The Second Chance Ch. 13-14

I immediately stood up and looked at him pleading for answers, "I am she."

Jessica and Dave stopped as well and took their place besides me as our eyes were fixed on his countenance.

"I am Dr. Lacey, the thoracic surgeon who operated on your husband," the doctor's voice quivered with a hint of emotion, "I stopped the bleeding, but he lost a lot of blood. His body was in shock and his blood pressure was undetectable at one point he received an electrical shock for a cardiac arrest. He responded to pressers and was stabilized but it took several minutes before his pressure returned."

I interrupted him, "Doctor, then he is going to be alright?"

The doctor looked at me with foreboding eyes. "I am very sorry Mrs. Savino. He is in a coma now and we initiated hypothermia protocol. It will take several days before we know if there is any permanent brain damage."

A rush of emotions overwhelmed me as I heard those words. The traumatic events of what had just unfolded still haunted my thoughts, rendering me nearly numb, my focus solely on Robert. But in that pivotal moment when I learned he might not be alright, a floodgate of emotions burst forth. Dread off of losing Robert collided with the the elation of having reunited the previous week and I couldn't contain it any longer. Tears streamed down my face, my sobs echoing the intensity of my emotions. Jessica rushed over, wrapping her arms around me in a tight, comforting embrace.

The surgeon allowed me a moment to collect my emotions. Then, he continued in a gentle tone, He wears a solemn expression, trying to find the right words to convey the situation.

Dr. Lacey gently said to me, "Anne, the surgery was challenging, and the bullet caused significant damage, but we did our best to repair it. Right now, we'll need to monitor him closely and see how he responds to treatment."

My eyes welled up with tears, and I asked, "What are his chances, Doctor?"

Dr. Lacey took a deep breath before replying, "It's difficult to predict at this stage. Comas can vary in duration, and we'll do everything we can to support his recovery. We have a dedicated medical team taking care of him."

I could not reply because I was too distraught. My sister held me by the shoulders and spoke, "Thank you Doctor Lacey for everything you have done for us."

Dr. Lacey replied, "We will keep you informed, and please don't hesitate to ask any questions or express your concerns. We are here for both of you while he is in hypothermia.

"Hypothermia? What is the purpose of that?" Asked Jessica.

"Hypothermia, involves cooling Robert's body. The goal is to reduce potential brain damage and improve his chances of a successful neurological outcome."

"I see," responded Jessica,"

Recomposing myself, I asked,"Once you start rewarming Robert, how long will it take before we know if he is going to recover?"

Dr. Lacey responded, "Recovery can be a gradual process. It might take some time for us to assess the extent of his improvement. We will closely monitor his vital signs and brain activity as we slowly bring his body temperature back to normal. It could be hours or even days before we see signs of improvement. Please be prepared

I then spoke, "Doctor Lacey, "I appreciate you doing everything you can to help my husband. Is there anything I can do to support him during this process?"

"Yes Mrs. Savino. Your presence and support are incredibly valuable, While Robert is under therapeutic hypothermia, he will not be conscious, but talking to him and holding his hand can still be comforting. We will keep you updated on his progress, and please feel free to ask any questions you may have at any time."

"Dr. lacey. I will be here for Robert, every step of the way."

Turning toward him, I expressed my gratitude, saying, "Thank you for what you have done for my husband. I am grateful for your efforts to save him."

"Don't just thank me, it is the entire team working tirelessly to ensure his survival. He has a fighting chance to come back to us."

"Doctor Lacey, can I see him?" I asked desperately.

"He is coming to intensive care momentarily and you should be able to visit with him a short while."

When I saw my husband come to the intensive care unit, he was taken in by a team of medical staff who were caring for him. He was intubated and had a chest tube inserted in his chest. His eyes were closed, and he looked pale. I went right up to the bed and flung my arms around him. His body was cool to the touch and covered in a cooling blanket. With tears in my eyes I said, "Oh Robert, my love. You are going to come out of this baby, please I need you, "I wailed with tears in my eyes.

Chapter 14: The New Beginning

It had been over a week since the shooting and I awakened in Jessica's house with a nauseous feeling. Robert was still unconscious, and I was increasingly worried that he would not return to me.

Jessica and Dave were both doing everything possible for me. They would not let me be alone and my sister cooked and cleaned for me. I was thankful not to be alone. I helped her watch baby Antoinette and to tell the truth I was grateful to have that cute baby girl with her precious smile distracting me from my worries about my husband.

