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“Well, since you want to know the truth,” Nonno says. “Your husband has?—”
“Nono!” My mother scolds, scowling at him. “She’s just opened her eyes. Don’t do this.”
“Mama!” I sit up, and ignoring the sharp pain in my back, I start to yank off the tubes connected to my arms.
My mother cries out and grabs my hands in hers. I frown at her. “Tell me right now! What’s wrong with Valentino? Is he okay?”
“Francesca…” my mama hesitates.
“He requested a divorce from you, okay,” Louisa shouts suddenly as if she can’t bear to keep the secret anymore.
“What?” The blood drains out of my face, and I fall against the pillows, weak and deflated. “Why?” I turn my head and look at Louisa. “Why? What did I do wrong?”
“What didn’t you do?” Nonno accuses harshly, and I flinch. “This is all your fault.”
“Please!” My mama shouts, but he shuts her up with a glare.
“Shut up, woman. Tell your daughter the truth. You raised a slut. There’s only so much a man can take. Valentino cared for you more than any man should, but you let him down in the worst way possible. No man will ever forgive that.”
“What are you talking about?” My head feels heavy with all the shouting and confusion. I feel like screaming into a void.
“You were on your way to meet with that little rat I warned you about when you got into this accident weren’t you, Francesca?”
My heart slams into my chest. “No!”
“No?” He frowns blackly. “Don’t lie. You were. You put yourself in harm’s way because of a boy who has no value to your life. Not only did you get yourself in an accident, you lost your baby!”
My mouth opens, but no sound will come out. I stare at him in a mixture of disbelief and stupefied horror. What is he talking about? How can what he is saying be true? My brains are so scrambled with the painkillers that it has not even crossed my mind that I have survived and my baby has not. I assumed the knocks I sustained were superficial and the little life growing deep inside me would be fine. I turn to my mother.
“Mama,” I whisper.
My mother starts crying.
Guilt, terrible guilt fills my whole body. Why did I decide to go see Thomas? If I had not… my baby would be alive.
As Nonno walks out of the room, Mama and Louisa hug me. I continue to sob, my body shaking with hurt and shock. To be honest, I don’t really believe Nonno. It must be a mistake. My baby is still inside me. Protected and growing.
“I want to talk to Valentino now,” I cry. “Please call him.”
Mama shakes her head. “I’m so sorry darling, but he has forbidden us from calling or reaching out to him.”
I’ve never felt pain like what I feel now. It’s like there’s a giant fist in my chest squeezing hard.
“Mama, I don’t love Thomas. I was going to end things with him. I-”
“Shhh.” My mama smooths back my hair. “Louisa explained everything to me. I believe you.”
I touch my belly and my sobs intensify. It’s empty. There’s nothing there anymore. No baby. Valentino’s little bean is gone. My life is empty.
“Don’t cry anymore, my darling,” Mama comforts me. “As soon as you’re healthy enough, you can go and try to reason with him.”
She pulls away. “Let me see why your meal is taking too long.”
I don’t care about the meal. All I want is to see Valentino. He’s all I care about.
Louisa kisses my hair. “I know you love him, but you have to be patient. Give him time. He’ll come around.”
“Is he very upset?” I croak.