Two months later***
Isabella's (Dante's mum)home sat on a suburban street. The house had white siding, shutters flanked the windows. Curtains stayed drawn most days. The yard looked neat, with its grass trimmed short, and the flowers were wilted in pots by the door.
But Inside was another story...the air carried a smell of medicine.There was even a hospital bed took up space in her bed room, with tubes and monitors standing nearby.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
Beeps sounded soft, every now and then.
Isabella Ricci, the unconditionally loving mother of the Ricci family, lay bedridden in her bedroom. She was a deeply maternal woman, gentle but emotionally strong. She never stopped believing in Dante.
She shielded him emotionally. She acted as the source of family unity after Marco's( Dante's father) death.
But here she was...with her body covered in sheets to her chest. Her gray hair, even though it was old with age, still looked luscious spread on the pillow.
And the reason for that was because Gina brushed it every morning, and it stayed well-maintained.
Her thick build had already started to thin out due to Illness that took weight from her bones.
Whenever her kids and grandkids visited, she always tried to smile for them and offered no complaints whatsoever.
Her voice came out soft. "I'm okay today."
This became the daily routine...
Gina arrived every day after dropping the twins at school. She helped Isabella eat, spooning soup into her mouth and wiping her chin.
She bathed her, washed her hair, and changed her clothes. She arranged the nurses and measured the medicine doses. Between tasks, she even ran her business from her phone, checking emails and taking calls from clients if need be from home.
Because all in all, family came first, but that didn't stop exhaustion from showing. She was starting to have dark circles under her brown eyes, but she didn't show it, instead she kept moving.
Sometimes Mia and Ethan(Gina's kids)came along. They were young and did not understand. They rushed into the bedroom to show Isabella their school drawings.
"Look, Grandma! I drew you a flower," Mia said, holding up a paper scribbled with bright colors.
Ethan pushed his drawing forward. "And I drew the house! See? With you in the window."
Isabella's face lit up. Her hand reached out slowly to touch the paper. "It's beautiful, Mia. Thank you."
Ethan climbed up carefully. Told her about his day. "We learned numbers today. One, two, three."
Gina watched from the chair, her hand covering her mouth as she held back tears.
The twins didn't fully understand why Grandma stayed in bed. Mia asked once, "Grandma, when are you going to get better?"
Isabella patted her hand. "Soon, sweetie. Soon."
Gina turned away. Wiped her eyes quick.
The twins asked about Dante too. Ethan tugged Gina's sleeve. "Where's Uncle Dante? He promised to play soccer."
Gina knelt down. "He's busy, buddy. But he'll come soon."
Jake visited after his shifts at McDonald's, often still in his uniform. He sat by the bed, held Isabella's hand, and told her about his day.
"Work was busy today, Mom. I flipped a lot of burgers."
Isabella laughed softly. "I'm so proud."
Jake did the chores without being asked. He fixed leaky faucets, mopped floors, and cooked simple pasta from the pantry.
One quiet evening, Isabella asked the question Gina dreaded. "Where's Dante? I haven't seen him in a while."
Gina's hand stopped mid-fold on the laundry. Her jaw tightened. "He's busy, Mom. But he'll come soon."
Isabella looked at her, her eyes searching Gina's face. She knew it was a lie, but she nodded slowly with a sad smile. "Tell him I miss him."
Gina nodded back. "I will." She left the room quickly and went to the bathroom, closing the door as tears fell silently.
But she had to remain strong for her mum; she couldn't bear to let her see her like this, so she splashed water on her face, breathed deeply, and went back out.
Walking down the hall, Gina couldn't help but remember the last time Dante had actually been there.
He had shown up one month ago on a summer afternoon. He stood in the doorway with his hands in his pockets, unable to look Isabella in the eye. "Hey, Mom."
Within ten minutes of pacing around the room, he checked his phone twice and said,
"I need some air." He walked out of the house, the door shutting behind him, and never came back.
Gina and Jake did not talk about it, as their disappointment in him only grew following his actions that day.
