To Save an Angel

six

Chapter 6:

M A R C O

A HARSH KNOCK causes me to spring up from the bed.

It's incessant whoever it is, they won't stop banging on my door.

I pad downstairs, just as they star mashing the doorbell.

"Coming!" I yell, irritated.

They won't stop though, and when I get close enough, I hear...

No, that can't be right.

I swing open the door angrily.

I'll never what I saw.

Wide, haunted violet eyes, a baby in her hand. She rocked back and forth slightly but I couldn't tell if that was for the baby or her.

Her breath came out in soft pants, her dazed eyes tearing themselves away from the doorbell and locking in on my eyes.

"Take her," she whispers breathlessly.

"What?"

"Take. Her." No emotion shows on her face though her voice shakes with every breath.

"Angel I don't—" I hear a click.

I stare down at the barrel of the gun in disbelief.

"Take. Her."

Her eyes are so focused on me, it's if she's trying to keep in the present.

I take the screaming child from her, hugging her to my chest confused.

"What do you want—"

"Feed her. Feed her soon," her eyes glaze over nearly completely, "I'll be back for my girl."

She stumbles off my porch, gun in hand.

I stand at the door stupidly looking after her.

It took fifteen minutes I register what happened.

I called Alessandro, telling him to find her at all costs and quickly.

Then I asked Ms. Faustina to get formula for the baby.

Then it was just us.

Me and the baby.

I think she's Angel's daughter. They look just alike, down to the eyes.

She hiccuped and cried softly. I rubbed her back and reassured her that she would eat soon.

Meanwhile, my brow furrowed.

What is wrong with Fatina?

And most importantly, where the hell did she go?

And why did she leave me with her baby?

And why did she have a gun?

Why did she know how use it.

Why the f**k did she point it at me?!

Ms. Faustina rushes in with a bottle of milk, cooing the whole way.

I roll my eyes.

If Ms. Faustina could have her way, she would harvest all the babies in the world and pinch their chicks and kiss them and coo.

She's weird like that.

I, on the other hand, hardly have patience for a full grown woman.

An infant girl?

"I'll take her," Ms. Faustina says, bouncing on her heels in excitement.

My entire body sighs in relief.

"Grazie—"

A wail rises from the baby as soon as my arms lift to give her to Ms. Faustina.

For such a small baby, she has a huge set of lungs.

My brow dips in confusion.

"Guarda," I lift her little body to see the milk, "That woman has milk. Go to her."

Thinking I've got my point across I try to hand her over once more.

No go.

She kicks and screams, her little fist flailing.

So I put her back on my chest.

And she's quiet.

At this point, I'm seriously contemplating suicide.

"She's attached herself to you. You are who her mother gave her to, so I suppose you are who she feels safest with."

Groaning in pain, I hold my hand out for the bottle while grumbling complaints.

"They both seem to have that misconception..." I grumble as give her the bottle and she latches on, putting her little hand on mine, I suppose to keep it still.

I glare at her.

"You're not that cute, y'know.

She pays me no nevermind. Her eyes droop sleepily. She yawns, dropping her bottle before she finishes it.

"Awwww..." She yawns like little kitten. So cute...

I mean...

Ah, Cazzo.

"I heard that," Ms. Faustina smirks. I glare at her, then to the baby and back.

She finishes the bottle, but she keeps sucking it.

What a confusing baby.

"Ms. Faustina," She emerges from the kitchen with a pacifier and diaper.

I give her quizzical look, hit she shrugs it off.

"Che cosa?"

"Why does she keep sucking an empty bottle? Can she not see there is nothing left?"

Ms. Faustina rolls her eyes.

"She's a baby, filgio. Besides she knows. Give her this,"

She hands me the pacifier, which I glance at in dismay.

Looking down at the baby, whose mouth is still sucking at air.

I turn to Ms. Faustina, incredulous.

"Why does she keep doing that?! There's nothing in her mouth?!"

She just smacks my head, ignoring my scowl, before ordering me to give her the pacifier.

Her eyes close, and she, presumably (cause you never know with this chick) sleeps.

"Faustina?" I whisper yell.

She comes in quietly. I try to hand the baby off but as I do, she whimpers, her bottom lip quivers.

I sigh, scowling at her.

"Brat," I hiss.

At around two am, there is another knock on the door.

"Finally," I mutter.

I get up, careful not to wake Topolina.

I swing the door open, sighing in relief.

"Finally," I sigh my eyes closing.

When I open my eyes, I find a police officer staring back at me.

"We got a complaint?" He says, glancing at the baby.

"Uh...?"

[•]

THAT WOMAN IS a certified genius.

I hate it.

She called the police.

She called the police and reported a suspicion of maltreatment.

Said she didn't know but it'd be safer to just check.

So they did.

At first, I was outraged. Why give me your child, if you don't trust me?

Then, I thought about a bit.

She left her baby with me because she didn't have anywhere to go. Of course, she knows I have money, so she knows I can take care of the baby financially.

But she just met me, so of course she doesn't trust me! I think I was only option.

So because she couldn't, for some reason come back and get her, she called the police.

Now they said it was an anonymous tip, but I know that no one else would be dumb enough, or perhaps smart enough? To call the police on me.

For anything.

She also made sure not implicate anything.

Basically, she sent the police out to check on the kid.

To make sure she was okay, and that she wasn't being hurt.

They took her to the hospital as a precaution, being that these kinds of things are serious.

And of course, she was fine.

She just needed to eat more.

Now, here I am, trying not to punch my cousin in the throat.

"Merda, I leave you for a day, and you spawn una bambina," he titters as I give him a flat look.

"Alessandro, focus. I need you to find her mother."

That makes him sober up.

"Wait, some chick dumped her kid on you and left?"

"Poof!" I say tiredly.

"Who is it? Do I know her? Is it yours?"

"First, it is a she. Second, no she is not my child. And third, she's Angel's. She held me at gunpoint and forced me to take her."

Still bitter about that.

We both look at the sleeping child in wonder for a moment.

"Don't lie to me fratello. I know you. You could've disarmed her. Why. Did. You. Take. Her?"

I shrug. "She was out of sorts. She also seemed volatile, I didn't want to provoke her. Now stop asking questions. Find her and bring her back."

He nods. "What does she look like?"

"See this cute face?" I hold her up, she leans her head over my hand, putting her fist in her mouth.

"Like this,"

"Eye color."

"She would have to open her eyes."

Alessandro reaches out to poke her, like the immature i***t he is.

The closer her gets the more her face balls up.

"Don't touch her!" He withdraws his hands with a scowl.

"Why not?"

"She'll have a fit, and I don't have time for it."

"Well I'll get—"

"You can't get anyone!" I didn't realize how frustrated I was until now.

"She won't let anyone touch her but me."

Gently, I touch her eyes, making them flutter open.

Quickly, Alessandro peeks at her.

"What a weird color..."

Topolino pouts, as if offended at the comment, before she closes her eyes once more.

Laying her back on my chest, I sigh tiredly.

"Find her Alessandro," I say quietly.

"Per favore."

He nods and bows out of the room, promisingly me that he will.

I trudge up stairs, laying on the bed, cradling the baby beside me

Before I can blink, I'm asleep.