Sadly, in recent weeks, it has become clear to me that my love will never be reciprocated and that the woman I love is perhaps not the person I thought she was. And I know I am not capable of changing the course of fate.

Take care, my dear Thomas, and above all, do not grieve for me. I can offer you no advice but this: Choose your battles well. Not all are worthy of being waged. Know that there are times when you should cling to your friends. Throw yourself heart and soul into this life, because solitude is fatal.

I wish you every happiness in the future. I do not doubt for a second that you will succeed where I have failed and find a soul mate with whom to confront life’s sea of troubles.

Be demanding. Be different from other boys. And guard yourself against fools. In the tradition of the Stoics, remember: the best revenge is not to be like he who wronged you.

And although my fate might seem to attest to the contrary, I still believe that our weaknesses are our greatest strengths.

With much affection.

Yours,

Jean-Christophe Graff

The Maternity Ward

Jeanne-d’Arc Clinic, Antibes, October 9, 1974

Francis Biancardini gently pushed open the door of the hospital room. The orange rays of the autumn sun streamed through the French doors that led to the balcony. In the late afternoon, the quiet of the maternity ward was broken only by the distant clamor of schoolchildren heading home.

Francis stepped into the room, his arms laden with presents: a teddy bear for his son Thomas, a bracelet for Annabelle, two packages of biscotti and a jar of Amarena cherries for the nurses who had taken such good care of them. He set the gifts down on the bedside table as quietly as possible so as not to wake Annabelle.

When he leaned over the crib, the newborn stared up at him with his new eyes.

“How are you, my little man?”

He took the baby in his arms and settled himself in a chair to enjoy the solemn yet magical moment that follows the birth of a child.

He felt a profound joy mingled with regret and helplessness. When Annabelle left the clinic, she would not be coming home with him. She would be going back to her husband, Richard, and he would be Thomas’s legal father. It was a painful situation, but she was also a woman who defied all norms. A passionate lover who had a very personal concept of commitment but who valued love above all.