Hold My Love

Chapter 51: Gone too Soon

I week after Sammy goes back home I wake up at three A.M with a dry throat and a horrible feeling.

It wasn't the first time I have woken up around this time but today felt different.

I was wide awake.

My grandma used to tell me whenever you wake up around 3-4 am it meant God wants you to talk to him.

So I took a sip of water from one of my many water bottles on my nightstand and then I bowed my head and prayed.

"Dear God, I pray that you will cover this house with the blood of Jesus and I pray that you will send your angels to watch over Giovanni, Less, Lace, Sammy, Valentina and her twins and as well as Beatrice, Lucia and I. I pray that you will hide us under your wings so that no power of hell nor scheme of men could come close to hurting us. And I pray that you will shower the peace of sweet Jesus Christ onto each one of us so that we may find sleep. Amen".

With that I laid back down onto my pillow and fell asleep waiting for the sun to wake me up in the morning.

But instead of the sun waking me up I am wished good morning by the sound of thunder and downstairs I find the girls weeping.

"W-what happened?"

Lucia shakes her head, "Oh Sophia...you need to sit down".

I ignore her and grab my purse that I had left on the couch and fish my phone out.

20 miss calls from Giovanni

17 miss calls from Lace

9 miss calls from Sienna

5 miss calls from Alessandro

Clutching my phone I turn back to Lucia and Beatrice, "What happened? Just say it".

"Valentina is dead".

I shake my head, "WHAT, what do you mean she's dead!"

Lucia pushes me down on the couch, "Esperenza's fever started to get worse around 2 am, Alessandro was not home so she called Fabio to drive her to the hospital. The car was found around 4 am by a police officer on his way home. The twins are at the hospital, Valentina was dead at the scene and Fabio is no where to be seen".

My body goes cold and I blink away tears so I can see my phone as I dial Giovanni's number.

"Sophia are you OK?"

I take a shaky breath, "Valentina...".

Giovanni sighs, "I know baby, I'm sorry".

I stand up, "I'm gonna borrow your car to drive to the hospital. Someone should be there for the twins-"

"No Sophia. The estate is on lock down, no one in and no one out. Stay there it is not safe to go out. Please".

I rub my eyes, "where's Alessandro?"

"He's...handling business with me".

I frown, "Just be safe please...I love you".

"...I love you too baby".

His voice held so much emotion that It was like speaking to someone else.

Hanging up I call Lace.

"Oh my gosh Sophiaaa-"

"I know, I know but I need you to listen real quick. The twins are alone at the hospital-"

"Sienna and I are on our way as we speak".

I close my eyes relieved, "thank you and Gio would thank you too cause I would have left if you weren't gonna go to be honest".

I look over at the teenage girls who were still sobbing, "I'll call you later take care of yourselves and kiss the twins for us. I love you sis".

I don't know why I felt such a need to tell everyone "I love you". Grandma used to say, "Always say I love you because you don't know if it's the last time you'll talk with that person".

Grandma was right but it was too late.

With that I hang up and start cooking breakfast although I know no one is in the mood for eating.

I go back to my room after trying to convince the girls to eat. I hold my Bible as I cry on my knees.

None of this makes any sense.

How did Valentina die but her twins are still alive?

Where is Fabio?

He had to have been part of the plan?

Did God wake me up to pray because of that?

Why did he let it happen?

Did he prevent this from being worse like the twins dying aswell?

"WHERE IS FABIO, THAT SNAKE".

I cover my face with my shirt as I cry. I had to remain strong when I was downstairs for the girls' sake but now I could let the pain I felt go.

Why?

Why?

"WHY!"

Valentina was young, she had so much life to live.

Valentina was a mother, she had two children to raise.

My goodness gracious, her children will never know her.

I uncover my face, clutch the Bible to my heart and scream up at the ceiling.

I cry for Valentina, I cry for her motherless twins, I cry for her family, I cry out of confusion, I cry because I know Fabio had something to do with it, I cry because for the first time in my life I have thought about taking a life.

"Help me God. Help all of us...please".

Did Fabio act alone or was he just the hitman?