From Now On I Grow Toward Spring Chapter 08
He felt like he had forgotten something important.
He couldn’t sit still in the hospital room. He got up, went outside for some air, and called the restaurant.
“Sorry, sir. We haven’t seen a lady matching that description today.”
After the call ended, he stood motionless, his fingers clamped around the phone.
Trying to be helpful, Sofia said, “My sister probably just got held up. She wouldn’t deliberately refuse to get the soup. Maybe we should wait a little longer? I don’t mind.”
My parents took her hands and started complaining about me again.
Matteo listened, but all he could see was the look on my face just before I’d gotten into the car.
Just then, a nurse in the triage area was speaking to an OB-GYN intern.
“Same last name, about the same age, but what a difference in treatment. One gets a tiny cut on her hand and the whole family shows up. The other one injures her leg and still has to come in alone for surgery.”
“I know. She just turned twenty-eight yesterday. She was so happy at her last prenatal appointment, and then today she suddenly came in to terminate the pregnancy. It’s heartbreaking.”
Matteo’s entire body went rigid. In a few quick strides, he was in front of them, grabbing the nurse’s arm.
“Who are you talking about?”
The nurse jumped. “You probably don’t know her…”
“What’s her name?” His voice was strained.
The intern answered quietly, “I think it was Talia Marino.”
“How is that possible?”