84 – Surgery

84 – Surgery
Leonor...
I’m going to say goodbye to someone. Right. But whatever that means, he won’t tell me.
Seeing my grandmother reminded me exactly why I can’t love Damien. He’s a bad person, and he’s bad for me. I shouldn’t be with him, not after everything he’s done, not knowing what he’s capable of.
But then again… how do I not love him?
He took a bullet for me. He takes care of me in his own twisted, broken way and-
No. I can’t think about that.
I just hope he’s taking me to see my mother. Maybe the escape we planned is finally happening. Would that be asking too much? I’m already running, anyway.
“I need you to be a good girl and not argue with me, Leonor. There’s a way to get you out of this, but you need to cooperate and behave”, Damien says, and a shiver races from my fingertips down to my toes.
“Damien, please tell me you’re taking me to see my mother and not to some kind of punishment you think I deserve. I just became a widow to a man I never even wanted, and I’m probably about to be accused of something I didn’t do. I don’t need your lessons right now”, I say, and he smiles at me.
He runs his hand through my hair, looking at me with something close to tenderness, the closest he can get. The result is that I’m terrified of wherever he’s taking me.
“You can trust me, Leonor. I’d never hurt you. You should know that by now”, he says, and I give up.
We stay quiet for a long while. I lose track of where he’s driving and end up falling asleep in the car. I wake up when he slams the brakes.
A group of young girls in short dresses rushes out of the way. I recognize their faces and sink lower in my seat.
None of them could actually see me, these windows are tinted black. I don’t even know how that’s legal, or maybe… the police just don’t care. Guys like Damien probably own half of them anyway.
I take in the surroundings. This looks like one of the places where the street races happen, but this garage is different. I have the strangest feeling I’ve been here before, maybe two, three years ago.
Not that long ago, really, though it feels like decades.
Damien parks in a private spot. He gets out, but I stay in place until he opens the door for me and shields me with his body as we walk.
It’s both comforting and suffocating.
We reach a private room, and I freeze. My best friend, Enzo, is there. He runs toward me, and I fall into his arms, clinging to his hug.
Damien steps aside to talk to a few men across the room.
“What’s going on, Leo? Why are you with that guy? Shouldn’t you be at your wedding or something?” Enzo asks.
“A lot happened. I can’t tell you right now, I don’t think I can ever tell you. I’m scared, Enzo. I’m terrified of what’s going to happen to me. I know Damien will protect me, but… my situation is complicated”, I say in a rush.
“What’s happening to you, Leo? What did he do to you?”
“He didn’t do anything. I don’t even know who did, maybe no one, maybe someone. I don’t know. I just know I feel like throwing up every second. This is, without a doubt, the worst night of my life.”
Enzo guides me to a corner of the room where we sit on a plush sofa. I hate this place, it doesn’t match itself. The walls, the ceiling, the furniture, even the people don’t belong together. Nothing fits.
“Tell me what’s going on. Maybe I can help”, Enzo says softly.
“No, you can’t. No one can. Damien’s the only one who might, and that’s why we’re here. Honestly, I don’t even know why he brought me. Tonight is a complete mess”, I say, swallowing back tears.
Then something hits me. My best friend is here. Why is he here?
“Enzo… what are you doing here with these strange men? Are they threatening you? Please tell me you’re not selling brownies again, are you?” I ask, and his face tells me everything.
“No, Leo, of course not. I still remember the last beating I took for that, and I’m not looking for another one.”
I believe him. But then why-
Before I can finish the question, Damien walks over to me with two massive men.
“Ready for the surgery?” One of them asks Enzo, and my stomach drops.
“What do you mean, surgery?” Enzo gives me a sad smile and is taken away.
I start screaming for them to let him go, hitting the man dragging him out. He doesn’t fight back. I guess word’s gotten around about what happened to the last one who laid a hand on me.
Still, no matter how much I struggle, I can’t stop them. My best friend is being taken away, but if they’re taking him, they’ll have to take me too.
Damien grabs me, and I thrash in his arms. Enzo pleads for me to calm down, and Damien lets him speak.
“I’ll be fine, Leo. It’s just a piece of my liver, no big deal. Could be worse, it could be a kidney”, he jokes weakly.
“That’s not funny, Enzo. No, this can’t be happening. They can’t do this to you too. What if something goes wrong? What if you don’t make it? I can’t lose you. I can’t, I can’t, this can’t be happening!”
Enzo kisses my forehead and gently pulls away from my arms.
“I have to do this, Leo. You know I have to.”
He looks into my eyes, and I understand exactly what’s happening here.
What a fucking nightmare of a night.
I turn from him to Damien, gripping his arms in desperation.
“You have to stop this, Damien. I can’t lose him too. Please…”
Damien pulls me against his chest, stroking my hair.
“Unfortunately, that’s not easy, Nor. The only way to stop it is to find someone else. Someone has to make the donation. Your friend’s doing it voluntarily”, Damien says.
I pull away to look him in the eyes.
“Then I volunteer. Fine? I’ll do it instead of him.”
Damien gives a small, crooked smile and shakes his head.