Chapter 42

Daisy sat with her knees pulled up to her chest and her eyes glued on Luca. She couldn't look away from him without the fear of missing something. He had been out of surgery for almost a whole day, but was still unconscious. Seeing him laying in bed and hearing all the beeps of the machines were beginning to make Daisy think she was going insane. Every time she thought of Luca never waking up, her chest caved in and she would begin to gasp for air. Not wanting to be too far from him, Daisy rose from her chair and made her way over to the bed.

"Luca?" She leaned over and whispered, placing her hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

There was no change. Daisy was met with silence from the man she loved with everything she had.

"Please don't leave," she whispered, wiping her eyes to be able to see him better. "Please."

"I'll do whatever you say," Daisy took Luca's hand and brought it to her lips. "Please, just come back."

"Daisy?"

Daisy lifted her head and looked over her shoulder. She found Emma standing at the door with a small bouquet of flowers. The tall blonde stepped into the room and approached the bed with caution.

"I came as soon as I heard," Emma said. "Maryella and Jimmy are out of town."

Straightening up, Daisy wiped her eyes and then her hands. She tucked back her hair and moved to greet the tall blonde at the foot of the bed.

"Thank you for coming," Daisy said, her voice raspy.

"Of course," Emma opened up her arms and the two embraced. "I'm so sorry all this has happened. This is awful. What was he thinking?"

"I don't know," Daisy shook her head. She tucked her hands into her back pocket and began to chew on her bottom lip.

"It's not like Luca to be so reckless," Emma frowned. "And is it true that Daniel and Gia are getting married?"

"How..." Daisy looked up at the girl. "How do you know about that?"

"The whole town knows," Emma said. "They know everything. From Gia shooting Daniel, Luca and Gia at the docks and now the wedding."

"We should have never come here," Daisy held back a sob. "This was a big mistake."

"Aw, honey," Emma placed the flowers down and pulled her into another hug. "I'm so sorry"

"I....." Daisy couldn't stop the sobs coming out of her. "I can't lose him. I love him so much."

"You're not going to lose him," Emma assured her. "Nothing will happen to him."

"Never did I think I would have to see this," Daisy said.

"You married a man from Del Mare. A Silvano at that," Emma said. "It was bound to happen someday."

"I just....." Daisy held her hand under her nose to keep herself together. "I just can't stop thinking about everything I would have said or done differently if I had known this would happen."

"I'm sure you tried to stop him, right?" Emma asked.

"I didn't know," Daisy said. "I had no idea what was going on."

"What do you mean?"

"We had a fight," Daisy felt her heart contract. "A huge fight. And then we weren't talking for the rest of the evening. Gia was upset and he went to sit with her for a few minutes. Next thing I know I'm at the hospital and they're telling me he's lost too much blood and his ribs are broken and his lungs were filled with blood."

"Oh my god," Emma rubbed Daisy's arms as the girl cried into her hands. "Come, have a seat."

Exhausted and dizzy, Daisy let Emma guide her back to the chair. She sat down and pulled her legs up once more as Emma handed her a napkin.

"Did you eat?" Emma asked.

"I don't want to," Daisy said.

"You don't look too good," Emma said. "I'm going to go get you something to eat."

"No."

"At least something to drink," Emma said. "If we let anything happen to you, Luca will bite our heads off."

Daisy shook her head, her eyes back on Luca. She didn't know how to tell Emma that Luca had broken up with her. It was too painful to even think about. Daisy pushed it to the back of her mind. She didn't have to cross that bridge yet. Once Luca was better, they would start all over again.

"I'll be right back," Emma said, grabbing her purse and rushing out of the room.

Feeling lightheaded, Daisy leaned her head against the extra pillows on the chair. She took Luca's hand into hers once more and began to sooth him by running her thumb over his hand. Her eyes grew heavy as she began to fight to stay focused and alert. Her vision blurred as if she would pass out any second from the pressure in her head. It made her stomach churn and her insides feel restless. When the door to the room opened once more, Daisy looked up and scowled immediately. Her hazel eyes turned murderous as she stared at Daniel helping Gia into the room.

