Post by silent.lullaby on Aug 28, 2010 10:31:54 GMT -5
//We Run This Town//Chapter 031// Surgery
Matteo helped keep him upright taking most of his weight as they walked down the hall. He knew Preston was behind them watching out for any potential threats, just like Adam was doing in front of them. Breathing heavy, Sergio’s grip on the wheeled IV tightened. “When did it happen?”
“Only a couple of hours ago, she just got out of surgery.” Matteo responded slowly.
“Fucking Valentino’s,” Sergio said with a harsh angered tone. After a pause he spoke again calmer, “you think they are the ones who did this to me?”
Matteo shrugged. Sergio had been awake for nearly a day now, he got tired quick and napped more than anything, but it was good for Matteo to see his best friend back on his feet- even if he needed support. They’d found out pretty soon after he awoke that he had no memory of the attack, who stabbed him, and no idea why. “I guess they could be,” Matteo responded finally. “Enzo is running a check on all of the known family and family associates of the Valentino’s see where they are... so far Jack was the only one using his credit card to get a flight here. Then again, others might have been smart enough to use cash.”
“Serge!”
Sergio smiled as he rounded the corner, Adam and Matteo moved to the side as Maximo came up and gave his brother a tight hug. Sergio felt the pain from the hug but welcomed it, it was better than the black hole he’d been in for months. Maximo let go and took Matteo’s spot, Sergio’s arm over his shoulder, and his arm around his brother’s waist. “Feeling better?” he asked.
Sergio shrugged casually, “I could think of better things to wake up to... how’s mom holding up?” Maximo hummed and looked away pretending not to have heard. “That bad?”
Maximo sighed, “first you, then Lili...” he shook his head. “She’s practically in hysterics, Aunt Zarah is with her now, so is Jane and Serena. Little womanly pow-wow.”
“What about Gemma and the other girls?”
“They’re... dealing.” Maximo said slowly looking to Matteo.
“Luce is freaking out,” Matteo responded and Maximo shot him a punch in the arm. “Ouch!” Matteo glared and rubbed his arm for a second, “why not tell him? He’s going to see the mess in a few minutes.” Preston hit the button for the elevator and they all waited there silently till it dinged open.
“You should also be aware of the Burke’s.” Preston said as he hit the down button.
“What about them?” Sergio questioned angrily, “what did they do now?”
“Trevor Burke was hired on by your father,” Preston told him wearily.
“What? The man who put dad away!” Sergio nearly yelled, “when did this happen?”
“Apparently before Antonio and Enzo did their stint in prison. He messed with the evidence in their case to get them out. No one knew about it, not even Enzo. Not till he decided to use him to help find Lilianna.”
“What about the Reid and McCauley?”
“No,” Preston responded, “it’s just Burke who is on the payroll, the other officers have no idea he’s dirty. His son didn’t know till tonight...” Preston rubbed his temples, “this story is going to take a while.”
“Lets save it then,” Adam said as the door opened. “Your family needs you.”
“Serge!” Lucia ran up and hugged him, she smelt like flowers and spice, he let go of the IV and wrapped the arm around her while still using his brother to keep his weight up. She let go, “sorry,” she said. “Did I hurt you?”
Sergio shook his head. “No, I’m okay.”
“Serge,” Gemma walked up she looked him up and down, “the dress suits you.”
He gave a half assed grin, “shut up.”
“I’m glad you’re okay,” she said, “your mom wants to see you.” She looked to Maximo, “they’re over by the coffee machine.” Maximo nodded and lead his brother to where the women were.
Sergio could hardly recognize his mother. She was always such a kept woman. Her hair was a mess, and in a ponytail, something she never did. Her eyes were red and blotchy, that black stuff girls wear on their eyes was all smudged and running. Her hands shook, her fingers looked spindly, her waist line looked even tinier. She was wearing sweat pants he didn’t even know she owned and a t-shirt that he thought might be Lilianna’s.
Zarah looked to be the rock of it all, still done up proper, but not overdone. She was in a suit, all business, all strength. Serena was in a dress, her hair down in ringlets around her face, she looked frustrated. Jane looked to be crying a bit, she wasn’t a part of the Mafia like Charlie, but she knew what he did, she wasn’t strong enough to be a part of it herself. She noticed him, her big eyes and she gave him a little smile before tapping Contessa on the shoulder.
His mother looked to Jane who pointed and Contessa followed the finger to her son. “Oh God Sergio.” She hugged him tight, “oh my baby boy.” And then she cried... and cried. Sergio looked to his big brother for help but he just stared for a moment, as surprised as Sergio and gave him a shrug as if to say, ‘what am I to do about it?’
