I woke up with IV drip in my vein. Lisa was standing right beside me and there was a nurse looking at some charts.
"What's happening?"
"You fainted, Rose."
"Where's Carl?"
"He's still in the operation theatre."
"Oh."
The doctor came to check me up.
"Why did she faint, doctor?"
"I need to run some blood test and then only I'll be able to confirm my suspicion."
"Okay."
So, the nurse took my blood sample for the tests. But nothing mattered to me right now. My thoughts went to my man who's at that table in the operation theatre. He's my home and I can't be homeless again. He has to come back to me as fast as possible.
"Where are others?"
"They are out there. They are fine. You think about yourself."
"I don't care about myself. The love of my life is fighting for his life because of me and I can't be selfish to think about myself right now."
Surprisingly, I was not shedding a single tear while talking about him as if I've drained my tears. After an hour the doctor came back.
Lisa asked, "Doctor, what's the matter?"
The doctor shifted her attention towards me and asked, "Ms. Smith, when was the last time you had your period?"
I spared it a thought and I answered, "A month."
"Are you late?"
Then I realised, yes, my period is late. I was so engrossed with the wedding preparations that I didn't paid any attention to it.
"Yes."
"Congratulations, you're pregnant. You are three weeks pregnant and I think you forgot your pills."
Lisa was shedding happy tears but I was shocked. This was supposed to be one of the happiest moments of our life but I can't be happy my love is fighting for his life.
"Oh my god, Rose, congratulations."
"Thank you", I said dryly, "Doctor, can you not share this news to anyone outside?"
"Ok. I can understand. You have to go for an ultrasound, though."
"Not now doctor."
"Fine."
She left the room and Lisa hugged me tight. "I want to share something with you.", she said.
"What?"
"I don't know whether it's the right time to share this news or not but I'm pregnant too. I'm two weeks pregnant."
I was happy. Truly happy but I didn't had the strength to express it physically or emotionally.
"Did you tell it to Val?"
"No. I was going to say it to him today but things turned out like this. I'll tell him when Carl wakes up."
"Don't do that, Lisa. You need to be taken care of. You have to tell your husband."
"You also need care. I can never understand what you're going through right now and I don't want to but I know he'll come back to you. For you and for the little sweetheart who's growing in your belly."
"He will."
He can't leave me now. He has to come back for our baby. Shit. I can't even feel the happiness of my pregnancy. There's this stinging pain in my heart that can only be wiped off by Carl. Please wake up, baby. Please.
After taking a bit of a rest I went in front of the operation theatre with my IV drip. Rico spotted me and came running towards me to make me sit. Lisa was behind me
"Come sit here."
"I'm fine, Rico."
"What did the doctor say?"
"Stress. Tension."
"I can understand."
"What about Carl?"
He just shook his head. I could see Val and Luca pacing and throwing curses to whoever was coming out of the operation room. Luciano and Aldo were trying to calm them down. Floria and Silvana were crying. Malena was trying to assure them. Lia and Angelina were missing. Zio was holding my crying zia. And my mom stood there looking at the floor. I told Rico to call her. She hesitated but then looking at my assured nod she came and sit beside me.
"How are you feeling?"
"Like I was hit by a truck."
She gave off a little smile. "Thank you, mom."
She turned to me in shock as if she has seen a ghost. "I mean it. You are my mom. I might have told some harsh things to you but somewhere in my subconscious mind I was happy that finally I got my mom. Yes, I was angry at you because the things I have went through is unimaginable but you did everything to protect me. I can understand now"
Tears were running from her eyes and she gave a little nod. "Today, you lost your son. I guess it's hard to kill your son with your own hands."
"I knew Marco would have turned out to be as vile as his father. He was a sneaky bastard. But I never thought he'll ever try to rape and murder his own sister."
"That's in the past, mom. Now I just hope that man comes out of that shitty place like a King he is. I want my Don back, mom."
"He will, sweetheart. I know he will."
And then the doctor came out of the operation theatre. Everyone rushed to the doctor to get some news about him. Rico asked, "How is my son, doctor?"
"Your son is lucky, Mr. Valentino. The bullet just grazed the vital organs but still we have to keep him under observation. He'll be in an induced coma for forty-eight hours. We will keep him in the ICU ward till he wakes up."
