Laura didn’t let go until the nanny’s face turned an alarming shade of purple. As soon as she released her grip, she slumped back against the headboard, her eyes wandering, lost. “Where’s Franco?” she asked quietly, her voice almost too soft to hear.
The nanny clutched her throat, struggling to breathe. Each inhale sent a sharp ache stabbing down her windpipe, but she forced herself not to cough, not to make another sound.
When Laura glanced over again, the nanny jumped, fear etched in every line of her face. “Laura… I won’t say another word. I promise.”
“Later, call Franco. Tell him I’m really not well,” Laura murmured.
The nanny nodded so quickly she looked dizzy.
She tried calling Franco. Every time it rang, she got the same automated message. She didn’t dare tell Laura that Franco wasn’t picking up. Instead, she just said, “No answer, maybe he’s busy.”
She tried calling again in the afternoon. And again in the evening. Over and over, nothing changed. Not once did Franco pick up. The worry gnawed at her. Had Franco really decided to abandon Laura this time?
***
In the hospital’s special intensive care unit, a doctor spoke to Franco in a gentle whisper. “The baby’s finally fast asleep. You can lay him on the bed now.”
Franco had held that position for nearly two hours. He sat rigid on the edge of the hospital bed, not a muscle relaxed. He glanced sideways, watching the little boy sleeping on his shoulder. The baby’s head was nestled against his neck, cheek squished. His tiny lips had fallen open, a thin line of drool soaking Franco’s shoulder. Every now and then, he let out a faint little snore, mixed with the softest whimper, almost like he was still crying even in his dreams.
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