Chapter 66 Without You Again
Serena's POV
The air in the room shifted slightly at the sudden change Dante brought.
“Shouldn't we give her some time to gather herself before we shoot her into the air?” Aunt Maria asked.
Dante shook his head firmly. “No, there's no time again. We have facilities on board to take care of her during the flight,” he replied firmly.
“This is a serious injury, not just some cut,” Aunt Maria interjected.
“And you think this old building that's barely holding up has better facilities than a state of the art jet?” Dante asked spitefully.
Aunt Maria shook her head but didn't argue any further while Dante stepped back out and barked orders around.
Shortly afterwards, Dante returned with a group of nurses who quickly got to preparing mom to be taken out.
When they were done, they strapped mom up and pushed her out. I followed alongside Dante, with Aunt Maria trailing behind me.
They led mom all the way to the elevator, with us skipping in after them.
I wanted to ask Dante where we were going but one look at his face and I knew it would be a bad idea.
The elevator counted down till its last number, then the doors swung open to reveal the roof of the hospital and on it was Dante's jet.
It stood elegantly at the far end with its engine roaring softly. The nurses took mom over to the jet quickly.
“I'll be with you soon, mom,” I called out as they wheeled her into the jet.
Dante walked over to where Nico stood and engaged him in a conversation while I began my way towards the jet.
I had begun the climb up the jet when I noticed that Aunt Maria wasn't by my side.
I turned to find her standing at the foot of the jet steps and smiling up at me.
“Aunt Maria, come one. We have to go,” I called out to her, wondering why she was just standing there like she couldn't hear her.
After a few seconds without Aunt Maria moving, I tried to get her to move again. “Come on, Aunt Maria. We are—”
But she cut me off. “No. There's no we here, it's just you,” she said softly.
I stared at her, confused as to what she was striking at. “What are you talking about, Aunt Maria? We've been in this together since the very moment I stepped into this land and fate brought us together,” I explained.
She just smiled and shook her head at me. “No, my daughter. Fate brought us together so I could help you, and I've done just that,” Aunt Maria replied.
I was at the brink of tearing up at this point. “Come on, Aunt Maria. I just found you after so long, I don't want to lose you again,” I choked out.
“You can never lose me, Serena. I'm always closer than you think,” she muttered with a smile.
“Then come along at once. Come and start a new life with us, I need you by my side, I can't do this alone,” I choked out again as a few tears slipped down freely.
Maria shook her head, not looking ready to budge.
“Aunt Maria, there's nothing left for you here. Don't leave mom again, come with us,” I continued.
“I can't, Serena. Besides, this is my home, this is where my family rules. I'm still their queen and I must rule my people,” Aunt Maria replied defiantly.
Then Dante stepped up beside me and grabbed my hand. “We need to go, Serena,” he said sharply.
“No!” I screamed, trying to pull my hand free. “I can't leave here,” I added.
His grip remained firm, then he pulled me closer to himself and whispered into my ear. “She's right and you aren't going to change her mind, we need to leave. Remember your mother? She needs real medical attention,” he added.
The thought of mom broke my resilience, putting me between two choices.
“Serena!” Aunt Maria called and I noticed she had walked back towards the door we came from. Dante was right.
“Take care of your mom!” She yelled over to me, bringing more tears from my eyes. “And ensure you make those dick heads regret ever touching you!” She added from afar.
Dante began pulling me back as the tears now flowed freely down my face. The door began rising, and just before it closed, I heard her voice.
“If you ever need my help! Don't hesitate to call!” She added as the jet door reached its max and it wasn't long before we were in the air.
Dante pulled me to a cushioned seat and guided me to sit.
I turned fully to my side and wrapped my hands around myself, then I felt a soft cloth coming over my shoulders.
Then the cushion behind me dipped then I felt his arms wrapping around me.
“I'm sorry, but we had to go,” he whispered and I nodded, not wanting to think about it.
“You need anything?” He asked again after a few minutes.
“No,” I managed to utter as I hugged myself in tears.
Dante took a deep breath at my side. “You wanna see your mom?” He asked again.
I shook my head. “No, I actually would prefer to be alone,” I said softly, pulling the soft sheet over my body.
I couldn't see his reaction, but I felt him taking his hands off me, then I couldn't feel his presence around me again.
I covered myself better and after a few minutes, I let the tears drop freely from my eyes.
I knew I had only known her for a few hours, just something over 24 hours. But she grew on me so quickly, attaching to me like she had been there all my life.
I had never attached myself to anyone so quickly, but there was something about her easy personality and fierce heart that drew me ever so near.
She made me believe in myself, she gave me every reason to be proud of myself, giving me the confidence I never had.
And besides, it was good to finally have a family member after so long of being distant.
She even said I should call her, but I had never seen her with a phone all the time we were together and I never actually cared to ask.
More reason to hate this moment.
I was still between my tears when my phone buzzed from my bag.
I slowly pulled it out from my bag and sat up straight as it was a message from the unknown number again.