Eve Black

Chapter 30

7 days until Matteo is dead. I have excepted the fact that I will lose him too. Just in the past two months, I have lost Rose, my dad (not that it affected me at all), and Matteo. I don't know how much more I can take. I have gotten back into my old drinking habits. Drunk every night that I am not doing business, but now there is no Matteo to save me.

***

5 days until Matteo will be unplugged. I am hanging out with Enzo again. And by hanging out I mean keeping each other distracted from thinking about Matteo. The only distractions either of us has are drugs, alcohol, work, and each other. I also have Micheal but I can tell him Matteo's condition or else other mafias will take this as an opportunity to attack the Italian Mafia.

Micheal has become so close I almost consider him a friend. I still just don't know if I can trust him for sure.

I go visit Matteo again. I tell him about anything and everything new that has happened. I have told him everything about me. I don't know if he will remember when he wakes up.

***

4 days until Matteo leaves me. I go to the hospital to finalize plans. I have to try so hard not to push the date back even further. It takes a lot.

I walk into Matteo's room and sit next to him in the chair that the nurses and janitors have stopped moving.

"Hey, Matteo. It's Eve again. I always feel like I'm leaving you a voicemail when I talk to you because you can't respond. It's really hard to not cry while talking to you." I sniffle before continuing, "You have four days. I believe in you. I know you can wake up and come back to me. You always have saved me. So please wake up and save me. I can't do this without you." I stand up and kiss him on the cheek. I watch my own tears spill down his cheek.

I turn to leave but something catches my wrist. I turn and see my wrist got tangled in his wires. I sit back down and untangle my handle. Once my hand is untangled I stand and start to walk away again.

I am about to walk out when I realize I forgot about the papers I have to sign. I go back in and sit down with the papers.

"Almost forgot," I murmur to myself.

My phone rings, Micheal.

"Hey, Micheal."

"There's been an issue with the east shipment."

"Okay, I'll be there as soon as I can."

I end the call before he can respond. I don't know why but all of a sudden all of my tears come streaming down my face. I look at Matteo and I see his eyes open and his face look confused and then sad as he looks at me. He reaches up and pets my hair, "It's okay Eve. I'm here."

I blink back my tears and my dreams. If only Matteo actually woke up. I get angry and start pounding my fists on his chest punching him as hard as I can. That however is not hard at all because I am shaking too much.

"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" I scream at him. I sob and cry out to no one. I let out one loud blood curdling scream that is filled with all my pain and hatred and anger. I sit in the chair with my arms holding my knees up to my chest and my face tucked in my knees. No doctors run in because they know that Matteo is not awake.

***

2 days before I will lose Matteo. I walk in and sit next to Matteo for the second to last time. I start to talk to him like always, "Hey Matteo, I don't know what to say. You leave me tomorrow for good. I honestly will probably join you soon after." It's true. I've thought about it a million times. If Matteo dies I will just join him. I can't live without him. "I want to read you my vows that I would read if we were to ever get married." I pause collecting myself, "Matteo Lombardi, you-" I start crying.

"It's okay, save them for when we actually get married." I look up to see Matteo's eyes open. I start to freak out. Have I really lost so much sleep that I am hallucinating? I reach down and pinch myself. I hear his low chuckle, "I'm awake Eve. You're not dreaming."

"W-what? You asshole. You had to be so dramatic and wait until the last second!" I yell with tears falling down my face. I hug him tightly. I feel him wince in pain but I do not care.

"Shh, shh. I'm here. I'm okay. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." I feel his earth spread all over me and I know I am not dreaming or hallucinating.

"I love you." I say between sobs, "I love you so much. don't ever do that to me again."

"I'm so sorry. I won't princess. I promise." I lay next to him and don't let go. I don't even call Enzo to let him know.

After a long silence, Matteo finally talks, "Alright let's get me out of here so I can meet this guy named 'Micheal'. He sounds like a dick." I laugh at him.

"Jealous?"

"No never. Your mine and only mine. No one can take you away from me even if they tried." I grab my phone and call Enzo. All I could say is Matteo is awake and then he hung up.

I get a doctor quickly, not wanting to be away from Matteo for too long.

***

Every moment from the moment I got back from getting the doctor I haven't left Matteo's side. Actually, I haven't stopped touching him. I am either hugging him, holding his hands, making him carry me, at one point I literally attached myself to his leg because he had to change his shirt.

I texted Micheal letting him know I was busy today so he would have to take care of business. It is kind of a test to see if loyal he is to me or if he's just waiting for a chance to take over.

I don't worry about that though. I just think about Matteo.

"Okay, now that you're awake. As our nineteenth question, I want to know if you heard everything I said."

"Yup, every bit of it. You're the only reason I was able to wake up. Listening to your voice gave me the strength to wake up and not give in to the darkness."

"Aww- wait! Did you hear everything? Even my story of when-"

"Of when you got your tampon stuck in your, what was the word you used? Oh right. 'hoo ha'. Yup I heard that." he laughs at me but I just stand there mortified.

I look at the time and see that it is eight at night.

"Look at the time, I guess we should go to bed now." All I want is to fall asleep next to him and finally get a good night's rest.

"I don't want to sleep. I've been asleep for two months already."

"Okay well, I've been awake for two months so I'm going to sleep and you are going to hold me. Don't let go. Don't move. Don't leave me."

I meant the last part as more than just don't leave me in the bed alone. I meant it as don't leave me ever. Don't break up with me. Don't die. Don't make me do anything alone.

I cuddle up against him in bed. I let his warmth spread throughout my entire body. A feeling I having felt in a while. I take in his scent and quickly drift off to sleep.

***

In the morning, Matteo is already awake. I assume he never went to sleep. I don't blame him. I catch him up on anything I forgot to tell him.

We are both extremely busy and work extra hard for the entire week so that way we can try to have some free time.

When Saturday comes around Matteo lets me know he is taking a week off for us to go on a vacation.

"Matteo, I also have a mafia to run. I can't take the week off."

"Just put Micheal in charge for the week."

"I don't know if I can trust him yet."

Matteo sighs, "Fine. I will have Enzo keep an eye on him while we are gone."

I agree only because I realize that Matteo won't let me not go.