radicalducati IS HE OKAY?
IS HE OKAY?
Her eyes never left Antonio, as she visualized him little, in front of her apologizing to her about his childish carelessness with his broken toys, like the old times. “Grandma I broke my toy, it's broken, I am sorry… I am so sorry, don't tell mommy and daddy, please”. Little Antonio cried, showing her his broken horse rider toy He had thousands of them, yet he cared about one this much? “Aww fox, we can get a new one, it's not your fault, we all make mistakes, we can get hundreds of those, so you don't have to blame yourself if you accidentally broke anyone, you can just replace it”. “But I don't want a new one, my horse rider will be lonely and abandoned”. “I think you are right, we can fix that, what do you say?” “I love you Grandma, you are the best”. He was the sweetest, not until his parents died, and he was exploited. Hot tears finally spilling over, not on her face but Antonio's. That brought her back to the present time. Surprisingly, he let them fall heavily, no longer trying to mask his pain. “Do you need a hug?” Grandma Elizabeth whispered, her hands spread wide apart. Antonio ignored her. “Come on, shy fox”. Slowly he leaned towards her, she wrapped her arms around him and kissed his cheek. “You have always been a fighter,” she whispered. "And I know you will fight your way through this too”. As Antonio clung to her, his grandmother began to hum a familiar melody. It was the lullaby she used to sing to him when he was a child, a gentle, soothing tune that always brought him comfort. Her voice, though aged, was still clear and filled with warmth. “I am no longer a kid”. Antonio sneered, but Grandma Elizabeth ignored him completely. “Hush, my child, close your eyes, The night is calm, the moon will rise. Dream of peace, dream of light, I'll be here, through the night.” The familiar words wrapped around Antonio like a warm blanket. His tense muscles began to relax, and his breathing slowed. His grandmother continued to sing, her voice steady and comforting, each note a balm to his wounded heart. “This isn't going to work”. He muttered. Grandma Elizabeth was determined. “Stars will shine, dreams will come, rest your head, my precious one. Morning's near, the dawn's in sight, But for now, sleep through the night.” Antonio's eyes gradually grew heavy with time. As the last notes of the lullaby faded into the quiet of the room, Antonio drifted into a deep, dreamless sleep, his head resting on his grandmother's shoulder. She noticed and smiled at him in tears, brushing a strand of hair from his forehead. “Sleep well, my dear Antonio,” she whispered, pressing a kiss to his brow. “I am so proud of you.” As she watched over him still humming the song, the door creaked open, and Courtney, Antonio's cousin, stepped inside. Her eyes were wide with concern but seeing Antonio in that position made her relieved “How is he?” she asked quietly, moving closer. Elizabeth turned to her, her expression stern but understanding. “He’s finally asleep,” she whispered. “Do not wake him. He needs this rest more than anything right now.” Courtney nodded, her worry evident in her eyes. “I just wanted to see if he was okay. And what about Angela, any news?” Elizabeth shook her head sadly. "Wow…that's disturbing, his men are supposed to find her, poor Antonio”. Courtney whispered. "I hope he will be okay, with time and care. Let him sleep, and we can talk about the other downstairs. Help me put his head gently on the couch”. Courtney nodded and walked slowly to Antonio. She was about to pull his head away from her shoulder when Antonio moved by himself. Courtney gasped with a hand over a mouth. Antonio said nothing, but quietly closed his eyes and continued resting. Courtney and Grandma Elizabeth exchanged glances. Courtney walked over to Mama Elizabeth and helped her stand on her feet before she settled down on the wheelchair beside the couch. Courtney gently placed her hands on the handles of Elizabeth's wheelchair and began to push her grandmother out of the room. They moved slowly and quietly, careful not to disturb Antonio's much-needed rest. As they reached the hallway, Courtney glanced back at her sleeping cousin, her heart heavy with concern. “Grandma, do you really think he'll be okay?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper. Elizabeth sighed softly. “I hope so…for now, I am positive. Angela will never hurt him intentionally, that's one thing I know. We must be there for him, now more than ever.” Courtney nodded, her grip on the wheelchair tightening with determination. Even though she got plenty of questions c oncerning Angela. What did she mean by Angela will never hurt him? Hurt him how? Running away from the MONTERO'S?