It’s that mantra again. Let her die. That’s all that’s left. If we don’t do this surgery, death is the only result. She won’t get better. She’ll only get worse.
“It’s going to be okay. I love you, and I’m doing this,” I assure her.
“Oh sweetie…it’s times like this when I miss your father with all my heart,” she states and tears run down her cheeks.
I know from her mention of Dad that she must be feeling really bad. We don’t talk about him unless if we absolutely have to. The day he died, I know a part of Mom died too. I think that was the start of her heart problems. It shattered her heart to get that call letting her know my father was killed while on duty. That day so long ago changed everything forever.
Dad was a cop, a detective. He’d been investigating a gang for drug trafficking and they killed him. I was fifteen. It was the worse time of my life. Sometimes I’m still that little girl crying for her father, who will never make it home again.
“I miss him too Mom. We have to take care of each other now,” I say with a strength I don’t feel and hug her hard.
I allow a tear to drift down my cheek and wipe it away before I release her.
When I get back home, though, I allow them to fall.
I’m just in time to catch Megan coming in. I dry my eyes because I don’t want to look like a loser who’s always crying. She can see the remnants of my tears though. I’m so stupid. I have work later. In a job where it’s required to look pretty, I’m sure showing up with a red, blotchy face is an absolute no.
“Oh my gosh, Paige, you okay? Did last night go that bad?”
Of course, as per usual, I’ve already lived a lifetime before I see her to tell the tales of woe.
“It was terrible.”
“What happened?”
“James.”
“James?” At first, she narrows her eyes, not knowing who I could mean. When it hits her, her mouth drops wide open. “James Marchesi? As in James, the hot law professor?”
“Yes.” I draw in a breath and tell her what happened.
She shakes her head. “Christ, I would never think he’d go to a club like that, but it doesn’t really surprise me.”
“Doesn’t it?”
“No.” She gives me an uneasy smile. “It’s just a certain look he has about him. Like he has a wild side. Come on, he’s super-hot, in his early thirties, and mega rich.”
“You knew he was rich?” She knows more than me.
“Marchesi Inc.” She raises her brows while a chill races through me. Marchesi Inc. is only one of the best law firms in Chicago with branches all over the States and in Europe. I had no idea James was related to them.
“I didn’t know,” I answer.
“Paige, honestly, I’m certain every woman on campus knows this.”
“No, clearly not. I didn’t look deep because it was best I didn’t.” Not knowing too much about him made it easier. I purposely didn’t do any research.
“God woman. Even so, it’s almost common knowledge given who his family are.”
“What do you mean?”
“They’re a mafia family,” she replies in a hushed tone as if anyone besides me can hear her.
I gasp. “My God.”
“I know, as far as I know though they don’t seem like the Godfather style mob family. They’re just stinking rich with old money and they’re firms across the country. Though I should imagine only God must know what type of badness they get up to.” she says with a saucy smirk. “What was it like when you saw him?”
“Embarrassing. Megan this is not good. He’s trying to warn me away from working at the club. That’s not something I can contemplate. Mom is really sick.”