"You don't have to call anyone," Daniel said as Daisy reached for her phone under the pillows.

He stepped aside and let Gia enter the dark room. The blinds were shut and the lights were off, the only light came from the nurses' desks outside in the hall. Gia's feet dragged on the floor as she made her way over to Luca's bedside. Her eyes watered as she noticed how pale he was. He looked as if he was made of marble, untouchable and cold. Gia's hand trembled as she touched the edge of his face.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, her chest tightening up with tears.

Daisy looked away, unable to watch as Gia loomed over the bed to look at her brother. Her heart was filled with anger she couldn't understand. She had been avoiding going upstairs to see Gia. Daisy knew it was inevitable, but she was hoping for a few more days before Gia came face to face with her.

"Why..." Daisy shook her head, her words coming out before she could stop herself. She spoke so low, Gia hardly heard her. "Why did you do it?"

Confused, Gia looked up towards Daisy, "What?"

"What were you doing at the docks?" Daisy asked. "Why don't you ever think? I'm so tired of having to defend you all the time."

"Daisy...." Gia felt her heart wrench. "I didn't......"

"You didn't mean to?" Daisy arched her brow. "You didn't think this would happen? You didn't want any of this to happen? You didn't mean for any of this to happen?"

Gia's eyes watered past their capacity. Daisy watched her start to cry and it angered her. "You know Luca would have never let anything happen to you," Daisy sighed, running a hand through her messy hair. "Why couldn't you just wait a goddamn second?"

Gia stood with tears running down her face like a child. Daisy's insides twisted as she stared at the girl.

"Say something," her voice shook.

Daisy began to feel overwhelmed standing before Gia and Luca. Her heart was torn as she stared at the siblings. "We're doing everything we can to keep you safe. I even married him, G. Please, just give us a second to breathe before it's just one problem after another!"

Gia lowered her gaze to the floor. She swayed slightly towards Luca but her hands tightened around her brother's.

"Gia?" Daisy paused and frowned.

Gia looked up. Her eyes were glossy and dull. They barely were able to focus as she swayed once more.

"G, are you okay?" Daisy moved forward with concern. "Sit down."

"N...no," Gia darted out her tongue and licked her lip. "I'm...I'm sorry."

Daisy's heart contracted. Her throat burned with unshed tears as she watched Gia avoid looking directly at her.

"I shouldn't have said all that," Daisy bit down on her bottom lip, feeling hot sticky guilt pour all over her.

"What..." Gia leaned against the bed. "What made you think I went to the dock on my own?"

"I don't know," Daisy shrugged, her eyes full of confusion and frustration. She ran her hand through her hair once more and then tucked her locks behind her ears. "It's something you would do..."

Gia didn't respond. She stood beside Luca turning pale and then green as her shoulders sank and her body began to lean towards the bed.

"G?" Daisy stepped forward and placed a hand on Gia's shoulder. "You should go back to your room. You need to rest."

Gia looked up, her green eyes full of sadness that made Daisy's eyes sting. Letting go of Luca's hand, Gia slowly pushed up to her feet.

"The wedding is in two days," she said quietly, turning towards the door.

"I heard," Daisy nodded. She couldn't look up as Gia walked to the door and paused to look back at her.

After a few long seconds, Gia walked out of the room and the door closed slowly. Daisy broke down into tears once more as she watched Daniel follow Gia back to the elevator through the shades in the room. She wanted to run back outside and pull her away from the guy. Every instinct in her body told her to bring Gia back into the room and protect her the way Luca would have. But Daisy couldn't muster up the strength to fight anymore. All she wanted to do was sit beside Luca and hold her breath until he opened his eyes.

When Emma came back into the room with a bottle of juice and a box of cut fruits, Daisy was barely conscious. She laid limp on the chair staring at nothing.

"Daisy?" Emma bent down and frowned. "I think I should take you home."

