Chapter 27

The halls of the hospital were dimly lit. The green tiles should have reminded Luca of his mother's eyes but the dullness in them didn't compare to her vibrant ones. With a trembling hand sliding along the wall, Luca moved towards the sound of a woman screaming.

"Get her out!" Gianna screamed. "Get her out!"

Luca's fingers were numb and his feet stumbled. He could feel the tears blurring his vision as he grew closer to the room at the end of the hall.

"Ahhhhhh!"

Luca held his breath as he peeked into the room. He felt his insides shake as he spotted his mother on the bed with her legs covered by a bloody blanket and sweat dripping from her face. Gianna's face was bright red as she threw her head back and screamed in pain.

"Please, please, please," she begged. "Get her out!"

"Mom," Luca's voice shook.

"Luca?" Gianna gasped. "Luca!"

"Mom!" Running into the room, Luca dodged around the nurses and doctors to get to his mother's side. His feet slipped on the blood on the floor, sending him crashing down.

"Luca!" Someone yelled.

Pushing himself, Luca jumped to his feet and ran to the bedside. He grabbed his mother's shoulders only to realize he was holding Daisy.

"I can't," Daisy cried, shaking her head as she looked up at Luca. "I can't do this."

"The baby is almost here," the doctor said. "Just a few more pushes."

"No," Daisy gripped Luca's hand and began to cry harder. She trembled all over as she began to fall back against the bed. "I can't....I can't...."

"Daisy," Luca pushed back all the hair on her face and held her head to his chest.

His heart was lodged into his throat as he stared at the nurses and doctors all looking at one another. Their eyes avoided him as he tried to read their gaze.

"What is it?" Luca asked. "What's wrong?"

"We can't save them both," one of the doctors said.

"No, no, no," Daisy shook her head, sobbing.

"We're going to save the baby," the nurse said.

"No, wait!" Luca tried to stop them but Daisy began to scream.

Her nails clawed at his arms, trying to hold him closer as Luca's ears began to ring. He felt hollow and helpless as Daisy begged and cried for him to make the pain go away.

"I can't do this," She weeped, her face flushed. Her tears mixed with her sweat, making all the hair stick to her forehead. "I can't do this."

"I'm here," Luca said. "You'll be fine."

"No!"

"Okay, she's almost out," the doctor said.

Luca looked down at the doctor as Daisy fell back against the bed and screamed.

"She's here!"

As the baby began to cry, Daisy fell silent. Luca's blood ran cold as he realized her hand had fallen from his. He slowly turned to find her laying on the bed with her eyes staring at nothing.

"No," Luca felt his chest tighten and his throat close up. He grabbed Daisy's shoulders and began to shake her. "No, no! Come on! Wake up!"

"Luca," Daisy's voice called to him.

"You can't go," Luca pulled Daisy to his chest and kissed the top of her head. "Don't go. Come back, come back."

"Luca," Daisy called to him again. "Wake up."

Startled, Luca's eyes flew open as his heart lodged into his throat, ready to rip out of his chest. He bolted up, almost knowing Daisy to the ground as she jumped back in the darkness.

"Oh, fuck," Luca groaned, clutching his head, his voice thick with sleep and panic.

"Are you okay?" Daisy asked, trying to sneak a peek at his face.

"Yeah," Luca nodded. He lowered his hands and looked up, blinking away the sleep and terror. "What are you doing here?"

"You were having a bad dream," Daisy said. "I heard you from down the hall."

"Shit," Luca groaned once more. "I didn't mean to wake you up."

"I couldn't sleep," Daisy sat back and tugged on the long sleeves of her shirt.

"Everything okay?" Luca asked.

Daisy nodded. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Luca said.

"It didn't sound like that," Daisy said. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No," Luca wanted to forget about it all. He shut his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose as if he could force it all out.

"Okay," Daisy sighed quietly and began to rise from the edge of the bed. "I'll let you go back to sleep then-"

"Stop!" Luca's hand shot out and grabbed her arm.

"Yes?" Daisy paused and then sat back down as Luca tugged her closer.

"Stay here," Luca said, his green eyes pulling her closer in the darkness.