Segio sighed, and rubbed his mother’s back, “I’m okay mom, and Lil will be okay too.”
“I can’t take this,” Contessa blubbered, “my babies keep getting hurt.”
Antonio came over and touched his wife’s shoulder, “Tessa,” he whispered more in her ear and she latched onto him instead. “Go have a seat son,” Antonio said with a nod.
Sitting on a bench made Segio feel fidgety. Maximo had gone off with Faith, and Adam stood a few feet away watching while Preston went to the washroom. Lucia came over and sat beside him, “she’ll be okay, she’s strong.” Lucia said suddenly. He wasn’t sure if she was even talking to him, or just trying to convince herself, but she spoke with such strong conviction he nearly believed her.
“Do you know what happened?” He asked.
Lucia shrugged, “I guess I’ve got most of the story by now. I talked to Ceasar...” She sighed. “He’s worried.” Sergio smiled a little, Lucia was a worrier, so much so that she worried about her big brother when he worried. He followed her gaze and found her following Gavin and Trevor Burke who had just entered. “They’re on our side... more or less.”
“Preston started explaining it to me.” Segio said.
“I guess he told Antonio what happened with Jack Valentino. Gavin was her tutor.” Lucia said, and she laughed quietly, but it wasn’t a laugh that said something was funny. “Lilianna didn’t tell any of us. Not Gemma, not me, not Blaire.” She frowned, “we all keep so many secrets.” Her voice was pained so he put his arm around her slender shoulders and she leaned against him. “They’re going to get us all one day.”
“Who?”
She glared at him, “the secrets dummy.”
“You could have been talking about the Valentino’s.’
She shrugged, “I wish Lili would have felt comfortable enough to tell us that Gavin was her tutor... but I guess with the bitter hate Gemma feels for the law enforcement I can’t blame her.”
“Lili’s luck you know, to have a friend like you.”
She smiled up at him, “you have me too you know.”
He grinned a little, “so tell me everything, catch me up.”
So she did, it was a lot to take in, everything from Jack’s harassing phone calls to Lilianna getting shot. He looked to Gavin, he didn’t look that bad, but then again, he could see the gauze wrapped around his hand, that surely went up his arm, but it was mostly hidden by his sweatshirt. Gavin looked over and caught him and Lucia looking and walked over. “How are you feeling?”
Sergio was a little shocked by the civility. “Alright, been better I guess.”
Gavin nodded, and looked back to the room which Lilianna was being kept in, not allowed anyone in just yet. He sighed heavy before looking back, “kind of know the feeling.”
“So... you tutor my sister.”
“Neither of us were very happy about it at first.”
“And later?”
Gavin shrugged and a smile tugged at the corners of his lips, “wasn’t completely horrible.”
“How do you feel about your father being dirty?”
Gavin cringed. “I like to just think he’s open rather than dirty.” He sighed, “I know there is a grey area... but... mafia? I mean... it’s pretty wrong.”
“I like to think primal,” Sergio said and they both kind of sighed, “it’s not great, but it’s what we all know.”
“Guess I better get use to it.” Gavin responded running his hand through his hair, “I can only imagine what Darren or the twins would say.” Sergio laughed.
***
“Dad isn’t home,” Kara informed her sister when she asked where he was. She plunged her hands back into the soapy water and started washing another plate.
“Of course not,” Lexie responded grabbing an apple from the fruit basket, it was rotten on the other side, “oh fuck, gross!” She tossed it out the window, hip-checked her sister so she could wash her hands.
Kara waited patiently till her sister moved out of the way, “I’m going grocery shopping tonight, want to come?”
“No,” she responded angrily.
Kara studied Lexie for a long moment, “what’s wrong?”
“Darren.” She responded bitterly, “he says he wants to ‘see’ other people.”
“I’m sorry,” Kara responded. “Weren’t you the one saying he was getting boring though?”
“Then I should be the one to break up with him!” Lexie cried out indignantly. “Not the other way around!”
“So... what are you going to do now?”
“Get him back.” Lexie said adjusting her leather jacket, “I’m going to get his best friend.”
“Gav?” Kara cried out.
“Yeah, duh.” Lexie looked in the fridge and found nothing edible. “I’m going to mom’s... she’ll have food... you want to come?”
Kara’s jaw clenched and fear wiggled it’s way over her body, her palms felt sweaty and her hands shook. “No, I’ll stay here.”
Lexie looked at her sister for a moment then shrugged, “whatever, later.” She slammed the door on the way out. Kara breathed heavily for a moment and carefully put the glass she was washing back down into the water with the cloth before she slid down to the floor her back to the cupboards. “You’re fine,” she told herself, and stayed there whispering it till she convinced herself.
