Chapter 95: Chapter: 95

ALESSANDRO

Five Years Ago

I was standing over the prone body. If not for the beep-beep sounds, the zigzag lines on the EKG monitor, and the slight rise and fall of her chest. I would have thought the woman was dead.

I knew in my heart that since she was on life support, it meant she hadn't got much time.

Sofia had become thin, almost frail; her once dark, lustrous hair had thinned and lost its luster. If I had a heart, it would have twisted with sadness at seeing a once lively woman reduced to this.

But all I felt was emptiness. When I met her years ago, I thought she was the strongest, most beautiful woman I had ever met. She had survived Marco.

But seeing her on this bed like this. It made me uncomfortable. She was still the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen, but she was now fragile and broken.

Sofia was so sick that there were too many wires stuck into her; an oxygen mask half covered her face.

Something crawled up my throat and threatened to choke me, but I pushed it down. With a final glance, I turned to leave, but stopped when I heard her too-soft voice.

It was the same voice, slightly accented, unlike before, but still the same. I pivoted back and faced her. She was still lying down, but she'd removed the oxygen. She tried to sit up.

“Alessandro?”

“Si.”

“Aiutami a sedermi.” I walked closer and touched the buttons on the side rail until the bed was raised. Then I proceeded to right her, placing the pillows on the bed behind her until I was sure she was comfortable. I went to step back, but she quickly held my hand in hers weakly.

I don't do emotional, and I certainly wasn't a touchy-feely kind of person. But for once, I didn't break the fingers that touched me uninvited, and I didn't utter the usual warning.

“Sei venuto.” You came. Her voice was weak, and speaking took effort. Just these two words had winded her, the sickness had ravaged her once healthy body and made her weak. Weaker than I had first thought.

“Si, you left me a message, remember?” I said, frowning.

“Non ho molto tempo. Voglio chiederti un favore, un ultimo desiderio, per favore.” (I haven't much time, I want to ask you for a favor, a last wish, please.)

She started to have a dry cough, the sound was nothing I’ve ever heard before. It was bad. I rubbed her back. It was instinct, nothing more.

“Stop straining yourself, save your strength. We can talk another time. I will call the doctor on my way out.” She weakly clutched at his hand with surprising strength and continued speaking when the cough eased.

“No, I want you to promise me… promise me…me you would save them and right whatever wrongs had been…done, Per favore.”

Stubborn woman. I only wanted her to stop exhausting herself; I knew it was costing her. This unnecessary talking, but if promising her would stop her from talking, then it was what I would do.

“Si, si, I promise.” She nodded, exhausted.

“Alessandro?”

“Si.”

“Do you hate me?” There was sadness in her voice when she asked this.

“Never.” There was no hesitation. I meant it, once, long ago, I might have resented her, I might have been angry with her. I might have a question about why she chose him over me, but I never truly hated her. Never.

“It's okay if you do. I deserve that.” Her voice was weak and sluggish.

“I don't. And you definitely don't deserve any of these.”

“Forgive me?” I shook my head, then I realized her eyelids were almost completely droopy. She couldn't see me.

“There's nothing to forgive.” Satisfied. A serene smile graced her dry lips. Like my forgiveness mattered, like it meant the world to her. And maybe it did. I didn't know.

“Your hair is shorter, I like it.”

“Thank you.”

“I'm so tired, Alessandro, I want to sleep.”

“Then go to sleep.” She sighs and pats my hand, her eyes completely closed now. She looks serene, almost peaceful.

“You're a good person, Alessandro Amore mio. Never let anyone tell you otherwise.” I wasn't. Far from it, actually, but I let her believe it, if it would make her happy, who am I to argue with her?

“I'm sorry I hurt you. It weighs heavily on my heart…the.” She started hysterically coughing; it sounded fucking horrible.

“Please stop talking, save your strength, si? I'm going to call the doctor now.” I would call the doctor; I didn't fucking care if I was seen. I can handle whatever happens later; my primary objective is to help this woman, the mother I never had the chance to know.

But when I went to press the emergency call button. I realized her hand had become lax and she'd let go of my hand. The hand she had been holding on to like a lifeline. The hand now holds a small single key.

I knew in that instant that I was wrong; it wasn't emptiness I felt when I looked at her earlier. It was a shock to me; she was strength personified.

When I saw how sickly she was, my heart froze. I realized at that moment I did, in fact, have a heart. I'd fail my primary objective, but I'd gain a new one. I meant to keep my words.

I would save and protect.

My eyes sprang open and I inhale, I haven't had that dream in a long time. The memory of Sofia at the hospital was one of the things I hated thinking about. I regret not having enough time to get to know the woman who brought me into this world.

I wish we had time, that she was alive to meet Andrea. I glance at the woman curled into my side and something deep and protective blooms inside me.

Tomorrow I'm going to tell her everything, she deserves to know.