The Capo’s Daughter Needs No Permission Chapter 41
After the project ended, the company gave me a bonus.
I didn’t buy jewelry.
And I didn’t put the money into the metal box.
I contacted Westbridge Student Affairs and set up a small transportation grant.
It wasn’t much—just enough to cover a new student’s ticket to campus and a few days of meals.
I still remembered how Ms. Albright had packed documents and food into a paper bag for me when I was eighteen.
Without that bag, the first part of my journey to California would have been much harder.
When the school sent the donation agreement, the donor line was filled in by default as:
“Vitale Family.”
I sent it back for correction.
“Just Romy.”
The staff member asked, “Would you like the grant to be named after your full name?”
“No.”
“Then should applicants be required to submit parental consent?”
I looked at the line.
“Adult students don’t need it.”
“The funds go directly into the student’s own account, and the donor cannot attach any conditions outside the grant’s stated purpose.”
The revised version came back quickly.
Every line was clear.
After the grant opened for applications, I sent the link to Ms. Albright.
When she saw it, she asked, “Why not leave your name on it?”
“Because some people just need the ticket, not another person they have to remember to thank.”
The line was quiet for a few seconds.
“You know that, don’t you, Romy?”
“You’ve already become the adult you needed most when you were eighteen.”
My nose suddenly stung.
“I met you back then.”
She laughed.
“Then you’d better remember to buy me dinner.”
That weekend, she flew out to California.
We went to the campus supermarket.
The staff meal counter still served meatball soup.
I brought a bowl for each of us.
This time, the person sitting across from me wasn’t crying over belated guilt.
She took one sip and complained that it needed more salt.
I handed her the salt shaker.
Outside the window, freshmen were dragging suitcases toward the dorms.
Some of their bus tickets would be paid for by the grant that required no permission slips.