Elena strode from the kitchen, holding her head stiffly high, and made her way through the dining hall to the rear stairs.
‘Mamma! Come back. We need to talk about this.’
‘What more is there to say? You’ve secretly been living your best lives behind my back. And this was before we lost him. There are no more words. This is too much.’
Elena took to the stairs and Francesca hurried after her. ‘No, you don’t get to play the victim here, Mamma. Come back so we can talk about this.’
‘Leave me alone.’
‘Mamma, please!’
Elena hesitated, but just as she turned on the top stair to face Francesca, she lost her footing. Her ankle rolled and she came tumbling down, arms outstretched to break her fall.
Two distinct cracks echoed through the dining hall, plus another silent one which split Francesca’s heart in two.
* * *
‘You didn’t have to come.’ Francesca’s tear-soaked eyes scoured the light blue linoleum tiles underfoot.
‘You were in no state to drive.’ Alessio put a protective arm around her as they stood together by the window in the emergency department waiting room. ‘Can I do anything for you?’
‘No, grazie. Unless you can turn back time?’
The drive from Impastino to the hospital had been tense and silent. The delay in the waiting room was unbearable. But now, all Francesca needed was answers. What damage had been done? How would they move past this? Could they?
A broad-shouldered, balding doctor appeared in turquoise scrubs. ‘You can come and see her now.’
Francesca’s belly churned with nausea. ‘Grazie.’
She and Alessio followed the doctor to a small poky room with dated brown plastic furniture and a cracked window pane. ‘Signora Ladisa, your family is here.’ Elena looked up and sighed, but said nothing. ‘The X-rays show you have two broken bones. Simple cracks in both ulnas. No need for surgery, or pins. But you will be in plaster casts for six to eight weeks. We will confirm that in the coming days once the more detailed imaging comes back from Foggia.’
Elena stared blankly at her feet. ‘So, no work then? We own and operate a trattoria. What are we meant to do?’
Scribbling some notes on his clipboard, the doctor said, ‘Nothing for you for six to eight weeks. Doctor’s orders.’ Looking up he said, ‘With your pain under control for now, I’d like to set your casts. Then, you can go home. Do you live alone, Signora Ladisa?’ Elena nodded. ‘You will need significant support for the next two months, as you will have very limited use of your arms. I can form the casts so that you have use of your fingers to hold things. But I recommend you move in with family or friends for the interim?’
Before Elena could respond, Francesca said quickly, ‘Yes! You can live with Nonna, and I’ll move into your place.’
‘And how will I be able to help Nonna without use of my arms? To shower. The toilet. It won’t work. Let alone climb the ladder to get upstairs.’
‘Is the ladder on an incline?’ the doctor asked.
‘Yes,’ Elena replied on a sigh.
‘Then you can balance your weight per normal, using your hands for light support only. You’re not to suspend yourself from them.’
‘If I have understood you correctly, I have an idea,’ Alessio said in English, stepping forward. ‘Elena, you move in with Nonna. And Francesca, why don’t you share with me? It is your apartment, after all. Then you’ll be right next door to support both of them, and I can help too.’
‘Share? The two of you?’ Elena’s eyes darted between them.
‘With all due respect, Elena, there’s no easier solution.’ Alessio wrapped a supportive arm around Francesca’s shoulder.
Francesca could read that her mother was considering the idea. Eventually, Elena conceded. ‘Fine. But you’ll have to behave yourselves.’
Francesca’s heart gave a little flip resembling joy, despite the awful scenario.
Live with Alessio. Share a bed. Always together.
But before Francesca could delve further into the daydream, the doctor said, ‘Good. That’s settled.’ Then he gestured that Alessio should wait outside, as Elena would need to change out of her hospital gown.
