The King of Italy by Kent Heckenlively

Author:Kent Heckenlively
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781956763966
Publisher: Arcade
Published: 2024-09-15T00:00:00+00:00

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SIX MONTHS LATER, Vincenzo paced in the hospital waiting room. Since he’d seen Mr. Patrio, he’d obtained men from other sources. Not as good as he wanted, but adequate. Jacquetta’s pregnancy had been without incident. She hadn’t gained fifty pounds as before and seemed as happy as he’d ever seen her.

Early that morning she’d awakened him and said, “It’s time.”

Vincenzo had everything packed and ready to go. It meant a great deal to go with her, unlike Dante who’d been with his mistress while his wife was in labor.

But the doctor’s warning terrified Vincenzo. The delivery could kill her. He looked at Nick, Rosina, and Alex on the hospital waiting room couch and felt vaguely cheered. He’d called them at five in the morning, and they’d come within the hour.

“Do you want a cigarette?” asked Nick. He pulled out a pack of Lucky Strikes.

Vincenzo accepted a cigarette and a light. Taking a deep breath, he let the smoke snake down into his lungs. “She means everything to me,” said Vincenzo. “I told her I didn’t care if we had kids as long as I had her.”

Rosina gave him a fond look. Vincenzo knew she approved of the way in which he’d taken care of Jacquetta in comparison to Dante. At one family event, she’d taken him aside and asked, “How is it living with my sister?”

“Great,” he’d told her.

“She’s not too much?”

“No, she’s just right.”

Dr. Sheffield approached, looking much older than when Vincenzo had first met him. His hair had thinned, and his eyes were sunken like a corpse. Vincenzo wondered if the man would live out the year. He put a hand on Vincenzo’s shoulder. “There’s a problem,” he said.

Vincenzo felt his legs go weak. No escape. He cursed himself, thinking he should have taken Mr. Patrio’s offer. If he’d done so, the doctor would not have the look of death on his face. Vincenzo would’ve undergone any form of unimaginable torture to have prevented this moment. But he had to know, like Pandora had to investigate the evil box and release untold woe on mankind. “Is s-she. . .?” was all he could force himself to ask.

“She’s unconscious,” said Dr. Sheffield. “She lost a great deal of blood, like she did in her last delivery, but it was worse this time. She will not be able to have any more children.”

“But will she survive?”

Dr. Sheffield looked down. “Nobody can say. Sometimes they pull through, other times, well, they. . .” He let his words hang.

“And the baby?”

Dr. Sheffield’s expression brightened. “You have a beautiful baby daughter, Mr. Nicosia. I was just going to have the nurse bring her to you.”

“No,” said Vincenzo. It felt wrong to see his child while his wife lay fighting for her life. “I will not see my child until Jacquetta is well.”

“But Mr. Nicosia, that’s not necessary.”

Vincenzo gave him a look like a wolf ready to pounce, and the doctor quickly backed off. “All right. If you want, I can take you to see your wife.

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