AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I can’t pretend everything is all right between us,” she replies, reaching into her pocket and wiping her red nose with a handkerchief.
“I understand that, Maddy. I know things will never be the same, but I’d like it if we could still be friends.”
She scoffs, shaking her head incredulously. “I believe it was you who said we were never just friends.”
She’s right. I did say that to her. But I just can’t let her walk out of my life. Her being here means something, right? It’s got to. “Why are you here?”
“I-I…” She falters.
“You what?” I ask, taking a step toward her.
“I wanted to see your father,” she confesses.
“Why?”
“Because I missed him…I missed you,” she softly reveals, meeting my concentrated stare.
My heart leaps at her admission, but I remain cool, not wanting to mess this up. “I missed you, too.”
“But that fact doesn’t change how I feel.”
I blow out a frustrated breath, knowing this was too good to be true. She misses me, but she doesn’t miss me enough to forgive me. So we’re back to square one.
“I better go. I’m sorry for coming here and ruining your day,” she apologizes softly.
I could try to comfort her, refute that she did anything of the sort. But what would be the point? So I simply nod, feeling more disheartened than I felt the day she said goodbye.
She stands staring at me, appearing to want to say something more, but she doesn’t. She pulls the lapels of her coat up toward her chin, indicating she’s leaving. The action untucks her silver necklace from underneath her sweater. The moment my father sees it, he grunts because she’s wearing my mother’s necklace.
When she looks down at her chest, her cheeks flush. She appears embarrassed that she’s been caught wearing it. She attempts to take it off, but my father and I lunge forward to stop her. She stops dead in her tracks, appearing just as stunned as I am.
Too many things are happening at once. My exhausted brain can’t keep up with the fact that my father just showed a flicker of emotion, that Maddy is here, and that she’s here confessing to missing me and wearing my mother’s necklace.
“Keep it,” I assert, finally finding my voice. My eyes are focused on my father, who has returned to being his catatonic self. Thankfully, she doesn’t argue.
She too looks at my father because we both saw him move faster than we’ve ever seen him move before. “Pino?” she says, walking forward and crouching down in front of him. “Mi senti?”
I still can’t wrap my head around the fact she’s learned Italian. But that can wait because my father slowly raises his eyes, and…he fucking nods.
The air whooshes from my lungs. “Papà?” His eyes flick to mine, and I swallow hard. “Was he responsive before?” I ask frantically, dropping to a squat beside her.
Maddy shakes her head. “Not really. I didn’t notice anything different. I haven’t for the past couple of weeks.” The moment the words are out, she bites down on her lip.
I pull back, baffled. “Past couple of weeks? This isn’t the first time you’ve visited him?”
She guiltily shakes her head. If I wasn’t in the middle of a major crisis, I would demand answers, but I have other pressing matters to deal with.
“Papà? Sai chi sono?” When I ask if he knows who I am, he fucking nods again.
“Holy shit!” I curse, placing both hands over my gaping mouth. “I need to call a nurse.”
Springing up, I tear up the hill, thankful to see Pat close by. “Pat, my father—”
“What about him?” she asks, giving me her full attention as she places her plate onto the table.
“I think he’s awake, or responsive, or fuck, I don’t know,” I ambiguously explain, and she scrunches up her nose. “Please come. Let me show you.”
She nods and we quickly sprint down the hill, reaching my father’s side in seconds. Madison is still crouched at his feet, but stands when she sees us arrive. Her eyes dart to Pat, who politely pushes past her.