For a second, the idea of laying next to Luca sounded very appealing to Daisy. She knew he would be able to ease her restlessness and put her to sleep if she laid back against the empty pillow beside him. Her eyes flickered towards it. The pillow invited her, a warm soft invite. But something in the back of Daisy's mind poked at her like a nagging tag on a brand new dress.

"I can't," Daisy shook her head. "I shouldn't."

"I won't touch you," Luca said. His eyes, along with Daisy's, fell on his hand holding her arm. He immediately let go of her. "Just...stay."

"Don't you want to go back to sleep?" Daisy asked.

"I don't think I can after that nightmare."

"What was it?"

Luca looked as if he wasn't going to answer. He stared at the darkness behind Daisy for a few long seconds before shifting his gaze back to her.

"Stay and I'll tell you," he said.

Rolling her eyes, Daisy walked over to the other side of the bed and climbed in. she threw the blanket over herself as Luca turned to face her. She did the same and placed her arm under her head, mirroring Luca.

"I saw my mom," Luca said.

"Oh," Daisy frowned. "I'm sorry."

"I always imagine what her last few moments were like," Luca said, his eyes once again lost somewhere in the darkness.

Under the blanket, Daisy felt him reach out with hesitation. Seeing the look on his face, she reached out with her own hand and touched the tips of his finger.

"You didn't see her?" Daisy asked.

"No," Luca shook his head. "She went to the hospital and then the next day Maria told me she was gone."

"I'm so sorry," Daisy whispered.

"I wish I could have seen her one last time."

"What was she like?"

Daisy's question spread a small smile on Luca's lips. He moved his hand and gripped hers as he looked down at their intertwined fingers.

"She was kind and loving. Like all mother's tend to be," Luca said.

"Mm," Daisy snorted. "I don't know about that."

"What do you mean?" Luca looked back at her through his lashes, his hand still playing with hers.

"My mother was anything but kind and loving," Daisy said. "She was more....jealous and spiteful."

"Jealous of you?" Luca arched his brow. "Why?"

"I never really understood," Daisy sighed. "And now I don't get it even more."

"What do you mean?"

"I haven't met my baby yet," Daisy began. "But I can already feel how much I love this child. I can't understand how my mother could have resented me after giving birth to me. I'm her child...did the maternal affection not kick in for her?"

"Her loss," Luca raised Daisy's hand to his mouth and pressed a small kiss upon it before whispering, "Mrs. Silvano."

"She cut off my hair once," Daisy said, not hearing Luca as her memories of her childhood began to resurface at an alarming rate. "Because a woman on the street had complimented me. She said I reminded her of Rapunzel with my long golden locks."

Luca tugged Daisy closer. She slid across the bed and laid her face against his chest as his arms wrapped around her.

"What happened?" He asked.

"The next day, she took me into the bathroom and cut off my hair," Daisy said. "I wasn't allowed to keep my hair long until I figured out if I changed the color, she wouldn't be so upset over it. So I dyed it pink."

"It looked really good on you," Luca said.

"You remember?" Daisy asked.

"Yes," Luca laughed, kissing the top of her head. "But of course I would never tell you."

"Why not?"

"Because I had assumed you were rebelling and you were going to be a bad influence on Gia."

"No," Daisy shook her head. "She saved me."

"Gia?"

"Yeah," Daisy nodded. "I feel like she can see right through me sometimes. It's frightening because I don't think anyone else can do that."

"Will she see through us?"

"No," Daisy said.

"How come?"

"I try very hard to keep this from her."

"Why?"

"Because I think your dear baby sister will be very upset if she finds out her big brother is playing with her best friend's heart."

"No," Luca laughed. "I think she'll be very happy to know her big brother can't get her best friend out of his mind."

"Then why won't he tell her how he feels?" Daisy frowned.

"I can't," Luca stared at Daisy's hand, his mind spinning back to his dream about his mother.

"Why not?" Daisy pushed herself up to her elbows and looked down at the man beside her. "Luca, I'm getting tired of it. I refuse to beg you if that's what you're waiting for. I'll never beg a man for his attention."

"You have all my attention," Luca said, rolling onto his back.

Daisy clicked her tongue and groaned, "Forget this."

"Where are you going?" Luca asked, sitting up.

