CHAPTER NINETY SEVEN – SHARED GRIEF

"Good morning, Mr. Fratelli," Joan began, her voice soft but professional. "How are you feeling today?" Alessandro was quiet for a moment, his eyes fixed on a point just over Joan's shoulder. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and controlled. "I'm... struggling, Dr. Keppler. More than I expected to." Joan nodded encouragingly. "That's understandable. Grief is a complex and often overwhelming emotion. Can you tell me more about what you're experiencing?" Alessandro's jaw tightened. "I've always been the stoic one, you know. The ice to Vito's fire. But now... I find myself feeling things I don't know how to handle." "What kind of things?" Joan prompted gently. "Anger," Alessandro said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Guilt. A sense of... loss that I can't seem to shake. Vito and I, we weren't always close, but he was my brother. And now he's gone, and I'm... I'm not sure who I am without him." Joan felt a pang in her chest, recognizing the raw pain in Alessandro's words. "