Getting checked out

"Are you alright baby?" Antonio asked a bit worried.

"I—I am kind of sca—scared of hospitals... I ... can we just do this some other time" I mumbled, chewing my lips and bowing my head to avoid Antonio gaze. I regretted saying that though as I realized How Antonio had sacrificed his time to bring me and now I'm just going to waste it?

I could feel Antonio gaze on me for a long while and that got me more panicked. Is he angry at me? God...No pl...

"C'mon sweetie you don't have to be scared alright?" To my suprise Antonio voiced out in a pacific voice and squat down to my level.

"Trust me you aren't going to get hurt that's for sure. Yeah maybe some of the treatment may sting a little but you'll be fine."

If only he knows there's more to this than just the physical pains. Everything about this place is just hella traumatic for me.

When I was still reluctantly, he Sighed and took my palm into his making me stare at his face.

"Look if this is about your fear for men

, I can't tell you that they aren't men in there but I'll assure you one thing none of them will dare try do anything funny. You really have to do this. Whether we postpone it or not, you'll certainly have to face it and if you really want to get over your past baby, you should start learning to face your fears now. Nether the less, I'll be with you every step of the way okay?" Antonio reassured me, beaming with a warm smile as he gently caresses my hair like a baby.

His words and assurance, relieved me a bit.

I nodded and muttered a thank you to him.

I step down from the car and followed his lead. I literally clinger to him like a second skin, my arm wrapped around his arm.

As we thawed further into the building, I realized that the place didn't seem any close to a hospital. It look a building from ancient days and like a warehouse too. There were sole guards standing at the different post holding guns.

Each one we came across, bowed to Antonio. As we continue walked past them, I got really scared of how sacred they look so I've to tightened my grip on Antonio.

As if noticing my panic, Antonio glanced at me and without saying a word to me r turned to face everyone of the guys.

"Tutti voi cazzo, smettete di fissare mia sorella e nascondete le vostre fottute pistole!!"Antonio yelled in Italian making me flinch a bit.

(Everyone of you fucking stop staring at my sister and hide your fucking guns!)

"Si...capo" they all chorused and bowed their head at once, also hiding their guns in the process.

(Sure Boss/yes boss)

I don't know what Antonio said but I really appreciated that no one got to stare at me again neither do I see any holding guns till we finally arrived a office.

A very beautiful office. It was way the opposite of the outside building, everywhere looks sparking and classic. There was a female doctor in there.

The doctor acknowledged Antonio with a bow and Antonio responded with a nod.

"Clarrisa this is doctor sarah. She's will taking you through all the medical precedures." Antonio told me.

And wow I was really grateful that he got me a female doctor.

"Oh...Ok" I nodded.

"Nice to meet you beautiful clarrrisa. How are you?" The doctor said beaming with a bright smile.

"I'm fine thank you?" I said shyly and the doctor nodded. She asked me to seat on the cot in the office and I did. I watched her bring out some medical instrument and all the while I was getting kind of scared.

Antonio came beside me and encouraged me to relax that I'll be fine, I needed to be brave even just a little.

"Don't be scared clarrisa, relax your nerves. This is just a check up for now, it won't hurt" the doctor assured me with a smile and the smile helped a little.

She then started using the instruments to take my temperatures, she took my vatamins, my weight, blood tests and so many other things. Like she'd said it didn't really hurt that much. Just that the needle sting a bit but Antonio was always caressing my back.

Finally she was done and I thought that was all but she told me there was a second stage which invoked checking my body for bruises and getting them treated. I got really really scared cause I know that will definitely hurt a lot and plus it'll be so embarrassing letting anyone see my bruises.

When she asked me to stand up and follow her to a certain room, I looked at Antonio for possible help but all he did was tell me that I'll be fine.

I swallowed hard and reluctantly stood up to follow miss sarah.

"I'm but you can't follow her Boss. This a full body check, the patient might feel uncomfortable with a relative." The doctor said.

I don't know if that's true or not. Truth is I don't want to do this.