Jake almost called him once. Sitting in the kitchen with his phone in hand, his thumb hovered over Dante's name until he stopped, put the phone down, and shook his head.
Now, the end was drawing closer...
Robert called Gina from work to check in. "How's everything today?"
"Same as yesterday," Gina leaned on the counter. "She's holding on."
"I'll bring dinner home. You need a break."
In the bedroom, an old family photo sat on the nightstand. Marco stood tall, and Isabella smiled bright with the kids around them. Dante was grinning. Those were the happy times.
But now, Isabella got weaker each day. Her skin turned paler; her breath came shorter. The doctor visited more frequently to check her pulse, only to say, "It's progressing."
Gina held her mother's hand one night. The room was dark, and Isabella's grip felt loose...even weaker than before.
The clock ticked on the wall, as time seemed to have ran out for Isabella, and Dante was still nowhere to be found.
The seconds turned into hours, and Gina stayed overnight at Isabella's home. She sat in the chair beside the bed where the room stayed dark, save for a small lamp glowing on the nightstand.
She held Isabella's hand, feeling the skin grow cool and thin. Isabella's breathing became shallow, each inhale rattling softly before releasing in a slow exhale.
They talked softly, Gina rubbing her thumb over Isabella's knuckles. "How do you feel now, Mom?"
Isabella opened her eyes, her green gaze meeting Gina's brown one. "Tired. But happy you're here."
She squeezed Gina's hand weakly. "I love my children. All of you. Gina. Jake. Dante."
Gina nodded, her throat tightening. "We love you too."
Isabella looked at the ceiling. "Take care of your brother. He's lost and needs you."
Gina stayed silent, nodding again. Isabella closed her eyes, knowing her daughter would always be there for her siblings, as her breath evened out.
Gina watched her sleep until hours passed and she dozed in the chair.
Early morning light came through the window as gray dawn filtered past the curtains. Gina woke up stiff, her neck aching from the angle she slept in.
She looked at Isabella, but something felt different. The room stayed too quiet; there was no soft rattle in her breath, no rise in her chest.
And worst of all...the monitors stayed silent; there wasn't any rhythmic beeping.
Isabella lay still, her face peaceful and eyes closed.
She was gone...
Gina did not scream; she only held her mother's hand tighter, as tears fell silently, dropping onto the sheets.
She sat there for a long time, hand in hand, as the room grew cold and the light from outside grew brighter.
Then she pulled out her phone and dialed Jake. It only rang twice before Jake answered the call.
"Jake. Come over. Now."
Jake rushed over, the door banging open downstairs as his feet pounded up the stairs, while he begged under his breath for whatever help he could get from whatever divinity he could think of.
He entered the room and saw Gina sitting there, her hand still on Isabella's.
He knew immediately. His face crumpled, and his knees buckled. He dropped to the floor by the bed.
"M-om?..." His voice broke.
Gina stood up and pulled him into a hug. As they held each other, Jake sobbed into her shoulder while Gina's tears soaked his shirt.
They stayed like that as minutes passed and grief filled the room.
Suddenly overwhelmed by a fresh wave of anger, Gina gently pulled Jake away. He kept looking at their mum with a tear-stained face.
While Gina pulled out her phone and tried to call Dante, dialing his number again.
But the phone rang and rang and rang, only for the voicemail to pick up.
"This is Dante. Leave a message."
She hung up and called again, but once more, it rang until it hit the voicemail.
She was even more furious and shaking at this point, so she sent a text: "Mom is gone."
****
Miles away, Dante sat at a dive bar. Dim lights glowed overhead, and stools lined the counter. He hunched over his glass, the whiskey was already half gone.
Bzzzt!!! Bzzzt!!!
His phone buzzed on the counter, vibrating loudly.
He ignored it, staring at the liquid before taking a sip.
The bartender wiped a glass. "Ace... someone keeps calling you, man. Pick it up already."
Dante glanced at the screen, seeing twelve missed calls from Gina.
And a text that reads: "Mom is gone."
He stared at the screen, his fingers gripping the phone tightly.