"Away from you," Daisy said, climbing off the bed. "You're so stubborn! You have no feelings for me at all, do you?"

"What?" Luca looked insulted.

"You wouldn't be doing this to me if you had any feelings for me," Daisy said. "I'm the idiot girl who keeps falling into those dreamy eyes and thinking maybe this time you will be different. Enough of this. I mean it this time. This is over."

"Daisy," Luca removed his side of the blanket and began to follow Daisy out of bed.

"No," Daisy said. "You stay here and suffer with your nightmares for all I care. I'm done!"

Luca could barely get a word in as Daisy stormed out of the room. She left him standing in the darkness with an ugly feeling inside of his chest that felt too hot to be safe. Raising a hand, Luca rubbed the spot over his heart as he sat down on the bed and fell back against the pillow.

_________________________

"She's not being unreasonable, Luca," Dr. Ford said as he let out a deep sigh and took off his glasses.

"I never said she was," Luca muttered as he stared at the screen.

"I must say," Dr. Ford cleared his throat and tried to hide that small smile he so often had when Luca was challenged. "I'm proud of her for putting her feet down. I'm not a woman, but if I were, I would be upset with you too."

"Thanks," Luca rolled his eyes.

"Don't get mad at me," Dr. Ford laughed. "I'm just trying to understand why you won't tell her that you love her."

"I don't."

"A lie, but okay, I'll play along," Dr. Ford shifted in his seat to make himself more comfortable. "If you don't love her, then why are you upset and so gloomy over her not speaking to you?"

"You tell me," Luca leaned back in his seat and ran both hands through his hair. "I'm paying you to do that."

"Right, you are," Dr. Ford nodded. "But you won't listen to anything I say."

"Get to the diagnosis, doc," Luca said impatiently.

With a great sigh, Dr. Ford put his glasses back on and leaned forward. His image on Luca's laptop screen was enhanced as he pretend to stare into Luca's eyes.

"We often feel lost or angry with ourselves when our loved ones are crossed with us," Ford said. "Deny it all you want, but Daisy is more special to you than you lead yourself to believe or accept."

The words swam around Luca's head like the planets around the sun. He sat with the knots in his stomach as Ford allowed him some time with himself. Luca stared at the keyboards in front of him, letting each breath travel through his body when he slowly began to realize he was spelling out Daisy's name in the keys, over and over again.

"It's different," he finally said. "I don't know how to explain it. With Stella....it wasn't like this."

"We're never supposed to find the same love twice," Dr. Ford said. "I once met a woman in Italy, a big art lover. She was very beautiful and charming. But it wasn't her dazzling looks or mysterious face that stuck with me for years. It was what she said to me during one of our visits to a museum."

"What did she say?" Luca asked.

"She said human beings are meant to fall in love three times," Dr. Ford smiled. "Each love teaches us something new about ourselves or about our ideas of love. Sometimes we get lucky and find all three love in one person."

Luca didn't seem too pleased with that information. He could barely keep his head on straight from one love to another. If he had to do it a third time, he was going to surely die from the heart ache.

"The love you had for Stella won't be the love you have for Daisy," Dr. Ford continued. "And you need to accept that. You need to also tell her how you feel before you lose her."

"I can't."

"You can't do what?" Dr. Ford asked. "Tell her you love her or accept that you love her."

"I can't tell her," Luca shook his head.

"Why not?"

"Because then I will lose her."

"What do you mean?" Dr. Ford leaned back and picked up his pen.

"When I tell people I love them....bad things happen to them," Luca explained.

"How so?" Dr. Ford asked. "Can you explain?"

"My mother," Luca pushed the pain aside. "Before she went to the hospital to have Gia, the last thing I said to her was that I loved her. She never came home from the hospital."

Dr. Ford listened patiently, nodding his head.

"And then Stella..." Luca continued. "Our last conversion, our last phone call. I told her I loved her. She died within an hour of that conversation."

"I can't tell Daisy I love her," Luca shook his head. "She'll die like them and I.....every time I think about that.....my heart stops. It's like there's this massive rock that falls over my chest and I can't think or breathe. She waited for me to say the words but I'm terrified of the outcome. I know what will happen. I can't do that to her."

