Chapter 2
Isabella's POV
"Jesse please be ok, please be ok." I repeat over and over in my head. My hands are trembling. My heart is racing so fast and I am having trouble breathing. I just pray that Jesse will make it through this. I place my hand on Mia's shoulder to comfort her. I just wish I had someone to comfort me. Aria is sitting in her seat quietly. She can feel the tension. I hope that Dom is safe, wherever he is.
We have arrived at the hospital. I park the Jetta and grab Aria out of the backseat. Mia and I run through the doors to the emergency department. "Excuse me, a family member was brought in here with gun shot wounds to the chest. We need to know his condition."
The young nurse at the counter looks up at me, "What is his name?"
"Jesse Allen."
"Mr. Allen has been taken to surgery. He is listed in critical condition. You will need to go to the waiting room. Please follow the yellow line to the elevator and take it to the fifth floor. Exit the elevator and check in at the nurses' station."
"Thanks." We follow her instructions and head to the fifth floor. The nurse at the station is very polite and walks us to the waiting room. She says she will keep us informed of Jesse's surgery. I set Aria on the floor and let her play with some of her toys. Mia stares at her. "Mia, I didn't have a chance to introduce you to Aria, your niece. Aria, say hi to Auntie Mia." Aria looks up at her and waves.
"Hello Aria. Bella, why didn't you tell us that you had a baby?"
"I was angry and I wasn't sure how Dom would react."
"He would have been upset, but he would have gotten over it."
"I doubt he would have gotten over the fact that his sixteen year old sister was pregnant."
"Where is her father? Better yet, who is her father?"
"I want to tell her father first and then I will tell you."
"So, you were pregnant when you left for college."
"I didn't know that I was pregnant until my second month at the school. Morning sickness was the first clue. It sure didn't help my grades either."
"You should have come home, I would have helped you. Did you at least have someone with you in the delivery room?"
"No, I was alone. It was fine, I had great nurses and a wonderful doctor."
"She is beautiful. So, why did you decide to come home?"
"I hated it there and I wanted Aria to know her family."
"She is beautiful, Bella."
Mia's cell phone is ringing. "Hello. Is he ok? So he's gone. Do you know how Vince is? Call me if anything changes."
"Mia, what is wrong with Vince?"
"He is in the hospital. That is all I know."
I know that she was keeping something from me. Mia had always been a terrible liar. She was also terrible at keeping secrets, so I know that she will eventually slip up.
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It has been three hours of sitting in this waiting room and I am going crazy. I want to know what is taking so long. I have been pacing back in forth with Aria in my arms. It is way past her naptime. The nurse is heading towards us. "Is everything okay? How is Jesse?"
The nurse smiles, "The surgery was successful. Mr. Allen is in recovery. You may see him for a few minutes."
"Thank you." I am nervous about seeing him. Mia and I walk hand in hand into the room. He has wires and tubes coming out from all over. His blue eyes are glazed over from the pain medication. I am fighting the tears that are welling up in my eyes. He is smiling at us. We move closer to him.
Mia is speaking softly, "Jesse we just wanted to come in and check on you and tell you that we love you. We can't stay long." He nods.
"Mia can I have a moment with Jesse." She walks towards the door of the room. "Jesse, I need to tell you something. I am home for good now. I am not going back to college, but that is not what I came here to say. The little girl in my arms, she is ours. Jesse this is your daughter Aria."
Isabella's POV
"Jesse please be ok, please be ok." I repeat over and over in my head. My hands are trembling. My heart is racing so fast and I am having trouble breathing. I just pray that Jesse will make it through this. I place my hand on Mia's shoulder to comfort her. I just wish I had someone to comfort me. Aria is sitting in her seat quietly. She can feel the tension. I hope that Dom is safe, wherever he is.
We have arrived at the hospital. I park the Jetta and grab Aria out of the backseat. Mia and I run through the doors to the emergency department. "Excuse me, a family member was brought in here with gun shot wounds to the chest. We need to know his condition."
The young nurse at the counter looks up at me, "What is his name?"
"Jesse Allen."
"Mr. Allen has been taken to surgery. He is listed in critical condition. You will need to go to the waiting room. Please follow the yellow line to the elevator and take it to the fifth floor. Exit the elevator and check in at the nurses' station."
"Thanks." We follow her instructions and head to the fifth floor. The nurse at the station is very polite and walks us to the waiting room. She says she will keep us informed of Jesse's surgery. I set Aria on the floor and let her play with some of her toys. Mia stares at her. "Mia, I didn't have a chance to introduce you to Aria, your niece. Aria, say hi to Auntie Mia." Aria looks up at her and waves.
"Hello Aria. Bella, why didn't you tell us that you had a baby?"
"I was angry and I wasn't sure how Dom would react."
"He would have been upset, but he would have gotten over it."
"I doubt he would have gotten over the fact that his sixteen year old sister was pregnant."
"Where is her father? Better yet, who is her father?"
"I want to tell her father first and then I will tell you."
"So, you were pregnant when you left for college."
"I didn't know that I was pregnant until my second month at the school. Morning sickness was the first clue. It sure didn't help my grades either."
"You should have come home, I would have helped you. Did you at least have someone with you in the delivery room?"
"No, I was alone. It was fine, I had great nurses and a wonderful doctor."
"She is beautiful. So, why did you decide to come home?"
"I hated it there and I wanted Aria to know her family."
"She is beautiful, Bella."
Mia's cell phone is ringing. "Hello. Is he ok? So he's gone. Do you know how Vince is? Call me if anything changes."
"Mia, what is wrong with Vince?"
"He is in the hospital. That is all I know."
I know that she was keeping something from me. Mia had always been a terrible liar. She was also terrible at keeping secrets, so I know that she will eventually slip up.
************************************************************************
It has been three hours of sitting in this waiting room and I am going crazy. I want to know what is taking so long. I have been pacing back in forth with Aria in my arms. It is way past her naptime. The nurse is heading towards us. "Is everything okay? How is Jesse?"
The nurse smiles, "The surgery was successful. Mr. Allen is in recovery. You may see him for a few minutes."
"Thank you." I am nervous about seeing him. Mia and I walk hand in hand into the room. He has wires and tubes coming out from all over. His blue eyes are glazed over from the pain medication. I am fighting the tears that are welling up in my eyes. He is smiling at us. We move closer to him.
Mia is speaking softly, "Jesse we just wanted to come in and check on you and tell you that we love you. We can't stay long." He nods.
"Mia can I have a moment with Jesse." She walks towards the door of the room. "Jesse, I need to tell you something. I am home for good now. I am not going back to college, but that is not what I came here to say. The little girl in my arms, she is ours. Jesse this is your daughter Aria."