The words felt like a physical weight, one he was too weak to carry, so he shoved the thought aside before it could break him.
He set the phone down. "Another drink."
The bartender poured, and Dante downed it. The burn hit his throat, but he did not cry or move. He just drank.
He knew he could never say goodbye now...he had already ran out of time to be better.
Days later, the world outside was a muted reflection of his guilt.
Gray skies hung over the cemetery as rain threatened to fall, but held off. While black suits and dresses filled the space, with people standing in clusters while their umbrellas stayed folded for now.
The coffin lowered into the ground as the ropes creaked and dirt piled nearby. The priest said the final words: "We commit her body to the earth."
Gina stood tall in all black, her coat draped over her shoulders as her heels sunk into the soft grass. Her face remained unreadable, her eyes fixed forward on the lowering casket with no sign of tears.
Jake stood beside her, his eyes red and swollen from crying as he wiped his nose with a tissue.
Robert kept his arm around Gina, his hand resting on her waist as a steady support. His suit was crisp, and for once, his badge was not worn.
Mia and Ethan held their mother's hands, their small fingers gripping tight as they looked from the sky to the open earth.
They did not fully understand what was happening; Ethan shifted his feet and looked for Jake, while Mia stared quietly, waiting for someone to answer the questions she was too afraid to ask.
The ceremony was already underway. Prayers had been said, and the mourners were singing in a low, somber hum.
"The Lord's my Shepherd, I'll not want; He makes me down to lie..."
The harmony broke before the verse could finish. Footsteps approached from behind, they were heavy and uneven, crunching loudly against the gravel.
Heads turned and whispers started, a quiet murmur rippling through the crowd: "Is that him?"
And there he was....Dante stumbled in with a wrinkled suit and a loose tie, his hair messy and eyes bloodshot. He reeked of booze, his steps swaying as he moved toward them.
The whispers only grew louder now. "He looks wasted."
"Disgraceful."
Gina did not turn around. She knew his steps and recognized the smell, but her jaw only tightened. She stayed facing forward
Jake looked back and saw Dante, shaking his head slowly before turning away as if he had seen nothing.
Even Robert's fist clenched at the sight he saw when he glanced back at the commotion, but he stayed still, his arm tight around Gina waist.
Mia tugged on Gina's dress, pulling the fabric tight. "Mommy, why does Uncle Dante smell funny?"
But Gina did not answer. She kept her eyes fixed on the grave.
The ceremony ended with people tossing flowers on the coffin. As dirt was shoveled in, the thuds seemed to echo within the remaining Ricci family.
While other people from from various places be it work, friends or friends of friends started leaving, walking to their cars in low talks.
Dante stood at the back with his hands in his pockets. He looked at the grave, unable to move closer as his hands shook. Guilt twisted his gut while booze still fogged his head, leaving him alone as the family departed for Robert and Gina's house.
Soon, the house was quickly filled, with cars parked outside and tables covered in plates of sandwiches and bowls of salad.
People moved through the rooms to give their condolences, repeating the same words over and over: "Sorry for your loss."
There were also quiet conversations here and there, which filled the rooms. Chairs scraped and cups clinked as people moved about.
Dante had arrived too, but he stayed in the corner with his back against the wall. He held a glass of water this time, He was trying to stay sober and serious because he couldn't stop thinking about the sand hitting his mother's grave, so he stood there alone while everyone ignored him.
Even his own family kept their distance...
He overheard whispers, or maybe it was just his imagination. He would never know for sure, but he heard the words.
"He didn't even visit her."
"She died asking for him."
"Pathetic."
He clenched his glass, his knuckles turning white as he listened.
He could not take the stares. He could feel the eyes that were on him, judging his every move.
So he did what he knew best...
He slipped out without telling anyone, leaving the house quickly. The door opened quietly and closed softly. He left the house feeling guilty that he couldn't say goodbye to Gina, or to Jake, the second person who had always believed in him apart from his mum...
He walked home alone through the empty streets feeling utterly devastated as his feet dragged on the pavement with every step.
But he had no idea what was waiting for him at home...
