Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 98583 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98583 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
“But it all changed when I woke up alone on the couch. I didn’t know where anyone was. I remember being so confused. Mom and Dad were there one second watching Finding Nemo with me, and then they were gone and the TV was turned off. I got up and went looking for them, but the house was so quiet. I found Mom in bed, her limbs half hanging out of the sheets, snoring loudly. Her gear was right there on the nightstand. Then I found Dad in the bathroom.”
I stop talking. That image is forever seared into my brain. Dad’s skinny body, naked, sitting in a tub of tepid water, pale and dead, a needle still stuck in his arm. His mouth was hanging open. His eyes were staring at nothing.
Adriano leans into me and strokes my thigh. “It’s okay, baby. It’s okay. You’re here with me.”
I realize I’m crying. I wipe my face, embarrassed. He’s the one who got shot, and here I am spilling my guts out for no reason. “He overdosed,” I say, finishing the story. “It took me a while to wake Mom up, but eventually they called the paramedics. He was gone way before they ever arrived. It’s something I think about a lot, though. How we had one last good night together. Everything felt perfect, like we were normal. And then he was gone, and nothing was the same after that. Mom spiraled into her addiction even worse, and Grandmother got stricter and more difficult, and it was like the world never recovered. It was the end of everything.”
I stop talking. Adriano kisses me lightly and brushes aside my hair. His eyes are bright, and he’s paying close attention, and I guess my pathetic story did its job at least.
“Nobody deserves that,” he says very softly. “I’m sorry, Lucy. I’m so sorry.”
“It was a long time ago.” I try to smile for him, but it doesn’t feel right. “It just doesn’t matter anymore.”
There’s a minor commotion near the front door. I jump to my feet, heart racing, ready to fight if that’s what it takes to keep Adriano safe. Instead, Luca comes back into the room, followed by a middle-aged man with graying hair and a lean, athletic build carrying a huge backpack.
“I hear you’re nearly dying,” the man says.
“Thanks for coming, Dr. Chen.” Adriano grunts as the doctor moves the towel aside and clucks his tongue. “That good, huh?”
“You need a hospital.”
“No, I need you.” Adriano leans forward, gritting his teeth.
“You need surgery. This isn’t some minor wound.”
“I can’t do a hospital. Think of another option.”
Dr. Chen sighs and rubs his face. “I could cut you open in the bathtub.”
“Fine with me.”
“Absolutely not,” I cut in sharply.
“There’s an ambulatory operating room we could use.” Dr. Chen frowns, head tilted. “We’ll have to move you, but it’s not a hospital. I’ll bring in people I trust. But this won’t be cheap.”
“Money’s not an issue.” Adriano nods at the doctor. “Set it up.”
“Then let’s get going. I’ll make some calls. Luca, help Adriano into the car. I’ll text you the address.” Dr. Chen strides out of the room.
“You heard the doctor,” Luca says, coming around the couch. “Time to go.”
“Well, fuck,” Adriano says. Luca takes one side, and I take the other, and together we get Adriano up to his feet. “This is going to be fucking terrible.”
“Yep,” I confirm. “It most definitely is.”
Chapter 29
Lucy
The operation happens on the basement level of a urologist’s office. I sit upstairs while Luca paces around, occasionally taking calls and talking softly into the phone. I don’t know what he’s saying, but he doesn’t seem happy.
At one point, Luca stares out the front window. He glances back at me briefly. “He’s crazy about you, you know that?”
I look up, startled. “I’m crazy about him too.”
He nods once. “Good. I hope so.” Then he lapses into silence again.
I don’t know what that’s about, but I’m filled with a deep and constant worry. I can’t imagine what I’ll do if something goes wrong. I went into this marriage thinking it was the end of the world, but now I can see how it’s just the beginning.
Losing Adriano now would kill me.
Dr. Chen comes out an hour later. He seems tired, but he nods when I jump to my feet. “He’ll be fine,” he confirms. “He’s recovering right now. We’ll be able to take him home in about an hour. I’ll come along and monitor him until tomorrow, but he was lucky. There wasn’t any major damage, and the bullet was intact, meaning no nasty fragments.”
Relief floods me. It takes all my willpower not to wrap the doctor in a huge bear hug. “Thank you so much,” I say, leaning against the wall as my heart races into my throat.
The thought of losing him was like an anchor dragging me into the depths of an endless ocean. I was drowning, but now that I know he’ll be okay, it’s like I’m finally floating again.