Chapter 16 #2
“She? Well, she’s beautiful,” I tell him once I’m inside.
He nods and closes the door, then comes around to get into the driver’s seat and cranks the old beast to life.
It roars and rumbles in that special way only old American muscle cars can.
He drives us through the garden and past the gatehouse, then pulls up beside the officer still waiting on the far side of the cul-de-sac.
When Trenton rolls down his window, the officer is already waving at him. “You two heading back over to the hospital?” he asks us.
“Yes, sir,” Trenton drawls. “We got some lunch and rested a bit and now we’re headed back. You know how exhausting hanging out in a hospital can be.”
“Ain’t that the truth,” the officer agrees. “Ma’am,” he calls out to me. “You holding up all right today? Everything okay?”
“Everything is fine, Officer,” I reply. “Just fine.”
Once we arrive at the hospital, the officer escorting us parks his cruiser and walks us inside to the doors of the intensive care unit. “I’ll wait for you out here,” he advises us as we wait for one of the nurses to unlock the pneumatic doors.
“Same place as earlier, that bench over there?” Trenton clarifies.
“Yes. I’m off duty at seven tonight. If you’re planning on staying that late let me know, and I’ll have my replacement meet us out here to change shifts.”
“Gotcha,” Trenton agrees as the doors swing open.
I don’t pay much attention to their interaction, eager to get inside and check on Maximo. I rush forward as soon as the doors open wide enough and walk over to the nurse’s station. “How is Maximo doing?” I ask the first person I see.
“Maximo…” she muses as she looks at her computer. “Maximo Luciani. We’ve given him his medications but there have been no other updates. He was awake for only a short time early this morning but has been resting comfortably since then.”
“Ah, I was hoping he might have woken up again,” I respond with a sigh. “Has the doctor said anything else about his condition?”
“Just that he’s stable right now. His condition though, ma’am…well, it’s still touch and go. He lost a lot of blood. The surgeon did everything he could, and he’s in good hands. I’m sure of that much.”
“Thank you,” I whisper to her, trying to hide my disappointment. “We’ll go sit with him now.”
“Just call if you need anything,” she says as I turn away.
Trenton and I enter his room to find Maximo slightly propped up in the bed with two pillows behind his head.
He looks as though he’s just having a nap, even though his blanket has been pulled down to his waist and I can see the outline of the bulky bandages covering his abdomen and hip through his gown.
The drain tubes extending from his injuries lead down to two bags that are stained with watery-looking blood.
The chair I left near the bed yesterday has been pushed back to the wall. I drag it over again and sit down by the bed, taking Maximo’s hand into my own. “Hey, baby,” I whisper to him. “How are you doing? Do you feel like waking up and talking to me for a bit? Please?”
When Maximo doesn’t respond, Trenton, standing on the other side of the bed, gives his arm a pat. “If you want to talk to him,” he says as he shifts uncomfortably, “I can go outside and smoke for a bit, give you some privacy. It’s safe in here behind the locked doors and with the cop outside.”
“Could you? I’d like to be alone with him for a bit. I don’t like it when people see me cry.”
“Yeah, I don’t like that myself,” Trenton agrees with a small, sad smile. “I’ll be back in a bit. Tell him about everything Constance. He’s going to be proud of you,” he adds as he leaves the room.
“I don’t even know where to start,” I tell Maximo as I bring his hand to my lips and kiss it. “We’re safe now. That’s a good place to begin, I guess. I took care of everything. We finished our business with the Volkovs and now you and I can focus on our future together.”
I study his face looking for any acknowledgment or any sort of reaction at all.
There’s nothing except his even breathing, steady and strong.
That at least reassures me that he’s recovering.
“You have to get better Max; do you hear me? You have to. I need you. I could deal with the Volkovs, but I can’t handle what’s coming next on my own.
You’re going to be a daddy soon. You’re going to be a daddy, so you have to wake up and be here for us.
” I can feel the hot tears well up in my eyes and streak down my cheeks as thoughts of a future without him race through my mind.
I force those insecurities away and try to concentrate on him recovering, getting better, and what our lives together could look like.
“I didn’t take your proposal seriously before,” I admit to him.
