Long hours
Last time Gabriel saw his father was on a cot while paramedics were carrying him away in an ambulance.
Despite it was late spring the weather was pretty cold.
For some reason the hospital was full so Gabriel and his family had to wait outside.
They waited one hour without saying anything then a nurse came out from the secondary exit.
"You can come in!" she said.
The hospital was quite full, the nurse guided Gabriel and his family to the waiting room.
"You can sit here!" she announced pointing there empty seats.
"How's Enzo doing?" Annabella asked.
"You have to wait the doctor!" the nurse ordered leaving the waiting room in a hurry.
Gabriel sat on the chair and waited with his mom and brother.
They were staring at a big door, surely the doctor would come out of there with the news.
They saw many people coming in and going out without saying a word.
After some minutes (which seemed an eternity) a doctor came out.
"Mrs. Vitelloni?"
It wasn't adressed to them since their name was Pastorelli.
A blode woman arrived.
"Here's your test results!"
"We have still to wait!" Annabella said trying to calm down her children.
People and doctors were still coming in and out from the big door.
Occasionally Gabriel could hear a name;
"Mrs. Casarosa?"
"Mr. Marcovaldo?"
"Mr. Porcelli?"
"Mrs. Santarosa?"
"Mr. Visconti?"
"Mrs. Benedetta?"
Many names Gabriel heard. At some point he couldn't take anymore. What was the time? He started to fall asleep.
….
"Mrs. Pastorelli?"
Gabriel quickly opened his eyes. His mom was talking with a doctor with a clipboard in hand.
"Doctor, please, how's my husband doing?" his mom asked. From the tone of her voice, she seemed eager for an answer.
For a moment Gabriel thought he heard a voice saying "Your father is dead".
He hoped he was wrong. Even Danny seemed worried.
"Please doctor, tell me!"
"Well…"
A moment of silence.
"Your husband had a serious case of septicemia! We found a serious infection coming from his intestines then it reached stomach and lungs!"
That explained his bad cough.
"His case was so serious we attached him three bottles of antibiotics! He's alive but he's actually sleeping, we also had to give him a big injection of painkillers, he was suffering!"
"Can we go to see him?"
"I'm sorry mrs. Pastorelli but we moved him to the intensive care unit, many of our patients have infectious diseases. We don't recommend to go there right now!"
"Will him be ok?"
"I' dont know ma'am. We made the possible, I suggest you to go home for now. If his health improves we will let you know!"
"I see!" Annabella said resigned.
"Let's go kids!"
It was midnight when tney arrived at home. Gabriel took off his party outfit and wore his pajamas. His brother did the same. They went to sleep without saying anything. Gabriel couldn't sleep that night: a million of thoughts kept him awake.