Frank is in the same hospital Connie was in, and I get a sense ofdéjàvuwalking through the hallways. It only increases when we arrive at his room, and there are a couple of soldiers from the Staten Island crew outside, plus Hudson Taylor sitting on the seats opposite the door, asleep with his legs stretched out, making himself a goddamn hazard for the hospital staff going up and down the hall.
“He’s been here every day,” Darla the nurse tells me as we sign in. I’m glad they’re keeping a record of his visitors. “It’s good to see you again, Mr. D’Amato, although I’m sorry it’s always under difficult circumstances.”
“I’mglad to know Frank’s under the best care,” I tell her sincerely. “This is Marco, by the way,” I add, wondering with a stab of shame if I’ve ever bothered to introduce him by name before. So much for my fricking interpersonal skills. “And Father Aidan.”
“Just Aidan.”
“Let’s go wake up our sleeping beauty, shall we?” I suggest, after pleasantries have been exchanged.
Just like before, I kick Hudson’s legs, and he starts awake, staring wildly around him. “Calm down, kid,” I tell him. “It’s just us. What the hell are you doing, snoring your head off here?”
He doesn’t look as bad as he did when Connie was sick, but he still could do with a real bed and a good feed, by the looks of him.
“I didn’t want Mr. Frank to be on his own. He misses his lady something terrible, Mr. D’Amato.”
“I know the feeling,” I mutter. I’m looking forward to the day Cee can return home without fear. But that day seems to moving further and further away.
“Plus you never know who might find out he’s here,” Hudson adds in a whisper. “I wanna keep watch.”
“We have guards.” I thumb over my shoulder at the soldiers standing there, and Hudson gives them a suspicious look.
“Sure, but Connie had guards, too,” he says dubiously.
“You questioning our commitment, shithead?” one of the guards snarls, taking a step forward.
I sigh, put my hand up, and he steps back.
“Do you really think Luca would have these two assigned on his ownbrotherif he didn’t trust them completely?” I ask. We can’t afford to alienate any more of our men right now, and I learned my own lesson about accusing people of being rats with Marco.
“Damn straight,” the guard mutters.
Hudson shrugs. “I guess not.”
“Why don’t we all kiss and make up,” I suggest, motioning Hudson to his feet. “Then we can go in and see Frank.”
I make Hudson shake hands and give a mutteredSorryto the two guards, then I quietly open the door. With Marco, Aidan and Hudson trailing me, I go into Frank’s room.
I expected him to be sleeping, with the curtains pulled over the windows and around his bed, but Frank is sitting up playing Xbox on the hospital TV, with multiple empty Jell-O cups and crumpled Guinness cans scattered around him.
“Brother Frank!”
“Hey,Principessa!” he booms, always too loud for indoors. “Just give me a second, I'm about to kick this dipshit’s ass.”
He's playing a war game, and the entire hospital floor seems to be getting an education in foul language. He gets shot by an enemy, curses loudly again, and tosses down the controller. “Never was any good at these games. Better in real life, eh?” And then he throws up his good arm, expecting the full works. “Bring it in!”
I come over to hug him gingerly, but he squeezes me in a vice-like grip before letting me go, almost breathless. He stinks of beer, which isn’t a good sign. Then he glances over my shoulder. “Marco, buddy,” he says with a nod and a grin. “Huddie-boy, still here? And who’s this guy? Oh, shit, I know you. You're the dude who made me lie on the floor.”
“This is—”
“Aidan,” Aidan says quickly. “I wanted to come along and say thank you for bursting in like you did. If it hadn't been for you, I'd be dead now.”
“Can't go around shooting priests,” Frank says, shaking his head with a frown. “That ain't right.”
This time, I note, Aidan doesn't bother to correct his status.
“How was Vegas?” Frank bellows.
“It was okay,” I say cautiously. “Don't know if I'd go again.”
