Sophia’s “running off” was the only topic discussed by the women who came to me. My shop was, in a way, a safe place.
There were just women from the community who would sit and wait, or make themselves a cup of tea and discuss what was on their minds.
Though I contributed nothing, I heard everything.
The surmises, the innuendos, the guesses, for Sophia could not confide in them knowing exactly what they would think and say.
After a year I learned Salvatore was seeing Rose. I considered it a good match, but how could they marry?He was still married to Sophia.
Most discussions of this topic took place in my parlour so I knew the back and forth of it.
It would take, I heard, seven years to have Sophia declared “legally dead”, and then, what would be done? Call the police?
Sophia was not a missing person, Sophia was a tramp who ran off with a man. Did we need to know the details? Need to know where she was living?Did Mrs. Gallucci need to know?