Chapter 7
"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me....
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.
Mia cried on Dom's shoulder as she looked at the casket. Eric stood and quietly cried as he held onto a wailing Abre.
Black moods- black clothes- black day.
The sky was overcast and the air damp. They all crowded around one white casket- all huddled together to keep warm and to seek comfort from each other. Dom looked up as the casket began to get blurry he had to be strong for his sister. He would cry later- alone. It was hard to sink in at first but now that it had he felt as empty as he had when his father died.
Vince and Leon along with Jessie were pallbearers for the service. People were still arriving as the services began. Dom found himself wishing that it would take years to finish with the ceremonies because he didn't want to lay her to rest. They still had so much to do so much to say.
"Dearly beloved, we gather here today to lay to rest a woman who touched all our lives present and past. She was some of our strength and some of our happiness and yes she was some of our pain." The preacher stopped and looked out at the people who were here and the people who were coming. A long black limo had just arrived and the driver got out and opened the door to his passenger.
"She lived her life for the moment and her brother and sister who she leaves behind will miss her dearly." She walked forward and joined the mourners. Abre's tireless crying beat the air like horses hooves.
"No, no, she's not dead I want to see my sister! I want to see her!" She yelled over and over again." Eric tried to quiet her down but she just screamed louder. The woman in black looked at the child and just shrugged her shoulders and walked forward and opened the casket. She screamed when she saw what was inside.
"NO…!"
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Satiana jerked awake and instantly regretted it. Her stomach felt like it would tear apart. She lay back down gingerly and looked around the room. 'Just a dream- just a dream.' She told herself repeatedly. She pulled a sweat soaked hand through her damp hair and looked down at her wet clothes.
There were jackets and car magazines spread all over the floor. The room was dark and quiet except for the steady breathing of her and the other occupants of the room.
'I'm in a hospital.' She did a head count of the people asleep in her room- Jessie, Vince, Leon, Eric, Abre, Mia, and an empty chair right next to her bed. Satiana knew that chair had to be for Dom. If she closed her eyes, she could smell him. She relaxed as she thought of him and she knew her brother was safe.
But she didn't close her eyes because when she did her death stared right at her. 'Death doesn't scare me the thought of leaving my brother and sister alone and defenseless does.'
Her eyes snapped open but this time she didn't shoot out of bed she got up slowly. She placed her feet on the ground and closed her eyes so the world would stop spinning. She stood up slowly and promptly fell.
The door clicked open and Dom stepped in. Satiana looked up and cringed maybe he wouldn't see her. She hated it when people saw her weak like this. She watched as Dom's eyes became accustomed to the dark and he looked directly at the empty bed then down at her.
He walked forward brusquely and bent down to her level. She could tell he looked tired from when he walked in the door but up close, he was a mess. His clothes were wrinkly and his eyes tired and red but still he smiled for her. His eyes sparkled with mischief as a though occurred to him.
"I knew you would wake up I just didn't know you would be inspecting the floor." He whispered to her so he wouldn't wake the others. She smiled up at him.
"Well I was always an overachiever." Satiana said dryly. She tried to stand but her legs were just to weak, so she looked up at Dom pleadingly.
"Where you tryin to go?" Satiana blushed she wanted to do this on her own but she couldn't get up. When she didn't answer Dom raised and eyebrow.
"Fine, he said as he began to get up, you can stay down there." Satiana heard a low-pitched whine and then realized it was coming from her. She looked at Dom in shock as he turned around at the noise.
"Was that a whine Sati?" He smiled down at her. She shook her head.
"No, of course not. I never whine." She said indignantly. She tried to stand up again with the same results. Dom looked down at her amusedly.
"Fuck it Dom, I need to go pee, will you help me up, or do I have to go on the fuckin floor?"
"That's all you had to say Sati." Dom said as he picked her up in his arms. He looked into her eyes and smiled sadly.
"I'm sorry." Satiana said quietly as he looked down at her. She really was she hadn't meant for any of this to happen. Dom used his other hand to push up her head gently so she was looking at him
"I'm sorry too." Satiana's eyes burned into him. 'Why are you sorry it was all my fault.'
"It was my fault I got drunk, I got jealous I…" Dom put his finger over her mouth.
