AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"I promise," I whisper.
A smile curves her lips.
The sound of the helicopter grows even louder, and I suspect it must have landed on the back lawn. Within seconds, we hear footsteps, followed by voices, as two paramedics race toward us. One of them squats down next to us.
"I’m a doctor," Aurora says crisply. "Patient has been shot in the chest. She's lost a lot of blood, she—" Her voice fades away as I survey Nonna's pale features.
She’s going to be fine. She has to be fine. She's been more than a mother and a father combined to us, and I never let her know that. Never let her know how much I appreciate everything she's done for us. If something happens to her... No, nothing can happen to her. She’s going to be okay. She has to be ok—
"Could you please step back, sir?" The paramedic's voice cuts through my thoughts.
I release Nonna's hand and take a few steps back.
The paramedic slides a needle into her forearm, tapes it in place, and begins to run an IV drip.
I rise to my feet and watch as they move her to a stretcher, then wheel her toward the doorway, followed by Aurora.
Karma, my oldest brother Michael's wife, presses her hand to her stomach and sways. Michael catches her around her waist. "You okay, babe?"
"Yes," she nods. "It’s just the shock of everything that happened. I’m sure I’ll be fine."
"You need to be in bed." He glances from her to the doorway through which the medics are wheeling Nonna outside with Aurora in tow.
"I’ll go with Nonna, too," I state.
"I’ll come with you." Elsa steps up next to me.
I turn to her and she raises a shoulder. "Least I can do after you bandaged my wound." I glance up at the bandage on her temple. Was it only a few minutes ago that I took care of her wound? It seems so long ago already.
"You may as well." Michael looks from me to her. "We need to find out what you noticed about the man who shot at you earlier."
She pales, but nods. "Of course, Don Sovrano." She sounds uncharacteristically meek. "I’m happy to help in any way I can."
"Massimo, you, Luca, and Adrian head over to the hospital." He turns to Christian. "You, Axel and I need to talk."
"Me?" Axel scowls. "You need me for this conversation?"
"You’re one of us now, aren’t you?" Michael says in a hard tone. "You pull your weight, then. Your family is in crisis; we need your help."
He seems like he’s about to protest, but Theresa grips his arm. "Please," she murmurs, "you promised, Axe."
Something passes between her and Axel, then Axel nods, "Fine, then." He turns to Michael. "How can I help?"
An hour later, I pace the floor of the waiting room outside the operation theater. I accompanied Nonna and held her hand throughout the ride in the air-ambulance. The paramedics worked to stabilize her the entire time, then rushed her into the hospital. Aurora accompanied them, and Elsa and I were told to go to the waiting room.
Massimo, Adrian, and Luca arrived about thirty minutes later by car, at which point Elsa retreated to one side of the room, and took a seat. I asked if she wanted anything to drink, but she refused. She did, however, pull out her phone to check... What? The time? Messages? Does she have somewhere to be? A boyfriend, perhaps?
As I walk away, Massimo corners me.
"Did they say anything?" he demands.
"How is she?" Luca adds.
"Give the man a chance to breathe," Adrian murmurs. "He’s as stressed as the rest of us."
"They said she’s in surgery." I shake my head. "We won’t know anything more until they finish." I glance past them to where Elsa's eyeing her phone with a frown on her face.
"What’s between the two of you?" Massimo growls. "The way you’re watching her, it’s like you can’t stay away."
