Ending Innocence (boyxboy)

Chapter Twenty Three

There are times in our lives that we learn what it means to love. That love can only be saved if we fight hard enough to keep it alive.

Caden’s POV.

He’s been sedated for days now. Every so often I just stop thinking and look at him. Just look. Yeah, it’s a sappy thing to say. But after the hell I’ve been through I think I deserve sappy. We both do. He’s resilient. I know he will wake up again and we will get him better… again. I’d do anything to erase those two weeks he was with those nasty, evil bastards. And that’s what they are. Bastards. Nothing I could ever do to them would ever be enough. I could shoot Jaxon dead and he wouldn’t suffer the way Luca did. He would probably be happy. It would get him off scot free and then he would try something else. As for Michael… Well, I don’t want to talk about that cunt. He’s as good as dead if I ever get my hands on him. They both are.

“How is he doing today?” Angelo asks me as he walks slowly into the room. He’s not left any more than I have. The others have all gone and gotten something to eat or went home to shower. But neither of us can find it in ourselves to leave. Not with Luca so sick.

“He…” I choke on a sob. “He hasn’t shown any signs of waking up. None. I’m just trying not to worry.” I look over to the old man sitting in front of me. The old sickly looking man. He looks even paler than he did a few moments ago. “How are you holding up?”

Angelo says nothing for a long time. He just touches his grandson. Caresses the hand laying limp on the blanket. His eyes cloud over with tears. He hasn’t cried since we found him. He hasn’t cried at all. This whole ordeal has been hard on him, though. All you have to do is look at the man to see that. He looks defeated.

“I’m doing fine,” he lies. “No one should be worrying about me. Luca is the one who needs our concern, our love.”

I nod and we lapse into a worry filled silence. My heart breaks every time I look at the machines. At first, those machines were all that kept him alive. He was brought in malnourished, dehydrated, with a lot of blood loss, and internal injuries. His brain is still a concern for the doctors. They have said it could be permanently damaged. But they can’t tell for sure until he wakes up. If he wakes up. As they have said. If. The word tastes bitter on my tongue. There should be no if. He should be awake and talking. He should be telling me he’s fine, and I should be able to tell him I love him and not be wondering whether he can hear me or not. Of course I do tell him. Every chance I get, I tell him repeatedly. But I want to know he hears the words. I want to know I’m not talking to myself.

“Eliana will bring us some food in a while.” Angelo says out of nowhere.

“Oh,” is all that comes to mind. “That’s... good. Thanks for letting me know.” I feel stupid for saying it. But what else can I say?

“She wants to hug you, you know. I know she worries that you will die before Luca has the chance to wake up. Now, I’m only saying this because I have come to see you as a grandson,” he says with a soft voice. His eyes bore into mine and he sighs. “I know you love Luca. I do. But, I think it would be a mistake if you allowed yourself to die before anything else happens. Not that you should let go either way. Luca would not want that.”

He scratches his head and looks around the room. “I am doing this all wrong. But I can see you giving up. It’s in the eyes.” He points to his own eyes and then mine. “And I understand how you feel. To be perfectly honest, I have felt the same way. But think of how Luca would feel if he woke up and heard you died. Do you think he would want to live without you? Because I know for a fact he would not.”

I stare at a broken man. And the truth is he is broke. He’s losing his youngest daughters youngest child. He is seeing his family torn apart by an almost loss. The loss of a child. I guess in many ways he will always be a child in some ways. His own was stolen so viciously and violently. He never had the chance to enjoy being carefree and young. But I also see the grief of a man who has a special connection with a person. And their bond is special. Actually, and I don’t mind saying this, it’s probably one of the strongest bonds Luca has with anyone. Maybe even stronger than the bond we share. Because the bond he has with Angelo has lasted from infancy to a teenager. It has survived hell and it’s only strengthened whatever they have. And it’s taking its toll on the man left to watch the light in his grandson’s eyes fade as he slowly dies.