Page 5 of Alessia
“Good, I got to assist in the OR yesterday so that was awesome!” I say, eyes sparkling.
“That’s not what I meant, and you know it Alessia.” his voice stern.
“Oh… Yeah… OUR business is doing great. Elio has been helping me make arrangements for my coronation. So that’s all set. And the latest shipments from Italy ran like a well-oiled machine. And I’m meeting the buyer tomorrow morning to handle the paperwork.”
He just nods.
“And how about your wedding? Any improvements on finding a husband?”
Tears sting in my eyes. He knows I will never marry a man, but he just will not accept it. I know I need to get married within the first year of being a Donna, but I’ve never been attracted to men. I came out to my father and stepmom when I was in high school but he’s an old stubborn Italian man,. He’ll never accept it.
“Yes father, Elio and I talked to a few potential husbands and narrowed the list to the last three possibilities. I’m seeing the first one for lunch tomorrow after I deal with the shipments buyer.”
“Good, good…” He coughs through the words, and I see the blood coating his lips.
A part of me wishes he didn’t have to die, that he could stay the Los Angeles Don and I didn’t have to take his place. The other part of me can’t wait to get rid of him. To finally live my life the way I want to, with the girl I want, with the business I want to lead. If the old man knew how I wanted to change his business, he would personally cure cancer.
“I have to go to now, my shift starts in thirty minutes.”
“When are you going to quit this sham of a job? This is not where you’re needed, and you know it.” His voice is laced with disdain for what I’m passionate about.
“Soon, father…” With that I place another kiss on his head and leave him with his beeping machines.
As soon as the door behind me closes I let out a breath that I’ve apparently been holding this entire time. I straighten my back and lift my head. Time to put on my big girl pants and get to work. Unlike what my father thinks Istill have an hour before my shift, so I put in my earbuds and decided to take this time to go up to the roof of the hospital. It’s the only place in this city where I can just unwind and let the breeze take all my worries away.
“Elio?”
“Yes Ma’am?”
“I’m going up to the roof. Can you give me thirty minutes? After that you can come and get me. Please check in with the others about any developments and report back to me then.”
“Yes, of course Ma’am!”
I walk to the stairs and start the four floors walk up to the roof. I scan my badge and open the steel door at the top of the stairs. The warm LA wind envelops me, and I feel like I can breathe again. I scan the roof and my heart stops.What!This is my sanctuary, who the hell is that and why the fuck is she up here! I walk over to the edge of the roof where a girl with blond hair is sitting, her hair is intricately braided into a bun on the back of her head. Her crimson scrubs ripple with the wind that blows across the rooftop.
“Who are you and what are you doing here!” I say to her.
She lets out a yelp and turns to face me. Holy fuck, she’s been crying. Her dark brown eyes are red rimmed, and the evidence of tears lines her face.
“What the hell, bitch! Don’t you know you shouldn’t scare someone on the edge of a roof? You want to have my death on your conscious?”
“You didn’t fall now, did you?” The corner of my mouth creeps up into a smirk.
She looks at me, those tears now nowhere to be seen and replaced with a fire that makes those gorgeous eyes burn right through me.
“No, I didn’t. But I could have! I’m Harper and I came up here to clear my head. Probably the same thing you were going to do up here.”
She’s got me there.
“And who might my potential killer be?” She pulls her notepad and pen from her scrubs and raises her brow, waiting for me to answer. “Just in case I die, I want somebody to find your name, so they know who to talk to first.”
I let out a laugh. Her eyes started to sparkle again. She’s feisty and I’m here for it.
I put out my hand, “I’m Alessia. Sorry I scared you. I wasn’t expecting anyone up here. Usually, I’m the only one here so you caught me off guard.”
“And your last name?”
“DiSantis…” The name leaves my lips before I can do anything to stop it. I never tell people my last name. Why did I tell her?
