Eleanor sent another prayer up to whoever had been listening to her prayers that had woken Francesco up. Except now, she was praying for patience. Francesco woke up on his worst behavior, mad that he'd been shot. Mad that he had to heal, mad that he couldn't work.
It had been a little over a week — eight days exactly since Francesco had first awoken. He was groggy and in pain, but soon after the doctors were able to get him to calm down with a heavy dose of morphine.
He had healed incredibly well for his body to have taken so much damage. While healing hospital-wise had been graceful, the pain and sensitivity he felt had been less than.
After discharging him, he hadn't been able to move around the house properly, unable to completely stand on his own. Tonight would be their first night on their own, but until nightfall, the family was there to assist.
One of his blessings was that he had plenty of family members nearby who would take care of him — not that he was thankful for it at all.
All of his frustrations were taken out on whoever had been standing nearby him. Quite frequently Eleanor went unharmed while Giselle, Giuseppe, and the nurse took the brunt of it all.
Through it all Eleanor was grateful to finally be home. It stood as if it had been waiting on the family's bustling return, and now that everyone was here the chaos felt welcome.
Eleanor stood off the side of their bed, waiting for Giuseppe to help Francesco sit up for the nurse. Francesco let out a string of curses before he was fully sitting up on his own, but still not letting go of Giuseppe's hand.
Eleanor watched as her husband's voice blew out in rage words that she couldn't understand. She tried her best to hold her tongue as she watched his equally stubborn family curse back at him.
Before she let her willpower break, there was a soft knock on the bedroom door. Everyone turned at once to see just who stood in the doorway.
Enzo stood with a cocky grin on his face, he looks self-satisfied as he looked at the pitiful state Francesco was in.
"Just when I thought someone had finally killed you." Enzo chuckled walking into the room and slapping Francesco a little too hard on his back.
"Get out of here, asshole," Francesco grumbled at him.
Eleanor pushed him away, "If you aren't here to help you might as well just leave."
"I am helping, I am the tension relief." Enzo shrugged, sitting on the edge of the bed. Giuseppe stepped back watching Francesco finish adjusting himself on the bed.
They had managed to set up a room downstairs for him so Francesco would have the ability to move around the house without worrying about the stairs.
The room they were in was admittedly neglected, but Eleanor and Cara spent the morning preparing the room, trying to make it as comfortable as possible.
Giuseppe had even done the due diligence to purchase a television for the room to keep Francesco from getting bored, though Francesco was likely to not linger in the room for long.
He was itching to get back to work, and he had made it obvious to Eleanor every chance he got. Each time she managed to placate him without agreeing, knowing it wasn't possible for him to truly argue back any of her demands.
"You should be set now, of course, I will keep acting as you until you're fully better." Giuseppe said, "You have nothing to worry about."
"I have everything to worry about when you're in charge," Francesco grumbled.
"Says the man who let a snitch live," Giuseppe said sarcastically.
"That was Eleanor's call." Enzo corrected.
"I was adamant about not killing anyone, but if you keep trying it I will have a few suggestions on who can be killed." Eleanor gave Enzo a grim smile and he held his hands up in defense.
"Now that is a good idea." Giuseppe co-signed.
"If there isn't anything else you all need, I think Francesco could use some rest rather than the gaggle of you all in here hovering over him," Eleanor said.
"Sure, you don't need help with the sponge bath?" Enzo teased, narrowly avoiding being hit by the book Francesco threw at him.
"You heard her, out," Francesco demanded before letting himself fall back onto the bed. As everyone left the room, Eleanor climbed on the bed beside him, looking down at his damp forehead.
He was using all of his energy to force himself to get better. Eleanor frowned and placed a hand on his cheek. Francesco opened his eyes, staring back into her own before letting out a light chuckle, "I'm sorry my love, I don't think me or him are up to the task to see to you."
Eleanor blushed, hitting him on the shoulder. "The last thing I want from you right now is sex."
"Eleanor you wound me." Francesco frowned.
Eleanor rolled her eyes at Francesco, "I want you to get better." Eleanor brushed a dark curl from his eyes before kissing him on his forehead, "But not so fast because I think I like babying you."
