Page 56 of Days Of Valentino

“If that ever happens to you, you better go to a damn hospital, Orlando. Who gets surgery in a basement anyway?” my fiancée says from the passenger seat.

“We do. And the doc is only removing a bullet from his leg. It’s not surgery,” I tell Aleeka. “Like I said, he’s fine. Besides, it’s not the first time Pops has been shot. You should be used to this by now, Ma.”

“Not funny, Orlando.”

I catch my mother’s scowl in the rearview mirror. I’m not laughing. When My Zio Theo called me to tell me what happened, my heart stopped. No one wants to hear that their father was shot. And I’ve seen far too many funerals in my life. I do not want to have to bury a parent.

My pops is also my best friend. Just don’t tell my cousin Dante, because he’s adamant he holds that title. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried about my dad. I’m faking the easygoing persona I have right now. I’m trying to calm my mother. I hate seeing her this worried.

Aleeka reaches over and takes hold of my hand. Removing it from the steering wheel and resting our joined palms on her thigh. She gives me a little squeeze, and her lips tip up into a slight smile. It’s her way of silently telling me thatshe knows. She knows I’m keeping all this shit bottled inside for the sake of my mother.

She can read me like no one else can. There’s nothing I can hide from my little ghost, not even how stressed I am. “I’m sure Mr. Valentino is okay. I can’t imagine anything being able to hurt him,” Aleeka says.

“Bullets have a way of hurting people,” Ma responds.

“I know. I’m sorry,” Aleeka whispers.

“It’s not your fault,” I tell her. I love that she’s trying to not only console me but my mother as well.

We pull up to my uncle’s gates. They open automatically, and I take us up the winding driveway, parking right in front of the house. The car has barely stopped rolling before my mom is jumping out of the back seat.

“I’ll get Sebastian. You go with your mom,” Aleeka tells me.

“Thank you.” I lean over and press my lips against hers. “I love you.”

“I love you too. Don’t ever get yourself shot. I wouldn’t be as calm as your mom’s being right now,” she says.

“I’ll do my best,” I promise before climbing out of the car. I run up the stairs and through the front door of my uncle’s house.

I stop short when I get to the basement door. Josie is sitting on the floor, her cheeks wet with fresh tears. And my mind immediately goes to the worst-case scenario.My dad’s dead. He’s gone…

But Zio Theo said it was just a leg shot. You can’t die from a bullet tearing through your leg, can you? I should have paid more attention in that anatomy class I was forced to take.

“What’s wrong?” I ask Josie.

“It’s my fault. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to… I just wanted to protect Dante,” she whispers.

“Josie, where’s my dad?” I glance at the door again. Can I really go down there if it means finding my father’s lifeless body sprawled out on the makeshift hospital bed?

“The doc is almost finished. I’m really sorry, Orlando,” Josie says while gesturing to the basement.

“He’s… alive?” I ask and watch her brows furrow.

“Yes. He got shot in the leg. The doc is stitching him up,” she says, and a wave of relief washes over me.

“Okay, he’s okay,” I repeat as I step past Josie and move towards the door. I don’t make it much farther before my mother’s voice rings out. Or rather, the sound of her screaming does.

“You were shot, Luca Valentino. Don’t you dare tell me to calm down. What the hell? How could you let this happen again?”

“It’s not like I jumped in front of the bullet, Katy, and I’m fine. Look! Perfectly healthy, right, Doc?” Dad responds.

“Sure,” the doc replies as I push off the last step and walk around the corner. My father is sitting up on the bed while Doc applies a dressing to his leg.

“Think of it as a date. This is how we met after all.” Dad smiles at Mom.

“A date?” Mom yells, then turns to face my uncle. “Did he hit his head or something?”

“No, Romeo just took all the brain cells when those two were in the womb.” Zio Theo laughs.

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