Everything felt like it was moving in fast forward.
She had just hugged her a few hours ago. They had promised to get lunch at Vespucci’s and spend the afternoon together.
And now she was sitting in the back of a giant SUV surrounded by people who were trying to ask her questions, trying to get her to talk, but all she could do was stare blankly into space. Her mother was dead. Or they thought she was dead. Or it was very much assumed that she was dead and they were going to the hospital to make sure. Her grandfather was already there and Ronnie had promised him she’d get there as soon as she could.
She had one stop to make first.
As Angelo’s house came into view, it took everything Ronnie had not to jump out of the car and run up the sidewalk. When they eventually reached the driveway, Ronnie pushed open the door and quickly made her way up towards the front door. Footsteps followed behind her, but Veronika turned and help up her hand.
“Wait outside. I don’t need any fucking help with this.”
She knocked twice, having been rushed out of the house too quickly to remember her keys. Another man in a suit answered the door, Veronika easily pushing passed him without so much as a ‘hello’. She immediately ran into her father’s office, prepared to tell him exactly what happened as quickly as she possibly could. But the moment she’d opened his office door and laid eyes on Angelo, it was like she was a little girl all over again.
“Dad...” Veronika had started, her voice cracking as tears began to spill down her cheeks. “Dad, we have to go to the hospital.”
