I Will Stay
1443 Words
Lorenzo's Pov
I saw her face lose all the color. One second she was sitting there, pushing the food around on her plate, shooting daggers at me as she shoved her little portions into her mouth, and the next, she was falling over. I had thought it was all an act, but when she fell off her chair, something in me snapped.
"Thalia!" I shouted.
She did not answer. Her eyes were closed. Her skin looked pale and sweaty. I rushed to her side, gently touching her face. It was cold.
"Get the car!" I barked at one of my men. "Now!"
I lifted her into my arms. She felt too light. My heart was beating too fast and my hands were shaking but I held her tighter.
It felt like everyone was moving slow. I almost killed the driver when he took more than ten seconds to pull up. I jumped into the backseat with her still in my arms.
"Drive to the hospital!" I yelled. "If you hit one red light, I will shoot you myself!"
The driver stepped on it. I kept my eyes on her. She was breathing, but barely. Every breath sounded weaker than the last.
"Stay with me," I whispered. "You are not allowed to leave."
I pressed my hand to her chest, feeling her heart beating slow under my palm. I felt angry, but mostly at myself.
I made her eat when she said she was not hungry. I told her she was throwing tantrums and if she wanted to act like a child, I would treat her like one.
She had looked at me with those big, angry eyes, but nevertheless, she had eaten.
Now look where that got us.
The hospital came into view. I did not wait for the car to come to a complete stop. I kicked the door open and ran inside with her in my arms.
"Help!" I shouted. "She needs help!"
A nurse rushed over with a stretcher. I laid Thalia down and they wheeled her away. A doctor came up, asking me questions.
"What happened?" he asked.
"She collapsed. She was eating, then she fainted." My voice sounded rough.
"Any allergies?"
I froze.
"I... I do not know," I said.
He nodded and ran after the nurses. I tried to follow but a nurse stopped me.
"You have to wait here, sir," she said.
I sat down in a chair. My hands were shaking, my chest felt like it was going to explode. I wanted to break the door down and sit next to her, but I forced myself to stay still.
An hour passed, or maybe more, I don't know.
As soon as the doctor came out, I stood up so fast my chair fell over again.
"Doctor, what's going on?" I asked.
The doctor looked tired, a clipboard in his hand.
"She had an allergic reaction," he said. "Something she ate triggered it. Her throat started to close, her body went into shock. We gave her the medication she needed, but she is still very weak."
"Is she going to be okay?" I asked.
"She is stable for now," he said. "But she will need to watch very carefully what she eats from now on. No mistakes, especially for the sake of her child. She is very weak and will probably be unconscious for a few days. We will monitor her closely."
"A few days?" I repeated.
"Yes," he said. "Three days at least. Maybe longer."
I nodded even though it felt like my head was not attached to my body.
"Can I see her?" I asked.
He nodded and led me to her room.
She was lying on the bed with wires hooked up to her arms and chest. Machines beeped around her.
I sat down in the chair next to her.
With careful movement, I took her hand, it was warmer now
I sat there and stared at her. It felt like I couldn't move or speak.
My mind went back to a memory I never thought about anymore.
I was six years old. My aunt was lying in bed, she was sick. I did not understand it at the time. I just remember wanting her to get up and play with me.
I pulled her arm, cried and begged. I thought if I just asked enough, she would get up.
She never did.
That night, she died.
I blamed myself for years. It was my fault my aunt ate the food.
Now I was sitting here again, next to someone who might leave me, and it was my fault again.
I leaned back in the chair and closed my eyes. I couldn't sleep. No matter how hard I tried, her face kept flashing in my brain.
I stayed all night. Nurses came in and out. They checked her machines, her pulse, whispering to each other.
I kept hearing her voice in my head. The way she said, "I am not eating."
It was dark by now, the blinds were down and the lamps were on.
I reached out for her hand again, "Thalia," I whispered. "I am sorry."
I never said sorry to anyone. Not ever. But I said it to her now.
I sat there all night. Watching her chest rise and fall.
Waiting and hoping. Promising myself that if she woke up, I would listen better. I would not treat her like property or a burden.
I would find out everything she was allergic to, learn every single thing about her, I would learn not to control her. Instead, I will protect her. I owed her that much.
The sun started to rise outside the hospital window. The light made her skin look a little less pale.
I remained in the chair. I would not leave until she opened her eyes.
The sound of the door cracking open, peeled my eyes away from her. I turned to see Rio walk through the door.
He looked like he had not slept either, hair a mess, jacket half off his shoulder like he had been running the entire way here. Typical Rio, stubbornly loyal to a fault.
"Damn, you look worse than the last time I saw you," he said, pulling up a chair and dragging it next to mine without asking. "Have you even closed your eyes since it happened?"
I shook my head, my fingers tightening around the armrest.
Rio let out a breath, then glanced at her lying in the bed. His voice softened. "How's she holding up?"
"Same," I said quietly.
He nodded once, then leaned back in the chair, studying me. "I got here as fast as I could. We had a few hiccups on the way."
"You should have stayed handling things," I muttered, rubbing my temples.
"Forget it. You are my priority too, you stubborn bastard," he said. "Speaking of which, you need a damn break, Lorenzo. Twenty minutes, maybe thirty. You are running yourself into the ground."
"I am fine," I said, my tone sounding grumpy.
Rio just shook his head, unfazed. "You keep telling yourself that. Meanwhile, you are snapping at everyone like a rabid dog."
He leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "Look, the gala prep is moving. Security is doubled, catering is locked in, and the guest list is finalized. Your speech is drafted too, in case you actually decide to show up looking human."
I almost smiled at that. Almost.
"You think I care about a damn gala right now?" I said under my breath.
"No, but the family does. The allies do," he said, voice dropping. "You built something big, Lorenzo. People are watching how you move right now. You stay in this hospital too long and they are gonna start talking."
I knew he was right and I hated it.
"I will handle it," I said stiffly.
Rio sighed. "I know you will. But let me handle some of it too. You do not have to carry everything alone, brother."
He clapped a hand on my shoulder and gave me a look, the kind he used when he was about to push me into something he knew I would hate.
"Go stretch your legs," he said. "Get some rest. I will get someone to watch over her for a bit."
I stiffened immediately. "No."
Rio studied me for a second, then gave a small nod like he understood.
"I will stay by her side then, you need to rest."
I turned to him sharply, my voice colder than I intended. "I said no."
Rio hesitated, his eyes studying me.
"I will stay." I said, leaving no room for argument.
- Writer
