Chương 6
“That sounds deliberately vague.”
“It is deliberately accurate.”
“Cole said the same thing.”
“Then Cole is wise.”
“Don't tell him that.”
“I won't.”
Dr. Shah smiled briefly and left.
Valerio sat in the chair beside the bed.
His phone had been lighting up every few minutes.
He had stopped checking it.
Alessia nodded toward it.
“You can look.”
“No.”
“Maybe the building is on fire.”
“Then someone else can handle it.”
“You own three companies.”
“Two.”
“You act like it's three.”
“One of them acts like two.”
She almost smiled.
The quiet afterward felt different from the ballroom.
Less exposed.
Here nobody cared about the bride or the wedding or whose fault anything was.
There were curtains on both sides of them.
A monitor beeped somewhere nearby.
A man in another bay argued softly about whether he had taken his blood pressure medication.
Alessia stared at the ceiling tiles.
“She's going to say I ruined her wedding.”
Valerio's gaze stayed on her.
“Yes.”
The bluntness made her turn.
“You could pretend she won't.”
“You wouldn't believe me.”
“No.”
“She may already be saying it.”
Alessia rubbed the edge of the hospital blanket between her fingers.
“I left before dinner was over.”
“You were taken out on a stretcher.”
“She'll still say it.”
“Yes.”
“Mom will agree with her.”
Valerio leaned back.
“That part I don't know.”
“I do.”
He waited.
Alessia's fingers kept moving against the blanket.
“One Christmas, Veronica threw my phone into the sink.”
Valerio said nothing.
“She said it slipped.”
“What happened?”
“It stopped working.”
“I meant before.”
Alessia watched the fabric fold between her fingers.
“I had a picture she didn't like.”
“What picture?”
“She was kissing someone.”
Valerio's expression changed.
“Who?”
“Not important.”
“It sounds important.”
“It was eight years ago.”
“Then why destroy your phone?”
“Because she was engaged.”
“To?”
“Somebody else.”
Valerio studied her.
“And your mother believed it slipped.”
“Mom said accidents happen.”
The curtain outside shifted as someone passed.
Alessia gave a small shrug.
“I bought a new phone.”
“That was it?”
“What was I supposed to do?”
“Tell the truth.”
“To whom?”
He had no answer.
She looked away.
“That was always the problem.”
The imaging technician arrived before Valerio could respond.
Alessia was wheeled down a corridor under fluorescent lights.
The X-rays required positioning that made her swear under her breath twice and apologize both times.
The technician told her she didn't need to apologize.
On the way back, Alessia noticed a vending machine at the end of the hallway.
“I want pretzels.”
The transporter looked down at her.
“Right now?”
“Yes.”
“You're a patient.”
“Patients can't have pretzels?”
“I have no idea.”
Valerio was waiting when she returned.
She pointed toward the hallway.
“Pretzels.”
He blinked.
“What?”
“Vending machine.”
“You want pretzels?”
“Very much.”
“Are you allowed to eat?”
Alessia frowned.
“I don't know.”
“You've become extremely obedient.”
“Ambulances do that to me.”
He stepped outside and returned several minutes later with a small bag.
“The nurse said yes.”
Alessia took it.
The bag resisted her.
Valerio watched for three seconds before reaching out.
“Give me that.”
“I can open pretzels.”
“You have one injured hand and apparently no upper-body strength.”
“My hand is scratched.”
“You are losing to a plastic bag.”
“I almost have it.”
The seam tore abruptly and three pretzels flew onto the blanket.
One bounced onto the floor.
They stared at it.
Alessia started laughing.
Valerio tried not to.
That made it worse.
She covered her face with her good hand.
“Oh God.”
Valerio picked up the fallen pretzel and dropped it into the trash.
“Defeated by carbohydrates.”
“Don't ever tell anyone.”
“I have a reputation to protect.”
The laughter faded naturally.
Alessia ate one pretzel.
Then another.
Her appetite vanished after three.
Valerio folded the top of the bag and set it on the table.
His phone lit again.
This time Alessia saw the name.
Veronica.
They looked at each other.
“Answer it,” Alessia said.
Valerio picked up the phone.
“Why?”
“Because I want to hear what version we're on now.”
He hesitated.
Then he accepted the call and put it on speaker.
Veronica's voice filled the small hospital bay.
“Where is she?”
Alessia stared at the phone.
Valerio said, “Hospital.”
“I know that.”
“Then why ask?”
There was a pause.
“I mean how is she?”
Alessia almost admired the adjustment.
Valerio looked at her.
She nodded once.
He said, “She's waiting on X-rays.”
Veronica exhaled.
“Okay.”
Silence.
Then, “Look, this has gotten completely out of control.”
Alessia's hand tightened around the blanket.
Valerio said nothing.
Veronica continued.
“Nina is acting insane.”
“How?”
“She won't give me the video.”
“It isn't your video.”
“It was recorded at my wedding.”
“On her phone.”
“You know what I mean.”
“I do.”
Another pause.
Veronica's voice lowered.
“I need you to tell Alessia not to do anything stupid.”
Alessia closed her eyes.
Valerio looked at her.
“Such as?”
“Post it.”
“She hasn't even seen it.”
“Good.”
Veronica spoke quickly now.
“Then keep it that way.”
Alessia opened her eyes.
Valerio's face had gone completely still.
“Why?”
“Because she is upset.”
“Why should that matter?”
“Because when she's upset, she does things emotionally.”
Alessia gave a quiet laugh.
Veronica stopped.
“Is she there?”
Valerio did not answer.
“Alessia?”
Alessia leaned closer to the phone.
“Yes.”
Silence.
Then Veronica said, “You put me on speaker?”
Valerio replied, “She asked me to answer.”
Veronica's breathing changed.
“Alessia, I need you to listen to me.”
“No.”
“What?”
“I've been listening to you my entire life.”
Alessia looked at the white hospital bracelet around her wrist.
“I think I'm done for tonight.”
Veronica was silent for so long that Alessia thought the call had dropped.
Then she said, very quietly, “Mom is furious.”
Alessia looked at Valerio.
There it was.
The oldest lever.
Still polished.
Still familiar.
Alessia reached over and ended the call herself.
May you like
The screen went dark beneath Alessia's thumb.
For a few seconds neither she nor Valerio spoke.