Ignoring the doctor, Antonio asked me if I agree with that. After thinking for a while, I told him to come with me. I mean no matter what, I can't be alone with a stranger. I feel really safe around Antonio. The doctor didn't argue. At the ward, the doctor made me lay on the bed and started taking my shirt up. My heart was in my stomach.

When she finally raised it up to my breast area, a gasp escaped her lips. She gazed stunned at the big scar that was on my tummy. "What the hell...." Antonio yelled in instant rage, also looking stunned. He looked at me and I only gulped.

"This looks really really bad" the doctor said pitifully. "How on earth have you been enduring this? Who even did to you?" The doctor asked with deep concern and pity.

"Dont ask her question. Just carry on" Antonio said between rage and hurt. He was clutching his fist as the doctor kept exposing the different bruises and ugly scares in my body.

At a point, Antonio took excuse and left with tears tickling in his eyes.

Doctor sarah was really gentle with me as she tended to my wounds. She rubbed cream on some spot and stitched some part then bandaged, she gave me some antidotes injection so I wouldn't feel any pains. In like 30 minutes we were done.

But she told me to lie on the bed that I need enough rest.

"Thank you so much doctor sarah" I thanked her with a small smile as she slide a pillow under my head.

"You don't have to thank me baby. Now just wait here a few seconds while I go see your brother okay?" She smiled and I gave her a nod. She walked out.

I remained alone in the ward and Later slept off.

I woke up to blurry vision, at first I couldn't comprehend what was going on r where am I on til a voice spoke. "Are you feeling now baby?" I turned to right to see Antonio sitting beside me on the bed, he started checking me out as if trying to see if I'm alright.

"C'mon I'm fine." I groaned out.

He smiled and started telling me all what the doctor said.

"You will have to be taking these drugs..." he said referring t the drugs on the desk. "So that your wounds will heal from inside and then we'll apply these cream every morning. Then once every week we'll come t change your stitches." He said and I nodded an 'okay'

He then went all cold all of sudden and for a moment I thought he was going to quarrel me about hiding my bruises for him.

"I'm really sorry Antonio" I apologized before he could speak.

"For what?" He frowned.

"For not telling you about this...I just didn't want to bother you" I mumbled.

"Shhhh Cmon baby you don't have to apogize anything. I'm really sorry that you've to go through a rough life." He said sadly while brushing my hair back.

"And Can you do me a Favour clarrissa?"

"What?"

"Stop seeing yourself as a burden to me or to us. You're my responsibility meaning if you've a problem don't hesitate to let me know. I swear I'll die anything bad happens to anyone of you and I know you wouldn't want that for me right?" He says sheepishly and I shook my head No.

"Now tell me what wil you take for lunch?" He asked and that was whe I check the time to see if was 1pm already.

"Aren't we going home yet"

"Well the doctor said you need rest a little more so tell me what are you having for lunch?"

"Ummm burger?" It came more like a question so he asked me to specify and I just said burger.

He grabbed his car keys from the cop board and stood up to leave. Before he left, he gave me his phone.

He unlocked it for me and told me to to use it to entertain myself so I won't feel bored before he comes back.

Indeed, the phone was recalls entertainining. I shuffled through an app called YouTube. I watch lot of videos and played some games. I was playing subway surfer when a text suddenly popped in. It was from some Austin.

'Alright but on no account should you leave the twins alone. If possible get them guards. I know you are stubborn and like doing things to your way but for fuck sakes, handle those two like eggs.'

That was the Text.

For a moment I got million questions in my head. Who's this Austin and what's his business with Me and my twin? Or maybe we aren't the twin he's referring to right?

I was still thinking about it when The door opened and Antonio showed up with a poly bag.

I heard him say something but didn't get a sense of it. I was just staring into blank space holding phone in hand.

"Clarrisa!!" Antonio yelled and tap me gently I flinched making the phone drop on the bed

"Are you alright?" Antonio asked looking worried as he drops the poly bag beside me.

"I'm fine" I forced a small smile. "Um what were you saying"

"Nothing serious just apologized for the delay. I got caught up with something else. Here's your lunch" he said and gave me the bag.

