Chapter 12 Meeting Call

• ~ Violet ~
• “Excuse me, can I get a cappuccino to go, please?”
• In the midst of her daydreaming, she didn’t realize that a customer was waiting in front of her. Violet quickly put her phone away and looked up. There was a man dressed in a sleek black suit staring straight at her.
• “One cappuccino coming right up,” she said as she worked the register with speed.
• Violet was suddenly feeling nervous as she worked the coffee machine. She had never seen this man before and seeing guys in suits in downtown New Jersey wasn’t something new, but ever since her encounter with the Van Zandt clan, she could never look at guys in suits the same way again.
• “Here’s your cappuccino, thank you for waiting,” Violet smiled and handed the stranger his drink.
• “Thanks, keep the change,” he put down a five dollar bill and walked out with his drink.
• Violet let out a sigh and pulled the money from the counter. Then she thought of her phone again and Jesse’s offer for dinner. Violet was still thinking of what to say when suddenly her phone started ringing.
• Is that Jesse…?
• Violet quickly pulled her phone out, and her face turned to a frown when she saw Dylan’s name on the screen. She thought about hitting the reject button, but since the coffee shop was empty anyway, she decided to take the call.
• “Dylan, I’m working. What is it?”
• “Vi, mom fell,” Dylan’s voice was somewhat shaking.
• “What?”
• “She’s in St. Jude’s right now. Can you come over?”
• Violet thought for a moment that this might be a joke, but even Dylan wouldn’t pull something like this on her.
• “Please, Vi,” he said again. “I don’t know what to do,”
• Violet didn’t even think twice before pulling off her apron and marching to the manager’s office.
• “I’ll be right there,” she said.
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• “What the hell happened?” Violet demanded as soon as she spotted Dylan sitting in the waiting room of the hospital.
• “I don't know, we were at home, I was in the living room and she’s in the bathroom and she just… fell,” Dylan looked confused, tired, and scared.
• Violet let out a sigh. “And what’d the doctors say?”
• “They’re still running some tests, but she broke some bones and she’ll need surgery,”
• “Surgery?”
• “Yeah, and since mom couldn’t get on Medicaid with the Alzheimer’s, we might have to pay full price for it,”
• “Well, don’t worry about money, I have some,” Violet said, referring to the 30,000 dollars in cash she received last week. She hadn’t touched any of it and it was just sitting in the bank. “I can go to the ATM right now and give it to you,”
• Dylan sighed and shook his head “We’re gonna need a lot more than that, Vi. Not to mention the medication, doctor check ups, and mom might need physical therapy,”
• Dylan put a hand over his head and started raking his hair in frustration. Violet let out a deep breath and took a seat next to him. She put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it gently.
• “Hey, we’ll figure it out, I promise,” she said reassuringly, though she herself didn’t know how they could pull through this. “When can we see her?”
• “As soon as she’s out of surgery. The nurse says it’ll probably take another hour,”
• Violet nodded and sat back on the chair. Dylan turned his head to the side and Violet noticed his eyes were getting glassy.
• “Hey, it’s gonna be okay,” she said, but Dylan only stayed quiet, staring out the window.
• Violet threw her gaze at the hospital walls and her mind started to wander. Depending on the severity, this surgery could cost them twenty to thirty thousand dollars at least. Add the medication, physical therapy, and other expenses, it might come down to 100,000 dollars in total. Their family could barely afford a normal life, let alone this.
• We’re gonna need a miracle to get through this one, she thought to herself.
• And suddenly, as if her prayers were being answered, a man dressed in a sleek black suit stepped up in front of her. He was a young man, probably in his early twenties, and his long brunette hair was neatly tied back. Violet saw his face and he looked somewhat familiar. The man also smiled at her, but his gaze was mostly focused on Dylan.
• “Dylan Carvey?” he asked.
• Dylan turned his head instinctively and narrowed his eyes.
• “Who are you?” he asked back.
• “We’ve met briefly at The Union a week ago,” the man stretched out his hand to Dylan. “I’m Adrian Luciano, the consigliore to Mr. Van Zandt,”
• Dylan didn't think twice before shaking the man’s hand and he quickly got up to his feet. Violet’s eyes shot up and she swallowed hard at the mention of that name. She and Dylan exchanged a worried look.
• “…Okay, so why are you looking for me?” Dylan asked him, sounding polite but cautious.
• “I’m sorry to bother you at such an imposing time, but Mr. Van Zandt has required a meeting with you,”
• “With me?”
• “Yes,”
• “W-what about?”
• “Just… pleasantries,” he said as if the word held a different meaning. “You’ll know more once you’ve arrived at the estate,”
• The estate?
• Violet and Dylan exchanged another look. The mafia’s boss consigliere had tracked Dylan down all the way to the hospital to call him out for a meeting at their estate. This must not be a normal meeting. And even though they didn’t know what it was about, this could only mean one thing for them.
• This means trouble.
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• - - - - - To Be Continued - - - - -