Chapter Two.

I, I don't know what you do. You make me think that you will change my life forever. I, I'll always want you near, give up on you, my dear I will never.

The night before the wedding had arrived. True to tradition, Sophie was staying with Peter and Katherine who had rented a house in Boston for the weekend. Robert was at home with his daughter Faith. This was the last night where it would be just the two of them. From tomorrow, it would be the three of them.

"Four of us!" Faith had said indignantly when Robert had told her this, "It's the four of us, Dad!"

Robert smiled, touched at the way Faith had so willingly accepted Sophie and the new baby into her life. "Sorry, yes, the four of us."

Faith smiled, "You nervous?"

"Not as much as I thought I would be. I'm more excited than nervous."

"The whole female faculty of Harvard University will hold a minutes silence tomorrow!"

Robert gave her a look, "I don't think much will change if I'm honest with you!"

"No, you're probably right there!"

"It does seem odd, getting married after all these years and people saying it'll happen one day and me not believing them. Then, about twenty years ago, I met Elizabeth for the first time and I thought, 'hmm, maybe my colleagues are right, maybe this can happen.' But then fate pulled us apart again and I was back to being on my own, teaching and writing books."

"Which is how you met Mum!"

Robert smiled, "Yes. My book, The Art of the Illuminati came into use besides my students plagiarizing it in essays! I was called in to assist on the case and I met your mother and for a while things were looking up again, but it's hard to maintain a relationship when you live on different continents. So, things faded and I got on with my life. Then we had you and life changed again and I met Sophie the year after. I couldn't believe it when I rang after Vittoria died and Sophie answered the phone. You never told me how you two met?"

"I don't remember." Smiled Faith, "She's always been there. But from what mamma would say, I think after what happened in France and England with you, she wanted a bit of time to herself away from her life as a cryptologist. She had never been to Rome and heard that mamma needed someone to watch over me and so the rest is history. Sophie was always there when mamma couldn't be. She would pick me up from school, make dinner. We would wander around Rome at the weekends and have gelato. Some of the times that I spent with Sophie were the best in my life."

Robert smiled, "I'm glad you had Sophie while you were growing up. Vittoria was always focused on her work, it came first. I'm just sorry that I wasn't around as much when you were younger."

Faith took hold of her Dad's hand and squeezed it, "It's ok, Dad, really. I get it now. It was hard for you to come over and visit."

Robert squeezed his daughter's hand in return. "Trust me to fall for someone who lives on the other side of the world!"

Faith smiled, "Maybe it was a good thing that things with you and mamma didn't work out in the end."

"What makes you say that?" replied Robert, a little surprised.

"Well, if you were still with mamma, then you wouldn't be with Sophie and Dad, she is so good for you. I can see the way that the pair of you look at each other. She makes you laugh and smile in ways that I have never seen you smile before."

Robert wrapped his arms round Faith and kissed her on the head, "Thank you, Faith." He sighed and smiled, "What did I do to be blessed with two wonderful women in my life?"

Faith laughed and settled into her Dad's side. They laughed and chatted for a few more hours. Then Faith called it a night, kissed her father on the cheek and headed up to her room. Robert sat in his chair. Usually he would sit and write when Faith went to bed, but tonight he couldn't focus. He was too excited for what the morning would bring. For tomorrow he was going to marry the woman that he loved.