At the end of our shift, we pulled back into the bay, and I spoke.
“Mia, I’m sorry for the other night at the hospital—--”
“Nah, I get it. You like him and you wanted to protect him. Honestly, I went home and mulled over the idea a ton and I got it. I would have done the same thing and I’ve never known you to be a terrible judge of characters, so if you think he’s good enough of a guy to be with, I won’t question it, or his job.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah, I don’t see any reason to.”
“Hm. What are your plans?”
“Max and I are having breakfast this morning, and then I’m heading home to sleep. You?”
“I’m heading to see Marco at the hospital. I’m going to get in my truck, get a coffee, change out of my uniform, and then head up.”
“Have fun with your expensive boyfriend.” She laughed, heading out.
Getting into my truck, I stopped and grabbed a coffee, and drove to Marcos. Romeao’s car wasn’t there. I assumed he might have been at the hospital. Getting changed quickly, I grabbed one of Marco’s jackets because I didn’t have my own, other than my paramedic one, and I didn’t want to wear that in the hospital. I was off the clock.
Badge clipped onto my shirt. I headed up and didn’t bother to knock. I just headed into the room. Romeao, Marco and Sasha, and my dad looked at me.
“Huh. This is… awkward.” I muttered.
“My coat suits you.” Marco said, smiling, trying to break the silence in the room. Wren was sleeping tucked in beside him.
“Should I step out? I don’t want to interrupt.”
“No, you’re welcome to stay. You obviously came for a purpose.” My dad said, in uniform, looking at Romeao.
“Please, come. I’ll move if you want to sit by Marco.” Romeao said, getting ready to stand up.
“No need, he can sit on the end of the bed.” Marco said.
Sasha, who was standing beside me, spoke.
“You smell like Marco, his cologne… Oh.”
“It’s his jacket.” I muttered.
“Yeah. It’s not. It’s too heavy—-“
“Detective Doornail, that is my father. Zip it.” I hissed.
“Ambrose, I sure hope you’re using acceptable words.” My dad said, glancing at Romeao, as if he was reminding who we were in the presence of.
“Come sit.” Marco said, his hand patting the bed. Biting my tongue, I made my way over and sat down. Marco chuckled.
“Sasha’s right. You smell like me. Used a couple sprays, huh?”
“Eh, maybe.”
My dad cleared his throat, getting our attention.
“I apprised Maddox of the situation, and Sasha is doing some digging into the situation. We are going to call this a freak incident. I trust you two families can work something out and sort this. The gang violence is getting out of hand.”
“We intend to handle this quickly and quietly.” Romeao said, glancing at Marco.
“Ambrose.” My dad said.
“Yeah?”
“Dinner at the house this weekend. I expect you, and you’re plus two.”
“My plus two? Oh!” He meant Marco and Wren.
“We will be there.” Marco said, meeting eyes with my dad, and I turned to look at Marco.
“You can’t, you need to rest and—--”
“I will be fine. I can go home tomorrow afternoon. So, I should be able to go for dinner with you, like he has asked.”
“No. I won’t allow it, you’re injured and I won’t—-”
“Ambrose, you are a long way from a position of demanding or refusing to allow me to do something.”
“Surely Romeao won’t allow this. You need to heal.” I looked at Romeao and he looked at me, his words polite.
“If Marco feels this is something he needs to do, then why should I stop him?”
I looked at Sasha, the only one in the room who seemed to understand what I was going through.
“Ambrose, get used to this. If what I think is happening here is, then this is an everyday battle with their type. You won’t win this. That isn’t a wall you can’t move.” Sasha sighed while he checked his phone.
I wanted to grind my teeth in annoyance, but I didn’t. I just crossed my arms and exhaled loudly. “If you hurt yourself, on whatever mission this is to prove yourself to my father, or whatever. It is solely your fault and your problem, and if my mother is there, you best prepare for the most uncomfortable dinner possible.”
I felt Marco’s fingers on my hip, under my shirt and jacket. It felt nice to have his fingers on my skin for the moment.
“I assure you, I would like to hold on to what is left of my pride and ego. Having you save me once was enough.” Marco said. Part of me wanted him to know I would always save him if he needed it, but I held those words back.
