Chapter Forty-Four
The paramedics arrived quickly, but to Mia, it felt like days were passing. Aurelio didn’t open his eyes again, despite her attempts to rouse him. She stood by his side the whole time, his hand gripping hers with a strength that reassured her he was alive and fighting. They lifted him onto the stretcher and told her she had to let go. He tightened his grip as if he could hear them, refusing to release her. She sighed, leaning down to kiss his cheek.
“I will be right behind you,” she whispered, easing her fingers from his. She watched as they navigated the stairs, down to the lobby and into the ambulance. One of the paramedics stayed with her, giving instructions about the hospital, but the words flowed around her without penetrating; her entire being was focused on the ambulance as it drove away.
“Ma’am?” the paramedic called as he moved to his truck, “Can you get there safely?”
“Yes,” Mia replied softly, her eyes still on the road, the ambulance now out of sight.
“Okay,” he said, getting into his truck and driving off, following the path of the ambulance. Mia stood there for a moment, the last hour feeling like a dream. She shook herself and ran to her car, keys in hand, though she had no idea when she had grabbed them. She inserted the key and turned it, but it wouldn’t budge.
“Please!” she cried, her voice cracking. “Please.” She tapped the key and turned it again, the door unlocking. She scrambled behind the wheel and started the car.
The drive to the hospital took too long, the night fading into day as the sun began to rise. She sped through stop signs and around corners, her heart racing. The neon sign of the hospital finally came into view as she parked in front of the emergency entrance. Barefoot, she ran into the building, the car door still open. The desk was occupied by a friendly-looking man in nurse scrubs who smiled at her as she approached, her mind racing.
“Hi, what can I do for you?” he asked, seemingly unfazed by her frantic appearance.
“Hi, yes,” she breathed deeply, trying to calm her thundering heart. “My boyfriend was brought in by ambulance—Aurelio Valen.”
That was the first time she had ever said his full name to anyone. The nurse nodded, typing on the computer.
“Yes, oh,” he said, grimacing slightly. “He has been taken into surgery. The bullet is still lodged in his abdomen.”
“Bullet!” Mia cried, realizing only now the severity of his injury. “Oh my god!”
“Ma’am,” the nurse said, reaching out to place a hand on hers. “He will be in surgery for a little while. Our waiting area is very full tonight.” Mia’s tears became uncontrollable.
“What should I do?” she asked, wanting to hide, to disappear and escape the pain.
“I suggest you go home, change, and take a shower. We will call you when he’s out of surgery.” Mia nodded silently, not having a better idea.
“Oh—okay,” she said slowly. “But if I wanted to stay...?”
The nurse gave her a quick once-over, and she realized she had no idea how she looked.
“Ma’am, you have blood all over you, and you’re not wearing any shoes,” he said quietly, leaning closer. “He will be a few hours, but according to his chart, his vitals are good. I recommend taking the time to get cleaned up and then coming back.” Mia felt slightly reassured. She knew he would fight; she knew he would be okay. She nodded again and turned to leave.
“Ma’am?” the nurse called her back. “Your number?” She sighed and shook her head, quickly providing her name and number as he typed it into the computer.
“I put you down as next of kin, so you’ll get the call first, okay?” the nurse said, and Mia nodded again. She moved through the sliding doors and to her car, the door still open, the key in the ignition.
The drive to her loft was a blur. She didn’t even register where she was until she stood in front of her door, blood pooled in the entryway. Stepping over it, her toes clammy against the cold floor, she looked around in the morning light, the overhead light still blaring. The blood trailed along the floor to where she had sat him on the couch, more soaked into the fabric. The scene replayed in her mind: Aurelio bleeding, dragging himself across the floor to the couch. She could see the moment he had passed out. Wiping her tears, Mia turned to the bathroom.
In the silence around her, she showered, taking a moment to look at the clothes she had worn—the blood darkening her white T-shirt. Afterward, she stepped out of the bathroom, feeling exposed and raw as she walked to her dresser. She pulled on her underwear and snapped a bra into place, the motions feeling unnatural. She felt out of place, as if she had been pushed out of the normal flow of time and now didn’t know how to function. Her mind was blank yet filled with images. Her hands slid a shirt over her head; she didn’t even know which one she had grabbed, but it felt snug against her torso. She slipped on a pair of jeans and grabbed her knee-high boots. As she moved toward the door, she reached for her leather jacket, sliding it on. She looked for her phone, spotting it on the island by the door.
Mia moved to grab the phone as a knock sounded at her door. Before she could register, she heard Matty’s voice cry out “What the fuck?!”
She moved quickly, sliding the door open and seeing her brother there. Throwing her arms around him she felt a sob rack through her.
“Mia!” Matty cried into her hair as she wept. He held her tightly, his reassuring figure keeping her grounded. He pulled back as she took a moment and wiped her face. She looked at the hallway, blood, mostly dried now, pooled at the door and across the hallway. She hadn’t noticed it earlier.
“What happened?” Matty asked, her eyes scanning her as she pulled him into her loft. As coherently as she could, she told him the events, explaining as much as she could.
“But now, I need to head back.” She said, scanning for her phone once more.
“Wait, hold on.” Matty said, watching as she gripped her phone and looked back to him. “Aurelio is in the hospital, all that blood out there and in here.” He pointed to the pooled blood inside. “Is his?” Mia nodded and moved to the door.
“But I cant stay here and wait.” She said, hand on the door. “I’m going to back and wait to hear…” she paused as her phone began to vibrate in her hand. She looked down to see a message from Aurelio. Her eyes watered as she slid the phone open and read the lines:
Hey beautiful. Thank you for saving my life. But I have to finish this for good. Turning myself in ; cops are on their way. I love you.
“What?” she said, Matty standing straighter, heading to her side.
“Mia?” He asked, concern rising in his voice.
Mia, ignoring Matty, clicked Aurelio’s number, but it rang twice before going to voicemail. She hung up and called again—still voicemail.
“UGH!” she cried out, a tear rolling down her cheek. Just then, her phone chimed again.
I can’t hear your voice. Please, just be free. For me.
She cried out again, hands flying over her phone in a frenzy of messages.
No! Not without you! I love you! I’m not leaving you!
Without a word, she grabbed her keys and bolted for the door, determined not to let him leave her now. She heard Matty call from behind but she was already flying down the stairs. She heard the phone chime again but refused to read it. He would not convince her to stay away, to be free—not without him free with her.
Suddenly, she stopped. Parked next to her old car was Aurelio’s bike, his helmet perched on the seat. Without hesitation, she jumped on, throwing his helmet on. She opened the small compartment where he hid the keys and found them. Turning on the bike, she took off, faster than she had ever gone.