Setting: Mercy Hospital, New York
Danny got up from his chair to go get his seventh cup of coffee. H was restless and it showed. The extra caffiene was only serving to make him more wired but he needed something to do and getting up and getting coffee seemed to be the only thing to do in this waiting room.
Carmen was sitting with Warren and acting like she owned the hospital ordering everyone from the doctor to the orderlies around. She had already been threatened with security several times.
Danny began to walk down the hall. Carmen asked where he was going but he just continued on his way. He did not have the desire nor the patience to deal with her right now. She was smart enough to recognize his mood and so far she had not pushed him.
The doctor had informed them that his grandmother was in very grave condition. Her heart had suffered severe damage. She was on a ventilator and if she didn't show any improvement in 72 hours, then they would have to talk about turning off the machines.
Danny wanted to be with her so badly. He had got to see her for a minute when he got there but because of the strict intensive care rules, they were only allowed to visit every fourth hour and then it was only two at a time. He had requested to go in alone and he had begged his grandmother not to leave him.
He prayed for another chance to visit with his grandmother. He wanted to tell her how much he loved her. Surely God wouldn't take his sweet grandmother away from him. She had never hurt anyone.
He wandered the halls and thought about Dietz. He had picked up the paper while he was still in Springfield. He had read the article about the shooting but didn't see his obituary. He didnt know what arrangements had been made. So far Carmen hadnt mentioned it so she must have thought he hadnt heard since she believed he had come here straight from the airport. He decided to stay mum a little while and give her a little rope and she if she hung herself with it.
Dietz, man, I'm sorry, he thought. He hadn't meant to get him involved in this. He never would have thought Carmen would suspect Dietz. He knew the mouthpiece had something to do with Dietz's being found out. He made a mental note to check out Ben Warren when he got back to Springfield. He was the key to all of this, he was sure of it.
He checked his watch and saw that it was nearing time for visiting hour to start. He made his way to the waiting area and saw that Bill and Pilar had joined the rest of the group. Pilar ran into his arms and he held her while she cried. "It's okay, peanut, it's okay" he said stoking her hair and struggling to believe the words he were telling his sister.
"Danny, It was so awful. She wouldn't wake up and mama wouldn't call the ambulance" Pilar said.
"What?" Danny pushed her away from him and looked at her with disbelieving eyes. "What did you say?" he repeated.
'Mama said she was just sleeping but I knew something was wrong, I begged her to call the ambulance. I felt her Danny and she was cold. I was so afraid she was going to die right there. Finally Ben called the ambulance and they came and got her. Mama started hollering that she wouldnt let her go to the hospital where Michelle's brother worked. That was the only time she acted like she cared and it was only because she wanted to be in control. Why did this have to happen Danny? Why?" she cried.
" I dont know peanut, " Danny said. He didn't know what else to say, he was too busy absorbing what Pilar had said. Carmen hadn't wanted to call help for his grandmother. This was all too much.
"Danny, there is something else. I emailed you in California but you didnt reply so I guess you didnt check your email. Dietz is dead. Someone shot him at the docks last night. Mama says it was a rival family and that I should move back home. I had gone to her house this morning to talk to her about it when we found grandmother . Mama wanted me to come with her but I came with Bill. I think she is going to try to use this situation to try to get us to come back home. I am going to stay away from her so I brought Bill with me" she said.
"Good, peanut, that was very smart of you. Carmen will try to use this situation to her advantage and you were right to come with Bill. Make sure you stick close by him and not let her get you alone" he said.
" I will Danny" she promised and they went to join the rest. Federico had been silent most of the trip and hadn't spoken much since they had arrived at the hospital. A voice came over the speaker that said that the CICU (Cardiac Intensive Care Unit) visitors could go up two at a time. Federico asked Danny to come with him. Carmen raised an eyebrow at Danny but his warning glare prevented her from speaking.
They rode up into the elevator together. Federico finally spoke. "Danny, I don't think she is going to make it." he confessed. Federico only said aloud what Danny had already been thinking.
" Let's listen to what the doctor says first Federico" Danny said. He didn't want to patronize Federico with any words of sunshine. Danny knew how grave the situation was. He just wanted one last chance to tell grandmother that he loved her.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Carmen was sitting next to Ben in the waiting room. Ben had stayed by her side all day and for that she was thankful. He would expect a big bonus for this and she would give it to him. She was getting the silent treatment from both of her children. Danny had barely looked at her. She hadn't seen him since he left for California almost a month ago. He had only answered her first two emails and then she had quit sending messages altogether. He was still angry about Michelle, she thought. Thank God they had seen the last of that little twit. Carmen hadn't seen or heard from her since Danny left and that was the only reason that she was still alive.
Carmen didn't have any problems dealing with her enemies as unfortunately Dietz found out last night. She was surprised to find out that she actually felt sorry that they had had to get rid of him. Dietz had always been a good friend to her and he had been so easy to manipulate.
He had always had a thing for her and she hadn't been above using that to her advantage. He had been willing to do her bidding no matter how dirty it got and he had not had a chance when she had needed to use him in order to hold onto Manny.
Dietz had wanted to tell Manny the truth and claim Mick as his own but she wouldn't hear of it. He was a means to an end and she made sure he understood that. He had remained loyal to her though even after Manny's death.
It was so unfortunate that he had betrayed her. Ben had been watching Dietz around the house and when he had brought the missing annullment papers to her, straight from Dietz safe, she had had no choice but to eliminate him. Somehow Danny had gotten in touch with Dietz in order to get the papers. It was such a small thing really, but a betrayal is a betrayal. Carmen Santos didnt deal with betrayal of any kind lightly. Even when Manny had decided to turn the business legit, she had to make sure that hadn't happened either.
Noone would ever suspect her of leaking the news of the Santos family going legitimate. She was sorry Manny had been killed, it was just supposed to be a scare tactic to remind him that this was there way of life, but Manny had tried to be brave and had gotten caught in the crossfire. She had stepped up as the head of the family.
Thankfully, noone contested the will and automatically assumed that Carmen was to step in in place of her dead husband. If the truth ever came out about that......
Her thoughts wandered to Grandmother Santos. She had hoped she would be dead by now. She certainly hadn't looked alive this morning, but Pilar had been pitching such a fit that she had to do something. Hopefully it wouldn't be too much longer. She had insisted she be brought here to save face and she had hoped that the trip would be too much for the old lady to take and she would die of heart failure before she ever got out of the ambulance.
Federico had been sitting in the waiting room silent. He hadn't even said hello to her. He had eyed her suspiciously a few times but if there was one thing Carmen Santos was good at, it was putting on a poker face. She would not give anything away by the look on her face.
Danny however was a different story. He looked like a caged lion. The kind of look he always had on his face when it came to Michelle Bauer. She had finally managed to get them apart but it had taken work. She still didn't have Danny where she needed him to be. When this was over, she planned to talk to him about coming home now that Dietz was gone. She would be the one to tell him about Dietz and she would make sure she played the part to the hilt. She would lament Dietz and Danny would feel guilty and come back. Michelle was out of the picture and it was only a matter of time before Pilar would come home. When she saw Danny come home, she would fall into her place in the Santos family. Everything was going nicely. She couldnt have planned this better if she had given the old lady a heart attack herself. Now all she had to do was wait for her to die.