GOLDWING (ing version)

chapter 53

VICTORIA'S POV

Harper was always hungry and didn't like to be alone. She just wanted to stay on my chest, sleeping silently. She liked laps, pop music and trying to draw. At night, she wouldn't sleep without a lilac washcloth next to her head. Of all the foods, she stuck to avocado. In the corner of her cot, she put almost all her toys in line. When we said no to her, she insisted a lot, like someone I knew. She loved to wear socks, hated to wear shoes. She called me mama all the time, Vitto when she saw Nica calling me that. Her favourite people were mostly maternal figures. 365 days with her passed quickly. 1 year of watching her open her eyes more, start to see colours, cry less, recognise me, grab objects, smile, crawl, walk. Over time, her facial expressions settled better to her face, her blonde hair started to get wavy. Her smile and angry expression bore some resemblance to her father.

Everyone loved Harper. The media, my family, my friends, our fans. 6 months after she was born, she went with me, Ethan and Thomas to Jimmy Fallon's Tonight Show to introduce our EP that was delayed many times, Aidan (Nadia). Taking a baby, my baby, to a show with an almost international audience scared the hell out of me, but at the same time I felt the small need to lift her into the world and say, that's my daughter.

I returned to Trastevere after almost a year, now with a pram rolling over the road. I saw the  house I had helped to design in real life, my house. I saw that they had planted lavender and sunflowers in the surrounding area, just as I wanted. I used the key I had been given a while ago, and went inside. It was empty, still smelling of fresh paint. I saw my room, our room. No sheets. With almost nothing. Just an A3 painting that used to be in my house, from our wedding. I revisited that day as soon as I saw it. The wedding night, the dress, the party, the atmosphere, the people. Him. When he was mine. Just mine.

Now Harper was on my lap, with a toy on her chest. For the first time, I had walked into her room. It was still with furniture in boxes, clothes in a box with the name ANGEL on it. The walls were cream, with a painting of a tree. It was totally different from her room at home, which was with the things she liked the most. Her favourite toys, her favourite clothes, her most beautiful books, pictures of her when she was younger. In that room, there still rested on a table supporting the rocking chair a picture of her and me the first time we met. I put it there to remind myself that every day there was always a reason to stay, a reason to stay, despite everything not being perfect as I once imagined. That even though his father wasn't there, I could play both roles at the same time.

I was at my house in Copenhagen at that time, reading a book, after having a fun afternoon trying to sap Harp's energy to get her to fall asleep. While she was falling asleep, I would gently tie her hair in two pigtails. When she started to snore, it was a sign that her deep sleep had begun.  In a message I had received a few days ago, my friends asked me out. Luckily, Harper's babysitter was free and could spend the night there. Although I now had a greater responsibility, I hadn't stopped prioritising myself at times. Moments without her were important too, for me to be calmer and have fun. But I was the world's biggest mother hen. Every hour, I'd check the footage on the surveillance camera to see how she was doing. And when I noticed something wrong, I would call the nanny straight away. On those cameras I have seen some very funny things with her stealing one of Chilli's toys, who just accepted defeat and kept watching the little one.

Postpartum had made me change my style a bit, and suffer a lot too. Realising that cellulite was normal, stretch marks were inevitable and that my body would never go back to the way it was often left me without eating. The diagnosis of a postpartum eating disorder came, and I was starting therapy. I dressed in a white button down shirt, with beige trousers. This outfit never used to fail. I left the house while Harp slept with a different mindset, that I now have responsibilities and I can't forget that.

On a vespa, Anthony, an old homie of mine, was waiting for me, at the entrance of the parking lot, with his crazy behaviors and lots of kindness. Later on, we could appreciate the sunset that made itself be seen between some soft clouds and the reflection of the sea, while drinking good wine and telling stupid jokes. 

My mobile phone vibrates non-stop again. Missed call. From France.

France? What do you mean from France?

I didn't really care, until the same number kept calling. I've learned to be more patient since becoming a mother, so I answered, whether it was the person behind it.

"This is the Soares law firm. Good afternoon," a nice woman says.

"Good afternoon. Are you sure this isn't a mistake?"

"No. May I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Were you by any chance an obstetric or intensive care patient between February 17 and March 7, 2026?", they asked. My heart froze. I stood almost motionless."Don't worry, we have a confidentiality agreement."

"Yes, I suppose we do."

"My client wants to talk to you. Perhaps you can remember her name," she hands over the phone. "Victoria," I recognised the voice straight away, "It's Claire."

Claire. My hospital mate, the mother of twins, who were born around the same time as Angel. She was in the same room as me due to complications with diabetes. I had never heard from her again, she was discharged when I was in a coma.

"Uh, wow. To time," I replied, a little confused.

"Look, I hate to break it to you first, I don't know if your managers got the news yet. My lawyer was able to brief them."

"You can talk, what is it?"

"You may not remember her, but do you know who Nurse Corinne is?"

"She was the one who informed me of Angel..." I sighed.

"I do remember that. The hospital discovered that there were unconsistencies in the cases of 18 babies at least during that time. All linked to her. She... she.... sorry, I'm not very well. She leaked the information Victoria, I mean, there's a good chance she leaked private information about the births at the hospital. I saw your husband's last name on it. It was, like, David, Angel. It's got nationality, weight, cause of death, everything. I was wondering if you would support us fighting for justice."