"No," Daisy protested.

"You can be here like this," Emma said. "Think of your baby. He needs at least one parent right now. I just saw Carla in the halls and she wants me to take you home too."

"I'm...." Daisy shook her head. "I'm fine."

"No, you're not," Emma said stubbornly. "Let's go or will have someone come in and carry you out."

"What if he wakes up and I'm not here?"

"Then someone will call us and we will come right back."

"I don't want to go."

"Daisy please," Emma said. "Think of Theo. He's waiting for you at home."

Daisy's lip trembled as she thought about her baby boy, "He keeps asking for Luca."

"Imagine how he will feel if anything happens to you too," Emma said. "Come on. Let's go."

There was no strength in her body as Emma helped Daisy up. She had to pry Daisy's hand off of Luca's as she guided her out of the room and down to the lobby of the hospital. There, they ran into Mario and Emma stopped to answer his concerned questions.

"I'm just taking her home," she said.

"Let me know if you need anything," Mario said with a deep frown on his face.

"Thank you," Emma smiled as she walked Daisy to her car.

"He's too nice to have children like Stella and Daniel," Daisy said quietly as she got into Emma's car.

"Or maybe he's just nice to you because you're Luca's wife."

"Doesn't he dislike Luca?" Daisy asked, leaning her head back and closing her eyes.

"No," Emma snorted. "Mario would abandon his family for Gianna's kids."

"What do you mean?" Daisy opened her eyes and lifted her head.

"Oh," Emma looked towards her and hesitated. "It's just something I heard....."

"What did you hear?" Daisy asked.

"Don't tell Luca," Emma said. "Or Gia. I'm not sure if they know anything."

"Know what?" Daisy pushed.

"Well, my mom told me that when they were all younger, Mario wanted to marry Gianna."

"What?" Daisy's brows furrowed.

"Yeah," Emma said. "They were super close. Like best friends."

"Wh-what happened?"

Emma shrugged, "Gianna's parents picked Angelo for her and she couldn't say no."

"And Teresa?" Daisy felt her heart contracted.

"Oh they were friends too," Emma said. "But not after Teresa married Mario. Apparently things got weird between them all. Mario used to get drunk and stand outside the Silvano mansion shouting Gianna's name."

Fighting to be number one. But forever coming in second.

Fresh tears rose to Daisy's eyes in horror.

"But all this was so long ago," Emma shook her head with her eyes on the road. "Everyone thought Stella and Luca getting married was like a full circle moment. But I guess that's going to be Gia and Daniel now."

"Does the whole town know this?"

"I'm sure," Emma said. "This is Del Mare. Everyone knows everyone's business."

"I can't believe this," Daisy's head swayed once again.

I'm Teresa Dimaggio.

"Daisy?" Emma looked towards the girl. "Daisy."

"Yes..." Daisy managed to pull herself together.

"We're almost home," Emma said. "I'm just going to stop by and get you some electrolytes. You don't look so good."

Daisy could care less what Emma was saying. Her head still spun from what she had heard. As the car came to a slow stop and Emma jumped out to rush towards the pharmacy, Daisy sat in the car lost in her thoughts. Her eyes began to move over the faces of people at the market. They all stole glances at her as if they knew the tragic way she was losing her mind.

As Daisy scanned the market, her eyes fell on the gelato shop Luca had taken her to. She felt a tug in her heart as her eyes watered once more. Those memories seemed as if they belonged to someone else. Daisy could hardly recognize herself in them as she stepped out of the car and made her way over to the small shop.

The bell overhead dinged, announcing her entrance. The old man behind the counter looked up and smiled, adjusting the white paper hat on his head.

"Buon pomeriggio," the man greeted her. (Good afternoon.)

"Buon pomeriggio," Daisy said, her throat dry as sandpaper.

"Come posso aiutarla?" (How can I help you?)

"I...." Daisy stepped up to the counter.