"Oh, Luca," Dr. Ford frowned. "How long have you been carrying around this fear?"

"I...." Luca shrugged. "I don't know. I have no idea when it started to form in my head."

"Do you think Daisy will understand if you spoke to her about it?"

"I don't know," Luca said.

"You don't have to carry this around on your own," Dr. Ford said. "You might find that she can help you fight through his fear. She's already had so many positive impacts on your life without even knowing. You've shared with me more things than you have in years."

"It's not her job to fix me," Luca said.

"Who said you were broken?" Dr. Ford asked. "I believe soulmates are created to complete one another, not fix each other."

"I don't know if I can tell her any of this," Luca shook his head once more.

"And that's okay," Dr. Ford said. "But maybe it might help if you looked at the silver lining."

"What silver lining?" Luca asked.

"Well....when your mother passed away, Stella and you got close, right?"

"Yeah," Luca said.

"That's something positive," Ford said. "And Stella's passing....The night she passed, that was the first time Daisy was thrown into the whirlwind of your crazy life."

"You're looking at all your losses," Dr. Ford said slowly. "But I want you to look at how each tragedy cleared the way for a new beginning in your life."

"What am I supposed to do with this information?" Luca asked.

"Nothing," Dr. Ford shrugged. "I just want you to keep it in your mind. For today, I'm just going to count my win for getting you to agree that you are in love with your wife."

______________________

Since the night in Luca's room, Daisy had not spoken to the man. She avoided being in the room when he was around. It was difficult at first since they lived together. But as the days went by, the silence became a norm.

Gia was set to be released from the hospital soon. Luca's lawyers had already expedited the marriage certificate and by the time Gia got home, they would both have their inheritance back. Preparations were underway to move to California and start Gia's rehabilitation. It pained Daisy every time she saw her best friend in the wheelchair. The girl was a ghost of herself. She barely spoke or smiled. Both Luca and Daisy prayed the change in environment would cheer her up. But they were painfully aware of the fact that a heartbreak didn't heal from some beach and sunshine.

Gia was the only thing on Daisy's mind the morning she made her way to her doctor's appointment. She wondered what she could do to get the girl out of the funk as she patiently sat in the waiting room and bounced her knee nervously. Her thoughts were so dense and clouded that she did not notice when Luca walked into the room and sat down beside her.

"Don't be nervous," he said, leaning his leg against Daisy to stop her from jittering.

Surprised by his presence, Daisy jumped in her seat and yelped. The nurse behind the counter looked up, but didn't say anything.

"Wh-what are you doing here?" Daisy whispered, looking around at the other couples in the room.

"You have an appointment," Luca said.

"Yes," Daisy agreed. "My appointment."

"Today's an ultrasound, right?" Luca asked. "I wanted to be here for that."

"You're so weird," Daisy shook her head and turned away. "You're not even the dad."

"Their birth certificate will say otherwise," Luca muttered, pulling out his phone and checking his messages.

Daisy sank back down in her seat and began to chew on her lip once more. She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at the ugly paint splatter of a painting that hung over the nurses desk. She was grateful for Luca's silence but his presence only made Daisy's anxiety over Gia that much more pressing.

"I'm worried about Gia," she finally said after a few minutes.

"So am I," Luca didn't look up from his phone.

"She's miserable in that wheelchair."

"We can't heal her leg overnight."

"Should we really be going to California?" Daisy looked at Luca. "Don't you think she would feel better if she was in New York?"

"You mean where she got her heart broken and almost died?"

"Also where she grew up and made other memories," Daisy pointed out.

"Maybe," Luca shut off his phone and placed it back into his pocket. "But I need to keep her safe from my dad and Daniel. California is a better option."

"But you can afford extra security now," Daisy said. "So going back to New York won't be that crazy."

"Do you have any idea how many gangs and undercover moles work for our family in New York?" Luca asked, turning to look at Daisy with his green eyes calm and collected.

"No," Daisy shook her head.

"We have enough pull in the city to kill senators, mayors, governors and get away with it without any suspicion," Luca explained. "Even with an army surrounding her, taking Gia back to New York would still put her in the lion's den. You don't know our father, sunshine. As long as he's breathing, he's a danger to everyone around him."

