Page 220 of Vita Mia

Chapter Thirty-Four

Vengeance is Mine –1996

Rome, Italy

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MARIETTA WOKE. SHErubbed her eyes and yawned. It had been four days since her life was returned to her. She glanced from her cot to Lorenzo’s hospital bed. He sat up with Lorenza on his lap feeding her from his breakfast tray.

“Hey?” she said to her husband and daughter.

“Look who’s up,” Lorenzo whispered to Lorenza. Her daughter smiled and then reached on his tray for some of the breakfast potatoes and shoved them in her mouth.

“She has an appetite like you,” Marietta said.

“Yes,” Lorenzo agreed. “But she’s strong like you.”

Marietta sat up. She stretched. “You still think I’m strong. After everything that’s happened? What I’ve done.”

“I told you,” Lorenzo looked up. “What you did was survive. That’s the woman I married. A survivor.”

Since they were reunited she and Lorenza moved into his room. It was just them now. And she didn’t care if they were confined to an igloo, she’d still think it was paradise.

“Buongiorno,” the doctor said and pushed open the door.

“Hi doctor,” Marietta said. She reached back for her robe and quickly slipped it on.

“Morning, and look here, I see someone is up and hungry,” he smiled at Lorenza. She dropped back on her father’s chest and drank from her baby cup. Marietta beamed with pride. Lorenza had welcomed her and Lorenzo into her heart. It was as if her baby knew and believed in the love they had for her.

“What’s the news doctor?” Lorenzo said.

“You were in pretty bad shape,” the doctor began. “My concern has been your head injuries.”

“Head? Because he lost his eye?” Marietta asked. She glanced at Lorenzo and his eye-patch. Part of her found it sexy, but another part of her ached deeply over how badly he suffered.

“Signora, the human skull is pretty tough. It’s designed to take a fair amount of punishment. I can tell by his CT scans that he’s had some fractures, bruising and bleeding within the brain itself. Signore, have you suffered prolonged blackouts, memory loss?”

“I feel fine,” Lorenzo winked.

Marietta didn’t believe him. She stood and put her hand to her heart. Through it all, he was her Lorenzo but she knew he was anything but fine.

“What do we do? Surgery?”

“No, these injuries have healed. I’m not sure of lasting effects. But overall, he’s strong. His rib fractures are healing and his left leg will be in the cast for several weeks. I just think we should monitor him and see how it goes.”

“Good diagnosis doctor, I believe in monitoring the Camorra,” The Générale said as he entered the room with a Constable that Marietta had seen him within the courthouse. She tightened her robe and glared at the men.

“I’m meeting with my patient, I’ve asked that you wait outside,” the doctor said.

“Time is up. We need to speak to him. Now,” the Générale said.

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