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When he came out, Seraphina was still there, opening up the containers of food, holding one out to him. He shook his head even though his stomach rumbled at the delicious aroma, but she didn’t budge, didn’t take no for an answer. She dragged her chair and positioned it directly in front of him, ripping a plastic fork from its packaging and digging into the bowl of what looked like noodles and veggies.
She held out a forkful to him.
He narrowed his eyes.
Her expression dared him.
He rolled his eyes and opened his mouth.
Turned out he was starving. He took the food from her after allowing her to feed him a couple of forkfuls and scarfed it down, only thinking halfway through that he should’ve offered her some. He did, and she declined with a small smile and a shake of her head.
When he finished eating, she took the garbage out of the room and then returned.
Back to the silence and the heaviness.
He didn’t know what to say to her now, how to break the shell they found themselves cocooned in. He should probably thank her for coming because God knew she didn’t have to. He should ask more questions about who she had following him and why he hadn’t noticed. He should tell her he didn’t want her there, send her on her way.
He should do a lot of things, but he did none of them.
Still, she stayed with him even as nurses traipsed in and out, even when the doctors came by to give an update. Seraphina stayed with him when he started talking out loud to his mother, telling her all the things they’d do together once she opened her eyes. Making promises to never leave again, if only she’d be okay.
She’d never liked him traveling all over, but she’d also never tried to talk him out of it. She understood he liked what he did; he enjoyed working with his uncle, liked all of it. She’d just expected him to be her son, to be there when she needed him. He hadn’t done that. He’d been too busy being heartbroken by the woman seated next to him. Too busy feeling sorry for himself. He hadn’t thought to be there for his mother and the guilt slammed into him, almost caving his chest in.
He caught his bottom lip between his teeth when it trembled. His hands shook as he held on to his mother. She was so pale, so still. It hurt to look at her, to think she’d lain on that floor for God knew how long before he found her.
That ate away at him the most. The fact that she’d been alone. Hurting, probably thinking she was dying, with no one around. Without him. It shouldn’t have happened. His mother deserved more from him.
He swallowed and rubbed at his burning eyes.
A ghost of a touch on the back of his neck made his pulse speed up and hitched his breath. He didn’t acknowledge it orher. Focusing on her would defeat everything. For so long, it’d been all about Seraphina to the detriment of everything else and it couldn’t go on like that.
Not anymore.
He got up and stepped outside where his uncles waited. Stavros spotted him first and tapped Daniel, who was leaning on his shoulder. Both men shot to their feet and came to him.
“You okay?” Stavros asked.
“What is going on?”
“She has someone watching me,” Toro told them. “I want him found.” When Stavros lifted an eyebrow in silent query, Toro said, “Don’t kill him. Just… get rid of him.”
“Done.” Daniel cupped Toro’s chin, peering into his eyes. “What else?”
“I’m gonna stay in LA. Once she’s better, I’ll be staying here with my mother.”
“Of course.” Daniel squinted. “Did you think my response would be anything else?”
Toro shrugged. “I just— I don’t think I’ll be able to return to the way things used to be after this.”
“You do what works for you.” Stavros touched his shoulder. “Everything else will work itself out.”
After a few minutes, Toro returned to his mother’s room only to stand in the doorway, staring.
Seraphina sat in the chair he’d vacated, holding his mother’s hand much like he’d been, talking to her in a tone too low for him to make out. He watched for a few seconds before clearing his throat as he approached. She pulled away, retaking her seat.
He did the same.
And then he held his mother’s hand, sitting in silence with Seraphina.
