Chapter Eighteen:

Nora’s blood ran cold at the look on Antonio’s face. They’ve found something new and whatever it was it wasn’t good. “What’s going on, Antonio?”

Antonio could see the toll all of this had taken on her and telling her that someone she had loved and cared about was involved in taking her son from her and was indirectly responsible for what happened to Bo and Matthew was something he was not looking forward to, and he hated to be the one to have to tell her. He bought himself a few more minutes by asking about Bo, “So have the doctor’s told you anything new about Bo’s condition?”

“He’s in with Bo now but his fever has gone down significantly.” She was trying unsuccessfully to read his face, and sensing his hesitation was leaving her uneasy, “Antonio, please tell me what you’ve found out.”

Antonio led her over to the bank of chairs across the hall from Bo’s room. He cleared his throat before he spoke, “Okay, as you know we’ve been questioning the man who was driving the van”, Nora nods and Antonio continues, “His name is Rueben Vasquez and he’s definitely not the strong and silent type. Once he had a deal in place it did not take long for him to turn on everyone involved, all the way down to the little old lady who was taking care of Matthew whenever Gabrielle wasn’t there. He was hired to guard Matthew and make sure that no one had any contact with him other than the old lady and Gabrielle. He was hired by a Ramon Conseulos who is a local mob leader. He has connections in both Philadelphia and Las Vegas.” Antonio paused for a moment and looked away from Nora; he looked back up and continued, “His orders came from someone in Las Vegas.” Nora looked at him afraid to hear what he was about to say, “Nora, Gabrielle received her money and contacts from Will Rappaport.”

Nora stood up and walked over towards Bo’s room, wrapping her arms around her self as best she can over her expanding stomach. Antonio walked up to her and laid his hands on her shoulder, he could feel her body begin to shake as the tears finally fell, “I don’t understand. Why…why would he do this to us? I mean I can understand him being upset that Matthew wasn’t his brother anymore, but hell he’s been gone for almost two years and has barely spoken with Matthew since he’s left town.” She turns around and looks at Antonio, the hurt he once saw in her eyes has now turned to anger, “Where the hell did he get that kind of money and those types of connections?”

“From what we’ve been able to find out so far, he hasn’t been in LA like everyone, including Lindsay, has thought. He’s been in Vegas and well I guess he’s more his Grandfather’s son than anyone thought. He wasn’t in Vegas long before someone from the organization approached him and well, let’s just say he moved up fast and left quite a path of violence in his wake.”

“I still don’t understand why he would help her like this. Why he would hurt someone he said he loved.”

“He was trying to make a bigger name for himself in the organization. It was all about more money and more power in the end. It’s hard to make sense of it all and I’m sorry I don’t have more answers for you. All we have is the paper and money trail.”

Nora impatiently rubs the tears from her cheeks and turns to look at Antonio, “I…I’m sorry I just can’t deal with this right now. I need to go and check on Bo.” She walked away without saying another word.

Antonio pulled out his phone and booked his flight home. He wanted to be there when they brought Will in for questioning. He walked over and looked through the window into Bo’s room. He watched as Nora held Bo’s hand as she talked with the doctor. He walked over to Matthew’s door and knocked lightly. Rachel opened the door a few minutes later, “Antonio, hi…come on in.”

Antonio walked over to the bed and sat down next to it. Matthew watched him closely wondering why he was there and not his mother. Antonio read the little boy’s expressions, “Your mom went in to talk with the doctor. She should be here soon.”

“You work for my dad don’t you? I remember seeing you at the police station when I would come and visit him.”

“Yeah, I’m one of the detectives that work for your dad.”

“And you were at the big house when my dad came to bring me home.”

“That’s right I was.” He noticed Matthew’s eyes grow sad. Antonio looked up at Rachel who just shrugged her shoulders. “Hey, what’s wrong, champ?”

Matthew looks up at Antonio, tears welling in the corner of his eyes, “My dad, calls me champ.”

Antonio smiles and pats Matthew’s hand that rests between them on the bed, “My father used to call me Nio…it was short for Antonio and I used to hate it.”

“Does your dad live in Llanview?”

“No, my father died when I was a teenager.”

“Oh”, Matthew said quietly, “My brother Drew died. He was a cop. Did you know him?”

“Yeah, I knew him. He was a very good cop and a good man.”

“It makes my dad sad when people talk about my brother.”

“Well your dad loved him very much, and he loves you, too.”

Nora stood outside of Matthew’s door for a moment not wanting to interrupt them. She was about to go back over and sit with Bo when she heard Matthew words, “My dad’s really sick…and it’s all my fault.”

Nora walked into the room after hearing Matthew’s confession. Antonio stood up and he and Rachel left the room; leaving mother and son alone. Nora lay down on the bed and pulled Matthew close, “Hey, sweetie, why do you think your dad being sick is your fault?”

Matthew laid his head against Nora and wrapped his arm around her, laying it across her stomach, “Because I believed her.”

“You believed who?”

“I believed Gabrielle.”

“What did Gabrielle say to you?”

“She…she told me that you and daddy had to go away. That God had taken you away and had given me to her so that I could be her son,” his voice cracking as he started to cry, “I believed her. I thought you and daddy went up to heaven to be with my other dad and Drew. If I didn’t believe her or if I had tried to run away then daddy wouldn’t be sick because my liver wouldn’t have been hurt and he wouldn’t have had to share his with me.”

Nora pulled him tighter and let her tears fall as she felt his body shake as he cried, “Oh my baby…it’s not your fault. It’s not your fault at all. You didn’t do anything wrong, Gabrielle is the one who lied. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“But if daddy dies…”

Nora cuts him off, “Sweetie, your daddy’s not going to die. As a matter of fact when you were in here talking to Antonio and Rachel I was talking to the doctor and he said your dad’s going to be just fine, and as soon as he wakes up you can go in and see him.”

“You promise? You’re not just saying that to make me feel better?”

“I promise, the minute he wakes up, okay?”

Matthew yawned as he settled against Nora, “Okay.”

Nora waited until she knew Matthew was asleep before she made her way out into the hallway where the family was waiting, “How’s Matthew?” Asa asked after pulling her into a hug.

“He’s fine…physically.”

“What do you mean?”

“He’s recovering beautifully from the surgery and his other injuries but well…emotionally he’s not doing too well.”

“What did she do to him? If she…”

“Asa…please, your anger is not what Matthew needs. He needs our love and our support. I think he’ll be fine once he can see for himself that his father’s going to be okay.”

“Can we go in and sit with him?”

“Yeah, he’s sleeping right now but I know he’d love if you were there when he woke up.”

Asa and Renee went into Matthew’s room. Rachel decided to go back to the hotel for a while and get some change of clothes for Nora and for Matthew. Nora went in and sat with Bo. She sat down beside his bed and pulled the small book out of her bag. She flipped through the pages concentrating on what she was reading. Bo looked over at her and smiled when he saw the book she was reading, “I like Destiny…Destiny Renee.”

Nora looked up when she heard his voice. She stood up and sat down on the bed beside him, laying her head against his shoulder, “Destiny….just like you and me.”