Chapter Thirty-five:
Everyone is at the hospital.
"Why haven't we heard anything yet?" AJ in panic mode that something is seriously wrong with Alberto.
"He should be fine. Maybe they want to double check everything." Romeo assures his daughter.
"What if they found something internally?" AJ ponders the worst.
"We just have to wait, princess. Come sit with us."
"Come on sweetie." Angelle waves her over.
"I can't not until I know he is okay." She refuses.
"Please AJ, you are going to worry yourself into sickness." Angelle concern with her only in a t-shirt and jeans.
"Yes, come let us warm you up." Rome tries again.
"Daddy, I don't think I can I am stuck in worry." She can't seem to move herself if she wanted to.
"Okay." Romeo stands up to guide her to their seats. He wraps his arms around his baby girl to give her as much comfort and warmth like when she was a child.
"Why him? Why did they go after him? How do they always sneak pass everyone?" AJ inquires holding her father tight.
"I don't know princess I have Stanley and Phil on the case. They are going to explore the grounds to find any weak spots."
"Maybe this is a sign that Alberto isn't right for me." AJ sighs. Since they hired him these situations continue to happen.
"What?" Angelle and Romeo is shock by her statement.
"Think about it, we hired Alberto and it is a great time for the past few days. After them, everything happens not all at once, but it always happens. Before we hired him everything was perfect after the High School incident." AJ explains.
"You do have a point, princess." Romeo agrees.
"Romeo." Angelle hits him hard.
"Ouch, what was that for?" Romeo rubs his arm.
"We don't know all the facts. We can't agree with her because of her word." She hints that AJ is thinking in the moment.
"Fine." He turns to his daughter. "Princess, do you really think that or are you assuming that?"
"I just don't want anyone else hurt." She snuggles tighter.
"Do you think breaking up with him will do that?" Angelle asks.
"I-"
"Friends or family of Alberto." The nurse announces.
"That is us, is he okay?" Romeo asks.
"He has some fractured ribs and a broken clavicle." The nurse reports.
"Oh my." Angelle utters who now has AJ in her arms completely stunned.
"Can we see him now?" Romeo asks with AJ anxious to see him.
"Yes, he actually requested to see a Romeo Mendez, is that you?"
"It is can I bring my daughter with me?" Romeo questions a bit surprise to hear that he wants to see him and not AJ.
"He only requested you, sir. Maybe when you come back she can."
"Oh okay." Romeo looks at AJ who has her face in Angelle's chest. He hears quiet sniffles.
"Go Romeo, I will comfort her." Angelle assures him.
"I will tell you both how he is." He kisses Angelle's lips before he kisses AJ's head.
"Why doesn't he want to see me?" AJ utters when Rome leaves.
"I don't know. We will find out when your father returns. Do you want anything to drink or eat?" They have been there for about two hours.
AJ shakes her head. "I just want to know how he is."
"I know sweetie."
Romeo arrives at Alberto's door to hear a conversation.
"I understand." Alberto utters. "No, I am not doing that. I can't let her get more hurt. I have to stay away. Of course I want to, but- what you can't be serious. I am not going to-" Romeo knocks on the door. "Hold on a second who is it?" He calls out.
"Alberto, it is me Romeo. The nurse reported that you want to see me."
"Yes, come in. I have to call you back." Alberto replies on the phone. "Hello Mr. Mendez." He greets.
"Hello Alberto, everything good?" He is suspicious with what he overheard.
"Not really, I have a broken clavicle and fractured ribs."
"Yes, the nurse told us. I have to admit I am surprise that you requested me to visit you first." He expresses his confusion.
"About that, I need your permission before I talk to her." Alberto fidgets with his fingers.
"What do you want permission for?"
"I want to resign from all the duties." He replies quietly.
"What, you want to quit your jobs?" Alberto nods. "Why?"
"I think it will be better if I leave now. I thought I can protect her, but I can't. Stanley, Phil, and Anthony can protect her." He keeps his eyes on his hands.
Romeo is speechless about this. He can't believe they both want to separate from each other. "Do you want time to think about this? You were a little out of it during the ride over."
"This is what is best for everyone. AJ needs to find a boyfriend who doesn't cause her to be included in these situations."
"Wow, so you blame yourself for these situations?"
"Yes, when I leave she can go back to her normal life."
"I have to admit I thought you wanted permission to marry her. I was somewhat preparing myself to decline your offer." Romeo now hope that was true.
"I do want to down the line. After she forgives me, maybe we can." He knows how big a risk that is.
"Maybe." He says stunned with everything. "Alberto, who were you talking to?"
"When?" Alberto didn't notice anyone listening to his conversation.
"Before I entered you were talking to someone." He clarifies his question.
"It was my friend from our previous neighbourhood. I ask if I could stay with him when I leave."
"What did he say?" Romeo curious on the full conversation.
