by Soraya Naomi
“I’m Doctor Kirsten. Are you her husband?”
I clench my jaw, annoyed that I’m not next of kin. “No.”
But thank god for Marc, who charges through the door and dismisses his colleague, who seems reluctant yet complies and leaves.
“Cam suffered a head trauma that damaged her cerebral cortex and caused severe internal bleeding. We had to rush her into surgery to stop the bleeding, but—” Marc’s gaze shifts to me.
“No! She can’t be dead!”
“She’s in critical condition. She slipped into a coma.”
“What?” A hole spreads inside my heart.
“I’m sorry, but Cam’s injuries are too severe for her body to handle, so she slipped into a coma. Her prognosis isn’t good.”
“Meaning what exactly?” Annoyed, I rake stray strands of hair from my face.
“We’re monitoring her every second, but any decline in her condition would mean more complications,” Marc carries on.
“How so?” James asks, so Marc’s attention moves to him for a second.
But Marc addresses me again, “Adriano, Cam is four weeks pregnant.”
All heads turn to me as he drops the bomb. Luca’s palm rests on my shoulder while Fallon grips my hand. And my best friends have to practically hold me up on shaky legs when I hear the best news of my life under the worst circumstances.
“Is...the baby okay?” A plethora of emotions clash inside, causing me more lightheadedness.
“As of right now, yes.”
“And will...the baby be okay?” My throat burns.
“It depends on Cam’s recovery. If her endocrine system continues to function well enough to keep her metabolism stable and produce the hormones the baby needs, the fetus may be able to develop to the point of independent viability. But if her metabolism and hormones get out of balance, she may not be able to sustain the pregnancy. We’re monitoring her closely to ensure her injuries heal.”
“Can I see her?” All I need is to be with Cam. I’m going to lose my mind if I can’t see her.
Marc glances away, making me think I’m going to be forced to cause destruction, but then he holds open the door, inviting all of us in.
I crane my neck to everyone else and tell them, “Give me five minutes alone with her.”
They nod, and I enter a sharply lit hallway that smells of copious amounts of disinfectant.
“Wash your hands first,” Marc says.
I scrub them quickly in a sink in the men’s room before he leads me through a nearby door where Cam, who’s looking so fragile, lies neatly tucked in the bed under white linen sheets in this appallingly cold, pallid room. Her head is bandaged, and they’ve intubated her, the beeping of the heart monitor the only thing I hear. Within five long steps, I’m beside her bed and touch the side of her bruised cheek with my fingertips. Motionless, she lies there with eyes closed, wounded and far away from me.
“Cam...”
My tears fall freely as quickly as raindrops slide down a windowpane, and I sink to my knees, taking her bandaged hand in both of mine.
“Why couldn’t you just wait for me? I would’ve come for you, sweetheart. Look at you now.”
My forehead drops to her knuckles as I let out the excruciating howl I’ve been keeping bottled up deep inside me. Then I swipe the sheet down her body. They dressed her in a thin, white gown, and I rest my palm gently on her stomach, afraid to hurt her. I stare at her flat belly. I stare at where our baby’s growing inside her.
Rubbing my eyes, I take an encouraging breath while speaking close to her stomach, “Hi, baby. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Please stay healthy. Take care of your mommy for me, okay? So she can take care of you. I-I can’t wait to meet you.”
I kiss her stomach and press my eyes shut, seeking to banish the fear of losing her and my baby all at once from my awareness. I merely need to feel my girl and my baby for a lasting moment.
Then I scoot up toward Cam’s head and rest my cheek next to her face on the pillow. One palm stays on her belly.
“Sweetheart,” I whisper into her ear, but my voice is weary. “We’re having a baby. We made a baby. I know you’re fighting in there, Cam. Don’t leave me alone.” My gaze never once wavers from her face. “Ti amo. I’m waiting for you to come back.”
The stretch of silence is shredding me to pieces as I stay there, desperate to be close to Cam. I want to climb into that bed with her and hold her in my arms until she heals and wakes.
