by Judy Serrano
I woke up in a hospital room and Johnny was sitting next to me holding my hand. The smell of antiseptic and old people tickled my nose causing me some nausea. Then I remembered. “My dad!” I shouted. “Oh my gosh, my dad!” Johnny jumped up as though I had awakened him.
“Your dad is fine. The bullet went right through his shoulder, that’s why the vase behind you shattered.”
“Was I shot?” I began to check my body for holes.
“No baby, you’re fine.” I looked around to evaluate the situation. “Then why does my head hurt?”
“You fainted. You’re good.” I looked at him and he seemed almost amused. “You have a few cuts on your arms from the glass and a bump on the head but that’s about it.”
“Johnny, what happened?” A nurse walked in and looked over at us suspiciously. Johnny gave her a nod and she left the room.
“Ray saved your life,” he answered. “After you fainted, Ray shot Rudy.”
“I thought Rudy shot me.”
“No, that second shot you heard came from Ray’s gun.”
I was astonished. “Oh no.” I was still trying to understand this. “Is Rudy …” I tried to catch my breath, “dead?”
“Yes, Rudy is gone,” he answered. “Better him than you.”
“You seem pretty okay with this,” I pointed out to him, a little bewildered. I wondered why he wasn’t more upset.
“He was eating up too much of my profits anyway.” He smiled. “Okay, I’ll try to be more sensitive.” He started stroking my hair. “It’s time to go, baby. I have to move you.” I remembered my father saying that to me just before Rudy shot him.
“I need to see my dad.” I started to get up when my mother appeared in the door.
“That young man at the door with the gun… he worked for you?” She had her arms crossed in front her body.
Johnny said nothing. “Lilly, we warned you time and time again; stay away, stay away. Well if you can’t stay away, I guess it’s up to me then.” She uncrossed her arms and her eyes changed. “Get the hell out of my house and don’t come back until you lose this piece of trash!” She stormed out of the room.
“Johnny, I’m sorry.”
“I’ve been called worse. But seriously Lilly, you need to get out of here for a while.”
“John, I don’t feel so good. I think this is just too much for me.” I started to feel overwhelmed and things started getting cloudy in my head. “I don’t want to leave you.”
“I have a friend who works in Las Vegas as a leasing manger. She said she would find you a job leasing and hook you up with an apartment. Just until things settle down here. I don’t think you’re made for this kind of life, Lilly.”
“Johnny, I know nothing about leasing apartments, and I don’t want to leave you.” I grabbed his hand and put it on my cheek.
“She’s a really good teacher.” He smiled. “Time to get going.” He pulled his hand away and started handing me my clothes.
