Chapter 5

• Chapter 5
• Lorenzo's POV.
• "My mother?" I said again. I pulled open the bedroom door fast. The maid's voice was shaking when she talked through the door.
• "Yes, boss... she's in her room." Her voice was scared and wobbly.
• Oh no.
• I looked down at the bed. There was a woman there who I had been with just a few seconds ago. My skin was still wet with sweat. Her legs were tucked under the blanket like she was hiding.
• My body was still warm from what we did. But then all that warm feeling went away really fast. My mind became cold and hard.
• As if an invisible force pulled me. I jumped up from the bed, picked up my underwear that was on the floor, put it on quickly, and grabbed my singlet.
• I was getting ready like I was going to fight someone.
• "Where is she exactly? Her room?" I asked again, but louder this time.
• "Yes, sir," came the scared answer from the hallway.
• "I'll be there right now." My voice was flat and sharp like a knife.
• I ran across the hall and pushed open her door hard.
• There she was.
• My mother.
• On the floor.
• Her small body was curled up like a flower that was dying. Her skin was very pale, almost blue. Her lips looked empty, like all the color had been taken away.
• I breathe halted momentarily.
• I dropped down on my knees next to her.
• "Mama..." I said quietly, brushing her hair away from her face. Her skin was cold. I put two fingers on her neck.
• Her heart was beating, but just barely.
• I froze. My body wanted to shake, but I didn't let it. Bosses don't fall apart. Bosses don't show fear. Bosses don't cry. But God, this was my mother.
• Everyone had come to the door. Their faces looked blank and their eyes were big. They didn't know what to do, neither did I.
• I picked her up carefully, carried her to the bed, and put her down gently. Her feet were like ice cubes. Her breathing was slow and getting weaker.
• Think, Lorenzo.
• Think. Fucking think.
• Hospital? Hell No.
• Dmitri was probably waiting for that. For me to fall into his trap. One wrong move outside this house and he could hurt her just to get to me. That snake wanted to hurt people close to me, and my mother would be the perfect way to send me a message.
• I ran back to my room, grabbed my car keys, and stopped.
• The girl.
• I had almost forgotten about her.
• We had made a deal. She said she could help my mother. She said she knew how to help sick people.
• I turned to look at the bed.
• She curled up like spaghetti to be fisted on under the duvet.
• I turned to her.
• Are you kidding me?
• "Hey!" I yelled. "Can't you hear or don't you have eyes to read what is going on?"
• My voice was so loud the whole building shook.It bounced off all the walls.
• She jumped up, sitting up like someone had pulled her out of a dream. "I'm sorry, boss..."
• I walked over to her, feeling very angry.
• "Do you think this is a game? What happened to our deal? My mother's sickness, remember?"
• She held the blanket tight like it would protect her. "I didn't know if you still wanted my help... I didn't want to get in the way. I hate being perceived as an intruder.”
• "Intruder? What kind of silly talk is that!” I bellowed. “Get up right now and follow me. Now."
• She jumped out of bed and followed me to the room.
• My mother was lying there like a doll with no life. Her body was completely pale now.
• The girl walked forward, checked her heartbeat, touched her forehead, then her wrist.
• "Is there... Anything I can get to make something for her?" she asked quietly. Her eyes were still big from what happened earlier.
• "What?" I snapped. "Talk louder!"
• Her voice shook. "T-Turmeric... l-licorice root..."
• I groaned. "You have one more chance to stop stuttering before I get really mad."
• I quickly pulled off my gun. Point it straight at her.
• She swallowed hard, then stood up straighter. "Turmeric, licorice root, garlic, dandelion root, and honey."
• Now she was talking clearly.
• "Get me the gardener!" I shouted. "Tell him to bring those things. Right now."
• People ran away like scared mice.
• I told everyone else to leave, but kept two maids there. Let's see if this girl really knew what she was doing.
• "If you can't help her, we're going to the hospital," I warned. "Even if Dmitri shoots me."
• "I'll do my best," she said. Now she was focused.
• I stepped back and watched.
• She took out a breathing helper from a small bag tied around her waist. I didn't ask why she had that. She gave my mother four puffs from it, waiting a long time between each puff.
• Minutes went by. Her hands moved fast but careful, like someone who had done this many times before.
• Then suddenly, my mother took a big breath.
• My heart jumped.
• She coughed. Once. Twice. Then over and over like she had been drowning and just came up for air.
• I ran to her side.
• "Mama?"
• Her eyes started to open. There were red lines in her eyes. Tears poured out of the corners and went into her ears.
• The girl gently pulled me back. "She needs air. Give her space."
• I did what she said.
• A little later, the gardener came back with all the things she asked for. She ran to the kitchen, and I stood there, unable to move.
• She came back with a thick, golden liquid in a cup. She rubbed some on my mother's legs. Then she gave her a spoonful to drink.
• I watched her like a hawk watching a mouse. If my mother even looked wrong, I would throw this girl off a cliff.
• "She should be okay now," she said.
• "Are you sure? We don't need a hospital anymore?" I asked. I kept looking at Mama's face.
• "Yes," she nodded. "But I'll watch her for a few hours."
• I breathed out hard. Finally, I felt less worried.
• I turned to her. "Who taught you all this? A few hours ago, you said you were just a nurse. Now you're saving lives like a village healer. Who are you, really?"
• She gave a small, tired smile. "I am a nurse. But my mother taught me about plants and herbs... and her mother taught her. It's in my family."
• I stopped and thought about this. "That's really good. I think... I think you're someone worth keeping around."
• Few hours later.
• Later that night, we went back to Mama's room. The girl, amara, had put more of the healing cream on my mother. A maid came with us.
• Amara walked straight to the shelf that had my mother's medicines.
• "Can I see her medicine bottles?" she asked.
• The maid nodded and showed her the bottles.
• Amara opened one bottle and poured a few pills into her hand. She smelled them, read what was written on the bottle, and frowned.
• Her whole body got stiff.
• I saw this right away. My gut feeling kicked in.
• "What is it?" I asked.
• She didn't answer right away.
• But the angry look in her eyes?
• I knew something was very wrong.
• Very wrong indeed.