Page 34 of Secret Baby of the Don

Jimmy Croakerfinallyshowed up on a Sunday, bringing his big doctor bag with me, the one he brought to the most serious of injuries. “I’m taking the tube out,” he said matter-of-factly. “It’s gonna hurt like hell.”

“Great,” I muttered. “Love it when you come to visit, Croak.” He barked out a laugh and sat his bag down on the bed. I had to admit I was a little worried. “You’ve done this before?” I asked him.

He shrugged. “Not really.”

“Wonderful,” I drawled.

Allegra was in her room, saying she didn’t want to see it. I guessed I should be happy that she didn’t want me injured, but it was a small comfort with how cold she’d been the last few days. At least finally I was getting this damn tube out and we could figure out what the hell was going on back home. Ricardo had clearly lost his marbles, and although Enzo was a man I respected, I had no respect for his son, and I’d kill him if I had to. It was complicated, though. The only way to really get Ricardo off my back would be to kill him, but that would be disrespecting Enzo. What I needed to do was talk to Enzo.

I couldn’t think about that anymore, though, because Croaker was setting up to take out the tube. He took the bandages off first, humming at how there was no longer blood trickling through the tube. “Just do it,” I said through gritted teeth, and he nodded and slowly began to draw it out. It was like my chest and ribs were on fire, and I gasped instead of yelling with pain. My lungs held up, though, because I could breathe fine and I wasn’t wheezing. That was good news, at least, because the world was made of pain before he finally got it out.

“Did you take a pill before this?” he asked, and I nodded, even though I hadn’t. I didn’t like how fuzzy it made me feel, emotional, like being too drunk but worse. Croaker began to stitch up the hole the chest tube had been in and I grunted, but the pain wasn’t nearly as bad as him taking out the tube. I could handle this pain; it was something I’d been through before, many times before.

“You’ll have to get the stitches taken out in another week,” Croaker warned as he finished up, rebandaging both wounds.

“Maybe by then things will be calmer,” I said, chuckling.

“Nothing I’m not used to,” Croaker said easily. “And don’t worry, I know you’re good for the money.”

I nodded, grateful. We were almost out of cash after everything that had gone down, and it wasn’t like I had a credit card. But now I owed Croaker a favor, and friend or not, I’d have to follow through. “Thank you,” I said, and Croaker gave me that sloppy salute and a grin, gathering his things and leaving.

I swung my legs over the bed and my wounds screamed with pain, but I managed to get up on my own. I made my way to the doorway slowly, but the pain wasn’t so bad and finally I straightened up, heading to the guest room Allegra had moved into. Allegra had pretty much shot down us getting back together, which I wasn’t surprised by. After all, I had left her high and dry. I’d left her for her own good, but I knew that she couldn’t understand that. She was stubborn, and that was something I loved about her. “Allegra,” I said, biting back the pet namestellina.

She opened the door in just a few seconds, biting her lip, that nervous habit she had that made her bottom lip pink and full. “How do you feel?” she asked.

“Better,” I admitted. “Well enough to drive, I think.”

She worked her lip between her teeth. “I think I should drive,” she said. She had already packed her things, ready to go. She was so eager to get home, and it made me wonder somewhere in the back of my mind if she had a boyfriend or something. I couldn’t think too much about it without my stomach feeling sick, though, so I pushed it away. I shrugged, figuring it didn’t matter who drove the stolen car that Croaker had helped us get.

We walked out to the car, got in, and started the long drive back home. Allegra drove and I dozed, tired from the injuries, I guessed. I hated feeling so weak, so useless, and I was glad I was at least finally mobile again. “Why are you in such a hurry to get home?” I asked.

Allegra scoffed. “I’ve told you. My father’s in trouble.” I hummed and didn’t argue. I thought Romeo could take care of himself, but I knew if I said that to Allegra, she’d be angry. “You need to get to a real doctor when we get home,” Allegra said firmly.

I snorted. “Yeah, and tell them what? That I fell on a bullet? Come on, Allegra. I’ve got a felony on my record. I can’t have them calling the cops.”

Allegra glanced over at me while she drove and swerved off the road slightly. A hugepopsounded and then the car swerved sideways. She yelled and pulled over. “What happened?”

“Sounds like a flat tire,” I said grimly, knowing it would be difficult to fix in my state.

She groaned and got out of the car. “Fuck!” she cursed.

I smiled a little and got out, going around to look at the blown tire. I kicked at it. “It’s a piece of shit,” I said flatly. “You take what you can get when you take a ride.”

“What do we do now?” Allegra asked, biting at her lip again.

“We walk,” I said, and Allegra stomped her feet like a little kid. I couldn’t help but smile. I pointed toward the lights in the distance. “There’ll be a hotel in town.”

Allegra didn’t speak as we walked, just stayed silent. I wanted to say something to her, but I didn't even know what I would say. Probably something stupid like I loved her and I was sorry I couldn’t protect her. Nothing she’d want to hear.

Every step felt like a mile with my injuries, and I grunted as we walked up a hill. Allegra looked at me for a long moment and then put herself under my shoulder, taking some of the weight off my bad side. I smiled at her gratefully but she didn’t smile back. I thought we’d been making progress, but I must have been wrong. I cleared my throat. “We’re going to have to hide out for a couple of days,” I said. Allegra nodded, still not speaking. “We’re going to have plenty of time to ourselves,” I continued slowly.

Allegra glanced over at me. “What are you getting at?”

“Nothing,” I said, shrugging. “I’m just saying, we should at least talk. Catch up.”

“There’s nothing about my life you don’t already know,” she said, but she glanced away from me when she said it. Was that what it was? Was that why she was so eager to get home? A boyfriend?

I couldn’t help from asking, my blood boiling. “You got a boyfriend back home?”

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