Page 43 of Vita Mia

“Belinda!” Eve shouted in full tears. Giovanni rushed over to her but looked up and froze. He saw what she did. Belinda was on the ledge of her hospital room window sill in nothing but her hospital gown.

“Eve, no!” he grabbed his daughter, but not in time.

Belinda jumped.

***

AFEW MINUTES EARLIER—

“Tell me the truth. Is everything okay with you?” Mirabella asked.

Kyra looked away. “Renaldo and I are working through it.”

“Are you sure?” Mirabella asked.

“I just want to protect him,” Kyra said. “He’s so driven now he has one focus and that’s protecting Gio. But we need him. We’ve been fighting.” Kyra glanced to Jamie. “I don’t know how to change him, I’m so scared.”

“I’m sorry Kyra—“

A woman screamed. Mirabella’s men immediately drew their guns. They were outside of the hospital in the parking lot. They were all vulnerable. The screaming woman pointed upward. Mirabella’s gaze slowly lifted. She had to shield her eyes from the sun, and in a blink it happened. Her mind registered Belinda standing on the edge of the window, but it didn’t accept the danger. The first and only thing she said was: “What is Belinda doing?”

And then Belinda was falling.

“Oh my God!” They all screamed in horror. “Nooo!”

***

THE JUMP —

Belinda opened the window. She felt Leo’s hands on her hips steadying her. She was grateful for his help. Her vision kept blurring, and her bones were weakening. It was hard to rise but she managed. She was so light headed.

“You have to come with me,” Belinda mumbled.

“I am Bee... this time we go together. I’m right behind you,” Leo said.

She paused and smiled at him. “Because you love me?”

“I do love you.”

All the pain that had twisted and turned the insides of her chest into a tight knot lessened. Fresh tears slipped down her cheeks. She climbed on the edge of the window and stood there. Leo kept his promise. He came out of the window next. He took her hand. They both stared down. There were people below, waiting. They would catch them. They would save them both this time.

“Ti amo,” Belinda said. As she was falling she closed her eyes and smiled.

“I love you, too,” Leo said before she hit the concrete.

***

LATE THAT NIGHT —

Mirabella wept. Giovanni tried to keep her standing but she collapsed against him. He helped her out of the room. The screams and wails of her cousin Minnie were louder than her own.

“Bella? Look at me? Take a breath. Breathe for me.”

She nodded that she would try. She put her hands to her face. She felt as if she were losing her mind. She could barely maintain her sanity. Minnie’s grief and the shock of it all had been the final straw. Mirabella couldn’t bare it any longer.

Alone in the hospital room across from her daughter’s she sat on the bed and cried. Giovanni paced. Her distress was his. He hadn’t left her side since the fire and death in Melanzana. He’d been a good father and she’d been a devoted mother. Still they weren’t able to keep Eve or the family safe.What did God want from her? Hadn’t she tried hard to save them all? Why wasn’t it enough?

“I’ve spoken to your cousin Clyde. We’re arranging to have Belinda’s body sent back to America. They want to leave immediately.”

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