She Tried to Poison Me, but My Plant Died First! novel · Chapter 12 of 24

Chapter 12: The Vent

Saint Agnes smelled like floor cleaner and burnt coffee.

Two Gattuso capos stood outside the cardiac ward in dark suits, with their hands folded.

"Miss Gattuso," the older one said. He wouldn't meet my eyes. "Mrs. Gattuso says family only. No visitors."

"I'm his daughter."

"I'm sorry. The order came from her."

The younger capo looked past me at Rocco.

Rocco looked back.

The older man's face closed up.

"And a Varenna doesn't come through here tonight."

I opened my mouth, and Rocco touched my elbow.

"Not here," he said, very low. "Walk."

We went down the hall and turned into a service corridor, past a cart of bedpans and a door marked STAFF.

Rocco pushed it open.

It was a supply room full of folded sheets.

There was a gap along the back wall, a long metal air vent at head height.

Through it I could hear voices.

They were low and sharp, and one of them was my mother.

I put a finger to my lips.

Rocco nodded and stood close behind me, his chest almost against my back, and we listened.

"Sit down, Fiora. Stop pacing."

"He's going to die."

"Your father is not going to die."

"He's not my father."

"Quiet."

"He's not," Fiora said, and her voice was nothing like the one she used on the stairs. It was high and furious and young. "Why are we still pretending? There's nobody here."

"There are nurses in the hall."

"Mama, I'm tired. I'm tired of crying. I'm tired of her face."

I stopped breathing.

Behind me, Rocco went completely still.

"Mama."

"Don't use that word out loud."

"You're my mother."

"I know very well what I am."

I felt the cold go through me from my scalp down to my feet.

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