A deep frown formed on Daisy's face as she listened to Luca, "What happened to you?"

"What do you mean?"

"How did the son of a dangerous man grow up to be such a gentleman?"

The corner of Luca's lips tried to curve up, but he stopped them.

"Most days I wake up and I want to be my mother's son," Luca said. "But that doesn't mean I don't have my father's blood in me."

"Do you like what you do?" Daisy asked. Her eyes roamed over Luca's face as if she was incapable of looking away from him. How could he sit there and look so unreal? Would he vanish if Daisy were to reach out and touch the edge of his face.

Pondering over Daisy's question, Luca looked down at his hands. The muscles on his jaw worked as if he was choosing his words carefully.

"Do you like what I do?" He asked after a long pause.

Caught gazing at him, Daisy quickly shrugged with uncertainty, "I don't think it matters what I think."

"Of course it does," Luca said. "You're my wife."

Paper wife, Daisy wanted to point out. But something inside of her stopped her from disrupting the air they had created together around them.

"If I ask you to stop, will you?" Daisy wondered.

"That's the plan, Sunshine," a slow grin pulled across Luca's face. "Start a new business and leave all this behind."

"The real estate business," Daisy suddenly realized. "It's your escape plan."

"Yes," Luca smiled. "Once it's up and running and can sustain itself, I will no longer be working with my dad."

"How will he react to that?" Daisy asked. "From everything I know about him, I don't think he will take that too kindly."

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there."

Daisy nodded. She slowly turned back around in her seat and focused on the painting behind the nurses desk once more. Her body was aware of every movement Luca made. She placed her hand on the armrest between them hoping he would accidentally touch her. But by the time the nurse came out and called Daisy's name, nothing had happened.

"Where are you going?" Daisy asked as Luca began to follow her.

"I'm not waiting outside," Luca snorted, pushing the door open and stepping inside.

Daisy hid her smile behind her hair and rolled her eyes. She followed the nurse inside and carefully changed into the pink hospital gown before walking back into the room and taking a seat on the examination chair. Luca had made himself comfortable on the chair in the corner of the room, his eyes watching Daisy like a hawk.

"What?" Daisy asked.

"Nothing," Luca shrugged, smiling.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You're number two and three."

"What?"

"Nothing."

Daisy's eyes narrowed, "Are you making fun of me?"

"I wouldn't dare."

"What are you sa-"

The knock on the door ended Daisy's question as the doctor turned the doorknob and walked in. She quickly checked over Daisy's chart and introduced herself before asking the nurse to prep for the ultrasound.

"Just relax," Dr. Khan said as she smiled sweetly at Daisy. "We're going to check for the baby's heartbeat."

"I'm fine," Daisy laid back against the bed. She heard Luca rise from his seat and make his way over to her side. When she shifted her gaze, he was standing beside her, watching over her like a tall dark shadow.

"Everything else is fine?" He asked.

"Yes," Dr. Khan said. "Everything seems normal so far. Nothing to worry about."

Daisy let out a low sigh. Her heart was beating too fast and the bright lights in the room were beginning to make her uncomfortable. The groves on the examination chair were digging into her back and for some reason her feet were beginning to itch.

"This will be a little cold," the nurse said as she held up the ultrasound gel.

Daisy took in a deep breath and held it tightly in her lungs. Luca looked down at her with a frown on his face.

"You can breathe," he said.

"I know," Daisy clicked her tongue.

"Ready?" Dr. Khan turned around with the wand in her hand.

"Yes," Luca and Daisy said at once.

Once again, Daisy began to hold her breath as the wand was lowered to her belly and a strange sound filled the room. Unknowingly she reached out with her hand and grabbed Luca's as they both started at the screen.

"Alright," Dr. Khan peered at the monitor. "It's looking good so far."

"Is that the baby?" Daisy asked, pointing to the large black area on the screen.

"No," Dr. Khan laughed. "This is your baby."

As Luca and Daisy watched, the green lines on the screen zoomed in on a tiny gray mass at the edge of the screen. The charts on the monitor shifted as a rapid and strong beating sound filled the room.

"And that's your baby's heartbeat," Dr. Khan said. 

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