CHAPTER ELEVEN
‘THAT can’t be true,’ Carlo said harshly. ‘I don’t believe it.’
‘Do you think I haven’t said that to myself?’ Sol demanded. ‘When I first got here and found her unconscious I thought she’d wake up at any moment, but she didn’t. It goes on and on. The longer she’s unconscious the worse it is. They had to operate, but she should have come round by now.’
‘Where is she?’
‘Behind that door. They sent me out while they did something with the machines. You should see all the things she’s attached to.’
He closed his eyes for a moment before he went on,
‘They say she took a terrible bang on the head. Even if she does come round we just don’t know how she’ll be- if she’ll recognise anyone, or know who she is-’
Carlo turned away swiftly, lest he betray too much.
‘I know the doctors expect her to die at any moment,’ Sol continued. ‘They don’t say so outright, but you can tell from the careful way they phrase things.’
Suddenly he glared at Carlo.
‘You took your time getting here, damn you!’
‘I came as soon as I heard. That was only half an hour ago.’
‘Yeah, like you didn’t know she was on her way.’ Sol’s tone was almost a sneer. ‘Why the hell couldn’t you leave her alone?’
‘What are you talking about?’ Carlo demanded harshly. ‘I haven’t been in touch with her since she left.’
‘Don’t give me that!’ Sol snapped. ‘Why was she flying to Naples if not to see you?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘I don’t believe you. I phoned her at the airport and she-I don’t know-Hell!’
‘She told you she was coming to me?’
‘No, she denied it. But I knew.’
‘What did she say?’
‘What does it matter?’
‘What did she say, damn you?’
Carlo had slammed his shaking hands down on Sol’s shoulders, and for a moment looked as though he might be about to throttle him.
‘What did she say?’ he repeated hoarsely, releasing Sol.
‘I can’t remember exactly,’ the lad said, moving away carefully. ‘Something about tying up loose ends-’
‘But that could mean anything,’ Carlo said, feeling dizzy. ‘It could be work. Was there nothing else?’
‘Just that she didn’t know how long she’d be away-’
Carlo wanted to shake him. Instead he took a step away. It was safer for them both that way.
He felt torn in many directions. He’d longed for Della to return to him, but not at this cost to her. Sooner than see her hurt he would live lonely all his days.
‘I didn’t know she was coming,’ he growled. ‘I only heard today that she was on the plane.’
Sol looked at him, his head on one side in an attitude that implied cynicism. Carlo hated him. Then he noticed that the young man’s face was pale and haggard, as if something had finally pierced his armour of selfishness. The hatred faded. They both loved the woman who lay beyond the door, fighting for her life, and for her sake he wouldn’t quarrel with her son. No matter what.
‘I didn’t know she was coming,’ he repeated. ‘If I had, I’d have been at the airport. Nothing would have kept me away. But since she didn’t tell me I think you’re wrong, and she came to Naples for another reason.’
Sol shrugged.
They both turned sharply as the door opened and a nurse looked out.
‘Signor Hadley-’
‘Has she come round?’ Sol asked tensely.
‘I’m afraid not. But you can come in now.’
Sol hurried back into the room. Carlo tried to follow him, but the nurse stopped him.
‘I’m sorry, signore, but only one person at a time-’
Carlo looked over her shoulder, feeling stunned. The figure on the bed could have been anyone, but his heart knew her at once.
Then the door closed, shutting him out.
He stayed there for the rest of the day, his gaze fixed on the blank wall, trying not to think. His mind pulled this way and that. She had returned to him and they had a future. She was dying and his own life was over with hers.
Then his thoughts would shut off, just in time to stop him going crazy.
When he could stand it no longer he went and opened the door. At once the nurse came to fend him off.
‘I’m sorry. You can’t-’
‘Let him in.’ Sol’s voice came from the bed. He muttered as Carlo approached, ‘Let him see what he did.’
Now he could see her clearly, and it was a nightmare. Her head was swathed in bandages and her eyes were covered.
‘What happened to her?’ he whispered.
‘Her head was injured and we had to operate,’ the nurse said. ‘And there’s some damage to her eyes. Just how bad it is we don’t know yet.’
‘That’s if she lives,’ Sol added with soft fury.
Carlo was looking at the machines, with their flashing lights and occasional clicks, measuring her heart-rate, blood pressure, and a dozen other things-too many to take in. A tube, leading to an oxygen machine, was clamped brutally into her mouth.
There were other attachments-one to a blood transfusion, one to a saline drip, one to a painkiller-all connected to her by small cables attached to inserts in her flesh-two in her arm, one in her hand, and one, he winced to notice it, directly into her neck.
If they had been alone there were a million things he wanted to say to her, but now he could only stand and watch, helpless.
A buzzer sounded, and the nurse answered urgently, ‘Yes-all right. I’m on my way.’
To the others she said, ‘I have to leave for a moment. If her condition changes press that bell.’
She hurried out.
‘You look done in,’ Carlo said. ‘Why don’t you go and get yourself some coffee?’
Sol shrugged, lacking the energy for an argument, and slipped out.
Carlo sat beside the bed, not taking his eyes from her. He wanted to speak, but his throat ached too much. If only she would move. But she lay as deathly still as if-his appalled mind found the connection-as if she’d been there for two thousand years.
That thought brought her back to him as she’d been on that first day, when she’d danced into his life, turning the world upside down so that everything settled back into a different place. Together they had stood looking at the silent lovers, and now the memory broke his heart.
He leaned as close as he dared, whispering so that his breath touched her cheek.
‘Do you remember that day? How they held each other? I knew then that one day we would hold each other like that-did you know it, too? Why were you returning to Naples? Was it for me?
‘Where are you now? Have you really started on that road where the light beckons at the other end and your memories of the world are fading? Do you know that I’m behind you, calling you back? How can I make you turn to me?
‘Do you know that I love you? Wherever you are, whatever has happened to you, whatever the future holds for us, I love you. If you live, I love you. If you-if you die, I shall love you and only you. You’ll always be in my heart. We’ll never really lose each other, and one day we’ll be together again. I don’t know where, or how long it will take,
