52

Mandy;

After Senan had let me out with my sister, he drove straight on with Keeva to the hospital and I was now standing in front of the small family house and didn't know at all how I should teach Tina all this as gently as possible.

She would probably blame herself... Blame for not having smashed Fiore's skull in several times, because that's how she was... But probably none of us had thought what else Fiore was capable of.

I least...

I couldn't answer the question why I had endured being at his side for so long. Sure, he was handsome and really charming at the beginning of the relationship, but at the first sign of his willingness to use physical violence, I should have broken up. But I didn't have what I regretted more than ever that day...

"Hey, sweetheart," my sister greeted me cheerfully as she answered the door after my knock and also immediately pulled me into a very tight hug, while her no bones barked loudly behind her and I stared over her shoulder at Padraig, who just happened to be a white undershirt was to be put on. "I have so much to tell you! The wedding! It was gorgeous and-"

"I have to tell you something," I interrupted her directly, reluctantly breaking away from her comforting embrace and quickly stepping past her into the living room. I felt the two of them piercing my back with their eyes, but I first took a deep breath and only slowly turned to them, after which they both eyed me curiously but also worried at the same time.

"Rian is in a coma."

"What?!", Padraig burst out loudly, wide-eyed and clutching his heart while supporting himself with the other hand on the chair in front of him.

"What happened?" Tina asked in dismay, stepping close to her gypsy to put her hand on his back for support.

"Fiore," I breathed softly, avoiding her eyes for a moment, realizing once again that everything was related to me and no matter what Senan and the others would say... It was all my fault. I had brought this lunatic into her life, not willingly, but that was the way it was and I had to carry that guilt with me forever.

"He shot him, multiple times," I added, my voice cracking, beginning to play with my fingers nervously. "He also shot at Senan and Odran, but the two have no consequential damage."

"I'll kill him and feed him to the dogs!" Padraig suddenly yelled angrily and leaned so hard on the armrest of the chair that it swayed slightly and even Tina took a step back from him.

"But not to my dogs!?" she asked in disbelief and immediately got a serious look from Padraig, to which she only folded her arms defensively as a reaction. Before things could escalate here as well, I decided to finish the story quickly.

"You don't need to worry about that, Padraig. Your cousin rammed a huge knife right through his neck."

I caught a glimpse of Fiore's last breath and felt a cold, uncomfortable chill run down my spine, while Padraig seemed prouder than ever of my testimony.

"And they call themselves Mafia," he grinned stupidly, tensing his entire chest. "Without us gypsies, this family would be so fucked up."

"Now stay down to earth, love," Tina turned to him and then put her hand on his cheek to look at him with a depressed expression. "You should go to the hospital. Keeva needs someone by her side. As soon as Rian is awake and everything is back to normal, we'll have a big party. To you gypsies, of course."

She smiled sympathetically at him and immediately got a grateful kiss from him, so I gave them their privacy and focused on the window next to me.

"Are you coming with me?", Padraig tore me out of my rigidity after a while and immediately I looked for Tina, who just nodded smiling.

"Drive calmly. I have to do some things here and unpack my suitcases."

In fact, I would have loved to spend more time with her. After all, I had hardly seen her lately and she was my only family, but the longing for Senan and his closeness immediately made me nod gratefully and follow Padraig outside.

"And how are you doing with that?" the gypsy wanted to know, but I didn't want to be seen as a weakness anymore. I didn't want any more pity or the feeling that everyone had to worry. At least I wasn't pregnant and neither was my husband in a coma.

"I'm fine," I lied, trying not to look at him.

"Are you sure?" he asked again as he unlocked his convertible and we both got in.

"Yes, sure. I just want Rian to wake up and Keeva to be happy again," I told him and when he suddenly took my hand, I looked deep into his eyes and returned his encouraging smile. In that moment I saw a different side of him for the first time, because for me he was just the crazy one who used to cut people's faces with a knife. But well, I understood my sister, because this man here could really make you feel like everything would be fine just by his smile.

"I know you sure blame yourself, but you don't have to. Keeva also blamed himself a while back for some Russians shooting Odran and drugging Nero, but they're just fucked up people. No one can what for, except for themselves," he explained calmly and then let go of my hand to start the engine and drive off. "Besides, Rian will wake up again when he hears my sugar-sweet voice. That damn rascal doesn't need to think he could pretend to be Sleeping Beauty."

Padraig grinned stupidly at me and after I had to smile just because of his way of taking life so lightly, he turned the radio up louder and together we drove along the streets of Ireland under the sun until after a while we reached the large parking lot of the hospital arrived and disembarked.

"I'll find the way on my own," he said suddenly and looked past me.

"Why alone?" I asked confused and followed his gaze, where I recognized Senan on a secluded bench on the outskirts of the hospital, who was just about to smoke a cigarette while he stared absently at the ground.

"That's why," I heard Padraig say behind me, who then immediately disappeared to the main entrance in front of us, while I took a deep breath and slowly walked towards the love of my life, with whom I had no idea if we would ever let go of it all would recover.

He was already very low on the ground in front of me and as soon as he caught himself, one catastrophe after the next happened...

He didn't deserve it and I... I wasn't able to help him out because I could hardly control my own demons and even understood now that he had been indulging in drugs a short while ago...

A bitter temptation, for at least a moment of stillness in your head....