Page 25 of Enzo
Despite my assurance that he didn’t need to be here, he insisted. Apparently having one of his children go through surgery and he not be there—again—was too much for my father. I won’t deny that it makes me feel a little better having him here.
“I’m fine,” I reassure him.
Papa sighs, but he doesn’t say anything, probably realizing it’s futile to try to get me to relax.
“Your brothers want to come,” Papa says after a while.
I stop my pacing and stare at him. “It’ll be too much right after surgery… I doubt they’ll let everyone in the room today.”
“You’re right, but they still want to be here to support you both. Especially since they haven’t been able to see him.”
I grimace. “They’ll be able to once he’s back at Doc’s. The Boss made it very clear he’s to accept visitors or he’ll have to face the consequences.” Which, thank fuck for Cristian Amato, is all I have to say.
I could have pushed the issue, or allowed my siblings and father to show up at Doc’s, but that would have done nothing but piss Enzo off and make him feel less in control than he already did.
As much as I’ve hated the situation, and I knew seeing our family and friends would help him, I didn’t want him to feel trapped. Seeing Benji yesterday was the first step to letting the people who love him back in.
“I’ll let them know to wait until you give the okay. Sound fair?” Papa says, bringing me out of my head.
Letting out a slow breath, I nod. “Thanks. I know they just want to make sure he’s okay, but pressuring him isn’t going to go over well.”
“I know. He’s stubborn, much like you.”
Doc laughs and I give him a withering look, because out of the two of us, he’s more stubborn than I am. Doc grins innocently, and Soren leans in, whispering something in his earthat has Doc both squirming and giving the other man a wide-eyed look of adoration.
I look away, because not only do I not want to see my boss suck up to the man fucking him, but well, I’m a bit jealous.
Affection has always flowed easily between Enzo and me, but it’s coded with everything that’s happened recently. I don’t blame either of us, or even the situation we find ourselves in. It’s just the nature of how relationships go sometimes. They’re not always easy, or hot and heavy all the time, but fuck, that doesn’t mean I can’t wish for more than just holding his hand or the painfully sweet kisses we’ve exchanged.
It’s not even sex that I miss, though we’d both enjoy that, but the…closeness. Being together without having to worry if I’m hurting him, or if Doc will walk in, or if he’s hiding his pain or anything else from me. In one fell swoop everything about our lives has changed, and the way back to something even resembling normalcy is going to be long and emotionally difficult. But it’ll be worth it, because Enzo will always be worth every single hardship we have to face. Not only now, but for the rest of our lives.
Doc jumps up and I stop my pacing long enough to focus on the present, my heart leaping to my throat when I see the surgeon standing in the doorway.
She gives a small, tired smile as she steps further into the waiting room. “Everything went as expected, and we have him in recovery now.”
“When can we take him home?” Doc asks.
The doctor gives Doc an exasperated look. “Ideally in a few days, minimum, but Murry already warned me that’s not going to work for you.”
Doc shakes his head. I can give you until early afternoon tomorrow, but even that’s pushing it.”
The other doctor frowns. “Tomorrow will work. I’ll write up the paperwork in the morning for you, then you might be able to get him transferred before lunchtime. Fair?”
“Good enough,” Doc says.
“I warn you, though. If he’s not making significant progress, or if he has any complications, I’ll push for more hospital time or a qualified rehab center during his follow-ups.”
Doc crosses his arms and gives her a stiff nod. The surgeon sighs, probably realizing she’s not going to get any other type of agreement from Doc. Looking at me, she gentles her tone as she says, “You can come back and sit with him while he recovers. We’ll get him to a room soon, and I’ll make it known you can stay with him.”
“Thank you.”
I look at Papa, and see he’s already typing on his phone, probably alerting my siblings to what’s going on. “I got it. Go see Enzo, and give him love from the family,” he says without looking up from what he’s doing.
“Text me if you need anything, or if something happens,” Doc tells me as I go to follow the surgeon out of the waiting room.
“I will. Thanks. I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“Later tonight, once Enzo is in a room,” Doc corrects. “You know I won’t be able to sleep without checking him myself.”
