Eduardo's Dandelion.

43

My heart palpated as I thought back to that night, that night I could never forget. The night of Lorenzo's engagement to a woman named Rosalia Gonzales, I suspected my meeting with Marco might have something to do with that night. I tried not think about the possibility of me being their daughter. I never sort for my parents because aunt Dina was enough for me but now it felt so real seeing them.

I wondered how shitty they must have treated Lilian for her to run off with me. No! I had to rethink about what I was doing. I could not just determine that I was stranger's daughter just like that.

The important thing was that Eduardo was getting the care he needed, it doesn't matter if I had potentially made a deal with the devil.

***
EDUARDO.

The last thing I remembered was my body covering Aviva's body. It was on instinct, I was already on the ground before I realized what I did. That was crazy! It was something I promised myself never to do, not for a woman. I have seen great men in my days, fall into destruction because of a woman.

My eyes raked over my room, I could see a strange face, she was sleeping on my sofa. Where was everyone? What the hell happened?! My head was still processing all this, when I sighted the machines I was hooked too, this time, I couldn't move. I was shot, my head finally thought to last night and what happened with Josephine. Where the hell did she get a gun?! She was supposed to be under the supervision of her father so I didn't understand why she was outside without a guard or any protection and with a gun.

How did she find me?! Why was she in the restaurant?! A lot of questions, swirled my head. I thought of why it could have happened if I had not protected Aviva what would have happened, my heart slammed against my chest, fear griped me as I felt goose bumps all over my body.

Feeling scared was an unfamiliar feeling for me, the fear I felt was more than unfamiliar, I was terrified. I thought to all the time we were on the streets, trying to survive Rio and his men. It was a lot for me then and I had the urge to survive and keep her safe. I didn't know when she started to become this important to me, this important that I would give my life for her. I was becoming a fool and it was showing. I remember shooting Alejandro, one of my most trusted men because of her, Aviva made me do crazy things and I was sure everyone was seeing it.

This would be a big blow to my reputation, I was worried about me kneeling for her life at the shelter but now I protected her life with mine in front of my men, putting my gang and entire empire in jeopardy for a woman. I couldn't determine when I started to take those decisions, but unconsciously I knew that I had to protect her at all cost, even at the cost of my own life.

That was not good, everybody in el infraumndo would know about my mistake. I had made so many mistakes and missteps, fighting with Marco Mancini, and Donald Gonzales, I was indeed crazy. If mama heard what I did for a woman she would be disappointed. Benito would not say much but I knew he would not be happy too. God! I was fucked!

The door opened and Lisa walked in, she stopped in her tracks and started back at me surprised that I was awake. She glanced at the strange woman sleeping on the sofa, and walked toward me quickly.

"Don," she bowed with her usual courtesy. I nodded, feeling a sharp pain at my side and back, "do not move, Don Reyes! The stitches may tear. Let me wake the nurse!"

Lisa walked up to the nurse and tapped her shoulder. The nurse jumped up, startled. Her eyes flew to Lisa who was glaring at her and to me who was just staring at them.

"Mr Reyes! You are awake!" she said with a smile, trying to as adjust her scrub that had rumpled due to sleep.

"I am," I said calmly, looking around once again. My fight with Marco Mancini had to come to an end. I knew subconsciously that Aviva was never going to mine, I was just too stubborn to admit it. The moment that she was seen by Donald Gonzales, I had already lost her. I felt difficulty in chest at what I must do. She would hate me forever but it was fair, if I wanted to get my reputation back it was better for her to hate me, after all she was Lorenzo Mancini's future wife. The future Mrs Mancini, she would carry the next generations of Mancini babies.

I felt a lump form in my throat thinking of it, Aviva and Lorenzo's marriage. I couldn't imagine how Aviva would cope with a husband like Lorenzo. They were both very stubborn and hard-headed, Aviva would never give up on her stance and Lorenzo would not care.

Lorenzo Mancini was a man of principle, he loved to follow the rules, to follow the path that his father had laid down for him. Aviva was a rule breaker. She did not grow up in the mafia, she would never fit into the box of a mafia wife, docile, invincible and submissive. She would fight her through the marriage but at the end of the day, it would not be any of my business, because she was no longer mine.

****