"I wanted you to be jealous so I played along with Monica. I wanted to see you angry and hurt- I thought I wanted to see you hurt like you hurt me- but the truth is I don't want to see anything hurt you. I felt like a jackass when I saw you come out of the bathroom. And when I saw you lying so still like that God help me I almost died. I don't know what went through my mind but I know I broke the sound barrier to get you to this hospital." He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her. Dom couldn't move. His body just seemed happy where it was- solid to solid- hard to soft. After a while, Satiana's tired body began to talk again and she started to squirm.
"Uh Dom the bathroom." She whispered.
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A woman in a blue dress walked down a long corridor. At the end of the hall, she saw a door with two intertwined dragons. One dragon was pure shining gold and the other was a black onyx. She knocked on the door and walked in.
There were three men inside who turned to her as she entered. She bowed in respect for them.
"Reki what is it? You know I'm not to be disturbed when I am in a meeting." She looked at the old man behind the desk and nodded vigorously.
"AA (AA= yes in jap.) Mr. Lee but I thought this was very important." The young men on the other side of the desk laughed.
"You thought… Reki, you thought… There is nothing for you to think." A man in a black suit said as he stared at the woman. Reki wanted to beat the hell out of the man but knew better instead she opted for the direct approach.
"Mr. Lee it's your family." Everything was silent now as she spoke. He motioned for her to go on as she stopped.
"Your granddaughter called and said a man named Tran is trying to kill your grandson. She said she never asked you for anything but now she's telling you to help take care of your grandson." The old man looked at Reki and nodded.
"I understand, find out everything you can about this problem and then book everyone in this room a flight to America. You too Reki." The woman bowed and exited the room thankful that she had made it out alive.
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Mia looked at Satiana happily. She had been a little weak but she was recovering nicely considering. None of them had been to the races and Dom had never let Satiana out of his sight he barley let Mia close the door to her own room if Satiana was with her. Satiana had on a white halter-top and some blue shorts while Mia had on some kapri pants and a red tank top.
"I have to tell you something Sati. There's this guy I met the day you got hurt we like clicked. You have to let me borrow your red dress. I mean it is like the hottest thing I've seen." Satiana shook her head.
"No…" Mia stopped cold she couldn't believe Satiana would refuse her. They were pals.
"First of all it wouldn't fit you. Second its not your style and most importantly they have seen me where it. I have the perfect dress for you though." Satiana smiled as Mia hugged her. But then the hug got painful.
"God, Mia I get the picture please let go that hurts." Mia let go quickly. The bandage started leaking around the stab wound on her stomach.
"OH I'm so sorry I forgot!" Dom opened the door to see what was going on.
"Shit Mia, what the hell did you try to do?" he said walking forward into the room." He looked down at the bandage and swore. Mia backed up and when Dom turned around, she stopped like a deer in headlights.
"I just hugged her Dom I forgot she was hurt." Satiana saw him glare at Mia and didn't feel up to stepping between a full-blown fight.
"Dom it was my fault I hugged her. Don't get mad at your sister because of me." Dom looked down at Satiana and sighed. He could never stay mad at her or his sister. It was just too hard.
Dom picked her up and carried her down stairs. No matter how much she hated it- well and to a certain extent loved it- Dom carried Satiana everywhere. Ever since the stabbing he had been her personal trainer.
'Oh God I love the night training the best.' Satiana thought wickedly. Her brother looked up as they entered the living room and Dom passed right by the TV that the guys had been watching. Vince threw up his hands and moaned.
Dom just looked at him then looked at the TV quite effectively shutting him up.
Dom turned the corner, walked into the kitchen, and set Satiana on the counter. He began taking the bandage off and stopped when Satiana hissed. He looked up at her questioningly his warm hands still on her cold skin.
"It hurts that bad?" Dom asked. Satiana could see the anger in his eyes as he looked at her wound. She placed her hand on his cheek and felt him flinch.
"No it doesn't hurt you're just a whole lot warmer than I am." Dom clutched her hand and then brought it to his lips. He looked up at her and smiled.
"I know of one way we could get that temperature of yours a little higher Sati."
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"Your room will be 427 Mr. Lee and I hope you have a comfortable stay at the Hilton." The desk clerk said as she handed the old man his card to get into his room. He nodded to her and then turned away from the desk and to the two men and a woman standing behind him.
"Get the bags and meet me up there." He turned and walked to the elevator leaving them to the bags.
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Will they take the old geezers baggage Will Satiana get a little warmer or will Vince and the TV Elope…. You'll find out in the next exciting episode of (Music plays) its your neighborhood
