EPISODE FORTY FOUR.
Stefano’s Mom has been helpful for the past three days. She makes some tea that will cure my dizziness and vomiting which is really helpful.
I thought the symptoms wouldn’t come so fast but it did. I could hardly do anything that requires strength these days which Amanda noticed. Their mother broke the news of my pregnancy to them.
Megan and Luca didn’t react to it. It was as if they were disappointed about it or maybe they regretted treating me badly. They stopped talking to me.
Just the normal greetings and nothing more than that.
“You should go home and wash up. I prepared some soup for us. Come back and eat.”Stefano’s Mom urged me softly.
She collected the cold towel I used wiping Stefano’s body from me.
I didn’t want to release it at first but she urged me to.
“I’m fine. I can dress up here.”
“No. I insist. Go home. Make sure you rest well too. I won’t be sleeping here tonight. You will.”
“Oh, I will sleep then.”I nodded and made to leave.
Shortly, a call came on my phone. I was surprised at first because Stefano’s the only one that called me and he’s not awake yet.
And Mom rarely calls.
I picked it up hoping it would be Josh, surprisingly, It was Mom. “Why did you call?”I asked, in a harsh tone.
Thankfully, I left the room already so Stefano’s Mom won’t hear our conversation.
“How’s your husband? How….”
“Mom. You knew the job dad was doing right? Why didn’t you tell me that he’s a bad person?”I asked, cutting her off. I don’t even need her pleasantries or care anymore. I was deceived and pushed into this.
“Hazel… He’s not a bad person. You just happen to have misunderstood it.”
“Mom!”I shouted at her over the phone, Tears stung in eyes and it welled up to the brink, threatening to fall.
My heart hurts so much. I’ve gone through hell within the last three days of my husband being in coma because of me. I should have just left Dad to suffer for what he did. Why did I involve myself in it?
“Haz…”
“My husband was stabbed by him. I called him a monster right before he slipped into a coma. Did you know how hard it was for him to see his wife push him off making his wound get worse?”
“You can just come home. You don’t need to stay around them anymore… Let them take your father.”She said quickly, hoping it would calm me down.
“Mom, He started treating me well. He now attends to my needs and made sure I didn’t lack his attention. Mom, I betrayed him. His siblings didn’t even trust me anymore. The people working for him don’t even like seeing me around him because they felt like I betrayed their boss. I… I’m tired.”I sobbed, dropping to my knees immediately.
I was halfway through the hallway with people passing but I didn’t care. I just want to let everything out and stop suffering.
I really don’t want a life like this anymore.
“Hazel, I’m sorry I pushed you to this. I don’t know what to say anymore. I….”
“Just make sure you don’t get involved with Dad anymore, Else, you will go down with him once Stef wakes up.”I threatened in a sharp voice before slipping the phone back into my bag.
I stayed in the crouching position for a long time until Luca came out of Amanda’s room.
“You didn’t know who your father was before this?”He asked, in a calm tone.
I stood up to my feet immediately, I nod solemnly and made to leave but he held my hands warmly.
“Are you okay? Are you holding up with the baby? You don’t sleep anymore these days. You…”
“Why should you care about that? Luca.”I asked, freeing my hands from his grasp.
“Hazel.”He gasped, shocked by actions.
I glared at him sharply before cleaning my tears.”If you’re going to start acting nice to me or start treating me well because of what you heard just now. Don’t try it. Don’t just make an attempt to.”
“Is there something going on? I was just…”
“Yes. I knew you were being protective of your own friend but it’s at the expense of my own conscience. I was the bad person. I was betrayed. Can we just let it be that way and stop caring about me and my baby?”I explained to him angrily.
He doesn’t seem like himself again, He just sighed and went back to the room without replying to me anymore.
I picked up the bag on the floor and made to leave immediately.
A WEEK LATER…
After saying the short prayer, I went to lock the door since it’s night already.
I’m the only one left with Stefano, the rest went home already including his Mom.
Labrinth came to keep me company until moments ago. She’s planning to go undercover with Marcos to track the rest of the men who traced us down here.
Even thoughI don’t know what is going on, I just hope they won’t let Dad out of the prison.
I don’t want to see him around me anymore.
I shut down the windows to continue rubbing the towel on his body.
Even thoughthe method seems ineffective, I just don’t want to be useless around him. I want to help in every little way I can.
I intertwined my left hand with his while rubbing his face with the other hand.
His wounds aren’t healing at all, Stefano still bleeds everytime, I just hope he wakes up soon.
Suddenly, I felt a movement between the fingers interlocked with his.
It was slow and unnoticeable at first but after a few movements, I let go of his hand and sat beside him immediately.
“Stefano. Are you awake?”I asked as if he could hear me talk.
I’m already anxious and hopeful that he will wake up this time around.
I shook his body carefully and called his name repeatedly.”Fuck. You’re too loud.”He bellowed under his tone.
“You’re awake.”I gasped in happiness and shock written all over me. Heavens. My prayers are answered.
I’ve missed him so much. I hugged him tightly, sobbing in his arms. His warm body calmed me down immediately. I let go of my worries for a moment.
He opened his eyes briefly after a while.”Let me help you up.”I helped him sit up on the bed slowly.
“Why are you here?”He asked in a hard tone. I pressed my lips together nervously not knowing what to say or how to reply.
“I… I..”
“What the fuck are you doing with that wet towel?”He cursed and threw the towel across the room, leaving me in shock.
Why’s he so harsh?
“Stefano. You just woke up.”I pacified, trying to calm him down.
“Call the doctor. I’m going home.”