Huracio
“You finally decided to show up?” Salvatore glared at me the moment I stepped into the club.
Didn’t wake up until midday.
I woke up hungry as hell, – with a cold, and a slight headache. Returning to the club, I found Salvatore angry and waiting for my return.
“What is it?” I asked groggily.
“I thought we had a deal?”
“What deal?”
“Huracio!” He growled.
I have not seen him snap like that in a long while, but I wasn’t even bothered. Whatever was hitting my head was relentless by the time I got home, and I was seeing double. Therefore, his anger got nothing on me. I just wanted to lie down and wish the headache away.
“I had Celine with me all night, but you were nowhere to be found. Where did you go?”
Ignoring him, I made to go past him, but he grabbed me and shook me. “I am talking to you.” He sneered.
“I really can’t do this now, Salvatore.” I whimpered as a chill buzz all over my body. I was trying not to shiver despite how cold I felt.
Probably because of my voice, he finally noticed that something was wrong. He placed a hand on my forehead and flinched. “You are burning up!” He gasped.
“I am very cold.” I retorted, rolling my eyes.
I tried to get out of his arms, but he wrapped his hand around my waist, insisting on aiding me to my room.
Once in my room, he lowered me into a couch and tried to remove my shirt.
“I am cold.” I repeated, grabbing his hand.
Nodding, he went into the bedroom, came back with a duvet and covered me with it. Just then, Rosa came in bearing a flask of hot herbal tea. I had called her ahead of time to prepare it.
Just as she was about to severe me, he interrupted her. “Get some cold water. He is burning up.” He looked very worried. “Huracio, what happened? How did you get this sick?”
“I slept off while moon-gazing.” I replied. “There was no star last night. Did you notice?”
His eyes flickered, and he huffed.
We used to stay up late, gazing at the moon after he took me in. I am sure he remembered too.
“Where did you go?” The anger was gone from his voice. His eyes were clouded with worry, and his hand was in my hair.
Reminded me of the day he came to tell me that Dante was dead. He held my head like that while crying like a baby. I remember watching him cry with his hand in my hair. It was such a long time ago.
“The sea. I took a boat and went out to sea. It was peaceful and nice. I just realized that I have never taken Kitty for sailing. I want to take her sailing. Will I ever be able to do that?” Hot tears slid down the sides of my face. “Salvatore. I lost Dante. Are you going to watch me lose Kitty too? I don’t think I can live without her. It’s all meaningless without her.”
He stiffened. His eyes became stern and cold. He worked his jaws like he was trying to restrain himself.
I turned away, knowing that he was cold and wouldn’t listen to me.
Rosa came in with a bowl and a towel.
“Leave it to me.”
Salvatore took the towel from her, making her stand to the side. He removed the duvet and then my shirt. I watched him as he soaked the towel in water, wrung it out, and then placed it on my chest.
Another memory surfaced in my mind.
When Dante died, I fell sick. We were in hiding and Salvatore had no money. To treat me, he relied on herbs and cold baths like this.
Watching him work with the towel, I wanted to mock him, but the moment the cold towel touched me, it was as if my brain short circuited. My head started buzzing, and I felt myself shivering uncontrollably.
“Huracio! Huracio!!” Salvatore and Rosa called out my name, but it was as if they were suddenly far away from me. I tried to answer, but my throat wouldn’t work. I felt like I was being tossed around in the air. One moment, free falling, and the next moment, jerking and spasming. Confused, I reached out, trying to grasp something, but my body just kept free falling.
Then, it got cold, and dark,… and numb.
I woke up to a white ceiling, the ting ting sounds of a life support machine, and the gruffy voices of men speaking in low tunes.
Fainted again.
I turned towards the door. Salvatore was backing me and talking to someone outside the room.
It wasn’t the first time I passed out like that. But it was the first time I experienced the process. Before l, everything would just go dark. It was like someone switched the light off, then switched it on again. Painless, uncomplicated. I think I would prefer that to whatever happened this time around.
“You are awake, thank God!” Rosa’s voice reached me. I turned my head and saw her hurrying over like a duck.
I decided to sit up, but she placed her hand on my chest and pushed me back into bed. With a frown, I tried to brush her aside, but she applied more force.
“No. Don’t. The doctor has to check you first.”
“I just fainted. It’s not a big deal.” I snorted.
“No, you didn’t. You had a heart attack.” Salvatore’s grave voice interjected.
He walked over with calculated steps.
“…”
That was a heart attack?
Well, that was easy. I mean, it was painless. I thought that shit was painful.
“I am fine now. I want to get out of here.”
“Not so fast.” The door opened and Gerald stepped in. “Where were you that night, and what were you doing?” He asked in an angry tone.
“Ain’t you supposed to be checking out my state?” I raised an eyebrow at him.
“Your eyes are as bright as ever. You are speaking normally. I’d say everything is fine. Now answer my question.”
“What happened? Why is it important?”
A creepy unease started seeping into my bones. I darted my eye around and found the three looking stern.
“I was at the beach. What happened?”
“With who?”
“Nobody.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Your body was pumped with fentanyl. And an unhealthy level of alcohol. Honestly, I don’t know how you are still alive.” Gerald exclaimed. “Who gave you that much drugs?”
You would think they were talking to a child. I am 32, and have been taking pills for God knows when. Plus, I only took two party pills. I didn’t take or see any fentanyl on that yacht.
“I took two party pills by myself.”
“Why?”
“Why what?”
“Were you trying to kill yourself? Has it gotten to that?” Salvatore asked in a grave tone. I gave him a once-over and caught his tightly folded fists.
“…”
I felt stumped as it all came rushing back.
Last night, I drank a lot and pocketed some candies. When I got to the ledge, I kept eating them out of boredom. Realizing I might have finished everything without knowing, my body trembled.
“Did you check my clothes? The pants I was wearing. I had some in it. I didn’t take everything.”
“I washed it already. There are no pills there.” Rosa retorted, sounding frustrated.
“I didn’t take pills. I am not stupid. I took candies. I didn’t know they were made of fentanyl.”
“Who gave you the candies?” Salvatore asked.
Seeing the look in his eyes, I dared not tell him the truth.
“Nobody. I stole it.”
“You stole it?” Rosa exclaimed, while Gerald and Salvatore exchanged a funny look.
Of course they didn’t believe me.