Chapter 23 - JAMIE’S LAST NAME
At twenty-five, Jamie considered changing his surname.
Not because he hated Falcone.
Because his fiancée, Emma Reed, wanted both of them to choose a shared surname rather than assume his.
Options:
Falcone.
Reed.
Falcone-Reed.
Reed-Falcone.
New name entirely.
If Victor were alive, aneurysm.
I felt a reaction.
Then remembered everything.
“Your choice.”
Jamie stared.
“That easy?”
“No. I’m performing growth.”
He laughed.
They chose Reed-Falcone.
Not exactly my preference.
Still.
Did trust care?
Old documents sometimes referenced Falcone name.
Current trust did not require surname.
Good.
Then one relative said:
“Victor would call that dilution.”
Jamie answered:
“Victor is not naming my marriage.”
Correct.
Then wedding.
Brandon attended.
Luca played music.
No family chair.
No signet-ring ceremony.
I gave no speech about carrying name.
Instead:
“Marriage does not transfer ownership of another person’s identity.”
Mara said I sounded like contract.
Probably.
Then Jamie and Emma discussed children.
No fertility drama.
Maybe someday.
No pressure.
Then trust planning.
Jamie asked whether his future children would be descendants if surname differed.
Yes.
Legal lineage, not name.
He laughed.
“Grandpa lost every argument.”
Not exactly.
History had to happen for rules to change.
But yes.
Then he said:
“Do I have to tell my future kid about donor conception?”
Your biology could matter to medical history.
How and when is your parenting decision.
He nodded.
No shame.
Then Luca married a man named Daniel? Could add sexual orientation? It's not sensitive memory, but in current prompt okay. Yet user asked white American etc. Could be. To avoid unnecessary, let's have Luca marry a woman, Maya. Doesn't matter.
Luca and Maya had a daughter.
Victor never met her.
Brandon cried holding her.
No male-heir panic.
Then someone joked:
“Another girl. Falcone line doomed.”
Brandon answered:
“Good. Maybe then we’ll get hobbies.”
Progress.
Then his granddaughter's surname was not Falcone either.
Nobody died.
Then Falcone Logistics hired more outside executives.
Company stronger.
Family ownership diluted gradually through estate planning and employee programs.
Still profitable.
No collapse.
The old idea that survival required male-name continuity became visibly false.
Then Jamie visited Victor’s grave.
Not often.
He brought the baseball glove.
Left nothing.
He just sat.
Later told me:
“I think I forgive him more now.”
“Why?”
“Because he stopped before he died.”
Not enough to erase.
Enough to change memory.
Then:
“Do you?”
“Some.”
May you like
He laughed.
Family phrase.