Footsteps shuffle into the room, but I remain in that exact position with my knees on the floor.
Something grates across the beige floor, and then I hear Luca say, “Adriano, here, you can sit in this chair.”
Without lifting my hand from Cam’s stomach, I rise and take the seat.
Fallon and Luca stand beside me and James opposite us. I’ve never seen James this distraught as he looks at Cam wearing the same bleak expression that I experienced minutes earlier.
“My daughter.” Gently, he strokes her shoulder.
Doctor Kirsten and Marc join us, and she explains, “We should set up a visiting schedule.”
“I’m not leaving,” I announce without taking my eyes off Cam. “I need a guard at the door, one in the hallway, and one posted at each entrance of the hospital.”
“I’ll take care of that,” Luca decides.
“Sir, we have visiting hours—” Dr. Kirsten starts to object.
“Marc, please explain to the doctor that I’m staying. I’d like another bed brought in here because I am not leaving her side for a second!” Aggravation washes over me.
Luca places his hand on my shoulder in a conciliatory effort.
“It’s okay, Kirsten,” Marc interferes. “The rules are different for this family. We’ll do it, Adriano.”
As they leave, a thought that’s been plaguing me since I found Cam in that cottage races to the surface and I muse out loud, “What was Cam doing inside that house? After she escaped the mansion, why did she run way into the forest, where there’s only woods, instead of toward the front gate, toward freedom?”
James looks at me. “I’ve been wondering that too.”
“Something’s not adding up,” I state. “Cam’s fearless, but she’s not reckless. And she knew I’d come for her. Why did she put herself in such a vulnerable position?”
“Maybe she discovered something? Maybe Medlov told her his master plan?” Luca adds.
“It’s something like that. I just can’t put my finger on it.” I’m weary of always analyzing, fighting, protecting, and anticipating. Right now, I just need some privacy with Cam. “I’d like to be alone with her. Luca, can you handle my responsibilities at the club and let Wade instruct the captains? I want to know the second Medlov is caught.”
“Of course,” Luca replies as Fallon huddles closer to Cam’s bed.
“Can I come back tomorrow, Adriano?” she asks.
“Yes. I’ll give you, Luca, James, Alessa, and Rosalia clearance.”
“We’ll come back first thing in the morning.” Luca takes Fallon’s hand in his. “Call me if you need anything.”
“I will,” I reply.
Unobtrusively, they step out, and James regards me with despondent eyes. “I’ll come back tomorrow too. Try to get some sleep.”
“I’ll try,” I say and resume my previous position as nurses set up an extra bed beside Cam and slip out after checking her vitals.
They placed my bed a foot away from Cam’s, which it too far for my liking, so I move it against hers before I kick off my boots and get under the sheets. It bothers me to no end that I can’t be closer to her, but I can’t risk hurting her or disconnecting a wire. Still, I can’t refrain from feeling Cam, so I rest my hand on her stomach.
“Cam, wake up so we can celebrate together. We’re having a baby, sweetheart.”
And I listen intently to every single beep of the heart monitor because hearing her heartbeat offers mine the strength to keep b
eating too.
CHAPTER 35
Adriano
The following morning, I’m still with Cam in the hospital while they administer different medicines to help heal her wounds and control her pain. Sadness has consumed me every second, and the fear of losing her has grown exponentially.
I’ve showered in the adjacent bathroom and am sitting beside her and talking to her. “Cam, the doctor says you haven’t stabilized yet—”
All of a sudden, the monitor flatlines, and I frantically push the call button, but a doctor is already rushing inside with his nurses. I scoot the chair back to get out of their way and watch with bated breath. Nevertheless, I’m ordered from the room.
“What’s going on?” I ask frantically, standing in the doorway.
The nurse attempts to close the door. “Sir, please, wait here. I’ll come get you as soon as possible.”
I peek through the window, witnessing them running around Cam and issuing orders while she lies there with her eyes closed.
