All Chapters of I Don't Want Them Back: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

"So who exactly did you just call your husband?"Nora lowered her camera. Her expression was appraising, and there was an edge of hostility under it.For a moment I could only stare at her. Something in my chest cracked apart, like ice giving way underfoot.Nora laughed softly, and the laugh never reached her eyes."I've seen women like you before. Before treatment they chase the doctors for a phone number. Once they're well, they cling to Vito and say they only want to thank him for saving their lives."But you should go look in a mirror. Seven years asleep. Your muscles have wasted down to nothing, and you're paler than a body in the morgue. Looking like that, who exactly do you think you're going to seduce?"My mouth opened. Something heavy sat in my throat, and nothing came out.A nurse pushed the door open, took one look at the scene, and hurried to smooth it over."Miss Bellini, the patient only just woke up. Her neurological function hasn't fully recovered yet, and she'l

When I used to ask whether he missed me, he'd say, "Lina, love is something you carry in your heart. It doesn't need to be said out loud all the time."There was noise at the front door, and a small, piping voice rang through the house."Mamma! I'm home!"The little boy came running in with his backpack still on and buried himself in Nora's arms. She bent and caught him and kissed his cheek."You're home, baby. Were you good at school today?"He hung off her neck."Of course I was! They gave out chocolate pudding at school and I brought mine home for you!"I know it's your favorite."I stared at the red mole beside his right eye, and I couldn't stop shaking.The same place, the same color, exactly as I had memorized it after the delivery, right before they closed the chamber.This boy was plainly the child I had nearly killed myself to bring into the world.And he called Nora "Mamma" so easily, so fondly, as though she were the woman who bore him.The nanny took him upstair

Every trace of color went out of Vito's face, and he stood there as though he'd been nailed to the floor.His lips moved several times and not half a syllable came out. There was nothing in his eyes but panic.Nora caught the strangeness immediately. Her eyes narrowed. "You two know each other?""No."Vito nearly cut her off getting the word out, then worked to level his voice."I've just seen her file before."As he said it, he took half a step back without meaning to.The man I had loved with everything I had couldn't even admit that he knew me.The one who'd come in behind him was Carlo Ferraro, the underboss, the family's number two. He was past fifty, and his silver hair was combed without a strand out of place.He came forward, chuckling, and clapped Vito on the shoulder."Vito, this is the patient you brought back? Her color is genuinely good. Seven years frozen and she recovers like this. The program's working. You're about to earn yourself a great deal of credit."V

Vito didn't say anything. He just looked at me.I understood what he meant. He wanted me gone. He wanted me to disappear, to never turn up in front of his new family again."I'm not leaving."Vito, I'm not letting this go."His eyes darkened at once."What is it you actually want? You want me to divorce her and marry you? You want Sullivan to call you Mamma?"I didn't answer. His hand slowly closed into a fist."Or do you want to make that other matter public?"Lina, listen to me. If that gets out, it doesn't help anyone. With the resources and influence I have now, I can give Sullivan the best schooling and the best life there is. If it comes out, all of it is gone."He looked me over."Look at the state of you. You can't take care of him, and he won't accept you either. Could you really stand to watch him live poor and miserable?"The words went in like a knife.Sullivan seemed to sense that his father's tone had changed, and he twisted down out of Vito's arms. He ran at

The next morning the nurses looked at me differently. There was contempt in it, and disgust.I was still trying to work out why when the door to my room was shoved open.A crowd came in with phones up. From the look of them they were enforcers and low-level associates, the bottom rung of the family."That's her!""Lina, you're the bitch who goes after other women's husbands?"The phone lenses were nearly against my face and the flashes were bright enough that I couldn't keep my eyes open.I shrank back on instinct, and a hand caught my arm and dragged me forward again."Don't run off. Let us get a look at you.""Seven years frozen, did it freeze your brain? Want us to help you sober up?"I had no idea why these people had come pouring in and nothing prepared for it. Between the lenses and the noise my mind went blank. I shut my eyes and curled into the corner of the bed, and every ounce of fight went out of me.Then the door was kicked in and a man's roar went off in the room