It was Francesco's turn to roll his eyes, "I'm not a baby. I'm a grown man." He said as he struggled to sit up once more.
"I thought our vows were in sickness and in health." Eleanor said, stepping back while he brought himself to his feet. Francesco couldn't argue with Eleanor further, he knew that if the roles were reversed, he would do the same thing for her. If anything, she most certainly wouldn't be on her feet like he had been.
"Why are you getting up? It's time for your bath. I can call-"
"No. I do not need that woman sponging down for yet another day. I never want to be naked in front of a woman that age until... well until you're that age." Francesco said with a frown.
Eleanor laughed, "Well how about I help you today? I'm sure the nurse won't mind after being yelled at by you for days on end."
With whatever strength Francesco could muster, he pulled Eleanor to his uninjured side. "Finally, something good to come out of this." Eleanor laughed while leading Francesco over to the bathroom. The large shower accommodated both of them easily.
Sitting Francesco on the stone bench in the shower, Eleanor helped him slowly remove his shirt. The tanned muscles had been covered by the gauze. His injury had been non-fatal, luck had caused it to go without too much damage. Unfortunately, he'd lost a kidney, but Francesco was healing fine outside of it all.
He was getting stronger every time he woke up. The worst about his recovery had been everlasting soreness in his side, constantly burdening his every movement.
Eleanor worked on removing the bandage. Pain tinged his side as the wound had the chance to breathe.
Still through the pain he held his breath as Eleanor worked on the ties of his black pajama pants. She knelt down to aid him in slipping them off. Francesco refrained from chuckling at his luck.
His wife before him on her knees while he was completely naked and there had been naught, he could do to make the situation any better. The irony worsened when Eleanor stood and began stripping herself.
"What are you doing?" Francesco asked, his tone sharper than he intended.
Eleanor looked at him in confusion, "Do you expect me to get soaking wet?"
"I can shower on my own, the nurse never got naked to bathe me." Francesco frowned.
"Well, I'd hope not." Eleanor chuckled, after sliding out of her jeans. Before she lifted her shirt, she froze for a moment as if suddenly realizing something, "Maybe you're right. I'll stay stressed."
Francesco pulled her between his legs, his hands cupping her full button, savoring the feeling. "I was promised a show, you can't back out now. I'm a starving man."
Eleanor rolled her eyes, "The doctor said..."
"The doctor isn't here." Francesco cut her off.
"I think this is the last thing you should be doing right now," Eleanor said breathlessly.
"Remove this and I can show you." Francesco bargained.
"Francesco," Eleanor said sternly, "I am just supposed to be giving you a bath right now, nothing more."
"You have been taking care of me so long, let me take care of you, just for a moment." Francesco said, "I promise I won't exert myself."
She couldn't stand to say no any longer, so she finally gave in.
Eleanor stripped herself completely as she waited for the water she had turned on to warm. Almost immediately after her skin was rereleased Francesco had his hands on her.
"Mm," was all Francesco said while taking the rag from her hands and sticking it underneath the waterfall shower rain. Picking up the soap, Francesco lathered it slowly, a tension building in the silence.
As he began to lather his wife, she spoke, "I'm going to smell like a man."
"Like your man." Francesco corrected her as he slowly massaged her shoulders. With her being so short, even with him sitting Eleanor was only a few inches taller than him.
Eleanor released a small moan when Francesco broke through a knot in her shoulders. He chuckled, turning her around from him to massage her back. While Eleanor enjoyed his ministrations, Francesco couldn't help but admire the view of her heart-shaped ass.
It was a creation not even Michelangelo could replicate in his prime. Francesco watched as the soap slid down her body, his member waking at the sight of something primal and his.
Francesco couldn't resist letting his hands glide down to her buttocks squeezing gently savoring the feel something he hadn't been able to touch in what felt like a lifetime.
After a few moments Eleanor chuckled breathily, "I think it's clean."
Francesco laughed, turning her around. The sight of her naked and glistening before he broke whatever resolve he had left to not turn this moment into something more.
"Mhm." Eleanor moaned.
Francesco's hands slid up her waist. Francesco's lips captured one of her darkened nipples, Eleanor let out a gasp and pulled away, "Too sensitive." she purred.