I don’t even notice people coming up to me, but then James and Luca question, “What happened?”
“She flatlined,” I mutter, disbelieving the words as the journey of waiting prolongs.
***
Twenty-eight fucking minutes later, Marc opens the door. That’s what my life is currently. Living from minute to minute, pleading and trusting that Cam and our baby will survive.
Without delay, Marc explains her condition, “She’s stabilized for now, but she went into cardiac arrest. She can’t have any visitors. It’s too dangerous, Adriano. I’m going to have to monitor her very closely.”
I peer over at Cam. “The baby?”
“Is fine,” Marc finishes.
Relief washes over me, but it’s only a fleeting sentiment. “When can I access her room again?”
“I can’t say. As soon as she’s a bit more stabilized, she can have visitors again.”
“Let’s go for a while, Adriano,” Luca offers.
But I’m unable to leave. “I fucking hate going home, because she’s not there!”
“Staying here isn’t good for you, and it’s not helping her either. We could go to the club?” he tries to persuade me.
“Fuck! I have to call my parents. My mother has been blowing up my phone. Carmine can’t hold them off any longer. They know something’s wrong.”
“Then we’ll go to your parents’ and come back later?”
I study Cam, realizing that I must inform my family. “Okay, but I’m coming back immediately after I talk to my family in case she wakes up.”
***
My parents, sister, and Carmine are waiting for Luca and me in my parents’ living room in the Astoria Tower. I’m wearing my black dress shirt so that if my wound starts bleeding through the gauze, they won’t see it and discover that I was shot.
“Adriano, how are you? You look tired.” My mother comes up to me before I’ve reached the sofa.
“I’m fine.” I press a kiss to her forehead, then I greet my father and Mary, who takes my hand in hers.
“Buongiorno, Sophia.” Good morning. Luca kisses my mother’s cheek.
Mary brings my attention to her when she pinches my hand. “What happened? Carmine said Cam’s been in an accident.”
I catch Carmine’s gaze and dip my chin discreetly in gratitude that he covered for me; he’s being a good Consigliere. “Yes, we were in a car accident, and she was rushed into surgery. She has severe brain damage and has slipped into a coma.”
Mary’s eyes widen as my father stands up, and my mother just studies me curiously.
Mary flings her arms around me and whispers, “I’m so sorry.”
“What’s the prognosis, son?” My father asks and grips my shoulder in support.
I shrug lightly and flinch from the pain. This entire conversation is killing me, and I haven’t even gotten to the worst and best part yet.
“Are you hurt?” my mother demands to know.
“No,” I lie, and she sends me an incredulous look.
“What exactly happened? Is this about Cam? The accident? Are you in some kind of trouble, Adriano? You’ve been away so often, and you’ve barely visited us in the last three months, and now both of you are hurt.”
“Momma, don’t,” I warn in an icy tone.
This vendetta my mother has against Cam is unfounded. However, I can’t tell the truth and say that I’m the boss of the mafia. My promotion, and the increased workload that came with it, just happened to coincide with when Cam became my girlfriend. My mother needs to let go of this belief that Cam doesn’t like my family and is pulling me away from them.
“Why do you love her when it destroys you?” she asks suddenly.
Even though I realize her outburst stems from a good place because she worries about me and I’ve always been close to my family in the past, I’m in a volatile state of mind and can’t handle this at the moment.
“Love doesn’t require an explanation,” I grind out. “She’s mine to protect, and I will keep fighting with my life so that she can keep hers.”
Our love is still strong and alive – ever-present and bleeding as a part of me that makes me whole.
She shakes her head. “Something is wrong...”
“Mother, enough!” I shout, and everyone rears back from the sharpness in my voice. “You know why I came by? To tell you that we’re pregnant. To tell you that she’s carrying your grandchild. You will treat her with respect.” With untainted frustration, I cast a hand through my hair, but then a pang of remorse fills me when I observe my mother’s shocked face. “I’ve fought so hard to be with her.”
