly. “I knew Bianca was moving money. I knew she had found you months ago. I let it play out.”

“Why?” Thomas asked, his voice cracking.

“Because I wanted my brother back,” Vincent said. “And I knew the only way you’d come back is if you felt you were saving me.”

Thomas stared at him, the hardened exterior finally crumbling. The brilliant, ruthless mastermind was suddenly just a ten-year-old boy who had missed his family.

“I couldn’t just walk up and knock on the door,” Thomas whispered. “After what Father did… I didn’t know if you were like him.”

“I’m not,” Vincent said fiercely. He stepped forward and pulled Thomas into a crushing embrace.

For the first time in thirty-seven years, Thomas hugged him back.

I felt tears streaming down my face. I quietly slipped out of the room, leaving the brothers alone.

When I walked into the main dining room, the catering staff was cleaning up the disaster of the ruined engagement dinner.

Rose was sitting in her usual spot, staring blankly at the wall. She looked smaller than ever, exhausted by the night’s revelations.

“Mrs. Romano?” I said softly.

She looked up. “Is Leo safe?”

“He’s safe. He’s sleeping,” I smiled.

Just then, footsteps echoed in the grand hall. Vincent and Thomas walked into the dining room.

Thomas looked at the long mahogany table. The staff had cleared away all the plates, except for one.

The white plate. The folded blue napkin. The small piece of homemade apple pie.

Thomas walked over to the empty chair. He gently placed his hand on the backrest.

Rose gasped, her hands flying to her mouth.

Thomas pulled the chair out and sat down.

He picked up the fork, took a bite of the apple pie, and closed his eyes.

“It’s exactly how I remembered it, Mom,” Thomas whispered.

Rose let out a sob of pure joy and threw her arms around his neck. “My boy. My beautiful boy. You’re home.”

Vincent stood beside them, a genuine smile on his face. He looked at me across the room and mouthed the words, Thank you.

The Romano family was broken, scarred, and built on a foundation of blood and secrets. But in that moment, sitting around that table, they were finally whole.

The empty chair was filled.

And as I watched them, I realized I needed to make a phone call.

I walked out to the patio and dialed a number I hadn’t called in weeks.

“Hello?” a groggy voice answered.

“Hi, Mom,” I smiled, looking up at the stars. “I’m coming home to Ohio tomorrow. Let’s have breakfast. And… we only need to set two cups.”