He nodded in understanding. “What are you doing here? If you think you and my daughter are getting back together, you’re mistaken. I know all about the Caruso family; I hear the rumors. I will do whatever it takes to keep her from you. I think we both know you’ve done enough already.”
“I know I fucked up. That’s the difference between you and me.” Nero squatted down so he could clearly get his message through. “She will go to college here now. She will live with me now. Elle is mine now. You try to keep her from me, I will tell Elle the truth about your little forklift accident rollover. About how you were drunk while operating machinery.” Nero saw the surprise in his face. “Yeah, see, I have friends in this city, and if you don’t care that I’ll tell her the truth, then I’ll have them kill you. That way, I can still look Elle in the face every morning. Are we clear?”
Elle’s father took a minute before he nodded.
Nero rose back up. “Good. Now understand, I know you’re still her father and I’m not going to come between Elle and her family, so you and I might as well start to get along.” Nero held out his hand.
Elle’s father stared at Nero’s hand before he finally shook it. “Elle better not get hurt again because of you.”
“She won’t,” Nero said matter-of-factly. He went to walk off before he remembered to add something. “Oh, and Josh, he started to get picked on while on the bus. I handled it, but you better not turn your head the other way again. You do, and I’m sure Elle won’t mind Josh living with us for a while.”
Satisfied, Nero finally walked off.
*
Beep…Beep…Beep…
Elle heard the annoying noise and wondered what it was along with the sterile, old smell in her nose. She lazily opened her eyes, but only one managed to actually open. She could see a fluorescent, white room and her father in the corner, sleeping in his wheelchair. Elle realized she was in the hospital.
What happened? Elle couldn’t remember. The last thing she did remember doing was splashing some water on her face.
She felt the soreness of her belly and the throbbing in her head, along with her clearly-swollen eye. She closed her eyes to try to remember what possibly could have happened. Sink…? I was rammed into the sink.
Elle looked back at her father. “Dad?” Her voice was hoarse.
She watched him quickly wake up and roll to her bed.
“Elle, you’re awake. How do you feel?”
“Sore. How long have I been asleep?” Elle didn’t even want to ask what had happened. She at least knew someone at school had tried to hurt her. Tried? They did.
“A day.” He took his hand in hers. “Why didn’t you tell us, Elle?”
Elle tried to smile. “Tell you what?”
Her father squeezed her hand. “Elle, I know. You don’t have to pretend. The doctor showed me the scans and x-rays. Luckily, I’m in a wheelchair; otherwise, I think they would have thought I was hitting you all these years. Don’t worry; your mom just thinks you pissed someone off.”
Elle looked away from her father. “It started right after your accident. I didn’t want to add more to your plate. Then, I’d kept it to myself for so long I didn’t know how to tell you.”
He squeezed her hand tighter. “I’m sorry I didn’t notice. I should have cared enough to see it.”
Elle looked back at him. “It’s not your fault. I was a good liar, and I should have told you the truth.”
“No, Elle, it’s on me.”
Elle smiled at her father. “I love you.”
“I love you, too, Elle-bell.” He cleared his throat. “You have someone out there who has been waiting to see you.”
“Chloe. Is she all right?” Elle hoped Chloe had made it out okay.
“She’s fine. She’s at school right now. Nero’s here. He hasn’t left since you got here.”
Elle’s eyes drifted down to the bed. “Oh. Tell him I’m fine, and he can go home.”
“You don’t want to see him?” he asked curiously.
Elle shook her head.
“He’s been out there a long time, Elle.”
“I didn’t think you liked him very much.” She watched her father think a moment before he spoke.
“I didn’t, and I still don’t, but when the hospital asked me if you had insurance, and I told them no, they asked me to fill out some paperwork to figure out a payment method. After I filled it out and took it up to the desk, they told me never mind, that it was already taken care of. Anyway, what I’m trying to say is, I don’t know what kind of care they would be giving you right now if it wasn’t for him, and now I know he wants you taken care of.” Her father cleared his throat again. “Now, do you still not want to see him?”
Elle shook her head again, afraid if she talked she would end up crying.
“Okay, I’ll go tell the nurses you woke up.” He gave her hand another squeeze before he rolled off.
Elle slammed her eye shut when her father left the room. Her switch was now broken and she could feel again. It still hurts.
Elle didn’t want him to see her like this, broken. I don’t want him to be with me just because I’m broken.