Matteo helped keep him upright taking most of his weight as they walked down the hall. He knew Preston was behind them watching out for any potential threats, just like Adam was doing in front of them. Breathing heavy, Sergio’s grip on the wheeled IV tightened. “When did it happen?”
“Only a couple of hours ago, she just got out of surgery.” Matteo responded slowly.
“Fucking Valentino’s,” Sergio said with a harsh angered tone. After a pause he spoke again calmer, “you think they are the ones who did this to me?”
Matteo shrugged. Sergio had been awake for nearly a day now, he got tired quick and napped more than anything, but it was good for Matteo to see his best friend back on his feet- even if he needed support. They’d found out pretty soon after he awoke that he had no memory of the attack, who stabbed him, and no idea why. “I guess they could be,” Matteo responded finally. “Enzo is running a check on all of the known family and family associates of the Valentino’s see where they are... so far Jack was the only one using his credit card to get a flight here. Then again, others might have been smart enough to use cash.”
“Serge!”
Sergio smiled as he rounded the corner, Adam and Matteo moved to the side as Maximo came up and gave his brother a tight hug. Sergio felt the pain from the hug but welcomed it, it was better than the black hole he’d been in for months. Maximo let go and took Matteo’s spot, Sergio’s arm over his shoulder, and his arm around his brother’s waist. “Feeling better?” he asked.
Sergio shrugged casually, “I could think of better things to wake up to... how’s mom holding up?” Maximo hummed and looked away pretending not to have heard. “That bad?”
Maximo sighed, “first you, then Lili...” he shook his head. “She’s practically in hysterics, Aunt Zarah is with her now, so is Jane and Serena. Little womanly pow-wow.”
“What about Gemma and the other girls?”
“They’re... dealing.” Maximo said slowly looking to Matteo.
“Luce is freaking out,” Matteo responded and Maximo shot him a punch in the arm. “Ouch!” Matteo glared and rubbed his arm for a second, “why not tell him? He’s going to see the mess in a few minutes.” Preston hit the button for the elevator and they all waited there silently till it dinged open.
“You should also be aware of the Burke’s.” Preston said as he hit the down button.
“What about them?” Sergio questioned angrily, “what did they do now?”
“Trevor Burke was hired on by your father,” Preston told him wearily.
“What? The man who put dad away!” Sergio nearly yelled, “when did this happen?”
“Apparently before Antonio and Enzo did their stint in prison. He messed with the evidence in their case to get them out. No one knew about it, not even Enzo. Not till he decided to use him to help find Lilianna.”
“What about the Reid and McCauley?”
“No,” Preston responded, “it’s just Burke who is on the payroll, the other officers have no idea he’s dirty. His son didn’t know till tonight...” Preston rubbed his temples, “this story is going to take a while.”
“Lets save it then,” Adam said as the door opened. “Your family needs you.”
“Serge!” Lucia ran up and hugged him, she smelt like flowers and spice, he let go of the IV and wrapped the arm around her while still using his brother to keep his weight up. She let go, “sorry,” she said. “Did I hurt you?”
Sergio shook his head. “No, I’m okay.”
“Serge,” Gemma walked up she looked him up and down, “the dress suits you.”
He gave a half assed grin, “shut up.”
“I’m glad you’re okay,” she said, “your mom wants to see you.” She looked to Maximo, “they’re over by the coffee machine.” Maximo nodded and lead his brother to where the women were.
Sergio could hardly recognize his mother. She was always such a kept woman. Her hair was a mess, and in a ponytail, something she never did. Her eyes were red and blotchy, that black stuff girls wear on their eyes was all smudged and running. Her hands shook, her fingers looked spindly, her waist line looked even tinier. She was wearing sweat pants he didn’t even know she owned and a t-shirt that he thought might be Lilianna’s.
Zarah looked to be the rock of it all, still done up proper, but not overdone. She was in a suit, all business, all strength. Serena was in a dress, her hair down in ringlets around her face, she looked frustrated. Jane looked to be crying a bit, she wasn’t a part of the Mafia like Charlie, but she knew what he did, she wasn’t strong enough to be a part of it herself. She noticed him, her big eyes and she gave him a little smile before tapping Contessa on the shoulder.
His mother looked to Jane who pointed and Contessa followed the finger to her son. “Oh God Sergio.” She hugged him tight, “oh my baby boy.” And then she cried... and cried. Sergio looked to his big brother for help but he just stared for a moment, as surprised as Sergio and gave him a shrug as if to say, ‘what am I to do about it?’
Segio sighed, and rubbed his mother’s back, “I’m okay mom, and Lil will be okay too.”
