moment slowed down, everything becoming so painfully detailed. The sound of the safety coming off, the sound of her pulling the trigger—they echoed around us. I could hear Michael's voice, could feel him shoving me to the ground, and then…
Nothing.
eight
Beeping. What the hell was that terrible beeping noise? As I became more aware of my surroundings I also became painfully aware of the throbbing in my skull. What the fuck is happening? I groaned and shifted a little, instantly noticing that something was incredibly wrong.
My eyes shot open and scanned the room, confused by the white curtain, pastel wallpaper and small TV perched on the wall. Hospital? I tried to sit up but was quickly pushed back down by a warm hand.
"Unh uh, toots. Relax, you need to give yourself a moment."
Frankie's voice was soft but firm, as his hand pulled away. My eyes instantly met his as different emotions floated through me. He seemed to understand the confusion, concern, and fear that he saw in my expression. Smiling, he pulled a chair up to the side of my bed and sat down, taking my hand in his.
"You had a nasty spill, doll. I guess that's the easiest way to put it. They told me not to stress you out too quick once you woke up, but I've never been one for beatin' around the bush. Do you remember anything?"
"You had just left the restaurant, Michael and I were locking up and then… Mrs. Genovese?"
"Good, seems like you aren't too out of it. Look, Gabriella, I don't want to scare you but I ain't keep anything from ya, alright? Michael is in here. That crazy broad was trying to shoot you; Michael knocked you out of the way and took the bullet. Got him right in the stomach."
His face was grim, and the tears formed in my eyes instantaneously. It was like an ongoing nightmare that I was never going to wake up from. The second any happiness came to me it was ripped away. Things had been going so well and now Michael… Michael!
"Is he okay? What do you mean he got shot? For me? Frankie please tell me he's alright."
"Shh, bambina relax. He just got out of surgery a little while ago. The doctor says things look good, slow recovery but the bullet went straight through. They didn't find any fragments in him and it didn't hit any major organs. The kid's luckier than he fuckin' knows, hand to God. And all for you, piccolina. That boy loves you more than you know."
I nodded and hung my head, guilt forming in the pit of my stomach as I thought about how hard I had made him fight to prove that love to me. And now here he was in the hospital with a gunshot wound.
"Eh, look at me, bambina. I know that look, you're feelin' guilty. Knock it off, okay? I'm no idiot, Gabriella. I know exactly who that dame was and once we got you guys to the hospital I knew there was somethin' I was missin. That knucklehead doesn't give me credit for how smart I am, you know that? Thinks he learned all the bullshit he knows on his own." He laughed a little and shook his head, his eyes gazing off as if he were somewhere far away.
"I won't paint myself as a saint for you, I wasn't always the picturesque man you see before you." He winked before leaning back in his chair. "I use to work for Genovese—not as one of those idiot muscle men, but as a liaison to some other… families in the business. I won't say I don't have crimes on my hands, but I got out before things got too messy. Genovese… he wanted too much, ya know? Always messin' with good families. I didn't like it, not one bit. The racketeering, the illegal gambling… I could deal with it. But he was always messin’ with good businesses, families we had grown up with even! He tried to get me to stay, but I wasn't havin' it.”
“The day I left I swore off the whole lifestyle, moved my family to our home and never looked back. I always feel like I have a target on my back, but... no one ever comes. When Michael's parents were killed, God bless their souls, I had an idea it had been
Nothing.
eight
Beeping. What the hell was that terrible beeping noise? As I became more aware of my surroundings I also became painfully aware of the throbbing in my skull. What the fuck is happening? I groaned and shifted a little, instantly noticing that something was incredibly wrong.
My eyes shot open and scanned the room, confused by the white curtain, pastel wallpaper and small TV perched on the wall. Hospital? I tried to sit up but was quickly pushed back down by a warm hand.
"Unh uh, toots. Relax, you need to give yourself a moment."
Frankie's voice was soft but firm, as his hand pulled away. My eyes instantly met his as different emotions floated through me. He seemed to understand the confusion, concern, and fear that he saw in my expression. Smiling, he pulled a chair up to the side of my bed and sat down, taking my hand in his.
"You had a nasty spill, doll. I guess that's the easiest way to put it. They told me not to stress you out too quick once you woke up, but I've never been one for beatin' around the bush. Do you remember anything?"
"You had just left the restaurant, Michael and I were locking up and then… Mrs. Genovese?"
"Good, seems like you aren't too out of it. Look, Gabriella, I don't want to scare you but I ain't keep anything from ya, alright? Michael is in here. That crazy broad was trying to shoot you; Michael knocked you out of the way and took the bullet. Got him right in the stomach."
His face was grim, and the tears formed in my eyes instantaneously. It was like an ongoing nightmare that I was never going to wake up from. The second any happiness came to me it was ripped away. Things had been going so well and now Michael… Michael!
"Is he okay? What do you mean he got shot? For me? Frankie please tell me he's alright."
"Shh, bambina relax. He just got out of surgery a little while ago. The doctor says things look good, slow recovery but the bullet went straight through. They didn't find any fragments in him and it didn't hit any major organs. The kid's luckier than he fuckin' knows, hand to God. And all for you, piccolina. That boy loves you more than you know."
I nodded and hung my head, guilt forming in the pit of my stomach as I thought about how hard I had made him fight to prove that love to me. And now here he was in the hospital with a gunshot wound.
"Eh, look at me, bambina. I know that look, you're feelin' guilty. Knock it off, okay? I'm no idiot, Gabriella. I know exactly who that dame was and once we got you guys to the hospital I knew there was somethin' I was missin. That knucklehead doesn't give me credit for how smart I am, you know that? Thinks he learned all the bullshit he knows on his own." He laughed a little and shook his head, his eyes gazing off as if he were somewhere far away.
"I won't paint myself as a saint for you, I wasn't always the picturesque man you see before you." He winked before leaning back in his chair. "I use to work for Genovese—not as one of those idiot muscle men, but as a liaison to some other… families in the business. I won't say I don't have crimes on my hands, but I got out before things got too messy. Genovese… he wanted too much, ya know? Always messin' with good families. I didn't like it, not one bit. The racketeering, the illegal gambling… I could deal with it. But he was always messin’ with good businesses, families we had grown up with even! He tried to get me to stay, but I wasn't havin' it.”
“The day I left I swore off the whole lifestyle, moved my family to our home and never looked back. I always feel like I have a target on my back, but... no one ever comes. When Michael's parents were killed, God bless their souls, I had an idea it had been
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