Page 89 of Matteo

We all look at him in awe.

“You bribed her? Bro, how much did you pay her?” Dex cries.

“Didn’t have to bribe her. She's got a motherly instinct. No idea where that’s from.”

We fall silent, because the answer dawns on us. Maybe not having a mother made that little girl want to have something of her own to love and cherish.

“Anyone have any idea what this is about?” I ask, just to break the awkwardness, because I have an inkling what this is about.

“It's obviously something to do with his health, and the kidney situation,” Enzo replies. Easy for him to say, given that he failed on the blood match and it’s not his future health on the line anymore.

Jett takes a step closer to the window. “I've lost my appetite.”

“I was never hungry.” Zach glances at his cell phone for the tenth time.

I wish I could teleport myself back to the lab. Or be anywhere with Elizabeth.

“It’s just you guys now.” Dex grins at me and Zach like he finds this amusing.

I look at Zach. Zach looks at me.

“What about you, Jett?” I ask. Did he walk away? I already feel trapped, because something in my gut tells me that Zach isn’t going to go through with this. Which means, if Jett is out, I'll be left to deal with this shit alone.

You can always walk away.

He opens his mouth to say something but we hear behind us and our father walks in, completely unaided, though a male nurse hovers around him. Seeing him come out, walking slower than we're used to, looking more tired than ever, takes some getting used to, because this is something we've never seen before. I press my lips together to suppress a shocked gasp.

He really does look like shit. Not the powerful, terrifying man we're used to. Not the man who fills a room and silences everywhere just by his appearance. This man looks smaller. Older. Tired and haggard. A shadow of his former self. I wonder if maybe, now that he realizes that he could die, he’s finally finding a heart and a soul.

I still don't completely believe that, though, but I understand now why we've not seen him in the office recently. He’s taken to working mostly from home, but none of us, as far as I'm aware, have checked in on him.

Not even Zach.

He lowers himself into a chair. “I can do it, Emanuel.” He raises his hand, to ward off his nurse or manservant or help. I have no idea who this man is and the way each of us look around, neither does anyone else.

“Are you ... okay?” Jett asks, looking like he's about to help, albeit with much hesitation.

“Feeling a little weak these days, but hopefully this is just a glitch.” He sits back in his chair and looks up at us. This is a huge shock, because the difference in him, from when I last saw him when he came down to the lab, is shocking.

He surveys us all. “Thank you for coming so early and on the weekend. I appreciate it. Please sit.”

We obey, sitting down on oversized sofas. Jett takes an armchair. Dex walks over to the wet bar in the corner and pours himself a drink before sitting on the armchair near Jett.

“What is it that’s so important that it required getting us all together today?” Jett asks. “There's no need for brunch,” he adds.

We all immediately concur.

“I won't beat around the bush, then.” Our father clasps his hands together. “I understand that the donor testing is progressing. Zach is currently undergoing tissue typing, and Matteo has already passed that stage and is due to undergo crossmatch testing shortly.”

He looks directly at me.

“How do you know that?” I ask, surprised, though I really shouldn't be.

This man somehow knows everything.

“My doctor keeps me informed.”

I feel my anger rising already. “But he's not supposed to tell you this.”