One day in Brooklyn

Chapter 25

Vito's POV

Adrian runs down to me and sits with her legs folded underneath her. Her skirt flows out all around her like a bed of satin. She gently pulls my head so that it is resting in her lap. My breaths become harder to take and my heart, I can feel it pausing. I know it won't be long.

Adrian tries to comfort me and keep me with her. I push off her attempts; I just need to tell her one thing before I go. Then, I will be at peace.

"St-stop." I stutter and she hushes to see what I say. Now there are tons of people around us. "Adrian, I-I, "I stop, licking my lips and closing my eyes, briefly.” You went a couple days without me I did that to show you, you can live without me. I love you sister, forever." I say

I see tears start flowing heavier down her cheeks and I close my eyes.

There is the brightest most pure light, and then I am done with all of the pain. It is as if the light sucked it out of my soul, I am healed. Now, I will see my father.

Adrian's POV

The concert started and if I can say anything it is that it is amazing. All of the instruments helping to carry each other is amazing. There were happy songs, sad songs, and some in between. I am not a music expert though Vito so many times would try to tell me things and teach me so I would understand. It was a lost cause.

As they all take a bow and exit off to the stairs my eyes are on Vito. He stumbles down a couple steps but it is barely noticeable. I start to stand up trying to get a better view of him. As he starts up the center aisle he falls.

I run with everything I have, kicking off my heels and hiking up my skirt. It takes a while for the others to see what I am doing. I trip and slide down to where Vito lays sick on the ground. Gently I pull his head into my lap and stroke his dark hair.

"It's okay, it will all be okay." I coo trying to get his heartbeat back to normal.

His face is beaded with sweat I pull down the collar to his shirt and see the revolting tumor. It is most definitely worse than it was a few days ago. I look away in order not to puke. When I look back down at his face his eyes are fluttering closed.

"No, no, Vito, no, stay with me. Come on look at me. No, no, please." I beg as I turn his face toward mine.

"St-stop." He stutters and I hush to see what he says. Now there are tons of people around us. "Adrian, I-I, "He stops licking his lips and closing his eyes, briefly.” You went a couple days without me I did that to show you, you can live without me. I love you sister, forever."

His eyes close and tears gush down my cheeks ruining everything that Jo worked so hard to do.

"Vito NO, please no! Come back. You can't be dead! You are still alive! Come on! You promised to stay. You promised!" I say pulling his head up to me protectively. I look down and see a single tear dropped from his eye. I sob and sob because he is gone. I don't care about the people next to me, I just care about Vito.

"Adrian he's gone." I hear my Mother's voice behind me and her hand on my shoulder. I look back with eyes puffy and tearful. His Mother is beside me now. Her hands pull him from me and she hugs him tight against her chest rocking his body as she sobs over her dead son. She lays him down and looks away.

"Vito is dead." I sob over and over as if the realization just hit me. Mother pulls me away from his body so the hospital personnel that came after a brief call can carry it away.

"I'm so sorry." She cries into my shoulder. Then I remember Vito's Mother. I look over to her and she is silently crying and watching me. I run into her arms and hug her so tightly.

We cry together for what seems like hours. But eventually we walk in a daze back to my house. Father opens the door for us confused at all of our swollen and crying faces. He wraps his arms around me and comforts me.

I cry and cry into his chest, leaving tear stains on his shirt. I bury myself from the truth as I shove my fists into his chests a ton of times just hoping to let out all of my anger with these punches and shoves. Anger at my Father, anger at Vito for living, anger at God, anger at the cruel world we live in, anger about everything that has gone wrong.

"Adrian," He whispers into my ear "What happened?"

"Vito," I choke "Died" I sob again and father waits to speak until I am done.

"I'm sorry baby." He says soothing me and stroking my hair

"No, no you’re not! We could have saved him! We have PLENTY of money. You made the decision to stop paying for it and made Mother deliver the news. YOU never saw him in the hospital. You are part of the reason I am sobbing right now." I say angrily at him.

"Don't talk to your elders that way." He says plainly

"I can talk to the people that kill my brother that way if I want!" I scream back

"Adrian, you know it wasn't me. You know that I didn't make the decision alone! It was me and your Mother together." He says and I know he is telling the truth.

"That doesn't mean we didn’t lose a good boy, no, a good man, tonight." I say

I stay crying into my father's chest for a long time. Soon he lifts me up and carries me into my room. He doesn't bother changing me out of my dress, neither do I; I just stay still as he pulls the quilt over me. I cry myself to sleep.

I dream that night.

DREAM

I am sitting on the bench in our rooftop garden. This brings back memories. A hand touches my shoulder and I whirl around blurting "You aren't supposed to be up here.

"But you are?" A familiar male voice says. It is Vito.

"Vito, I ask looking at him fully. He is wearing a nice black suit and his tumors are gone. His skin is the healthy pale creamy color it always is.

"Hello, Ian." He says calling me by the nick name he gave me years ago.

"I missed you so much." I say hugging him tightly. I am going to miss his hugs.

"I've only been gone a few hours." He says pulling away

"I know but I still have missed you."

"Adrian, I came here to tell you to move on. Don't spend your life stuck on me, okay? I am now in your past. Live a fruitful future and make me proud. Be the strong woman I know you are. Find love, marry your true love, make mistakes, and do it again. You live every day, Adrian, but you only die once." He says grabbing my shoulders he says "You can live without me, so go, and live your life without regrets. I love you." He completes his thought.

"I love you too, forever." I say. He holds my hand and comes around to sit on the opposite side of the bench from me. He pats his lap and I lay down using his legs as a pillow. He strokes my honey gold hair.

"Go to sleep, sister." He says and I do. He fades away and I am sleeping in the dark.

Dream End