“My baby is married. Look at you. You’re so beautiful,” Mom chokes out as she squeezes my shoulders.
She kisses my cheek and continues. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a prettier bride. You’re glowing. Are you happy, baby?”
“Yes, Mom. I am. This is where I belong.”
“I just want to make sure,” my mother says as she tears up.
I glance to my left and the sun bounces off something that’s pushed out of the window of a passing car, grabbing my attention. Everything begins to move in slow motion.
My mouth falls open as I realize what I’m looking at. I shove my mother out of the way without thinking. My heart is racing as I realize I’m in my wedding gown. I don’t have any guns on me.
“Oni, get down,” Fredo calls out.
I look toward where Rico is standing. I can’t make it to him. Before I can decide my next move, gunfire explodes around us. Fredo makes it up the stairs and wraps around me.
“Oni,” Rico bellows.
He has pulled his guns and is starting to fire back, as he tries to move up the stairs toward me instead of taking cover. Suddenly, Fredo’s back bucks and he falls into me.
My mother reaches for me, pulling me toward her. Emilio comes out of nowhere and covers the three of us as Fredo bleeds out all over me. I scream as Emilio’s body begins to jerk as he’s hit while covering my mother and me.
“No,” I roar.
I pull Fredo’s gun and begin to fire. I hit one of the guys in the second car and blow the back window out of the other. The threecars speed off. The last one swerving as if the driver in it was hit as well.
“Oni, baby. Are you okay?” Rico says as he races to me.
“Yes, this isn’t my blood. I’m fine.”
“We need an ambulance. Someone help me,” my mother screams. She’s trying to help Emilio while looking frantically at Fredo, who’s face down, bleeding out.
“No, no, no,” I say as I rush to turn Fredo on his back.
“Come on, buddy. You’re not going to do this to me,” Rico says as he moves to sit and place Fredo’s head in his lap.
“Oni is safe. That’s all that matters,” Fredo strains to say.
“Emilio, you stay with me, you hear me. Don’t you leave me,” my mother sobs.
“Fuck,” Rico roars.
CHAPTER 39
Who’s Left
Rico
“I’m lookingfor Rico and Oni Gallo,” the nurse calls into the waiting room where we’ve been waiting for news.
I’ve barely been containing my rage. Instead of dancing with my wife at our wedding reception, we’re here in a hospital. Of all the days to pick to do this shit, they would pick today.
I stand and look down at Oni. She’s still in her blood-stained wedding gown. I took off my tux jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders hours ago.
She looks up at me and blinks a few times. I give her a tight smile and hold my hand out for hers. Oni stands as if on autopilot and places her hand in mine, then we walk over to the nurse who called our names.
“That’s us,” I say.
“Mr. Gallo would like to see the two of you, but you can’t stay long. He needs his rest.”