Everyone was relieved. Diego, thank you for not teaching your son how to have a perfect aim. Lia and Angelina came running with food in their hands and asked about him. He'll be fine. My man will be fine. Just two days then I'll be able to talk with him. I'll be able to say that finally he's going to be a father.
Lisa came up to me and said, "You need to take rest. Go home. Come back tomorrow morning."
"No. I'm not leaving without, Carl."
"But where will you sleep? You have to eat too."
"I'll adjust. You just bring some change of clothes."
Val approached us and said, "I'll bring you the change of clothes."
Lisa interrupted, "I'll come with you."
"Fine."
They left with two bodyguards. My mom never left my side. Uncle sat on my other side.
"Princess, are you okay?"
"I'll be once he wakes up."
"Just two days. Hold on to it. He'll wake up."
I called Luciano and said, "Up the security for Carl and nobody should leave without bodyguards. Not even you. I don't need any martyred soul right now."
"Okay." He went to make some calls. Floria and Silvana were not ready to leave but Rico literally dragged them out of the hospital.
Half an hour later Lisa and Val came back with my clothes. I changed in one of the hospital bathrooms. Luca managed to get a bed for me in the ICU.
I entered the ICU and saw all the cables connected to his body. The machine beeping signifying that his heart is still beating. I never found a sound more beautiful than this. His face was pale but he still didn't lose any charm. My man is handsome as fuck even in a hospital gown. I smiled to the thought and went to bed beside him to lie down and look at him. Wake up, love.
************************************
Finally two days went by. These two days were the biggest two days of my life. It felt like two years. Today Carl is supposed to wake up. He's still sleeping and it's seven in the morning now. I was not able to sleep much these past two days.
At dawn I was about to go out for a phone call and then I heard. The voice I was waiting to hear for so long.
"Leaving already, mia cara?!"
And finally the tears found their way back to my eyes. I ran back to him. He was looking at me with those beautiful eyes again. That gorgeous smile. My man is back.
I hugged him without thinking much.
"Ouch."
I flinched and stepped back, "I"m so sorry."
He smiled. "I was just kidding."
"Never scare me like that ever again."
"I'll try."
"There's no question of trying. You'll not put your life in danger for me. Promise me that."
"I can't because I don't make promises which can be easily broken. I'm willing to take thousand bullets for you and that's never going to change."
I called Luca to inform the doctor that he's awake. The doctor came and checked him up.
"His vitals are good. He's as good as new but we will still keep him for few days for observation. And we will shift him to the cabin."
We greeted the doctor and he left. One by one everyone came to see him. There were lot of waterworks. I was happy to see them so relieved. Meanwhile Lisa pulled me to a corner and asked, "Did you tell him?"
"Not yet but I'll tell once we are alone."
"Okay, hold this."
She gave me a gift box. "What is this?"
"It's for Carl. You can announce the news with this."
"Oh my god, Lisa. Thank you so much. And I can't believe we'll be sharing our pregnancies. Sorry for not saying anything when you told me about your pregnancy. But I know our kids will be the best cousins and best friends ever."
She gave me a tight hug. "I know. Okay bye. I've to tell my man too."
"Best of luck."
"You too."
And slowly everyone left the room. We were again alone with each other. Carl spotted the gift in my hand and asked, "What's that?"
"A gift for you. Open it."
I handed him the gift. "Why all of a sudden?"
"Take it as a welcome back gift."
He chuckled and opened the box. There were new born baby shoes and a keychain. He looked a bit confused. Then he read the key chain "I love you, Papa."
"Wait.... Are you..."
I nod my head and threw myself on him. He chuckled and he held me tight.
"Oh my god, mia cara, we are going to be parents."
"Yes.". We were smiling at each other while Carl was shedding happy tears. We were kissing, hugging. We went crazy.
"When did you get to know about it?"
"Yesterday. I'm three weeks pregnant and you know what's the best part, Lisa is also pregnant."
"What?! Two new members. I can't believe I'm going to be a dad and an uncle. Did anyone else know?"
"Not yet. Except Lisa but we'll tell everyone once we are out of this hospital."
He held my stomach to his face and started speaking gibberish and then he said, "Hello, little one, this is your papa. I hope you are chilling there. Don't stress mama much. We'll meet soon. Thank you for coming into our lives."
I was crying hysterically but I can blame it on hormones now. I craved to see this. Now I'm complete.