That day marked the seventh day since Robert's operation, and he was still unconscious. I had to get back to the hospital to see how he was doing. I quickly dressed and went downstairs to join my family for breakfast.

"Don't you want something else to eat than oatmeal, Anne? I could scramble up some eggs?" Jessica asked me.

Dave was holding a precious little baby, and she was quickly drinking her 6 ounces of formula. "Baby Anne knows what is good for her, don't you? Yes. Your Auntie should take a lesson from you." He said.

"No thanks Jessica," I do not want to eat anything else. Let us just get going to the hospital I want to be there for Robert."

"The doctors were talking about taking him off life support, if he doesn't show any signs of improvement." Jessica said solemnly.

"Robert is going to recover, there is no doubt in my mind, "I said sternly with a hint of exasperation in my voice. But in my heart, I was dreading facing the prospect of a life without him.

"You girls go ahead. I got baby Anne. I took time off from work to help out."

Jessica got up from the table to hug her husband and then kiss her baby, "I don't know what I would do without you two. I love you both so much." She said giving Dave another hug and kissing him.

When we arrived at the ICU during the visitation hour, I greeted Celine, Robert's nurse on the day shift.

"Hi Celine, how is my husband today?"

Celine approached me with a reassuring smile and said, "Anne, I have some encouraging news about Robert. We have been closely monitoring his condition, and today, we noticed some significant changes."

My eyes widen with anticipation as I leaned in, asking, "What happened, Celine? Please, tell me."

Celine continued, "Well, first, Robert is initiating breathing on his own. The ventilator is passively assisting his breathing. Furthermore, we observed some reflex activity in Robert's limbs and pupils. This is a positive sign, as it indicates that his brain is responding to stimuli. It's still early, but this development is a good indicator of his potential recovery. It suggests that his brain is beginning to wake up from the coma, and it's a crucial step in the right direction."

Tears of relief well up in my eyes as I whispered, "That's wonderful news. Thank you for letting me know, Celine."

Celine nodded, her tone filled with hope, "We're not out of the woods yet, but this improvement is a promising sign. We will continue to monitor him closely and provide the best care possible. Please stay positive, Anne, and remember that we are here to help and support both of you."

I got to Robert's bedside and held his hand. Then I spoke to him, "Robert I heard something good today about you, that you have recovered reflexes and that you are doing better. I'm so happy for this. Rob, honey, I love you so much and I miss you. I know you want to get better and come back to me."

I squeezed his hand and said," Robert, "I also have good news for you. Robert, I am pregnant with your child! We are going to have a baby. Robert did you hear me?"

Suddenly, I felt my hand getting squeezed back. I looked up at my husband's face and his eyes were open, staring into mine with a look of understanding.

"Oh my God, Celine, Robert is awake!" I shouted with tears of joy streaming down my cheeks. The nurse came running in to the room.

"Doctor, Please come to bed 8, the patient is awake."

Epilogue

The criminal trial against Stacy and Jake took place in Manhattan after 4 months. By that time Robert had made a full recovery and was back at work and I was in my second trimester showing a baby bump.

I had to testify in trial while pregnant with our first baby boy, Blane. Stacy pleaded not guilty of the kidnapping conspiracy denying any thing to do with it. Jake also pleaded not guilty initially saying that he was just as much a victim of the crime as I was. Of course, he never realized how much I knew. As the trial unfolded, the district attorney made good use of the witnesses that I had secured. The testimony of Linda Stapleton describing Stacy's alleged actions to drug me was convincing. When Joe and Isabel Silverman began their testimony regarding Stacy's payment to stage having sex with Robert, the district attorney case against Stacy took shape. Joe's testimony about Stacy's role in encouraging the swingers to have sex with me after I was given a date rape drug really helped to put the whole conspiracy theory in perspective for the jury. Although Stacy's attorney tried to block the evidence, Tanya's video of Isabel on top of a passed out Robert, coupled with Isabel's testimony how Stacy paid her to do it was a slam dunk for the jury.

Stacy was convicted on two assault and rape charges, a class D felony. Despite her apparent pregnancy, the judge showed no mercy for her, and he ruled that she serve her sentence contiguously and her sentence was the maximum, 14 years in prison. It is also classified as a violent felony offense and as such has a mandatory minimum sentence of 3 years in prison for each conviction.