"Thank you" I said with a smile while checking out the content.

"Did someone called me? Texts?" He asked while picking up his phone. Before I could tell him, he'd already swipe up the phone. Apparently seeing the text already. Scoffed after reading through it and kept the phone.

I wanted to ask him who's Austin but decided against it.

I didn't get to eat in the hospital. Antonio told me that something came up at his company, jayden need his help so he have to go and since he can't leave me at the hospital, we've to go together. We went down to the car with him carrying my lunch bag for me. The moment we got in, he gave me back and also brought something out of his chest pocket. It was a small box.

"I got this For you." He said extending the box over to me.

I frowned in confusion as I I gazed at it. "Ummm...What's that?"

"Open it and see for yourself" without asking question, I took the box and when I opened it, there was a pure diamond necklace inside.

I couldn't help but gasp in shock.

"Wow...this...this is diamond." I cooed still in shock.

"Yeah, do you like it?"

"Of course I...I love it." I smiled in amazement. He returned the smile and helped me wore the necklace around my neck.

"Wow it suits you just perfectly" Antonio complimented.

"Thank you so much...ummm isn't this quite too expensive?" I mumbled while picking on my nails. I was now feeling really Down as I remembered what my ex-brothers would always tell me that I don't deserve anything good in life and from what I know so far... diamond is a rare gem. Why would he get me one.

"When it comes to my sister nothing is too expensive. You deserve the world clarrisa" Antonio said casually but to me that meant a lot. It brought imagination tears to my eyes.

I didn't know what to say other than to smile and thanked him genuinely, not just for the gift but his kind words.

"You can see that gift as my formal way of apologizing to you for giving you a panic attack that other day. I haven't really apologize for that. Trust me I didn't mean to and I promise you that'll never happen again" Antonio said solemnly.

"Oh no... You don't have to apologize to me. Liam already told me everything. I understand that you were traumatized. I perfectly understand how it feels, how's uncontrollable and you know why? because I'm also in that shoe. But thanks to you and our brothers you've been there for me, you always understand and comfort me so what sort of person would I be if I can't do same for you... for you guys." I said truculently. Antonio stared at me in awe for a long time and slowly, he pulled me into a tight hug.

"Thank you so much Tesoro" he said in deep voice. I smiled and when we finally broke off from the hug, I started eating my lunch while Antonio ignited the car.

The atmosphere was peaceful and quiet as Antonio drives. I wasn't feeling awkward though. I fed my eyes with the view at same time eating my burger.

We were already on the highway when suddenly something skipped my mind.

Mother... I mean my birth mother.

All the questions I've thought about her came into surface.

Could she still be alive? She is thinking about us? Where exactly is she living now? A lot was going on in my head and I couldn't hold it in anymore.

"Antonio." I called out in the middle of the road.

"Yeah?" He replied glancing at me.

"Ummm... Do you think mother could still um be alive?" I blunted out and Antonio nearly ran us over.

He went tensed for a moment and in that moment I regretted asking that, knowing fully well how bad he could be traumatized about mother and probably wouldn't want to talk about her.

"Umm....I'm sorry. Don't..."

"I seriously hope so..." Antonio inhaled and exhales  deeply and slowly he returned back to normal. "Let's just hope that she's still alive okay?" He said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

I nodded a yes.

"I...I wish I could meet her in person though. I really wish." I mumbled silently.

"Don't worry we will meet her soon baby" Antonio says using his free hand to caress my thigh.

My spirit jolts to full life.

"Are serious?" I asked Antonio curiously.

"Yeah."

"When?"

"Honestly,I don't know yet." He sighed. "Racheal is our easiest link to find her but she doesn't want to talk about her mother nor tell us her location but that doesn't mean I won't find our mother though . Just that it might take time but I'll get down on it ASAP" he assured me and I smiled in relief and excitement.

I can't wait to meet mother for real.

But what if she doesn't like me? I mean why else would she dump me in an orphanage? Or wait... could it be possible that she died?

Oh no