Recap- His lips are moving. I still don't know what they're saying, but with the last of my strength I sign the word "Deaf" right before it all goes dark.
A/N- This is Lorenzo's POV the night after Bay was saved.
Lorenzo's POV:
My Brother and I are taking care of some of our work. We're in the Mafia. Well I'm the head of the Mafia.
My Brother Nick shot the man in that owed us money.
"God Damnit Nick you got his blood all over my suit!" I snapped at him.
"Sorry man he was being annoying. Plus you promised me Ice Cream after we dealt with him!"
"Your such a child."
My phone starts ringing it's an unknown number.
"Hello? who is this?"
"Hello my name is Mary, I'm with Child protective services. Are you Mr. Lorenzo Russo?"
"Yes, but why are you asking I don't have a kid?"
"Actually sir, you do. A fifteen year old girl named Bay."
"What?!? Fifteen?!"
"Yes. Her mother died about a week ago and her Step-Father has been arrested for child abuse. We were hoping you'd be willing to take custody of her."
"Child abuse? Did he abuse the girl? Is she ok?" My brother was looking at me weird. He's kinda dumb so I don't think he's pieced it together yet.
"Sadly yes. She's in the hospital now. She's in pretty bad shape. She hasn't woken up yet. The police were called when neighbors heard screaming. They found her last night."
"Which hospital is she in?"
"Children's hospital in Minneapolis Minnesota."
"I'll Be there in about three hours."
"Ok thank you Mr. Russo."
With that I hung up the phone.
"Uhh... you gonna explain what just happened?"
"We're going to Minnesota. I have a kid."
I turned and went to my car. I didn't want to see his reaction.
My parents are going to kill me.
"Uh no I'm gonna need a bit more of an explanation than that dude!"
"I'll explain in the car! She's hurt we need to go!"
I don't know where that came from. I haven't even met her and the fact that she's been hurt is making me panic. I never panic.
We got into the car and closed the doors.
"Bring me to the airport." I instructed my driver.
"Uhh you going straight to the kid?"
"Yes why?"
"Look at your suit dude."
"Shit! Go back to my place! Fast!"
"Ok now Spill."
"Ok Apparently I have a fifteen year old daughter named Bay."
"Mom's gonna kill you..."
"I know, but please don't tell her yet. I don't know what shape the kid is in. If it's bad then I don't wanna freak her out."
"Aww already getting all Papa Bear? Also you said she was hurt, do you have any idea how bad?"
"Pretty bad apparently. Her Mom died about a week ago, I don't know who her Mom is, but her Step-Dad was abusing her..."
"Is the Step-douche dead?"
"Arrested. So not yet."
"But he will be?"
"Yes."
We pull up to the house, and I get out before the car has fully stopped.
I run up to my room and to my room to get changed.
"Nick come up here you need to change too. You can wear some of mine."
"Duuude you're a giant your clothes will hang off of me. I wanna make a good impression on my neice."
"Don't argue we don't have time for that. I don't know how long we'll be there, but we can buy more clothes there."
"Isn't Minnesota like all farms and fields?"
"She's in the city, but I don't really know what that means compared to NYC."
We change into new suits and leave.
within half an hour we're on our jet to Minnesota.
Once we arrive at the hospital we go to the front desk.
"Hi I'm here for someone named Bay...uh I don't know her last name, but I'm her Dad." How did I not ask for her last name.
"Than how do you not know her last name?"
"I just found out about her! She's fifteen, she was brought in because her step-father abused her."
"Oh...Her...Ok I will bring you to her room the Social worker is in with her now. You'll need to talk to her first, before you see her."
We walked down the hall to the elevator and went up. When we got to her room I had to seriously hold back from barging into her room.
Someone came out of her room.
"Hi are you Mr. Russo?"
"Yes."
"..And who is this?"
"Hi I'm Nick Russo. His Brother."
"Ok nice to meet you, although I wish it were under different circumstances. Let's go see the doctor."
"Hi I'm doctor Arthur, I am one of your daughters doctors. Why don't we sit down and discuss some things about Bays condition."
I hate hospital chairs, but nonetheless I sit down.
"Ok well to start off I don't think the abuse started after her Mother's death. I would seem based on her condition it's been years since it started."
"Her Mom let this happen?"
"We believe so. For Bays physical health she is extremely malnourished, she has scars all over her, she had a lot of cuts on her back that we believe the cause to be some sort of whip, also there are other cuts on her back, arms, stomach, and legs... Do you need a minute before we continue Mr. Russo?"
"There's more?!?" Nick looks sick. I feel sick. How much more could have happened to that poor girl.
"No. Keep going." I said through gritted teeth. My knuckles were turning white at this point.
"..Ok..He Carved words into her that I'm pretty sure are going to scar forever..."
"What do they say?" The doctor takes a long deep breath
"The one on her stomach says..um Whore.."
".. And the others?!" I'm trying so hard to control my anger right now, but it's not working too well.
"...The one on her arm says Trash...and the one on her back says worthless..."
"That bastard!" I burst out in rage. Nick quick to cool me down.
"Dude, I am Furious right there with you, but think about her right now and how she doesn't need another angry guy in her life."
I take a deep breath and sit down.
"Is that all?" I ask the doctor.
"No sir. She has two broken ribs and a dislocated shoulder when she came in, and because of the hostage situation she has a long cut from her jawline to her collarbone on the opposite side. She woke up once already where we found out she was deaf...Would you like me to go into her care now?"
"Yes."
"She can go home tomorrow barring any complications, but she'll need a primary doctor to check ups probably every two weeks to start. Her bandages need to be changed daily. Her appetite is going to be small, so you'll need to help her build it up. Try not to rush her with eating. Try to give her a choice wherever you can, she probably didn't have a lot of choices. We believe she knows sign language, but is non-verbal. Don't try to make her use her voice if she doesn't want to. She's scared. She doesn't know what's going on or what your like." He finished. This is going to be harder than I thought.
"Ok can I see her?"
"Yes, but probably one at a time for now..."
The social worker and I went into Bays dimly lit room.
Her head snapped in our direction and she backed away as far as she could without falling out of the bed.
A/N- When things are Italicized it means the person talking is signing in sign language, and if there are "quotes" around it than they are speaking and signing at the same time.
"Hey bay this is your Father he's going to take you home tomorrow."
She looked panicked by this information she looked like she would pass out.
She was shaking her head and signing something, but I don't know sign language! I'm gonna need to fix that.
No he'll hurt me. Please help me. Don't let him take me home. I can't go back.
"Sweety he's not going to hurt you and I'm sorry I misspoke, he'll be taking you to his home, in NYC"
She looked so desperate for me to leave...
"Hi My name is Lorenzo, but you can call me Enzo if you want...Shit she can't even hear me."
"I can translate more you if you want?"
"Yes please."
Is he my Father?
"Yes he's your Father."
Mom said he didn't want me. He wanted her to kill me, she ran away instead. He's going to kill me! Please don't let him take me!"
"Hun he didn't know you existed. He will not kill you."
Promise?
"Yes I promise."
she thinks I was going to kill her...What did her mother tell her about me?