“I thought you were just making some grand gesture to try to protect me. I didn’t believe you could feel the same way about me that I feel about you.
I was wrong for that. I do want to marry you.
I hope you can hear me, that you’re listening.
My answer is yes, Maximo. Wake up for me, get better, and marry me.
I want to be your wife. I want to be with you through everything that comes. ”
His only response is his even breathing.
A spasm shudders through me, and I gasp at the rush of emotions that overwhelms me.
“You can’t die. You can’t. I…we need you, Max.
Me and your child need you.” I squeeze his hand fiercely and press it to my face and for a moment I’m sure there’s a hitch in his breath and I think I can feel the faintest squeeze from his fingers.
But when I glance up at his face, his eyes are still closed, and the machines hooked to him keep showing the same steady lines.
I don’t know how long I sit there with my head bowed and his hand pressed to my forehead.
Trenton returns and stands by the bed in silence before patting me awkwardly on the shoulder and whispering something that I don’t catch before he leaves the room again.
I don’t blame him. I can barely stand to sit here by his side watching, waiting, knowing that at any second, he could slip away from me.
Maximo’s phone has been buzzing occasionally in my purse with emails and texts he’s been receiving.
I’ve ignored them as they were all from business associates, updates and details of business dealings which I have no knowledge of.
I’m surprised when it actually rings. I place his hand down to dig the phone out and see who is calling.
When I see that it’s Detective Tillman on the caller ID I let it ring a few times before deciding to answer.
“Hello?” I barely recognize the choked sound as my own voice. I clear my throat and then try again more clearly. “Hello? This is Maximo Luciani’s phone. Constance speaking.”
“Ms. Monroe? This is Detective Tillman. I’m glad to catch you. I wanted to check with you to see how Mr. Luciani is doing. I’ve been worried about him since the shooting at the hospital yesterday.”
“I’m with him now, Detective. The medical team said he was awake briefly early this morning, but he’s…he’s sleeping right now.” I can’t help the hitch in my voice while I try to find the words to describe him lying there, broken and unconscious.
“Well, I know he’s glad you’re there with him. I was calling to give you both an update on the suspect we were searching for, Jacob Sizemore. I received a call from an associate over in White Plains. There was an incident this morning out at Delfino Park.”
“An incident?” I reply uncertainly when the detective pauses.
“Well, I guess that’s one way to describe it.” Detective Tillman sighs. “Jacob Sizemore was killed this morning along with his mother, Irina Volkov, and two men who have been identified as associates of that motorcycle gang, the Gargoyles, the same as those men who attacked you yesterday.”
“That’s…” I swallow while trying to pick my words carefully. “I don’t know how to feel about that,” I finally tell him. “What happened? Did the Gargoyles attack them, or…?” I leave the question hanging.
“We’re still trying to piece together exactly what happened through eyewitnesses and surveillance footage. Is there any information you might be able to provide that could help us with our investigation?”
“Me?” I’m proud of the shock I manage to convey in that single word.
“Detective, I’ve been here with Maximo. I don’t know what these awful people have been doing that could have ended so terribly for them, but I can’t say I’m not happy to hear that they won’t be hounding him anymore.
Ever since he tried to do the right thing and help the police shut down their illegal enterprises, he’s been targeted by them.
It’s almost cost him his life. It still might yet… ”
“I know you’ve been by his side, Ms. Monroe.
I already spoke with our officer who’s been escorting you.
I want you to know we’re committed to doing everything we can to keep you both safe.
I’m sorry to bother you with these questions.
Please understand that it’s a normal part of our process.
Frankly, I’m with you. I think it’s most likely that there was some sort of fallout with this biker gang Ms. Volkov had employed after all the blowback they suffered.
We’ll keep trying to piece together exactly what led to the incident at the park this morning, but I wanted you to know that our main suspects for the assaults you suffered are deceased. ”
“I…well, thank you, Detective. As I said, I hate that we won’t be able to confront them directly and have them answer in court for everything they’ve done. But at the same time…I can’t say I’m not relieved.”
“I understand, Ms. Monroe. That’s why I wanted to call. I’m going to request that our officers continue to keep watch over you for the next couple of days, but I’m hopeful that with the passing of Irina Volkov and her son that there won’t be any more incidents.”