Somehow, with all that had gone down in the last forty-eight hours, Angelo and I had forgotten to sleep. That is why, that first night, while he rested in a chair, I fell right to sleep after sitting down. My body demanded it.
I woke to, “No.”
Angelo was standing… staring at an empty bed.
I jumped to my feet. “No.”
My sight raced to the windows. Closed.
Angelo and I ran to her bedroom door—
Curled in the corner, we found her naked body, asleep, holding that damned plastic cup.
Angelo and I sagged into each other, partially hugging in a silent celebration that we hadn’t lost the Giordano Princess. I think we were also embracing because this damaged woman had already begun sneaking into both of our hearts.
There was no denying my burning imagination when seeing Scarlett asleep with her back up against the wall. It was a primitive action that I understood. She was trying to protect herself.
Sal knew it, too. He whispered, “Breathe, insane one.”
Frustrated to not be able to put bullets in heads yet, I angrily whispered, “She had no one!” I pointed to her harmless form, that couldn’t cause any damage to the ruthless men who attacked her. “You and I have never had to sleep like this!”
“She won’t ever again.” From behind, he grabbed my shoulders and jostled me a bit. “She has us now.” He released me and grabbed a sheet and blanket from her bed. “Sit with her.” To not wake her but offer privacy, Sal gently laid them over Scarlett’s naked body. “I’m going to make some sort of broth for her stomach.”
Just like his Mamma, Sal loved being in the kitchen.
I sat down next to Scarlett and leaned against the wall at her head. When my thighs brushed against her, I feared she would wake, but the opposite happened. Her hands relaxed and the cup fell from her grip. I set it by her head so she would see it first thing and not worry.
It was hard not to stare at her, study her, now that she was sleeping so soundly. I could observe every detail that wasn’t covered. Like the artistic bend to her dainty fingers, which were almost identical to Isabella’s beautiful hands.
My own fingers hungered for a touch.
They grazed her soft skin. They caressed the angelic feel.
They wanted more…
I had held Isabella’s hands before, but when I dared to hold Scarlett’s, my chest eased for what felt like the first time. I evenly exhaled. She was finally safe.
I couldn’t make a phone call to the worried mother, but I could send God a message to deliver to her heart: I have her, Isabella. I have your little girl. No one will hurt her ever again as long as I’m alive.
Deep breaths were welcomed by my body and spirit. A very long road lay ahead, but at least one powerful chapter had ended. I believe that is why I fell back asleep so easily. Even though Scarlett was going to be put first, in everything, she hadn’t been the only one on guard for so many years that they all began to run together.
My dream returned. The one with all the empty boxes… But, this time, lifting a box to see what was underneath, I found a naked sleeping baby. It was tiny and vulnerable. Being as careful as possible, I picked it up in my palms. Little eyes fluttered open. Blue. They were an incredible blue that suddenly lit up and blinded me—
I jerked awake. There was still light, but now Scarlett was standing in front of her windows. Early morning rays shone, showing me shadowed curves of her body that could be seen through Sal’s shirt, which she must have slipped back on when she awakened.
Scarlett was no longer struggling to have her eyes open in the light.
I found myself still amazed. After all these years, she’s alive.
Sitting on bar stools at the breakfast bar, I smiled and drank my coffee while Scarlett moaned and groaned, drinking her broth from the plastic cup. Her throat’s movement as it swallowed was another small miracle that had me beaming. Proudly, I admired my best friend, standing and watching her in the kitchen.
His light brown eyes practically had sparkles in them for Scarlett’s joy. “You like, no?”
Scarlett’s shoulders had no stress in them. Her body was happy and loose on her nonmoving swing. “Sal, it is the best soup I have ever tasted.”
“Reaaaally?” Silently bragging, Sal looked at me as if saying, top that, fucker.
“Oh, yes,” boasted Scarlett. “It is even better than last night’s.”
His pleasure paused while his head tilted. “Last night’s?”
Happily, she reached over the granite bar top and tapped on the faucet.
Silence. Sal and I went so still and quiet I could hear my own heartbeat. The coffee mug in my hand shook.
Finally, Sal opened his mouth to talk. I thought he was going to correct Scarlett, but it would have made the moment even sadder. My friend forced a slight smile and said, “Well, I would be happy to make you warm soup any time you want it. In fact, we will eventually add things to it.”
Blue eyes that kept reminding me of the stars in the night—the galaxy of planets—doubled in size. “What does that mean?”
Sal dipped his chin. “I will explain.”
“Wow. I bet explain tastes wonderful.”
“Er, no. ‘Explain’ is not a food. It’s an action.”
Now, Scarlett’s head was the one tilting.
Sal softly exhaled as if he had just fallen in love, which didn’t sit well with me for some reason. He said, “Explain is to tell you something. Teach you something.”
Scarlett’s spine straightened like a lightning rod that had just gotten shocked. “I love to learn. Mamma used to teach me all the time.”
Sal’s arms opened wide, and his full, unneeded flirty smile appeared. “Now, how about that. I will teach you all I know.”
Not appreciating how enamored Scarlett suddenly was, I glared at Sal. Then I felt like shit for such stupidity. Any bond Scarlett was making was healthy for her. I needed to be happy, not acting like a dick. Sal and I never competed for anything. My behavior was unacceptable. But then she started to cry. I wanted to hold her, but Sal The Pal beat me to it, rushing around the bar. “What’s wrong?” Leaving her on the stool, he wrapped her up in an embrace.
She melted into him. “I do not know.” She wiped tears. “I feel so happy. Why sad tears, Sal?”
Endearingly, he touched the tip of her delicate nose. “Oh, Scarlett. I think those are happy tears then.”
“Explain, Sal. Explain.”
He chuckled. “Umm, tears can be connected to many emotions. Sad, scared, lonely, joyful, happy…” She listened to him as if he was her knight in shining armor.
Getting off my stool, I mumbled, “I’m taking a shower,” and walked away.
In my bedroom’s bathroom, I stood under the hot water, trying to shuck off my irrational behavior, but then I thought of Scarlett. Slowly, I peered up into the spray of water. Is this how she fed herself when not offered food? I’m not sure why, but my mouth opened, and I drank… knowing showers would never be the same for me.
Once done, I turned off the water. Still feeling unsettled, I thought about taking a nap, when a scream echoed through the grand home. Scarlett!
I was out of the shower and running, gun aimed without another thought. In the living room that was open to the kitchen, I saw a shocked Scarlett staring at the front door. Still running, I aimed there. Then another scream screeched, bellowing throughout the high ceilings.