Me: Situation at the bar tonight. I need to stay with Suzy. Tell Mom I can’t make it and clear my schedule for a couple days at least.
Anthony: WTF happened? You okay?
Suzy didn’t move as I typed with one hand trying not to break the embrace.
Me: Beat the shit out of some fucker that attacked her. She’s in the hospital for the night and I want to stay with her after she’s released. Don’t tell anyone. I don’t want them to flip out.
Anthony: Gotcha, but Mom is going to want details. Which hospital?
Me: County Hospital, but we’re okay. My hands are just swollen. I’ll be fine.
Anthony: Gotcha. Mums the word.
Nothing stayed a secret in my family. It was like the mafia party line. I knew Mikey had probably read over Anthony’s shoulder and soon the entire brigade would be on high alert. I set the phone above my pillow and closed my eyes, wrapping Suzy in my arms.
I tried to think about happy things; Suzy’s laugh or how she kissed me, but all I could think of was her limp body and bloodied face in my arms. I kept opening my eyes to remind myself that she was okay. I waited for exhaustion to take me and wipe that vision from my mind.
The sound of plastic squeaking against the tile floor woke me early in the morning. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you,” she said as she moved to the IV stand.
I grunted and waited for her to leave before closing my eyes again. Hospitals aren’t the place for rest. The movement outside the room is constant, alarms and announcements echo through the halls, and people talk loud enough to wake the dead. I felt like a Mack truck had hit me. My back was stiff, my eyes burned and my hands throbbed. I wanted to get the fuck out of here and crawl in a real bed with her.
A quiet knock caused Suzy to stir and my mother stood in the doorway. Fucking brothers – always mama’s boys.
“Hey,” she said, smiling.
I held put my finger to my lips hoping not to wake Suzy as my ma entered the room. “It’s early Ma, what are you doing here?” I whispered.
“Your brother told me something happened and that you were here with Suzy. You know I can’t sleep good when I worry about my children.” She stood next to the bed, looking at Suzy’s face against my chest.
“I’m fine, Ma. I couldn’t leave her and I want to stay with her when she gets out for a couple days. I didn’t think Mikey would put out an all-points bulletin.”
“Always so quick to blame Michael, aren’t you Joseph? It was Anthony that texted me. I just wanted to stop and see if you two were okay.” She shook her head at me.
When did my mother learn how to text?
“We will be as soon as we get out of this shithole.”
“What happened, son?” My mom pulled up a chair and waited for my answer.
“Someone assaulted her. When I found her, I kicked his ass.” I didn’t want to meet my mother’s eyes. She was the only person in the world I never wanted to disappoint. I wasn’t a mama’s boy, but in an Italian family a mother is the queen bee, top dog, and wore the pants. Even my father bowed down to her and cherished the ground she walked on. He wasn’t a pussy and could kick ass in his youth, but Mrs. Gallo wasn’t a person any of us wanted to piss off. “Trust me, Ma, he looks worse than me.”
She wrinkled her nose; she never liked to think of any of her children fighting, even Mikey. “Where were you?”
“Neon Cowboy and we were on our way out after having a couple drinks.” I definitely didn’t want to share that I planned to kidnap my girlfriend. Sex wasn’t something I talked to my mother about and often, not even my father.
“I told you I hate that damn bar. There’s nothing but trouble in those types of places. Haven’t you learned anything from Thomas?” She wasn’t mad, but I could see the fear in her eyes.
“Yes, Ma. I have friends there, clients even, and I like it there. I’m not going to stop hanging out there because of the what-ifs.”
“Is she okay, son?” She peeked over my shoulder, her eyes growing wide as she took in the sight of Suzy’s face.
“Yeah, she’ll heal. Just waiting for the doctor to come and release her. I won’t be there Sunday, but I promise to be there next week.”
“Sure, baby. Can I drop off food at least? That way you can spend time taking care of her without having to cook.”
How could I say no to my mother? When she offered food it was the highest honor. She lived to cook and take care of her family. If I said no, it would be an enormous insult and there would be hell to pay.
“Sure, Ma. I’d love if you’d stop by with some food.” I didn’t entirely mean that statement but I knew it would make her happy.