Chapter 81
Luci
1 Week Postpartum
I understand Gia’s journal entry from after Alessandro was born as I sit here re-reading it. With Gia in my arms, I lean down to smell her new baby scent and can’t imagine anything else smelling this good. The only thing missing from how perfect this week has been is the fact that Alessandro is downstairs unconscious. Dr. Rossi has saved his life and keeps reminding me that he will wake up when he’s ready.
I’ve placed Gia’s bassinet in Alessandro and my room. It’s a silly attempt to feel close to him as I’m surrounded by his citrus and amber scent. Plus, we haven’t replaced the scanner on the door to Gia’s nursery yet. The only reason Enzo didn’t get his butt beat by Geno is because I stepped in. I explained why Enzo did what he did and that he was pivotal in helping me when I was in labor.
I’m rocking a content yet awake Gia when footsteps come down the hallway and my heart stops, worried about who it is and what news they may hold. Dr. Rossi comes into the room and I hold my breath, knowing that since it’s her, the news could go either way.
“You should be thankful I have the patience I do to deal with Geno. I’m thrilled that I won’t have to deal with him anymore.”
“Can you clarify?” Why can’t she simply say what she came up here to tell me?
“Alessandro’s awake. Impatient but awake.”
I jump up, holding Gia close to me so I don’t drop her. “And you had to wait that long to tell me? What are we waiting for?”
Dr. Rossi doesn’t have time to respond before I race out of the room, and downstairs into the makeshift medical space. I’ve spent as much time as I can down here with Gia, talking to Alessandro and waiting for him to wake up. Of course, it’s when I go back upstairs to have some calm between Geno and Dr. Rossi’s arguing when he decides to wake up.
I run into the room, holding Gia in my arms, part of me shocked that Alessandro is awake. “You’re alive.”
He grunts as he tries to sit up before smiling at me, but his eyes are directly on our daughter. “Of course I’m alive. I couldn’t leave you and our daughter.”
“Good. I want you to meet your daughter. Gia Isabella Leone.” I walk over to Alessandro with Gia, placing her gently in his arms and she stretches her arms in his direction. Logically, I understand she’s a week old, but it’s like she knows exactly who he is. I know exactly what he’s doing as he scans over her, noting every feature while stoically nodding his head.
“She’s perfect.” His answer is simple as that, perfect. Gia is the best part of both of us.
“She is. She’s been such a good baby, Alessandro. You’d be so proud of her for how she sleeps, eats, and she barely even cries. I’ve woken up already to her awake in her bassinet, calmly waiting for me to wake up with her. There’s even been a few times I had hoped she would wake me up because I’ve ruined a few shirts already.”
With Gia still in his arms, his eyes lock directly on my chest before leaning in and speaking lowly. “I’d like to see that.”
Alessandro laughs at me before grimacing at the pain from his stitches as I turn bright red, thinking of him enjoying that.
“Alessandro, you maiale di un uomo! Stop with your crazy kinks and leave Luci alone. You had surgery and have been in a coma for the last week and she gave birth to your child a week ago. You and every man ever need to stop thinking with your dicks.” Dr. Rossi is back checking on Alessandro’s vitals.
I can’t tell if Geno or Alessandro is more annoyed with Dr. Rossi’s presence when I take Gia back, allowing Dr. Rossi to examine Alessandro again.
“Your vitals are good now that you’ve woken up. You’re staying hooked up down here for one more night, then you can go back upstairs to sleep in your room as long as everything stays the same. You need to rest and stay as relaxed as possible until your wound heals. Also, leave Luci and her body alone. Remember I’m the one who clears her for sex and will withhold clearance if you continue to be a pig. Luci, I can teach you how to castrate the man in three seconds flat if you need to.” I think regardless of her medical training she would know how to do that. At least I assume from the stories I’ve heard about the fates of her ex-husbands.
“Hey, Dr. Rossi?” Alessandro’s voice is thick with annoyance in his response to her statement.
“What? What could you possibly want? I fly to bumfuck nowhere to take care of Luci when you shoot her. I come here and deal with your gunshot wound because everyone who works for the Leone family is trigger-happy. Then I have to deal with Geno’s attitude because no one’s body is healing as fast as he wants. So I ask again. What could you possibly want?”
“You’re fired.”
“No, I’m not.” She knows they’ll never fire her regardless of what she may say or do because of how good she is at her job. If she’s right about one thing, it’s that she has come to our rescue often in the last ten months since I’ve been here.
Alessandro, Gia, and I are finally alone as a family. No Dr. Rossi, no Geno, only the three of us bonding so Alessandro can fall in love with Gia like I have.
Alessandro is holding Gia, examining every piece of her and I’m positive he would bring her the moon if she asked. It’s similar to how he was directly before he closed his eyes when he was shot. I’ve been thinking of this for the last week and need to know what happened. “Can I ask you something?”
His eyes don’t leave Gia as he responds with a grunt, acknowledging he heard me.
“What did you see over my shoulder before you lost consciousness?” That’s what causes him to switch his focus to me, this sense of calm filling the room.
“My mamma.” He laughs at the look I give him and continues to explain. “Mamma appeared over your shoulder, letting me know it’s okay to let go. Then when I woke up initially, she was there. We talked a lot, and I got to know her. She was an amazing woman. She made sure you were okay and reassured me that Quinn and Enzo helped you have Gia since I couldn’t be there.”
“What do you mean?” Was he dreaming? His mamma has been gone for almost thirty years.
“I hallucinated, or I saw a ghost. I don’t know. The amount of peace she gave me though while unconscious was everything I ever needed from her.”
I don’t doubt that he saw something, but I’m not sure what exactly to call it. People always talk about seeing God in the last moments of their lives if they’ve experienced near-death experiences. On the other hand, I haven’t heard of someone seeing their loved ones who have passed. If there’s one thing I know about Alessandro, it’s that he would never lie, especially about something this important. I nod my head as I place my hand on his arm, truly realizing that we’re a real family now.