Sasha and my dad left not too long after that, and I didn’t try to move in the slightest. Marco’s fingers were still resting on my skin even now. Romeao was texting back and forth with someone.
They started speaking in Italian, and I knew it was a conversation I wasn’t privy to, but I caught a few words I slightly understood, and the name of Marco’s ex-husband was one of them. Instead of agitated, Marco seemed confused.
“Ambrose, might I ask you a small favour?”
“Sure, What do you need?”
“Please head to the nurses’ station and have them… or rather ask them politely to remove my ex-husband from my records as my next of kin and emergency contact.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m positive. We aren’t married anymore and both of us are just trying to go about our lives, and frankly, I would rather Theo not know about my medical issues, or have access to records. That isn’t his business anymore.” His words weren’t rude or cruel, they were gentle.
“They might want your signature on some of the paperwork to prove it was your choice to change that information.”
“That’s fine.”
As soon as I stood up, they switched back to Italian, and I wanted in the worst way to know what they were discussing, but I had a decent idea, what or rather, who they were talking about. Theo, his ex-husband. Dragging my hand through my hair, I went to the desk and told them exactly what Marco wanted. They didn’t argue or even want him to sign anything. They just removed his ex-husband, and in a moment of my stupidity, when she asked to replace the emergency contact, I gave my name and number.
She never asked for my relationship with him. She probably assumed I was his new partner. Not wanting to make a large issue out of it, I didn’t bother fixing it.
Romeao was standing up when I got back into Marco’s room, Wren in his arms, looking unhappy.
“I’m going to head to Marco’s and put Wren down for his nap. I have some work to do, so there will be another man at Marco’s watching Wren when you get there, Ambrose.”
“Alright, I’ll probably stay here and visit with Marco for a little while longer, then head back to his place.” I replied.
“Take your time. There is no rush.”
Romeao left with Wren and I spoke. “Is it alright to leave Wren with another person besides Romeao?”
“Romeao only leaves Wren with a few other people, all of whom I know well and have children of their own. Wren is safe with whoever Romeao picked. Come, sit.”
“They let me change your information. They didn’t seem too worried about it not being your choice.”
“Good, Good. Tell me about your night?”
“It was long, and I’m honestly looking forward to your bed.” I groaned.
“I also am looking forward to my bed as soon as they let me out of here.”
“Marco, you know why dad is only trying to intimidate you, right?”
“I know, and I am going to accept his invitation. Besides, I want to see where you grew up and what your father is like outside of work. Surely he isn’t business all the time.”
“I told you, it’s not him you need to watch. It’s my mother. She’s crazy at the best of times, and the last thing I want you to witness is her going on her rants.”
“Now I have to go. Sounds far too interesting to miss.”
“Don’t say I didn’t at least try to warn you.” I chuckled.
Marco took one of my hands and brought it to his lips suddenly, and I narrowed my eyes at him, wondering what he was up to. His lips brushed my knuckles as he spoke.
“Romeao was trying to spare your feelings and our relationship, whatever that might be right now, by speaking in Italian, but he was telling me about Theo. Theo and his partners, or one partner, will stop by at some point when I am home with a care package from Alessio. Frankly, I am unsure why he is actually coming. Anyone else would have been a better choice. We aren’t on the best terms, but I think he wants to see with his own eyes I am alright. I can’t see another damn reason he would grace my house with his presence again.” Marco said, and he looked on edge about the whole thing.
“I will be there, Marco. Even if you just need someone for comfort.”
“I did things to Theo that—-”
“I know, you told me, and you have expressed that you’re sorry about it and you’re changing for your son. You are trying for a better life. He is bringing one or both of his partners for comfort. You have the same chance. Besides, I will probably still be here. I told you, I might not give you back your bed. Your house is quiet and I like that.” I said, jokingly again.
“I still don’t want you to be involved in the mess I am, But I am finding it increasingly hard to tell myself I need to push you away for your safety.”
“Know that if you try even one of the bad things you did to your ex-husband with me, I will make you regret it. He might not have fought back with you, but I will.”
Marco looked almost taken aback at my words, and he spoke.
“I would never do to you what I did to Theo. I will never do that to another person. It’s not the fair or the appropriate thing to do.”
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