Elsa

Time moves slowly the next few days.

They took Marcello off the ventilator two days after his surgery. Not long after, his eyes fluttered open. There he was, alive and still with me. I pressed my forehead to his cheek. “I love you, baby.”

There wasn’t much more to say than that, because he drifted back into unconsciousness. The knot in my chest eased a tiny fraction. Our problems were far from over, but it was good to see his gorgeous blue eyes staring at me once again.

We decided I will spend nights at the hospital, while Zia will sit with Marcello during the day. This will allow...