Chapter 12, Tony's parents

When Michelle opened her eyes, she ound herself in a hospital bed. Her eyes darted across the room where she found Tony who was talking to Jack in low tones. Seeing him, she was able to relax and fell back asleep.

A couple of hours latr she was awake and found Tony sitting next to her—asleep and holding her hand. She smile and slowly let his hand our of hers and watched him sleep. She sat up; she felt a little weak but that was O.K. she was alive and she had Tony.

Michelle didn't remember anything that had happened after her father had drugged her—it was all a blur of images. But she was here, safe, with Tony beside her and that was all that mattered.

"He's been sleeping for about fifteen minutes now," a voice said and Michelle looked up to see that she was not alone—Tony's parents were there.

"What are you guys doing here?" Michelle tried to keep her voice neutral but seeing them brought back so many memories and hardly any present ones.

"Tony called us," his mom answered somewhat stiffly—it seemed that she too, had not forgottent their last conversation.

Flashback:

Michelle walked outside of what had been hers and Tony's home for the last time. The divorce was final and she needed to get the last of her things. She hadn't expected Tony to be home and that had been unpleasant. He wasn't the man she loved anymore and no matter how she had hoped that he would fight for her, he hadn't. She had to accept that and move on.

Sighing, she was about to get in her car when another car pulled up. She groaned at seeing Tony's parents. They had never approved of her, mainly because she wasn't Latino. They blamed her for Tony's drinking and his change in behavior.

His dad went in and his mother stayed out. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to get the last of my things. Tony wasn't supposed to be home."

"What? He's supposed to make you comfortable when you're the one that left him?"

"I really don't want to get into this with you."

"It's just as well. You were never good enough for my Tony. He went to jail because of you. Lost his job because of you. Became a drunk because of you. Now that you're gone, maybe he can be who I know he can be."

Michelle had turned around at that point and got into her car.

End flashback.

"Our son has suffered enough because of you," she continued pointedly. "And now you've dragged him back into this. You should just let him be."

"Mamma!" Tony yelled, startled awake by his mother's voice. He turned to Michelle. "How are you feeling honey?" Tony leaned in towards her and brushed her hair out of face.

"I don't know what you're doing here Tony," his mother tried again. "And did you just call her honey? What is wrong with you?"

"What is wrong with me? Are you honestly that prejudiced mother? Look at Michelle. Look at her. Can't you see that she's been through hell? I lover her mamma and she loves me. And it's because of me that she's suffered all this time."

"Bah. It's because you married her that you got sent to prison, started drinking."

"No mamma it's because of Rodriguez. Remember Rodriguez?"

"Leona or her brother?"

"Both. But her brother is who I'm talking about now. He set me up, he got me to drink and he caused me to not be there for Michelle when she lost her baby."

"Tony-," Michelle tried but he was on a roll and wasn't about to stop.

"And how do I know this? Michelle. Even after I ignored her and shut her out and drank and didn't even know that she'd been to the hospital, she still loved me—knew me enough to know that something didn't add up. She's been trackind down information and finding proof to clear me and she finally did. And I know you wanted me to marry a Catholic Latino and so does Michelle. You've made that perfectly clear from the moment you met her. Well enough is enough! Michelle and I have been given a second chance and if you don't like it, there's the door."

Tony sat back down and looked at Michelle who was crying. "Aah, baby, don't cry."

"Tony-," Michelle couldn't speak then she started coughing and the monitors went off. Nurses and doctors rushed in the room. They ordered everyone out.

"Tony-," his dad finally said something.

"I think you both should leave." Tony didn't look at his parents and instead watched the doctors and nurses go in and out of the room. "Michelle doesn't need to see you here when she wakes up." Tony left them and went back in to check on Michelle.