Barney had waiting until the other men had all left Tools place that night, he sat in Tool chair while the man himself worked on a new tattoo on Barney's body.

"Whats on your mind brother?" Tool asked "You got something important on your mind so just spit it out"

"You remember Francesca Rutelli"

"How could I forget her" Tool asked in a tired voice

"Wondered what happened to her, I can't even remember that town's name" Barney added

"She was the only noteworthy thing in that town" Tool added

"I wondered about her often, only woman I ever loved" he sighed, Barney looked at him thinking maybe Tool would finally start a conversation around his regular trips out-of-state to visit different gay bars.

"It wouldn't of worked but I reckon if I had had a pretty little woman waiting at home I might have ended up so fucked up"

"Saved your soul?" Barney asked

"Perhaps brother, why are we visiting the land of missed opportunities? God knows I've have more than I can handle"

"I met someone today who was asking about you" Barney started sitting up

and handing Tool the photo

"Jesus brother, where did you get this?"

"From a young woman"

"Cesca would be getting on now" Tool thought

"Yes, young woman who looked almost like Francesca twin but with fair pale skin and blonde hair named Max gave me this too" He handed the letter over

"Claims to be Francesca's daughter" he added

"Daughter" Tool muttered

"Calls herself Max Rutelli Tool" Barney added before getting up, pulling on his t-shirt and after a gently touch on the shoulder left Tool alone with the photo and letter.

Tool stared at the letter, recognising the neat writing on it before glancing at the photo and opening the letter

'Dearest Graeme,

If you are reading this I am no longer in this life and am no longer suffering or in pain from the cancer that has wrecked my body.

I have had a good life Graeme, I have been loved and have spent my time with those who are important to me.

I can't tell you I have not thought of you during the years but I have had a constant reminder of those days years ago when life seemed so much brighter and kinder. I hope you finally found the strength to accept yourself, you are a great man Graeme so I hope you have been happy all these years.

I did not have an ill relative in New York, we both knew that but I regret little in my life besides this. I let my family make decisions for me and I have regret not keeping my child, not going to New York to have her but from never telling you that you do in fact have that daughter you use to talk of spoiling silly about. I know you thought you would never have a family so I am sorry I kept her from you.

I named her Maxine Edwina Rutelli Tool, I hope you appreciate that I named her after your mother who you spoke so highly of I wanted her to be connected some how to you even if it was in name only.

She has been the perfect child and daughter Graeme, thought at time I have struggled as she reminds me of you so, she has my Italian fire in her but your calm reasoning. She took to Dom as more like a father than an Uncle and if she had not loved to be with me in the bakery I think she would have spent all her time playing with cars and bikes with Dom.

I always told her she had a great father, who left because I had been forced to leave. I told her who are you and I never hid from her what you do, I know you are a rough man Graeme but you would be so proud of our daughter. I told her that like myself you have loved many different people in your years, some male some female but you are her father regardless. She is a very open-minded person unlike those we knew in our youth.

I admit when I married Max and her step father have always had a difficult relationship, he is a good man but I believe he resented Max as she was a reminder to him of the man I loved before him. He was a quiet man, a mind for business and figures but I wish he and Max had gotten along better but I believe that he will take good care of her when my illness claims me.

I wrote this letter to you knowing that Max would never search for you while I was living, but as this disease destroys me I know that she will try to find you.

Be kind Graeme

She is not asking for money or to guilt you into anything, if you have found love and family she is only wanting to be part of it in some capacity. Get to know her, she is the best of me and you, love her Graeme as I do.

If you must send her away be kind, she has wanted a father since the day she was born, Dom and her step father never were quite enough. I tried but not even the endless love and care Dom gave his niece was enough, she married and while I have never been told I can see the bruises he has left on her.

If you do not have family I hope at your age you know how important family is, she wont ask a lot of you just your time and company, family keep you connected and makes life enjoyable, Max can be that little beacon of light. Family is the food for the soul, just like Mama use to say.

Sending all my love Graeme, I wish we could have spoken in person

Cesca'