The Starting Line (Reupload)

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   Eleanora's father had told her that bad things always happened to good people. That those people who dedicated their lives to others, who were selfless ​and generous, always seem to still receive the worst cards in the deck. Over and over again, evil after evil, heartbreak after heartbreak.

He had first told her this when she was 6 years old and she asked him why God decided to take Nonna Alessia to heaven.

"Well, your Nonna was an amazing woman for a long time, Piccolina. She raised good children with good habits, volunteered every holiday, and chose to teach children. Bad things happen to good people. It's not fair, but that's the way it always seems to turn out. But remember this, Nonna is in a better place now and nothing bad will ever happen to her again."

Eleanora had always gone through life guessing at that statement because there was no way it would always turn out that way. Her father was an intelligent man and almost always seemed to be right, but Eleanora was sure he was wrong about that.

But right now, lying in the middle of the hallway, submerged in a pool of her own blood with tears streaming down her face and soft prayers falling from her lips? Eleanora came to two conclusions.

Antonio Vincent Amedeo was always right and bad things always happened to good people.

3 HOURS BEFORE

   "Mark baby, do we have more peanut butter?" Eleanora shouted from the kitchen, searching the cupboards.

Mark walked out of his room, his hair still a little damp from the shower. He puts on his watch and shrugs as he leans against the island. "I don't know, doll. We haven't gone shopping in a while, so my best bet is no."

Eleanora snorted, putting her hands on her hips as she looked at the peanut butter-less cabinet as if it had personally insulted her. Mark chuckled but then frowned as he concluded.

"Wait, you're not even a big fan of peanut butter. Why do you want some all of a sudden?"

Eleanora sighed before opening the refrigerator and grabbing a bottle of water, turning to her bag to put it in there. "It's been hard for me to work morning shifts without eating lately. I get gross and feel like I'm going to throw up on an empty stomach. Peanut butter crackers are supposed to help."

Mark nodded and pursed his lips, finishing closing his watch on his wrist. "I'll get you something from the coffee cart before rounds. Just make sure you don't run away from me, huh?" He teased, moving closer to place his hands on her hips and kiss her.

Eleanora laughed, placing her own hands on his chest, and kissing him back. She heard Josie meow and then walked away from her, looking at her boyfriend to notice Josie's empty bowl of food. She lifted his hand from her waist to look at the watch on his wrist before walking away from him to give Josie food.

"We have to get moving in the next five minutes if you want to be able to get me a chocolate croissant."

"Who said anything about a chocolate croissant? Do you think I'm made of money?" Mark joked, but he still ran into the bedroom to grab his things.

Eleanora laughed, leaning down to scoop the food into Josie's bowl. The cat rubbed against her leg, purring. Eleanora scratched the top of her head for a moment before standing up and grabbing her bag.

Mark leaves the room with his things, kissing his girlfriend's face as they hurried out of the house. In their haste to leave, Eleanora and Mark didn't notice Eleanora's phone, which was sitting on the counter when she was looking for peanut butter.