****
He moved through the silence with his wrinkled suit hanging loose and his tie still crooked. His head stayed down while a single loop played over and over in his mind: Mom's gone and I never said goodbye because I'm such a f*ckup.
Guilt ate at him until his stomach twisted, forcing him to pull a flask from his pocket and take a heavy swig.
He closed his eyes tightly, trying to drown out the loop playing in his mind, because if he stayed drunk enough, he wouldn't have to remember his problems.
The liquor filled his mouth with a familiar burn as he swallowed, and he wiped his mouth with his sleeve while the sharp aftertaste lingered.
Still tasting the heat, he reached his building and felt the stairs creak under his feet as he climbed slowly.
'Just get inside. Drink more. Forget.' This new mantra played in his head with a renewed strength, with the booze pushing him forward until he finally reached the top floor and stood before his door.
His hands shook as the keys fumbled until metal clinked against the lock, finally allowing him to turn the handle. He pushed the door open, desperate for the sweet release of being alone.
The apartment was dark inside, a heavy silence filling the rooms because there was no light coming through the windows due to the thick, dark curtains placed over them.
But he stepped inside anyway, because he was used to it. He reached for the light switch and flicked it on.
That was when things got weird for him. Nothing happened, no matter how many times he flipped the switch; the lights wouldn't come on.
Then, a voice came from the corner. "Long time no see, Ace."
Dante froze as his heart started to pound against his chest.
Three figures stepped out of the shadows. The one in front had a scar on his cheek. He lifted a cigarette to his lips, and as he lit it, the small flame flickered in the dark.
That tiny orange glow became the only light in the room, revealing Sal, the loan shark's right-hand man.
Sal smirked. "You look like shit. Rough day?"
Dante swallowed hard before spitting out the words, putting up a brave front even though he's still drunk and slurring on words. "Sal. What the f*ck are you doing here?"
Sal took a slow drag, the orange tip of his cigarette glowing bright in the dark before he exhaled a cloud of smoke toward Dante. "You owe us, Ace. It wasn't any small cash either...It was thirty-two grand, in case you've forgotten. And it's been a year."
Dante backed up a step, his voice trembling as he spoke. "I told you I'd pay. Just give me more time."
"You told us a lot of things, Ace," Sal said, flicking ash onto the floor while he stared Dante down. "Heard your mom died today. Sorry for your loss."
But he did not sound sorry at all, especially as his eyes stayed cold and fixed on Dante.
Dante's jaw clenched as he stepped forward, his voice low and dangerous. "Don't talk about her."
Sal only shrugged in response, his eyes narrowing through the smoke. "Maybe your sister can help cover the debt. She has a nice house. Nice kids, too."
Dante's blood ran cold as rage built in his chest, making his hands shake even harder. "Leave them out of this," he spat, but Sal only shook his head.
"It's too late for that, Ace," Sal said, nodding to the enforcers in the shadows, and they moved fast at the signal.
Dante tried to run, but his drunken legs felt heavy and slow as he turned toward the door.
Crack! Crunch!
Before he could even move, a bat cracked against his knee.
"Uhghhh." Pain exploded as he screamed and fell to the floor, his knee throbbing with the feeling of shattered bone.
The enforcers closed in as fists slammed into his face.Boots kicked his ribs hard, the sickening cracks echoing in the dark room until all the air left his lungs.
The enforcers closed in as fists slammed into his face, soon followed by boots that kicked his ribs hard.
The sickening cracks echoed in the dark room until all the air left his lungs, leaving him gasping on the floor.
Sal stood over him while a cigarette dangles from his lips and smoke drifts into the dark. "This is what happens when you don't pay."
Sal stares down at the blood on the floor and the orange tip of his cigarette glows bright. "Now, we'll have to sell your organs and make you square with us."
Dante coughs blood and bubbles form on his lips as he thinks of Isabella's smile and then Gina's cold stare and Jake shaking his head and all the things he never said before one final blow hits his head.
Bang!
The world went dark after that but he could still make out a voice that echoes through the silence.
"Tell the devil Mr. Conti says hi."