Page 111 of The Slayer
“I’m gonna grab a cup of coffee.” Nova stood, holding out the baby to Tino. “Does anyone want anything?”
Tino and Romeo shook their heads, but Jules said, “I want you to stay here. Your brothers want you to stay here. Your nephews want it too.”
“È la morfina,” Tino said to Nova as he settled the baby into his arms like he was made to hold one. “Lei non ci sta con la testa.”
“Lo so.” Nova patted Tino’s cheek before he walked out.
“What’d he say?” Alaine whispered to Chuito after Nova left, because Jules was distracted when Romeo leaned over and stroked her hair, speaking to her quietly.
Chuito didn’t speak Italian, but he understood why Tino knew what he was saying more often than not when he spoke Spanish. The more he was around it, the more he picked it up, and that one translated easily into Spanish.
Chuito leaned into her. “It’s the morphine.”
“Oh,” Alaine whispered, glancing to the door Nova had disappeared out of. Then she walked over and sat on the other side of Jules’s bed, still cuddling Freddy close to her chest. “I think he has your eyes. He’s notallItalian.”
“Yeah? You think so?” Jules asked as she leaned over and looked at her son cuddled in Alaine’s arms. “I’m so glad they moved us into the same room. They say that couch over there unfolds into a bed for Romeo, but you and me both know he ain’t fitting in that thing.”
“Likely not. He probably won’t be able to sleep anyway with these two keeping y’all up.” Alaine was still looking at the baby as she smiled. “I’ve been here for a full five minutes, and you haven’t asked me one question ’bout the office.”
“Tell me.” Jules gave Alaine an indulgent smile. “Not that I don’t have faith in your abilities to hold down the fort.”
“Gary and Sheri Turner are getting a divorce,” Alaine told her with a scandalized look.
“No! I don’t believe that.”
“I told them they had to wait till you got off maternity leave. Maybe they’ll make up.”
“Wow, they’ve been married forever,” Jules mused. “I wonder what happened.”
“I guess you’ll find out,” Alaine said with another smile, doing a much better job than anyone else in the room had of distracting Jules. “And you remember when David Prout broke his foot at Mable’s One Stop? Mrs. Dower stopped by hoping you’d be able to defend her.”
“I’m not handling that,” Jules said dismissively. “Her insurance company can help her with it. I don’t like that woman. She has never been kind to Terry, and he’s her son. I look at these babies, and I just think—” Jules shook her head and reached out to Alaine. “Give him to me.”
Alaine tucked the baby into the crook of Jules’s arms, and everything seemed to be right with Jules’s world again as she looked at her son. Romeo hovered over them and tucked another stray strand of blonde hair that had escaped Jules’s ponytail behind her ear. “I’m proud of you, baby.”
“Thanks.” Jules gave Romeo a smile. “I’m proud of me too.”
Tino rolled his eyes at Chuito. “They’ve been doing this all day.”
“They’re not strong like their uncles,” Jules announced as she stared at her son. “They’re strong like their mama.”
“Man, we can definitely hear themorfinanow.” Tino laughed as he sat down in the chair Nova had vacated. “Make sure she doesn’t drop my nephew, Rome.”
“She had major surgery,” Romeo reminded him. “You’d be stoned too. Stop giving her hell about it.”
Jules giggled. “I am a little stoned.”
“Or a lot.” Alaine laughed with her.
Just like that, the depression over Nova was forgotten, and something about that bothered Chuito just a little, even though he knew that was why Nova left to begin with. So they could move on to happier topics, and his reality could be something they didn’t have to think about. Like the black sheep stepping out of the room before the darkness rubbed off.
“I’m gonna get a cup of coffee too,” Chuito said as he pointed to the door. “Are you sure none of you want anything?”
“Yeah, go ahead and get me one,” Tino said as he looked up at Chuito. “I mean, drinking hospital coffee is an insult to my heritage, but maybe they have an Italian roast or something? I can drink French coffee in an emergency. Most places have a dark-roast option.”
“They don’t,” Romeo assured him. “It’s all merda.”
Tino huffed in annoyance. “Forget it.”
