Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 116471 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 582(@200wpm)___ 466(@250wpm)___ 388(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116471 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 582(@200wpm)___ 466(@250wpm)___ 388(@300wpm)
I shrugged. “Okay, I think. A little shaken from the accident.”
Giorgia shook her head. “This is the second time you scared me to death. Can you stop?”
I let out a small laugh. “I’ll try.”
She pulled the chair closer to the bed and sat. “I got chocolate truffles for you. Don’t worry, they are without alcohol.”
I smiled and took one of the small treats.
“Do you want to talk about what happened?”
I swallowed the chocolate, then released a small sigh. “You can’t tell anyone, not even Renato, but maybe Samuel will tell him. He’s his best friend after all.”
“I’ll keep your secret.”
I confided in Giorgia and immediately felt a weight being lifted off my shoulders. For the road ahead, both Samuel and I needed support, and Giorgia had always been my best friend.
Pietro picked me up at the hospital with my wheelchair.
“Samuel hasn’t drunk anything since the car accident,” Pietro said as we headed to their mansion.
“That’s a good start.” That was only twelve hours, but I hoped it was really the beginning of him winning this battle.
When Pietro and I entered the mansion, both Ines and Samuel waited for us in the entry. Samuel came toward me, looking his usual sophisticated self, but for once in slacks and a sweater. “How are you?” he murmured.
“Better,” I said.
“And the little one?” He brushed his fingers over my bump.
“Kicking me all morning.”
Samuel smiled, then straightened. Ines took his place and pulled me in a tight hug.
“Would you like a tea?”
I nodded. “I need to have a word with Samuel first.”
Samuel led me toward his father’s office. I immediately noticed that all the liquor bottles were gone from the cabinet. “Dad hid them this morning when I slept on the sofa.”
“That makes sense.”
“You think I have so little restraint?” he asked quietly, stopping in front of me.
“What do you think?”
He sighed and squatted before me. “I know it’ll be hard, really hard, but I know why I’m doing it, and I won’t fail.”
I touched his hand, and he linked our fingers. “I think we should move in with your parents for a few days until the absolute worst of your withdrawal is over. It’s Christmas, so nobody will be surprised if we decide to be close as a family.”
Samuel nodded. “Perfect timing. Trying to get sober during Christmastime.”
“It would be the best Christmas present I could imagine if you didn’t drink until Christmas morning.”
“That’s only four more days.”
“The first few days will be the hardest, and the rest will be hard too. Addiction is a lifelong battle, Samuel.”
I had tried to read any article I could get my hands on in the past few months. I was far from being an expert, but I wanted to support Samuel as well as I could.
“I know. But I’ve never shied away from a battle, and I won’t start now. So will you stay here with me?”
“Of course, I won’t leave you alone.”
“So you still want to be married to me?”
I sighed. “I love you, that hasn’t changed, and I want to spend the rest of our lives together.”
Samuel kissed me lightly. “I’ll make it up to you, everything, the lies, the crash, I swear.”
Ines sat down beside me at the dining table, and she poured herself coffee while I stuck to herbal tea. I’d never been a huge coffee drinker, and since my pregnancy, I abhorred the taste. Not to mention the restlessness I felt due to the caffeine.
Ines had ordered cupcakes from her favorite bakery. “Which one would you like?”
“Passionfruit.” I pointed at the cupcake with white frosting and the orange-black seeds of the fruit on top. I smiled. “I’m still really into everything sour. My lemon water consumption is ridiculous.”
Ines laughed as she took a vanilla cupcake for herself. “Oh, I remember the cravings. Especially with Samuel and Serafina, they were strong, as was my morning sickness.” Wistfulness filled her eyes as she thought about the past.
The thought of being separated from my child brought tears to my eyes. Pregnancy hormones were no joke.
Ines took my hand and squeezed. “I made my peace with it. Deep down, I know Serafina is happy where she is, and that’s enough for me.” She took a small bite from her cupcake with a distant expression. “It was hard for Samuel. Especially because he lost not just his twin but also three of his best friends. He can’t stop blaming himself.”
“I know.”
“He told me about his alcohol problem when he came here from the hospital. I’ve had my suspicions. But I didn’t think it was this serious.”
Relief flooded me that Samuel had found the courage to talk about this with his mother. Admitting to his problem was hopefully the first step toward recovery. I wanted nothing more.
“It is,” I whispered.
“You’re not going to leave, are you?”
I took her hand. “I’ll be honest with you. I considered it. I don’t want our child to find him passed out on the floor stinking of bourbon.”