WOULD YOU RESCUE ME?

66.Shattered Strength

The minutes stretched on like hours as the group sat in uneasy silence, their earlier conversations drowned out by the weight of Vanessa's absence. Astra's emerald eyes flicked repeatedly toward the door Vanessa had walked through, her fingers drumming anxiously on the edge of the table. Maya, seated across from her, mirrored the tension, her gaze sharp and restless as she glanced between Astra and the empty doorway.

Finally, both women spoke at the same time.

"I should go check on her," Astra said firmly, already beginning to push her chair back.

"You should go check on her," Maya added, her tone echoing the same urgency.

Simon held up a hand, his calm demeanor cutting through the tension. "Wait," he said evenly, his blue-gray eyes meeting theirs with quiet determination. "Let me go. You've both been in the thick of this all night. You're upset, and she'll sense that. Maybe I can get through to her without her feeling pressured."

Astra hesitated, her lips pressing into a thin line as her gaze darted toward Maya. The other woman nodded reluctantly, her expression a mix of agreement and worry.

"Fine," Astra said at last, her voice tight. "But if you're not back in five minutes, I'm going after her."

Simon gave a small nod, his calm expression softening into something more reassuring. "Got it," he said simply. He stood, adjusting his jacket as he moved toward the bathroom. Just before disappearing through the door, he cast one last glance back at the table, offering a subtle smile that seemed to say, I'll handle this.

Astra watched him go, her chest tightening with a mix of frustration and helplessness. She hated not being the one to go after Vanessa, but a small part of her knew Simon was right. Vanessa needed calm, and right now, calm was the one thing Astra couldn't give her.

She stood abruptly, drawing Maya's curious gaze. "I need to make a call," Astra said, her voice clipped as she stepped away from the table, her phone already in her hand.

Outside, the cool night air hit Astra like a wake-up call. She paced along the sidewalk, the phone pressed tightly to her ear as it rang. When Giorgio's familiar voice answered, tinged with concern, Astra's resolve faltered for a moment.

"Astra?" Giorgio asked, his Italian accent a bit stronger over the phone. "Is everything okay? Why are you calling?"

Astra exhaled sharply, trying to steady her voice. "She's fine," she said quickly, wanting to calm him before his worry escalated. "Vanessa's fine. Mostly. But... there's something you need to know."

The shift in Giorgio's tone was immediate. "Mostly fine? Astra, what's going on?"

Astra explained everything in a rush, her words tumbling over one another as she recounted the events of the night: the confrontation with Ben and Jack, the punches that had undoubtedly worsened Vanessa's injuries freshly healed, and Vanessa's refusal to go to the ER.

"Ben hit her right where her ribs were already weak," Astra said, her voice trembling with anger and frustration. "I think they're broken again, even Maya told her the same thing. She's in pain, but she won't listen to me."

Giorgio's sharp intake of breath crackled over the line. "What the hell, Astra? Why didn't you take her to the ER immediately?"

"She won't go!" Astra snapped, her own frustration boiling over. "She keeps insisting she's fine, but I know she's not. I called you because I need to know I'm not crazy for thinking she needs to be seen by a doctor tonight, no matter what she says."

"You're not crazy," Giorgio said firmly. His voice was tight with anger, though it was clear it wasn't directed at Astra. "Vanessa's stubborn, but this is serious. You need to get her checked out. I'll call Michele and let him know what's going on. He'll agree with me, and we'll both call her and try to convince her."