"He told me he could if I pay two months' previous rent. He then questioned why knowing I am living with you. He suggests to just live with you to work just as your employee. I replied that I can't stay to be awkward with AJ when we break up. I don't want to hurt her. Having some distances from each other will be better."
"Better for who?" Romeo interrupts.
"Both of us." Romeo scoffs. "He did the exact same thing." He chuckles with a moan of pain afterwards.
"Are you okay?"
"Yup, just painfully to laugh. Anyways, he tested my will to marry AJ. I reply that of course I still want to. He then said I am not welcomed there until I marry AJ. I was speechless that he would say that because I know I want to, but maybe in a few years. After that you knocked."
"Your friend is very wise." He is starting to like his friend.
"He is. He has two children and a wife that depend on him."
"Depend on him?"
"Yup, his wife has severe anxiety. She can't handle too much stress, so he takes care of the important stressful activities. Their children are age four and six, so they help, but not as much with them being still kids. I asked him for me to stay so I can help, but he is focus on my love life." He jokes.
"Someone has to." Romeo half jokes.
"What do you mean?" Alberto is surprise that he agrees with his friend.
"Alberto, you need to ponder long and hard about your decision. Close your eyes."
"I don't-"
"Close your eyes." Romeo states as an order. Alberto closes his eyes. "Imagine your life without AJ." Alberto closes his eyes and several seconds he frowns. That action immediately makes him open his eyes. "Why did you open them?"
"It was awful I wasn't happy at all. I was with my step father at his company doing awful jobs for The Equalizer." He shakes his head to remove the memory.
"Okay, close your eyes again. Now imagine your life with AJ. Imagine what it will be like if you stay together as a couple." Alberto repeats his actions, however this time there is a big smile on his face. His eyes are still close as he can hear her laugh while he sees her beautiful smile. "Alberto, open your eyes." Romeo directs after two minutes.
"What?" He is pissed that he got brought out of it.
"Is it any better?" Alberto nods. "Everyone is happy and smiling." He nods again. "You two both happy. Now, what is better no AJ or with AJ?" Romeo questions already knowing the answer to convince him to break his daughter's heart.
"With AJ. I always know that being with her is the best thing for me, for us. The problem is that I don't want her in the middle of everything."
"That is just who she is, she likes to protect her loves ones. Don't let that feeling of happiness slip away. Don't let anyone or any situation to take her from you." Romeo advises.
"You are right. Mr. Mendez, can you bring her here?"
"I sure can." He smiles that he got through to him. He heads to the door to have Angelle and AJ already there.
"Umm…" AJ blushes that they got caught eavesdropping.
"Cutey Poutey, come on in." Alberto cheerfully accepts. AJ briskly walks to him to give him a hug. Alberto groans in pain. "Sorry." She blushes in embarrassment.
"It is okay it is the good type of pain." He assures her.
"What is the diagnose for my snuggle bun." AJ asks regretting that she ever wanted to break up with him. Seeing him, she wants to be with him forever.
"I have a broken clavicle and fractured ribs." He informs her.
"My poor baby." AJ kisses him.
"Mmm… I needed that." He smiles.
"We will be outside." Angelle grins as Romeo jokingly scowls at the both of them.
AJ giggles as she pulls up a chair to sit on. "You had me all worried." She puts his hand on her cheek.
"I know I did however I couldn't just let them hurt you." He explains his actions.
"Having them hurt you doesn't make me feel any better."
"Hey, you are you the most important person to me. I figured out that I can't live without you. I would be a very different person without you." He assures her with his words.
"Really, maybe I would like that Alberto." She giggles not taking it all to seriously.
"It is true and you wouldn't like him. Without you, I would probably end up like Sergio. I would be working for The Equalizer doing despicable actions." She crunches her nose in disgust. "Exactly."
"I don't want to leave you either. So when do you get discharged from here?" AJ changes the subject.
"Tomorrow, they just want to keep me here overnight."
"Do you mind some company until then?"
"I don't think it is allowed, but I could hide you from the nurses." He plans.
"Alberto, you bad boy." She lightly pushes him as she blushes.
"See what I would become without you." He humours his statement earlier.
"I kind of like bad boys." She climbs in bed with him.
"Do you? How about we be bad and stay here in bed until I get discharge?"
"Sounds like a plan." She snuggles into him.
"Princess-" Romeo enters to see them together on the bed. He smiles knowing just a while ago they both thought of ending the relationship. "Princess." He softly nudges her. AJ turns to see her father. "I am going home with Angelle do you want to stay here?" AJ nods immediately almost not letting her father finish his question. "Okay, I will let the nurses know."
"Thanks dad."
"You are welcome, princess." He kisses her head. Alberto looks at Romeo to mouth 'thank you' as well.
"Did you tell her?" Angelle wonders.
"I couldn't they look so peaceful." Romeo sighs.
"Come on we have to talk to the police officers at home."
"I am having enough of these intrusions." Romeo furious that all his security measures are not preventing anyone from entering their property.
"Maybe we will think of something later." She wraps her arms around his arm.