Instead of inquiring why, Francesco listened and diverted his focus lower. The water ran over them both as he slipped his fingers inside of her.
Every time he felt her begin to convulse, he eased back on his torture, not letting her release until he wanted her to. Unfortunately for her, Francesco wanted it to last forever.
Eleanor had become unstable, moaning and pleading for him to bring her to her release. Each time she felt herself come close, he would ease his torment.
In her frustration Eleanor pushed him against the cool tile, mounting him expertly before quickly impaling herself on him.
"Fanculo!" Francesco gasped as he felt Eleanor immediately begin to convulse around him. The long build-up to her orgasm was released on him like a reward.
Her moans echoed in the shower. Francesco let her take control for two reasons.
The first had been because he was enchanted by her movements, keeping a steady rhythm as she found her pleasure while quickly bringing him to his own.
The second had been because the pain remained in his side, but it would be a cold day in hell he would stop Eleanor from taking him just how she desired.
The pleasure was blinding, as much as Francesco wanted to watch her, his eyes closed as he rested his head against the cool tile, trying to hold himself back to enjoy it for a moment longer.
As Eleanor began to climax again, Francesco's orgasm came without his choice. He ripped through his body as he began to thrust up into her, digging his fingers into her waist as she rode him as if her life depended on it.
As they both slowly came down from their high, Francesco became aware of how heavy she felt on him. Peering down, he could see that Eleanor had fallen asleep on his wet chest, oblivious to everything that was around her.
Turning off the water Francesco looked down at his sleeping wife, she was truly at peace. Like hell would Francesco call for help to carry her to the bedroom? Sighing, he shifted Eleanor, so she sat across his lap before standing.
The pain in his side was severe, but Francesco's willpower to not drop his pregnant wife on the tiles sent him pushing forward to the bed where he laid her on the soft bedding.
A moment later Francesco collapsed beside her, too tired to attempt to dress his wife. Eleanor stirred in the bed before he eyes opened, then widened.
"Francesco, you're bleeding." She said, her husky voice came out.
Francesco looked at his side and saw that he indeed had opened his wounds in his exertion, "I am fine. It'll stop as we sleep."
"I don't want to wake up next to a corpse, I've seen more than enough," Eleanor said, climbing from the bed and dressing quickly.
"You've seen a corpse?" Francesco asked, wincing as he lay back.
Eleanor called the nurse before turning back to Francesco and covering him in the sheets, "I killed someone."
Eleanor had said it as though it had been the most casual thing in the world. His tiny Eleanor had killed someone?
"What? When?" Francesco asked as dark spots filled his vision.
"I'll tell you later," Eleanor said as the doors opened and the nurse rushed in.
"I'm going to kill Giselle," Francesco said before succumbing to his exhaustion.
~*~
Eleanor lay in bed in the early hours of the night. Next to her Francesco was snoring loudly, a result of him being forced to lay on his back.
She was thankful that she was laying next to him. But even in moments of serenity like this, she still felt a heavy fluttering of butterflies in her chest.
Inside her, she was keeping her greatest kept secret. She had received the news the next day in the hospital of her blood test, thankful the nurse caught her in the hallways rather than coming into the room with the now awake Francesco to tell her.
The nurse handed her the single sheet of paper showing her lab results shooting her a quick "Congratulations!" Before running off to a page that Eleanor hadn't understood.
The document held her name and had a confirmation of pregnancy. There were no bells and whistles, no grand reveal. It was just as though it had been an average day but for her, it changed.
She hadn't told a soul, aside from Cara who had been already expecting the news. She first wanted to speak with her mom.
Of course, Eleanor wanted to tell Francesco but he was on his first day home and she fears if Francesco knew, he would push himself to injury trying to heal faster.
He already was being stubborn, he wouldn't allow her help and would demand she sat still and look pretty.
Instead, she promised herself that while her delivery of the news hadn't been spectacular, she wanted to make it special for him.
Especially after the past week he had experienced. As she watched his boyish sleeping face, she also hoped she contained the courage to do something else as well.
She was going to finally confess her feelings to Francesco.