The last time she was there, she hadn't been inside the shop. Luca helped her into a seat outside as he had ordered for them. Daisy looked around at the green and white tiles on the floor and pink countertops. The calked menu hung over the man's head along with a wall full of old and new photographs. Daisy tilted her head back and scanned them before her eyes landed on a very familiar smile.

Like being shot through the heart, Daisy felt the pain of seeing Luca and Stella's photograph rip through her system like a violent attack. She froze as her eyes stared helplessly at the photograph. A young Luca, dressed in a thin cotton button down shirt and shorts, laughing with Stella sitting on his lap. His eyes were on her as she stared at the person taking the photograph. The ice cream in her hand melted and dripped down her forearms. Her leg kicked out, tipping her off balance but of course Luca would have never let her fall.

"Signora?" The old man cleared his throat.

"I..." Daisy tried once more. Her eyes lowered and she caught Stella's name on the menu. "Stella."

"Ah, Stella," the man nodded and immediately began to prepare an order. "Ah...your husband....Luca?"

Daisy nodded, "Si."

"You speak Italian?" The man looked surprised.

"Perché si chiama Stella?" Daisy asked. (Why is it called Stella?)

"Era il suo gusto preferito," the man smiled. (It was her favorite flavor.) "È stato chiamato in suo onore come molte cose in questa città." (It was named in her honor like many things in this town.)

"Ce ne sono altri?" Daisy could hardly breathe. (There are others?"

"Si," the old man hesitated. He looked up as Daisy began to slowly back out of the shop. "Signora?"

With her ears ringing, Daisy turned away from the ice cream parlor and looked around at the other stalls and market shops. She felt as if she had swallowed a stone and now it was stuck inside of her chest. The pain it caused was too great. Her feet began to move aimlessly as she wrapped her arms around herself and chew on her bottom lip.

Across the street was the flower shop where Luca had gotten her flowers from. Daisy suddenly remembered the white bouquet the lady in the shop had shown him that day and the way he had looked over his shoulder towards her. Holding her breath, Daisy crossed the street and walked up to the flower stand.

"Il bouquet bianco, per favore," she said.

"Quale volete?" The woman asked. (Which one do you want?). "Quello tradizionale o lo Stella?" (The traditional one or the Stella?)

"Stella," Daisy tried not to cry but her eyes watered.

The woman quickly pulled out a very familiar bouquet of white roses and lilies. Her eyes fluttered up towards Daisy with concern as she began to wrap it.

"Daisy!"

Emma's voice called out from across the street. The woman at the flower shop paused and looked up as Emma ran across the street and grabbed Daisy's arms.

"What are you doing?" She asked with worry. "I came back and you weren't in the car."

"How many things in this town are named after her?" Daisy asked.

"What?" Emma asked.

"The flowers," Daisy pointed. "And the gelato. They're both named after Stella."

Emma's face fell. She tried to hide her deep frown but Daisy had already seen it.

"Tell me," she pushed.

"Not here," Emma said, grabbing Daisy's arm. "Come with me."

Daisy felt her tears roll down her face as Emma helped her back in the car and then ran around to the other side.

"I wish you hadn't seen all that," she said, shutting her door.

"Nobody is over her," Daisy said, feeling defeated.

"No," Emma said. "They worship her like a damn queen. Stella gelato, Stella flowers, Stella latte, Stella nails. She's everywhere."

"He's never going to love me," Daisy couldn't stop herself. "I'll never be here."

"What?" Emma's frown grew. "What are you talking about?"

"Luca's still in love with Stella," Daisy said. "And he always will be."

"That can't be true," Emma shook her head. "You guys are married! I saw the way he looked at you that night."

"No," Daisy couldn't bear it anymore. "Can you please just take me home?"

"Yes, of course," Emma said. "But do you want to talk about it? I mean why would you think he doesn't love you?"

"It's....complicated," Daisy said.

"But you guys are married."

It's only on paper, Daisy wanted to sob. I'll never be Stella. He'll never love me the way he loves her.

"Please," Daisy begged. "Just take me home." 

My poor Daisy :(