“It wasn’t so bad was it” Loretta walks into the kitchen as I grab another glass of wine. I stare at her like she’s crazy. Lorenzo forgot to tell me about the amount of people coming tonight seems like their invited their whole entire family tonight.
Spent most of the evening telling people about myself and telling them that I dent have parents. I mean I know they don’t know but I kind of would prefer of I didn’t have to talk about it all night.
Renzo has been gone most of the evening, He’s being spending tie with his friends and cousins while he leaves me to fend for myself. With the women and cousins as well.
I haven’t seen him since the meal which is fine, He’s allowed to go wherever he wants.
“not bad but very intense, you have a wonderful family” she rolls her eyes.
“you don’t have to say that I know most of the boys can be idiots at times” she sighs out making me smile. I love Loretta’s attitude it always amuses me.
“your brother is a character,” I tell her as we watch the guys from outside, there were standing around Eaton as he showed the guys something on his phone.
She sighs, “don’t remind me, the amount of fights he gets into on a weekly basis literally gives me a heart attack. When you look at Eaton you kind of guess He’s into something like that. His broad muscly frame just tells you.
“I’m thankful though, he really helped me out earlier with my ex” I tell her, she squints her eyes slightly but I guess she figured what I was talking about.
“so am I, I can’t imagine how scary that must have been for you,” she says stroking my arm in a motherly way. A familiar sensation almost like a memory makes me step back.
Before she could say anything, I was saved when my phone rang out.
Saved by the bell. Literally.
Looking at my phone I was just going to tell Rachel I was busy but when I saw the number of messages coming in from her and my friend Jason from henrys company I answered it.
This didn’t feel like it was going to be a nice call at all.
“Tina, you need to get down to the hospital, Richard Hes…”
I grow annoyed “spit it out Rachel” my voice says firmly. Loretta’s eyes flick over from looking outside. Obviously, she noticed the change in my attitude.
She walks off leaving me alone for a while.
“He’s had a heart attack Tina” she finally tells me. I had to hold onto the counter as her words resonated with me. This can’t be happening, I felt like it was happening all over again.
My breathing become jumpy I was struggling to find the air that I needed.
I didn’t bother to tell Lorenzo where I was going, he barely recognised me as I ran past him and the guests.
Nathaniel caught up to me though. “dear, where are you rushing too, is everything okay” he asks me to grip my arms. The tears were already surfacing I couldn’t stop them.
“I’m fine, tell Lorenzo I had to leave early, I’ll call him later” I didn’t leave any time for chit chat. There was only once place I wanted to be right now.
Rachel met me outside the house, she had the engine still running, I’m sure as soon as I’m safely inside shed speed off.
“Jason is there already” she breaks the silence I fucking hope so, when your father has a heart attack you aren’t going to be leaving his side. I wanted to be at the hospital more than anything right now.
“did it just happen?” I asked her as we were pulling up to the hospital. She shrugs her shoulders.
“I just got the call like 15 minutes ago, that’s when I called you” I’m grateful she did, even though I was at this big dinner I would have been really pissed if she hadn’t called me. Probably wouldn’t speak to her for a long time.
Speaking about being pissed, I know for a fact that once Renzo realises I’m gone he’s going to be annoyed but I do have a good enough reason.
Arriving at his room I let the tears fall when I saw Richard lying in the hospital bed. He had an oxygen tube up his nose and had wired all connecting on his body. Rachel was holding onto the door before bursting in.
Jason looked relieved to see Rachel and even more when he saw me lingering at the door.
“my dear why don’t you get me something from the shop, Jason go with her” Richards croaky voice says as Rachel finally let’s go of him.
The strain in his voice was hard to listen to. I stood at the door and smiled to Jason as he leads Rachel out of the room. I knew what Richard was doing, he wanted to obviously speak to me alone.
The slight nod of his head was enough for me to rush to his side. I knelt by his bed his hand in mine.
“My darling please don’t cry I’m fine just a little weak that’s all “he attempts to reassure me. I wouldn’t be in hysterics if he fainted or something because of him being weak. But he had a heart attack for Christ sakes. I can not just ignore that.
Richard lifts my chin up to meet his eyes “I’ll be back running my empire soon enough” he even winks at me.
“why didn’t you say anything Richard, have you been suffering alone” I ask him, wondering if Hes been stressed about something.
He sighs, finally resting his head back on the pillow.
“It’s not easy living without her Tina, I run a company day and night but she’s constantly on my mind, as I get older it gets harder to carry on” he opens to me. The last few words tell a story in its self.
I didn’t have the time to say anything else because at the exact moment the door to the room closed. When I turned around, Jason was standing at the door, his eyes glossy. Richard cursed before sitting further up on the bed.
I didn’t want to disturb this moment, Richard had a lot of pain and I knew that he had to talk to Jason, his family. I respected Jason when he steps into the adjoining room, letting me say my goodbye.
“Richard, I’ll be going now please rest and don’t stress too much” I lean over and place a soft kiss onto his cheek. Richard gently wraps his arm around my waist squeezing me tightly.
“thank you darling” he places a kiss on my lips. Like he used to do when I was a little girl.
I gave a hug to Jason before I left the hospital completely.
I met Rachel who was standing out in the lobby she was smoking a cigarette. When I stood next to her I noticed a rather familiar car speeding out of the hospital carpark. Rachel gave me a sad look when she saw my eyes watch the vehicle disappear.
“please tell me that wasn’t him” I ask her linking my arm with hers. She stays silent not answering my question.
Brilliant, just what I needed.
Fingers crossed he didn’t see anything that would ruin anything between us.