Antonio - Ashlee Price Page 0,17
He... likes women. Too much."
"I see."
What about Antonio? As hard as it is to believe, I think he's single. I don't see a wedding ring, and if he had a girlfriend, I would have seen her by now. Baby or no baby, doctor or no doctor, no woman would just let her boyfriend keep another woman under his roof. But why? Because he's too busy saving lives? Or is there some other reason, like some fear or some heartbreak in his past that he hasn't been able to overcome? I'm suddenly curious.
"You seem to have friends, a job you love, a nice house," I say. "But this morning, you told me you understood how it felt to have nothing. Why did you say that?"
"Because it's the truth," he answers straightforwardly.
I still don't understand. How? What does he mean, exactly?
"You should rest," Antonio tells me instead of explaining. "You've had a long day." He pats my shoulder. "Good night."
Without waiting for me to answer, he turns and walks to the door. I stare at his back and clutch my chest, which suddenly feels tight and heavy.
"Wait," I call after him as I take a step forward.
He stops.
"I'm sorry for prying," I say.
He looks at me over his shoulder and shakes his head. "There's no need to apologize. You weren't prying. I'm not angry."
Then stay, I want to tell him, but the words die in my throat.
"You really should sleep," Antonio says. "Good night."
"Good night," I whisper.
He leaves the room and closes the door behind him. I climb on top of the bed and slip under the covers. As I stare at the ceiling, I can't help but keep thinking of Antonio. He's kind, very kind, but I can tell he has his walls up.
Why does he seem so alone even though he has a town full of people who count on him and look up to him? Why do his eyes look so lonely? What secret is he hiding behind them? What invisible burden is he carrying on his strong shoulders?
Most importantly, is there anything I can do to help him?
Chapter Four
Antonio
"Don't force it, John." I try to get my patient back into bed. "Your stomach may have finally settled, but you still need time to get your strength back."
"I'm fine." He tries to push me away. "I'm strong enough."
His wife, who's standing behind me, snorts. "Strong enough to mop your vomit off the floor and wash the clothes you've puked on? Because I'm not doing any more of that. Also, if you pass out while you're at the old mill, I'm not going to ask anyone to carry your stinky ass home. Do you hear?"
John answers with a glare, gets back into bed, and turns his back on me. I turn to Delia.
"Thank you for taking care of him," I tell her. "Just make sure he gets his rest, continues to take his antibiotics and sticks to the diet I've prescribed. I'll check on him again in two days. He should be back in the pink of health by then."
She gives me a warm smile. "Thank you, Antonio. You've truly grown into a fine man and a fine doctor. I'm sure Mitch and Abby are both proud of you, wherever they may be now."
I nod and walk towards the door but Delia grabs my arm.
"It's a shame you never found out who your real parents are, but Summerset is lucky to have you."
I pause. I know it's what many people in this town think. They all know my story. They just don't say it to my face. Maybe it's because they don't want to sound selfish or maybe they just don't have the courage to be honest. I guess Delia is the exception.
"Thank you," I tell her. "I feel lucky to be here, too."
She lets my arm go as she broadens her smile, showing me her missing front teeth. I leave the room. As soon as I close the door behind me, I hear bickering. So much for letting my patient rest. I ignore it and make my way downstairs. With each step, Delia's words weigh on my mind.
It really is a shame I haven't been able to find out who I am. I did try. In between studying, I combed through newspaper clippings and websites, trying to gather details about the fire where I supposedly lost my memories. After all, don't explosions and fires usually make the news? But I found nothing. Not a single photo or article about