“So we just wait.”
“Yes, son, we wait.”
I look around the room and realize my brother and sister are not here. “Where’s Alex and Gina?”
“Oh, they went to get me a cup of coffee,” she replies.
“And Marco?” I ask, a little miffed that he left my mom alone.
“Don’t be mad, Michael, I sent him with them. I needed some time alone.”
I admonish her. “Mamma, you know better.”
She waves her hand and says, “I know, I know. I don’t need the lecture.”
Just then, saving my mother from the inevitable lecture, they walk back into the room. “Hey,” Alex says. “Everything okay at home?”
“Yeah, the situation is under control for now.” The last thing I want to do is worry my mother about what has happened. She will be heartbroken when she sees the damage to her home, but worse, she’ll be devastated when she finds out about Zaira. She has enough to worry about; she doesn’t need to know about all that now. “We’ll talk later,” I say, and he nods in agreement.
We spend the next few minutes waiting for my father to return from his tests. I can’t stop thinking about Zaira, and I’m anxious that I haven’t heard anything from Ricco. So I text him:
Anything?
A few seconds later, he replies:
We might have something, but it’s not solid.
I’m looking into it now.
I’ll keep you posted.
I reply:
Find her, Ricco!
Ricco:
I will!
The waiting is killing me. I get up from my chair and pace until I step out of the room to where Ice and his boys are out in the hall.
“How’s your old man?” Ice asks.
“We’re not sure yet. We know it wasn’t a heart attack. They’re looking at his pancreas right now.” I pause, collecting my thoughts. “So what are your plans?”
“Hadn’t really thought about it. Why, you need something?” Ice replies.
I sigh. “Aw shit, Ice, I don’t know where to go from here. I’m worried sick about Pop and Zaira, I’m trying to keep everyone safe, and I still believe making the deal with Gallardi is a bad idea. Pop would agree too. I know it.”
“Then stick to your gut, Michael. They’re banking on you caving to their demands. Don’t do it. You’ve got a strong family, lots of allies, and more than enough smarts to beat them at their own game,” he says, “As for the other stuff, trust the doctors to care for your pop and trust Ricco to find Zaira”
“What if they hurt her?” I ask.
“They won’t. Right now, she is the key to ensuring they get what they want. And we’ll do everything we can to help you.”
“So you’re staying?”
“For a while. Eventually we’ll have to get back, but we’re always available when you need us.”
