•|Their Joy|•

39.

Antonio scrambled closer to Allegra and nestled her to his chest.

His eyes clashed with the rest of his brothers, who nodded.

"Alle, listen to me. Look up." Antonio propelled Allegra to look at him with his fingers on her face. "The bullet skimmed your backbone. And the doctors said that- that maybe it is a momentary injury and you might walk again but for that, we have to do surgery."

Allegra wiped her tears and said nothing. Her stillness frightened the boys. Their panicked gazes landed on Leonardo, whom himself looked powerless. "Alle-"

"I'm fine!" Having stated that, she closed her eyes and shut off the real world.

"This is messed up." Matteo swiped his hair off his face and sighed. Marco and Rocco left the room to smoke while Alexander and Alessandro sank onto the couch.

Matteo sat down on the bottom with his back on the bed. Antonio sat nearer to Allegra with his fingers stroking her hand. Leonardo stood by the window, rubbing his eyes with the heel of his palm.

You only care for the blessings when they are snatched!

Half an hour later, Allegra woke up. Her eyes roamed around the room at the exhausted faces of her brothers, who were snoozing off in their spots.

Allegra knew that losing her legs was karma. Calling a crippled kid lego was not the best thing. But in her defense, that kid called her an orphan so it was reasonable.

Tirelessly, she smiled. That kid perhaps cursed me after that. She thought.

Antonio cracks open his eyes to see Allegra smiling. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay." She smiles at him. Antonio was stunned. "You look happy, Alle." He stated. Kissing her forehead, he caressed her hands.

"I'm happy, yes. I just remember calling a crippled kid leggo." Allegra chortles. Antonio smiled, noticing her laugh after a long time. "Alle!" He warned like the older brother.

"He called me an orphan so I called him a leggo." She explains with a grin.

Leonardo, who was listening to the entire chat, shook his head smilingly.

"Who knocked them out?" Allegra pointed at the two pairs of twins. "How long are they asleep?"

"For half an hour only." Antonio responded.

"Wake them up." Allegra grinned evilly.

"No," Antonio responded nonchalantly. Allegra murmured party pooper under her breath before lying down. Her gaze went down to her blanket-covered legs, "I'm so fucking useless, now."

Leonardo's gaze cuts down to her legs and then her face. "You are not, okay?"

She didn't reply but closed her eyes as tears dribbled down her cheeks. Antonio shared a vulnerable glance with Leonardo who rests his eyes with a sigh.

Matteo, the only person who was not present in the room, entered with the doctor hot on his heels. Allegra's eyes snapped open. "Doctor is here. And he'll make sure you're okay." Matteo indirectly threatened the doctor.

Several minutes later, the doctor left the room with Matteo. While Marco, Rocco, Alexander, and Alessandro woke up. "What did the doctor say?"

"Nothing," Antonio replied.

A nurse entered the room and scanned the IV drip. "The doctor asked to do some tests. And then she is free to go."

"What about her injury?"

Matteo joined. "The doctor said that the x-ray reports will be sent to one of the seniors in America. Then we'll do as he proposes."

Leonardo and Antonio left the room with Matteo. It was just the pairs of twins in the room.