“It shouldn’t be this difficult,” she says softly. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to upset you.”
“Loving her isn’t difficult,” I defend. “Fate has just been working against us relentlessly.” I take a calming breath. “I know you mean well, but it isn’t Cam’s fault that I’ve been so busy. Let that go and be there for me. I’m always here for you, and I always will be.”
“We know,” my father interrupts. “Your mother is just overly concerned.” He braces my neck. “Congratulations, my son. Let us know when you want us to come visit Cam in the hospital.”
“Thank you, Dad.” I rub my forehead. “She can’t have visitors until she’s stabilized more. I’ll call you later.”
To avoid a lengthy and emotional goodbye, because I can tell that they all have a million more questions, I motion to Luca to head out, back to the one place I ache to be.
***
I’ve been away from Cam for over an hour. Although I know it’s probably too soon, I was secretly hoping for good news when I returned, yet her condition is unchanged and I’m still not even allowed to touch her. I can only watch over her from afar.
Downright lost, I find myself wandering into the chapel on the first floor of the hospital. After lighting a candle, I claim a seat on a mahogany bench. My parents are religious people. I’m not. I’ve seen too much death and decay to believe in a God that I can’t see or touch. If there is a God, then I’m going to Hell. But I’ll gladly walk through the fires of Hell to ensure Cam’s place on earth, so I sit there and try to convince God to help this sinner in his time of need.
Then I return upstairs, and Marc, who recognizes that I’m scarcely holding it together, informs me that he’s arranged for me to sleep in Cam’s room.
“But you can’t slide the bed next to her,” he warns. “You may stay in the room with Cam. But go in sterilized and do not touch her.”
“Okay. Yes.” Anything just to not leave her alone.
I sit down on the edge of Cam’s bed. She’s in the exact same position, hooked up to monitors, an IV, and a breathing machine.
“Cam, you gave me quite a scare today,” is all I say because even talking is too much for me, so I press my fingers against my temples.
I proceed to cope the only way I know how, by grasping on to the hope that she’s going to recover fully and wake any day. I will not l
et her go.
Nonetheless, every day remains the same. I stay at the hospital and watch over Cam constantly, but nothing changes.
CHAPTER 36
Adriano
After two weeks, Cam’s head injury has healed and the bandage can be removed. They shaved a section of her head, and I focus on Cam’s face as Marc examines her.
“The wound has healed nicely.” He lets her head rest back on the pillow.
“What’s the prognosis the longer someone stays in a coma, Marc?” I’ve been dreading the answer to this question.
“It’s difficult to say, but I’ve seen her brain activity spike whenever you enter or leave the room. I just have to ensure she doesn’t get any infections or pneumonia from lying in bed in one position, so a nurse will turn her from side to side every three hours now that her injuries have healed.” Marc moves to the foot of her bed and grabs her chart.
“And our baby? What happens if she stays like this...” I take a deep breath, praying these words don’t come true. “...until June, the due date?”
“Then we’ll have to operate on her, but that’s risky. Adriano, I want to be honest with you. The longer she stays in a coma, the worse the prognosis. After four months of being in a coma caused by brain damage, the chance of partial recovery is less than fifteen percent, and the chance of full recovery is very low.”
“She’ll wake up long before that,” I state with confidence.
“It’s good to be optimistic. And talking to Cam also helps. By the way, did you get examined too?”
“Yes, Kirsten said there will only be a small scar on my shoulder from the bullet wound.”
I’ve healed completely, yet I’m a mess, and I know that’s the reason for Marc’s concerned face. I haven’t shaved in weeks, and I caught my reflection earlier and noticed dark circles around my eyes from worrying all the time about Cam.
“Adriano, staying here day and night isn’t good for you.” He deposits the chart back into place. “I understand that it’s difficult to leave her side, but your life has been at a complete standstill. This will wear you out, and when she comes out of the coma, you need to be strong enough to help her recover.”