Metanoia (n.) the journey of changing one's mind, heart, self or way of life.
Part one
Darcy Russo a nine year old girl living in a run down orphanage on the outskirts of Athens, Greece has had to fend for herself for the majority of her life. Bei...
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"But there's been some complications," The doctor says.
I instantly feel my breathing quicken as panic begins to set it. "What complications?" I immediately ask.
"Well, Miss Rosso suffered what we call a clonic seizure which has caused a decrease in the oxygen that the foetuses were receiving and also slowed down their heart rate," She explains whilst flipping through her clip board.
"Wh-What does that mean," I stutter out, knowing the answer won't be good.
"The foetuses are currently in critical condition," She says, making my heart constrict. "Miss Russo's age and petite stature already makes this pregnancy extremely high risk but that paired with the trauma they endured during the seizer makes it very unlikely the foetuses will survive, there's a high chance that she'll miscarry by the end of the night." She concludes solemnly.
My mouth feels dry as I try to get out words but nothing comes out. My leg bounces anxiously as I try to prevent the panic attack I feel approaching. Lorenzo places his hand on my shoulder, trying to stabilise me. "Let's go see her yeah?" He says, standing up.
I remain seated, still trying to process the information that was just given to me.
"Come on man," Angelo sighs, grabbing my hand and pulling me up.
We walk down the cold, bleak hospital corridors before reaching her room. Alonzo goes to knock on the door but his hand doesn't have time to make connect with the wood due to it being opened from the inside.
A nurse stands in the doorway. "Miss Russo doesn't want visitors," She states.
"We're her brothers," Dante tells her. "Yes Miss Russo explicitly said she doesn't want to see anyone, including you," She replies.
"Darcy?" Gabriele calls out, trying to get her attention but to no avail.
"Ask her if I can come in," I ask the nurse, desperate to see her. She turns around on her heels and softly closes the door behind her. There's a few seconds of hushed whispering before she returns.
She nods at me and moves to the side, allowing me in.
It breaks my heart to see her this way. She's hooked up to various different machines and from the look on her face the doctor must have told her the same thing she told me.
"Mi amor," I whisper before cradling her head into my chest. I can feel her softly shake as sobs rack through her body.
"It'll be alright, I promise," I reassure while rubbing her back but in reality I am in no position to be making such a promise. I know for a fact that if we lose these babies nothing will ever be alright again.
"I don't want anything to happen to them," She hiccups, using her sleeve to wipe her shedding tears.
"Nothing will," I tell her with false confidence. "We've just got the stay here for a few days then everything will return back to normal," I smile, trying to be strong for her.
