Beginning Middle End

The mother finds her daughter using her computer and reading Pliny’s Natural History; the daughter closes the computer when she hears her mother’s voice from behind her. The daughter claims she put away the Proteus mosaic because it was giving her nightmares. This prompts the mother to consider returning the artifact.

Later, the mother researches her grandmother, Nanna, and discovers she was likely hired by famed archaeologist Paolo Orsi at the Villa Casale. The mother also learns that the Villa is closed for renovations until July 1, the same day the tourist is set to return to Catania. The mother texts Manuela, reluctantly admitting that she is considering restoring the Proteus mosaic to the Villa Casale. Her mother eventually agrees they should return the mosaic without seeking compensation. The mother later relays this to her daughter but explains they must wait for the site to reopen.

Reflecting on the fragility of memory, the mother recalls a childhood story where she was convinced that Manuela had turned into a fish, an event she later recognized as a false memory. This connects to her present fear of writing about Manuela’s potential dementia, worried the fiction might become real.