“I can’t take this,” Contessa blubbered, “my babies keep getting hurt.”
Antonio came over and touched his wife’s shoulder, “Tessa,” he whispered more in her ear and she latched onto him instead. “Go have a seat son,” Antonio said with a nod.
Sitting on a bench made Segio feel fidgety. Maximo had gone off with Faith, and Adam stood a few feet away watching while Preston went to the washroom. Lucia came over and sat beside him, “she’ll be okay, she’s strong.” Lucia said suddenly. He wasn’t sure if she was even talking to him, or just trying to convince herself, but she spoke with such strong conviction he nearly believed her.
“Do you know what happened?” He asked.
Lucia shrugged, “I guess I’ve got most of the story by now. I talked to Ceasar...” She sighed. “He’s worried.” Sergio smiled a little, Lucia was a worrier, so much so that she worried about her big brother when he worried. He followed her gaze and found her following Gavin and Trevor Burke who had just entered. “They’re on our side... more or less.”
“Preston started explaining it to me.” Segio said.
“I guess he told Antonio what happened with Jack Valentino. Gavin was her tutor.” Lucia said, and she laughed quietly, but it wasn’t a laugh that said something was funny. “Lilianna didn’t tell any of us. Not Gemma, not me, not Blaire.” She frowned, “we all keep so many secrets.” Her voice was pained so he put his arm around her slender shoulders and she leaned against him. “They’re going to get us all one day.”
“Who?”
She glared at him, “the secrets dummy.”
“You could have been talking about the Valentino’s.’
She shrugged, “I wish Lili would have felt comfortable enough to tell us that Gavin was her tutor... but I guess with the bitter hate Gemma feels for the law enforcement I can’t blame her.”
“Lili’s luck you know, to have a friend like you.”
She smiled up at him, “you have me too you know.”
He grinned a little, “so tell me everything, catch me up.”
So she did, it was a lot to take in, everything from Jack’s harassing phone calls to Lilianna getting shot. He looked to Gavin, he didn’t look that bad, but then again, he could see the gauze wrapped around his hand, that surely went up his arm, but it was mostly hidden by his sweatshirt. Gavin looked over and caught him and Lucia looking and walked over. “How are you feeling?”
Sergio was a little shocked by the civility. “Alright, been better I guess.”
Gavin nodded, and looked back to the room which Lilianna was being kept in, not allowed anyone in just yet. He sighed heavy before looking back, “kind of know the feeling.”
“So... you tutor my sister.”
“Neither of us were very happy about it at first.”
“And later?”
Gavin shrugged and a smile tugged at the corners of his lips, “wasn’t completely horrible.”
“How do you feel about your father being dirty?”
Gavin cringed. “I like to just think he’s open rather than dirty.” He sighed, “I know there is a grey area... but... mafia? I mean... it’s pretty wrong.”
“I like to think primal,” Sergio said and they both kind of sighed, “it’s not great, but it’s what we all know.”
“Guess I better get use to it.” Gavin responded running his hand through his hair, “I can only imagine what Darren or the twins would say.” Sergio laughed.
***
“Dad isn’t home,” Kara informed her sister when she asked where he was. She plunged her hands back into the soapy water and started washing another plate.
“Of course not,” Lexie responded grabbing an apple from the fruit basket, it was rotten on the other side, “oh fuck, gross!” She tossed it out the window, hip-checked her sister so she could wash her hands.
Kara waited patiently till her sister moved out of the way, “I’m going grocery shopping tonight, want to come?”
“No,” she responded angrily.
Kara studied Lexie for a long moment, “what’s wrong?”
“Darren.” She responded bitterly, “he says he wants to ‘see’ other people.”
“I’m sorry,” Kara responded. “Weren’t you the one saying he was getting boring though?”
“Then I should be the one to break up with him!” Lexie cried out indignantly. “Not the other way around!”
“So... what are you going to do now?”
“Get him back.” Lexie said adjusting her leather jacket, “I’m going to get his best friend.”
“Gav?” Kara cried out.
“Yeah, duh.” Lexie looked in the fridge and found nothing edible. “I’m going to mom’s... she’ll have food... you want to come?”
Kara’s jaw clenched and fear wiggled it’s way over her body, her palms felt sweaty and her hands shook. “No, I’ll stay here.”
Lexie looked at her sister for a moment then shrugged, “whatever, later.” She slammed the door on the way out. Kara breathed heavily for a moment and carefully put the glass she was washing back down into the water with the cloth before she slid down to the floor her back to the cupboards. “You’re fine,” she told herself, and stayed there whispering it till she convinced herself.