The Body #4: Nico and Cosi

Chapter 25 (Nico): Well Of Tears

Copyright © 2024 by GroveltoHEA

This wasn't the first time I'd been in a hospital and it probably wouldn't be the last, but there would never be another time that so much hung in the balance within these walls. 

My wife's life. 

Our child's life. 

My life because I knew my heart would just stop if anything happened to this woman I loved more than anything.

Costanza still hadn't awakened, and I hadn't left her side since they'd told me I could go to her room all those hours ago.

"The baby's moving, Costanza," I said softly.

Her nurse had told me to talk to her but to not overwhelm her by constantly running my mouth.

"I've been thinking about names. If it's a girl -- and is it bad that I'm hoping it's a girl? -- I want to name her something as pretty as your name."

Pressing a kiss to her hand, I startled when a hand grasped my shoulder. "You're out of luck, Nico. If it's a girl, we already decided on Janie Junior."

Standing up, still not letting go of Costanza's hand, I turned to face my boss and his wife.

"How is she?" Lucio asked quietly.

"She and the baby are holding their own right now."

"Cosi's going to be fine," Janie said, her eyes dry, her voice calm. "She's strong. She's so strong, Nico."

Some invisible being started pulling up another bucket from my well of tears, and I had to blink them back because no fucking way was I going to let even a single one fall in front of other people. Each one was for Costanza and no one else. But the feral one noticed and suddenly, she was hugging me.

"She's going to be fine," she said stubbornly, pulling back from that brief embrace.

"I know," I said, in case Costanza was listening from deep within her sleep. But I didn't know and I was terrified.

"Why don't you run and get some coffee and food or something or go to the bathroom while we're here?" Janie suggested.

"No. I can't leave her." I lifted our clasped hands a bit. "I'm keeping her here."

Lucio and Janie exchanged a look, then Janie covered our joined hands with her own. "I'll keep her here until you get back, Nico. I promise. She and the girls are my sisters, and I won't let them leave me. I swear to you."

"Speaking of sisters..." Lucio said. "You should fill him in, Janie."

"Sure. So, someone is now taking a permanent nap, and after I was finished keeping her company, she was ready to sleep because being awake was a tad bit too uncomfortable to bear. But we had some good conversations and I know she soon saw the error of her ways."

"And Rocco?"

"Currently waiting for you to bring him the weather report, where it's forecasted that hell will be raining down on him," she said. "I have two men on him and he's locked down until you can visit."

"Thank you," I said to her. 

"Now, just take five minutes," Janie bossed me. "I'm not going to let Cosi go anywhere. You know how I am, and I'll kick her ass if she tries to get away from me."

"Five minutes," Lucio said, backing up his wife. "That's it. You're going to need a break here and there so you're not useless to Cosi when she wakes up."

Looking at Lucio, I couldn't deny he had a point. I asked him to get me a coffee so I could stay awake, and I'd run to the restroom.

"No problem. I'll have one of my men get the coffee and I'll watch over our girls," my friend said. "Ginevra won't let go of her."