Because Of Love

Rafe sat in his office looking out his floor to ceiling window, still frazzled by what happened two days ago. He knew Talia had asthma but he’d never been a witness to it. When Carrie pounded on his door yelling for an inhaler, his blood went cold.

He was glad he’d hung onto that inhaler. He’d kept it as a memento for the four months of his life he was the happiest. When they had been dating, he’d asked for one to hold onto just in case they were out together and she’d forgotten hers when the attack hit. And even when he was asking for it, he prayed he would never need it.

He’d run out his condo and up the steps to hers without checking if Carrie was behind him. He’d been prepared to break the door down if he had to, but he found it open. Before he even stepped in, he could hear the wheezing and it was growing shallow. He actually froze, seeing her on the floor, lying on her side, before he snapped out of it and rushed to her.

He’d never been so scared in his life, seeing her lying there, struggling to breath. He’d picked her up, leaned her against his chest and pushed her chin up to clear her airway like they’d practiced. Then he’d administered three doses and massaged her throat with downward strokes as he spoke to her calmly. He was telling her not to be afraid, that everything would be all right when he didn’t feel those sentiments.

She almost died. A cold shiver rushed through him.

Hearing her breathing get under control-there are no words to describe the happiness and relief he felt at that moment. Carrie collapsed to her knees crying with relief. But when Talia squeezed his hand, a tear escaped him, and he finally began to breathe. He hadn’t even realized he’d been caressing her belly.

Rafe looked down at his shaking hand. The one that felt the baby’s kick, and he was relieved all over again. He couldn’t imagine the fear Talia went through. It wasn’t just her life, but the baby’s life he was scared for.

They sat there on the floor, listening to Talia breathing for close to half an hour before he got the sense to call a doctor. He called the family doctor who came to find them still on the floor. He checked Talia and recommended rest and an OBGYN.

Today’s her appointment, Rafe thought as he rubbed his hands over his face. He hoped the baby was all right.

Dios! He never wanted to feel that scared in his life again.

It made him angry that Gabriella had caused it. Rafe had changed those locks, too, that same day.

After he’d put Talia to bed, they searched for the inhalers. They found one hidden in her twisted sheets on the bed and the other in the car he hired for her. He left that one in the car and asked the doctor to prescribe three more inhalers.

Christo! He never wanted to go through that again.

“Rafe, Rafe, wake up!”

Rafe was startled out of his daze by the yell and he quickly turned his chair around. Angelo was seated on the other side of his desk, with an inquisitive look on his face.

“I thought you’d fallen asleep, which is not like you. Come sta cugino, how are you cousin?”

“Why do you ask?” His own voice sounded foreign to him.

“Your hand is shaking.”

Rafe followed Angelo’s pointed gaze to his hand on the desk. His hand was truly shaking. Rafe quickly fisted it and brought it down to his lap.

Angelo leaned forward, his face etched with worry. “Cousin, what’s wrong?”

Rafe thought to tell him to mind his own business, but out of their entire screwed up family, the only person he was ever able to depend on was Angelo. It was the same reason Angelo was his personal lawyer, he trusted his cousin. Rafe debated the merits of sharing his feelings with his cousin for a while before he decided for it. He needed an objective ear and short of going to see a psychiatrist, Angelo was the best option.

“Talia had an asthma attack yesterday.”

Angelo whistled, leaning back against his seat. “That’s tough, man. Isn’t that condition even more dangerous for pregnant women?”

Rafe knew exactly how dangerous it was for acute asthmatics to carry a pregnancy to full term. He’d done some research on it the night before when he couldn’t sleep. He’d taken the couch at the condo Talia occupied just in case she had another attack. It was clear Carrie wasn’t comfortable with that arrangement, but the day’s events had called for a temporary truce.

“Si, for some pregnant women they get better, others there is no change, but for the unlucky few, the asthma gets worse.”

“And Talia, where does she stand?”

Rafe rubbed his hand over his face and sighed. “From what I witnessed last night, probably with the unlucky few.”

Angelo’s brow rose. “Then shouldn’t she be resting and not waiting in the conference room?”

“What!” Rafe bellowed, pushing off his seat and charging out of his office.

You’d think the woman would have more sense, he thought when he saw her through the window. She looked pasty, completely exhausted, and her eyelids drooped like she was about to fall asleep. Why did she have to be so damn stubborn!

He pushed the door open and yelled, “What the hell are you doing here!”Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

He regretted that when she jumped, her eyes flying wide open and she pressed a hand to her chest.

Carrie, who was sitting next to her stood up. “I asked her the same thing. She should be at home resting and not falling asleep on the table.”

“I’m fine,” she mumbled, looking up at him.

Rafe couldn’t stand how weak she looked, how weak she sounded. But Talia was anything if not determined. She’d proved that to him more than once. He admired her for it, but not at this moment.

He turned to Carrie. “Go back to work!” he ordered, not bothering to mask his annoyance.

She looked at him like she was about to defy him but then decided against it. She squeezed Talia’s hand. “Call me if you need me.” Then sauntered past him to leave the room.

“You didn’t have to be rude about it,” Talia whispered.

Merda! He could hear her exhaustion in her voice.

“And you shouldn’t be taking risks you can’t afford. We’ll continue this debate when you are well enough. Go home, Talia.”