Kissing The Moon Goodbye - A Midnight Mafia Novel

Forty Five

Kate

The following day I sat at the foot of the hospital bed. Stacey was fretfully trying to nurse the baby, Gabriel, who rather than eating just simply cried. He would latch for seconds and then turn his head away and cry.

It was clear to see that she was frustrated, she wasn't glowing with excitement and over whelming love, she seemed tired, irritable almost even. After his crying turned to wailing she looked up to Pietro. "Can you-"

"He's hungry baby."

"Try giving him a bottle."

Pietro took him and bounced him, he let him suck on his knuckle to quiet him. "Remember what the nurses said? The colostrum you produce at the very beginning is the best thing for him. Even if we do decide to formula feed those first few days of breastmilk are so good for him especially since he was early."

"They also said because they induced me early I might not be producing yet."

I felt uncomfortable, sitting between the two as they had a disagreement but to get up and leave sounded almost that much more awkward.

"Okay." He caved, breast feeding was a pretty personal choice and definitely one he couldn't force Stacey into. It had always been her intention to breast feed, but now that Gabriel was here everything seemed so hard. Pietro disappeared from the room and Stacey flopped back on bed.

I wanted to ask her so many things. One being had they told Alessio the moment they had learned she was being induced? It had taken me only a little over an hour to get to the hospital from my Uncle's apartment, it should have taken Alessio much longer to get here from Italy had we both been called at the same time. I was feeling yet again like they had taken his side.

I wanted to ask her if she was scared. Pietro was not just a member of the mafia now, he was their Don. Did the risks scare her? All of their lives could potentially come into question because of his line of work. Did she share the same fears I did?

Could I keep this child? Alessio's child, and raise him or her to have a safe and normal life?

I didn't have Aria's number, but perhaps I could all Sergio and they could help me fake my death and get a new identity to keep this child away from Alessio and the maria.

She was clearly exhausted and emotionally drained, to bring her potential fears to life would be cruel, concern over who was called first was a pettiness she didn't deserve to deal with, especially not now. Besides, to really voice my concerns I would have to tell her the truth about my own situation.

I was pregnant.

Confirmed by nearly a dozen pregnancy tests buried deep in the garbage, wrapped in old newspapers or paper towels, other trash etc, anything to prevent the accidental discovering of them by my uncle or cousin.

Rather than admit that to Stacey and ask for some much needed advice I ignored it.

"He's so handsome."

She turned her head to the side to look at me. "Yeah, he is."

"You look tired. Do you want me to go so you can get some sleep?"

She shook her head. "No, I won't get any anyway. He only sleeps if one of us is holding him. There's twelve other moms with their newborns on this floor and mine was the only one crying all night. The only one he stops crying for is freaking Alessio." She sat up slightly. "Sorry."