Chapter Thirty-Two:
Spinelli could here someone walking up to the door. 'Probably just a nurse.' he thought. Then footsteps stopped outside his room and stayed there for what felt like forever. To say he was shocked when the door opened would be an understatement. Standing in the doorway was the last person he had ever expected to see ... his father. Somehow, Sonny looked almost as shocked at the fact that he was truly there as his new-found son did.
Slowly Sonny stepped in the room and closed the door. "Hey." he finally said in an attempt to break the awkward silence. "Hello." Spinelli replied as he tried to search the man's face for the true reason he was there. There was another long silence before either of them spoke. "You sure picked a feisty one." Sonny commented, "It takes a lot to put me in my place when I'm being an idiot. Maxie's pretty good at it.".
The young man was almost surprised at the quick chuckle he heard from himself. "That's my Maximista." Spinelli replied. Sonny sat down, satisfied that it felt a little less hostile in the room now. He took a deep breath. "She really told me off. Everything she said was right though. I was being an idiot." the older man admitted to his son. Spinelli was speechless, he simply waited for Sonny to continue.
"I was ... I was embarrassed that I had treated my own son so horribly. I was afraid you would be in even more danger if I accepted you as my son. And ... I was ... I am afraid..." Sonny trailed off, unsure of home to say what he needed to. Spinelli felt the tears in his eyes as he fought them back. "You're afraid I'm going to die." he almost whispered. His father nodded. "I ... I don't want to lose you now. I don't know if I could take it." he admitted. There was a long silence before Sonny continued. "But I was being selfish. If there's anything Michael should have taught me it's that my life shouldn't be about me. It should be about my children - all of my children - and spending all the time I can with them." he softy told his son as he fought back tears.
Spinelli franticly searched his mind for the right words. "You're going to have to spend a lot of time with me then, because I don't plan to die anytime in the near future." he finally said. The Sonny did the last thing Spieling had excepted him to do - he hugged him. That was all it took for the last of the wall between to two men to break down. They sat for the next hour or so discussing everything they should have been able to for their entire lives. Finally, Sonny decided to broach the subject he was most afraid off. "So, how are you doing?" he asked his son. Spinelli was startled at the sudden change of topic, but he answered. "The doctor says it looks good. They don't know for sure yet but he said it appears to be taking." he said with a smile. His father returned the smile. "That's the best news I've heard in a long time." he replied.
Author's Note: That real life thing has decided to remind me of it's existence lately. I don't plan to EVER go this long without updating again!