July 18, 1997
Chicago, IL
Isabella Mancusi was furious! How dare that social worker insinuate that she could benefit from admission to a Skilled Nursing Facility? So, what if it was her tenth admission in the calendar year. She would be going home, without help, thank you very much!
Except, when she was thumbing through her phone contacts for Dr. Fazzioli's personal extension her eyes latched onto another contact…Eden. Suddenly she had a much better idea than giving Dr. Fazzioli a piece of her mind. In fact, the more she thought about it, she really could use some help, and she knew exactly the person who would be happy to help her. Perhaps if they both played their cards right, they could become family.
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Dr. Ian Thornhart frowned at Claudia Zacchara Mancusi's ventilator parameters. There was no way he could safely extubate her; they were staring ventilator day number nine squarely in the face; and he felt even less hope that he might get the breathing tube out any time in the near future. Initially he had intubated her because of oxygenation issues, that had resolved, but somehow, they had gotten to a point where the poor woman seemed too weak to breathe on her own. Or at least that was the only conclusion he could seem to draw from a spontaneous tidal volume below 200mL.
"So, not today either?" Roberto Salvatore Mancusi asked expectantly as he stroked his wife's hair.
"I'm sorry, perhaps she just needs a few more days to get stronger," Ian said. Her phosphorus levels were really low, and he was replacing that so maybe that would make a difference…maybe.
"Should we be concerned that she is still having fevers and still seems so uncomfortable? It is so hard to see her like this," Mr. Mancusi said.
Ian imagined it was a lot harder for his patient to withstand the rigors and myalgias she likely experienced with every fever spike, but he doubted her husband wanted that reality pointed out to him. "I know it may not seem like it, but we really are doing the best we can for your wife, Mr. Mancusi. Why don't we see how she does after the phosphorus infusion? Perhaps she will be stronger tomorrow and we can get the tube out," he said.
"I know you're doing the best for her. I do. It's just she was never sick like this before. Actually, she was never sick at all," Mr. Mancusi said before he dropped his head down.
"I understand. We'll just have to see I guess," Ian said. Then he quickly backed his way out of the room post haste.
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The sounds of her husband's sobs pulled Claudia Zacchara Mancusi from sleep. She winced at how much everything hurt and the overwhelming nausea. She had lost count of the days, but it was obvious that they were passing without her getting better. Was this where she was meant to tell Bobby it was time to move on?
Their story might not be one of passionate love, but he had always been kind to her, completely faithful, and she trusted him. Did she owe him a final act of kindness? Was she meant to give him permission to pursue Eden Augustino?
As much as Bobby had claimed he had everything, and anything, he had ever wanted she still wondered if he cared about Eden a bit more than he had let on.
December 24, 1996
Claudia Zacchara Mancusi let her husband take her hand as they descended the front steps of his parent's River Forest Mansion. "You're the one I married. You're the one I wanted to marry," he whispered as he opened the door to his Lincoln Continental. They were on their way to midnight mass after celebrating the feast of the seven fishes at his parents' home. The evening had been intimate, his parents; their best friends, Joe and Angelia Augustino; and their daughter Eden. Apparently, Eden and Bobby had dated. In fact, Isabella Mancusi had happily pointed out that Eden had attended the two prior feasts of the seven fishes as Bobby's date.
Or maybe she had. Claudia had caught the face that Angelia Augustino had made when Isabella had taken the whole table on a stroll down memory lane. Perhaps she had just been surprised at her friend's lack of tact or maybe she had even felt badly for Claudia. The latter wasn't necessary. She had married Bobby for safety much more than fidelity. From her standpoint, Bobby was free to continue whatever he and Eden had started he just needed to be discrete. The discretion was for his own safety. Claudia had no delusion that her father cared about her at all. She also had no illusion that his insane attorney wouldn't take any opportunity or excuse to gain additional power for himself.
Bobby reached over and stroked her cheek with a single finger once he got into the car. "I'm sorry," he said.
"You have nothing to apologize for," Claudia said.
"My mother doesn't know what she is talking about," Bobby said.
Claudia smiled. She could agree to that. "If you're still interested in Eden, our marriage doesn't have to stop that," she said.
"Claudia, why can't you believe I love you? I do! I married you because I love you. Between you and me, Mama exaggerates what was ever between Eden and I. We grew up together. Our brothers were best friends and we both lost them too soon. I felt like Nick would want me to look out for her so I did, and I probably always will but that's all there is now and maybe that is all there ever was. Eden may not believe that but you're a lot smarter," Bobby said.
Looking back on the conversation Claudia realized that Bobby was one of the few men who had yet to give her a reason to not trust him. So perhaps she was meant to do exactly that. She supposed there would be plenty of time for Isabella to play cupid after she was buried. Or perhaps the best way to spite her mother-in-law was to live. Could that even be possible?
With great effort Claudia opened and then curled her fingers into her husband's hand.
Bobby squeezed back as he raised his head. "Honey? I'm right here, Claudia. I'm right here," he said. He reached up and started to brush the wisps of hair off her forehead.
Claudia attempted a smile. She was sure with all the tubes it looked like more of a grimace, but it was the best she could do. Her efforts were rewarded a return of the dizzy overheated sensation she had come to know and hate as once again everything swum and faded to black.