Page 21 of A Vendetta That Ruins

A female in scrubs gives us all a nod as we enter. She gestures to the sinks. Nicolo slides up the sleeves of his white dress shirt and suit jacket and washes his hands thoroughly using the soap from the dispenser and then gestures for us to do the same. “They don’t mess around about germs,” he says.

Each of us scrub up before we’re permitted to follow the lady into another room. “Your mother is already under. This is where you’ll wait. As soon as I’m able I’ll be giving you personal updates from the phone on this table. The rest of your family are on the way down from her room,” she says, gesturing to an old school phone that’s clearly wired into the infrastructure and not in any way hooked to an intranet of any sort.

The waiting room now looks like any other waiting room with some very significant additions such as the sixty-inch big screen overhead on the wall in front of us and the coffee pot that brews an amazing smell that I’ve only once smelled before, the same stuff that Nicolo has imported.

I’m not usually a late-night coffee drinker but there’s no way I’m falling asleep and it smells delicious. I head to the machine as everyone settles into chairs. “Who wants some?” I ask.

Nicolo gives me a nod. “I’ll take one, thanks.” Saint gives me a nod too but doesn’t say anything else at all. I pour the brews and make one for myself and Vincenzo and then feel him behind me. “Here, let me take a couple of those for you.”

Vincenzo takes two of the cups and hands them to his brother and Saint while I bring his and mine back to our seats and hand his to him. I take a sip of the strong, robust coffee that his brother loves. “This is exceptionally good,” I say, sipping on the full mug of brew.

Nicolo nods. “It’s the best bean in all the world if you ask me.”

Vincenzo laughs. “Nobody did.”

I look to Nicolo. “What’s the story behind the coffee you love so much?”

He starts to say something, but the door opens, and Lanah, Gianni, and Agosto all walk in together. Lanah runs to Vincenzo, and he scoops her up in his arms, drawing her to him. “Ma is going to make it, capisce?”

Lanah’s tears slide down her face and onto her shirt and he comforts her until she’s composed herself. “I know I’m supposed to be stronger but damn it, one moment she was good and the next Ma was on her deathbed again.”

Vincenzo smooths her hair, cradling his sister in his arms. “She’s going to make it, sweetie. She’s a DeLuca, she’s going to make it.”

My chest tightens with emotion watching him hold his little sister. His jaw tightens and I can feel the tension and the weight of the responsibility that Vincenzo holds for his family.

20

Vincenzo

This fucking night. One thing after another and my baby sister crying in my arms is almost more than I can take. “She’s in the best hands, sweetie.” I don’t promise her it’s going to be okay, because I can’t do that without more information but if giving her something to hold onto helps, I’ll fucking give her that. “I’m glad you were with her when it happened. She’s got the best surgeons money can buy. If anyone has a fighting chance, it’s her.”

She looks up at me with those soft gentle eyes, the baby of the family and all of ours to protect. I wipe her tears away. “Be strong for Mamma. She’s going to need you when she pulls through.”

Lanah leans into my chest as I get everyone introduced and the evidence of her crying seeps into my jacket before she looks up at me with those big brown eyes. “You’re right. She’s going to make it, Vincenzo. She has to.”

I kiss the top her head. “Go sit with Anna. I’ll get you a coffee.”

She walks toward Anna and Anna stands from her seat and gives my little sister a hug. Things like this shouldn’t make a fucking grown man emotional but it does all the fucking same. Ma’s going to pull through this and at some fucking point our dad is going to walk through that door. He has to because if something goes farther south for Ma, he’s got to be here.

My jaw tightens with all the issues swirling around in my mind. Get here, Pa. This fucking family needs you, and Ma needs to see you to give her a reason to hang onto life.

Watching Lanah settle into the chair next to Anna, and Anna put her arms around my little sister, my chest tightens with a feeling that I’ve never before this day known. Family, loved ones, pappa and all his compadres, they knew how valuable family was so long ago. It’s not something you can tell someone about though; you have to feel it and now that I have, no one is going to come between me and any of the family members I love.

I gesture to Saint who’s pouring himself another cup of coffee. “You take care of everyone here. I’m going to make a call.”

He nods, and I feel the gaze of curiosity from Nicolo, Gianni and Agosto before I walk through the door, leaving them alone.

The minute I’m on the other side of the door, I hit the number that will span the globe, circling and redirecting before reaching Pa. My chest tightens with each unanswered ring. I’m just about to hang up when his voice soothes my angst. “I’m here. Two miles out, Vincenzo. I’m about ready to meet the drop at our favorite spot. How is she?”

I fucking wish I knew more but all I can do now is tell him what the doctors have been telling our family for hours. It’s humbling and fucking infuriating at the same time to realize not everything is in our control as much as we want it to be. “I’ve got someone there; he’s going to pick you up. Once I know he’s there, I’ll give you our code name and then he’ll drive you to us. Be quick.”

“You make me proud, Vincenzo. I’ll be there soon.”

“See you then.” I disconnect, happy he’s alive but knowing that when he makes an appearance every one of our family is going to be looking at me like why the fuck didn’t I tell them what the hell was going on, and if it was me I would be doing the same fucking thing. Only for that fucking promise I made Papa did I keep it a secret from my family, especially Ma and Nicolo but I guess everything is going to get cleaned out in the wash now.

I head back into the waiting room and the weight of my family, all eyes on me, and their reliance on my leadership hits me dead in the chest. This family, they are everything, and no fucking way will I ever let anyone or anything hurt any one of them.

Lanah slides over seats to make room for me between she and Anna. I’ve barely settled in between the two when blaring alarms begin sounding on the overhead speakers. Code Blue, Code Blue. All teams report to room surgery.