NARRATOR
The inner garden of the Grand Hotel et de Milan is designed to impress: perfectly trimmed ivy-covered walls, marble fountains with hand-carved cherubs, white gravel paths winding between rosebushes that probably cost more to maintain than most people’s annual salary. At ten in the morning, the Italian sunlight filters through the Victorian glass ceiling, creating patterns of light and shadow that dance across the wrought-iron tables strategically placed for maximum privacy.
Lola arrives first, flanked by her three children, who walk with the mix of nervous excitement and caution they’ve had all morning. Carla follows behind, carrying a bag with everything that might be needed for a childhood emergency: wipes, bandages, snacks, distraction toys. Lorenzo clutches his mother’s hand
