Chapter 3 - The Man at the Bookstore
Roman arrived in Bellhaven on a cold October morning.
He wore no suit.
No security team.
No expensive watch.
Just jeans, a dark coat, and the look of a man who had practiced a thousand apologies but knew none of them would be enough.
He found Elena at the bookstore.
She was shelving children’s books while Marco sat near the window, drawing a pirate ship.
Roman stood outside for nearly ten minutes before he entered.
A small bell rang above the door.
Elena looked up.
Her face changed.
Not with shock.
With exhaustion.
“You found us,” she said.
Roman nodded.
“Yes.”
Marco looked over.
“Mom, who is that?”
Roman’s heart stopped.
Elena walked toward her son and placed one hand on his shoulder.
“This is Roman.”
Marco studied him.
“Do I know you?”
Roman swallowed.
“No,” he said. “Not yet.”
Marco looked unimpressed.
“Are you buying a book?”
Roman almost laughed.
“I was hoping to.”
“What kind?”
Roman looked at the shelves.
“What do you recommend?”
Marco held up a book about a boy who built a kite that could fly over the ocean.
“This one.”
Roman bought three copies.
Elena did not smile.
After Marco went to the back room with the bookstore owner’s dog, Roman turned toward Elena.
“I’m not here to take him from you.”
“You said that before.”
“I know.”
“And then your lawyers sent papers.”
“I was angry.”
“You were dangerous.”
Roman lowered his eyes.
“Yes.”
Elena crossed her arms.
“What do you want?”
“A chance to know my son.”
“You do not get chances because you suddenly feel lonely.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you here?”
Roman looked toward the back room where Marco laughed.
“Because I finally understand what I lost.”
Elena’s eyes filled with tears, but her voice stayed hard.
“You understand what you lost. Not what you did to us.”
Roman nodded slowly.
“You’re right.”
For the first time in their marriage, he did not defend himself.
He did not blame work.
He did not blame Camille.
He did not blame Elena for leaving.
He simply stood there and accepted the truth.
May you like
It was not forgiveness.
But it was the first honest thing Elena had heard from him in years.
