I drop my fork on the plate with a clatter. "Fuck this." I rise to my feet, and the two men stand up with me.
"Sit down." Seb scowls.
"Fuck off." I turn to leave, and Massimo steps in my way.
"Sit down,fratellino, you need to hear this before you leave."
"The fuck, you guys?" I roll my shoulders. "If it’s a fight you’re spoiling for…"
"I’d happily kick your ass." Massimo laughs.
"You wish," I interrupt him. "Why are you two being so persistent, anyway?"
"Because we care, youpezzo di merda," Seb says in a soft tone. "Just sit down and listen to us, okay, and we promise, we won’t bother you again."
Behind us, Cassandra stops what she’s doing and comes to stand next to me. "Please, Christian," she pleads, "Aurora is someone I care about, and I’d hate to see the two of you lose this chance at a future together."
I open my mouth to protest, then shut it. "Fine," I sit down, "say what you’re dying to get off your chests." I glower at my brothers.
Massimo and Seb glance at each other, then both sit down.
"Go to her," Massimo says without preamble. "Apologize again. Properly, this time."
I rub the back of my neck. "She asked me to stay away from her."
"And you listened to her?" Seb’s gaze widens.
"What choice did I have?" I shift around in my seat. "She was pissed at me, and it felt like the least I could do was honor her wishes."
"Oh, so now you decide to pay attention to what she wants, eh?" Seb snorts. "All this time, you ensured you got your way, to the point that you humiliated her in front of everyone else, and now, when you should be doing your best to smooth over the damage you’ve done, you take the easy way out and walk away from her, again?"
“It wasn’t easy,” I mumble. "What the hell else should I have done?"
"Are you sure you want to hear it from us?" Massimo smirks.
"It’s not like you’ve given me much of a choice," I roll my shoulders, "so why don’t you say your piece?"
"Throw yourself at her mercy and ask her for forgiveness."
54
A week later
Aurora
"That’s mending nicely, now." I replace the dressing on the man who accidentally cut himself with a knife and was brought in by his wife. "You should be discharged within the day."
"Oh, that’s good news." He smiles at his wife, who throws her arm around him and hugs him.
"Thank you, Doctor," she says. "I can’t wait to take him home and fuss over him."
I step back and let the couple have their moment. "I’ll, ah, go talk to the nurse in charge to make sure they have discharge orders."
I dawdle a second longer as the couple kisses. At least someone is in love and happy about it. I play with the ring on my finger as I walk toward the common room used by the doctors. It’s been a long shift, and I’m exhausted, but it feels good to finally be doing my job.
Fact is, I had missed it when I returned to Sicily. I’m very lucky I was able to return to my role as a doctor at the same hospital where I had previously worked in London. They had been so strapped for doctors that they had welcomed me back with open arms, and I had started working right away. Truth be told, it’s the only reason I have been able to stay sane. I had put on my scrubs walked into the ER and had felt instantly at home.
In fact, I’ve been so busy that I haven’t had a moment to think, and that's been a blessing.