Page 11 of The Holy Ghost
The thirdyearwas when I got my job atBrighton and met Robbie and Mona and everyone else. Robbie and Iclicked immediately having guy names, but I became friendly withalmost everyone who worked at Brighton. No one knew my story, noteven Robbie, as I lied to everyone and told them I had dropped outof college because I was no longer happy in life. I gave a speechabout how happiness was more important than money and I’d rather bea waitress with real friends than a corporate rat drowning inWallstreet waters.
They all boughtit.
I soldit so well, it was hard not tobelieve it sometimes.
The past threeyears have been spent going through the motions. Sure, I had girls’night and enjoyed my job and friends, but the hole in my heart wasalways there. I missed my brother, best friend, andlover. I never contactedPhoenix or Luca, but because Ciro was my brother, and we lost ourparents the way we did at such a young age, I owed it to him to lethim know I was alive and well. So, after I got a new phone and Itexted him that it was me, over the years I sent him random textshere and there just to let him know I was fine. He never pushed forconversation and his texts were always the same.
Oneword-Okay.
But come tofind out it was all for nothing as Luca so casuallyinformed me. The entire driveback to Morgan City, he thought it necessary to inform me thatthey’ve always known where I’ve been and what I’ve been doing. Iwanted to be pissed off and surprised, but, deep down, I wasn’t.They let me walk too easily and now I knew why.
I hadneverreally left.
By thetime we reached the hospital, I’dreached my limit of Luca Benetti and was ready to see Massimo. Myplan was to jump out of the car as soon as it came to a stop infront of the hospital, but it didn’t work out that way. Luca hadn’tpulled up to the front of the hospital. He had driven around theback of the five-story building and had pulled into the physicians’entrance.
When I reachedfor the door, Luca’s voice stopped me. “Don’t you fuckingdare.”I froze where I sat andwaiting like a good underling as Luca got out, rounded the car, andopened the door for me. The entire time his eyes danced across theparking garage, and he was on high alert, as always. It wasn’tuntil I got out of the car did I notice a handful of Benettisentinels scattered throughout the place. Seeing them, once again,hammered home that being in Morgan City was nowhere near being inCedar Creek.
Luca placed ahand on the small of my back and escorted me to the elevators, hiseyes seeingeverything eventhough he had guards everywhere. Luca was never off. He was alwayson, and he’s always been that way. Even as children, Luca hadalways been…aware.
Once weentered the elevator, I asked the one question I didn’t want to,but I needed to.“Will it bejust me and Massimo in there?”
Lucapushed the button that led toMassimo’s floor as he answered, “You have two hours of privacy withhim, Francesca. That’s what’s been allotted and deemed reasonablysafe.”
The elevatorjolted upwards, my heartbeatincreasing with each floor we passed. “Who all knows I’mhere?”
“Up until theguards saw you downstairs just now, only me, Ciro, and Phoenix knewyou were coming,” he replied, and I hated how he answered socasually. I hated how he could say thosetwo names like they meant nothing when, to me, theymeant everything.
I wanted toask him if they were here, but Luca already knew I was asking thatquestion when I asked if it was going to be just me and Massimo inhis room. So, the fact that he hadn’t answered my underlying question kept me from asking himoutright.
When theelevator came to a stop, myheart almost did too. I knew there was a possibility that Ciro andPhoenix would be on the other side of these doors, and I wasn’tsure I was ready for that. Seeing Ciro wouldn’t be nearly as hardas seeing Phoenix, but it would still be an emotional punch to seemy brother after all these years.
When the doorsopened, I saw nothing but more Benetti sentinels, and I was momentarily relieved that I had moretime before facing Ciro and Phoenix. As Luca led me out of theelevator, I realized how egotistical I was being. It’s been sixyears. Surely, Phoenix wasn’t still pining over me. There’s no wayhe hasn’t moved on to someone else. Men like my brother, Luca, andPhoenix weren’t meant to suppress their masculinity. And therewasn’t a shortage of women willing to do whatever it took to bewith one, two, or all three of them.
No one showedany surprise as we walked past, but then theyshouldn’t. Benetti men were trained to always bein control. If they were surprised to see us, they were doing theirbest to hide it. Especially, in front of Luca. I also noticed thatthe hallways were devoid of visitors and noise. This floor wasprivate and secluded.
We stopped infront of room 1478, and I reachedfor the door handle, but suddenly the reason I was here hit meat full force. Massimo was dying, and I was here to say goodbye. Myhand froze and I had to steady myself before walking into hisroom.
The world was goingto weep with his passing.
Luca’sbreath tickled my ear as heleaned down and said, “He’s waiting for you, Francesca.” His lipstouched the side of my head. “It’s going to be okay.”
I let out ashaky breath but wrapped my hand around the handle and pushed the door open. I walked inside andwas surprised that Luca hadn’t followed me inside. However, mythoughts immediately shifted towards Massimo as I watched his headturn to see who was visiting him.
His face litup and I felt worse than Ialready had. “Little Frankie Mancini,” he cooed. “My beautiful,beautiful girl.” His arms opened and I ran into them.
He didn’t carethat I waspractically acrossthe hospital bed and neither did I. He didn’t care that I almostknocked everything askew and neither did I. He didn’t care that Iwas soaking his hospital gown with my tears and neither didI.
All thatmattered was that I was here, and Ihadn’t been too late.
When I finallypulled back, Massimo was all smiled and shiny eyes and I hadtoreach over and pluck sometissue from his necessity tray. He chuckled as I cleaned myself up,but he was kind enough to give me time to composemyself.
Once I was cleanedup, he asked, “How have you been, Francesca?”
“Selfish,” Iautomatically replied. “Completely selfish, Massimo.”
His head fellto the side and his face softened with my regret. “Don’t do that, dear. Don’t ever feelbad for going out to live your life.”
I shook myhead. “I didn’t go out to live my life,”I corrected him. “I left because I was hurt andpissed off at the guys. And, in that rage, I let myself forgetabout everyone else. I was so angry and so wrapped up in my ownmisery, I forgot about everyone else who loved me.” My eyes tearedup again. “I’m so sorry, Massimo. I’m so sorry for not keeping intouch.”