The criminal prosecution trial for my kidnapping did not go as smoothly. Jake was implicated by evidence of his bugging of Jessica's home. The district attorney was able to show the sales receipt of Jake's purchase, The district attorney attributed Jake's actions to the behavior of a jealous boyfriend. He was able to show that Jake's DNA could be recovered from my vaginal fluids which had been collected in the rape kit, substantiating my claim of sexual assault. The court also saw that he had made substantial amounts of cash withdrawals from his bank account linking him to the kidnapping, the same amount of cash found on Juan, the leader of the ring. There was also testimony from witnesses who saw Jake meeting with Daniel Dreyfus. However, the district attorney failed to get Jake to incriminate Stacy in the plea deal. So, he was unable to get a conviction on the kidnapping charges for Stacy. Nonetheless, he did manage to get Jake to testify against a more important criminal, Daniel Dreyfus.

Jake Parson, when he saw that his case had fallen apart, took the stand and admitted that he had conspired with Daniel Dreyfus to kidnap me. He, in turn, took a plea deal to incriminate Mr. Dreyfus. Jake was sentenced to 15 years for his role in the heinous crimes of kidnapping, sex trafficking, and sexual assault.

Daniel Dreyfus, who played a central part in the kidnapping, drug trafficking, and money laundering through his import-export company, received a sentence of 30 years to life without the possibility of parole.

As for Joe and Isabel, they faced a year-long probation as part of a plea deal they accepted with the district attorney for their involvement in the sexual assault.

The story of the criminal syndicate took a darker turn when Mr. Fuentes, evading capture for some time, was ultimately found dead in his mansion, a victim of a deadly rivalry among gangs in El Salvador, marking the somber end to his criminal chapter.

Stacy was pregnant when she received the sentence and gave birth to her baby girl in the state penitentiary in a new program for women. As soon as the baby was born, the court mandated a paternity test. It turned out that the baby's father was Jake's child and not Robert's. Jake had deliberately shielded Stacy from being convicted of the most serious crimes because she was carrying his baby. Since both parents of the newborn girl were incarcerated, The New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision worked with the local Department of Social Services to make arrangements for the child's welfare.

Stacy was allowed to nurse her baby until her aunt took in the girl and started raising her as her own in foster care. Stacy, after bonding with the child, was devastated by the separation from her baby and her loss of custody.

After the trial, my life as Mrs. Savino entered a happy phase where Robert continued to grow his practice taking on three new doctors and I became a stay at home mom to care for our son Blane, and then two years later, Elaine, a baby girl.

We moved out of the city to a beautiful house on the ocean in Greenwich where the children would have room to grow. Robert, who was becoming more of an administrator to his thriving practice commuted to work on the New Haven line. Jessica and Dave were frequent house guests and little Antoinette just adored playing with Blane, Elaine and our German shepherd, Star.

The years passed and my thoughts were far from the troubled past when I heard from Stacy again. Stacy grew repentant over the years hoping that one day she would be paroled and get to be part of her daughter's life. She suffered in prison, tortured by the other prisoners who thought she was a spoiled rich bitch, tortured by the thought that her daughter's father was also suffering in prison because of her selfishness.

After serving five years in prison, I received a letter from Stacy in the mail.

Dear Anne,

I've reflected deeply on my past actions and the harm I caused due to my greed and selfishness. I am truly ashamed of trying to come between you and your husband, and I recognize that my behavior turned criminal, deserving the prison sentence I am currently serving. Our childhood friendship was clouded by my misguided, despicable actions, and I regret the immense pain I inflicted on you and Robert for my own gain.

I want to express my genuine remorse for what I did to you. I became a monster. I turned my back on everything that was important in life, my friends and their love for the love of money and the material things that it buys which are ethereal and mean nothing in comparison. I pretended to be superior to you when, in truth, I admired you and was envious of you. Writing this letter is an attempt to share the depth of my suffering, offer some solace to you. I have to begin the difficult journey of atoning for my sins and trying to forgive myself for the wrongs I committed.

One of the most painful consequences is being unable to share in the love of my daughter and her father. It pains me to watch her grow up without being a part of her life. She cannot know that I love her every single day. Her father, whose only fault was to love me is absent from her life. Poor Jake is in jail because of me, my evil influence and manipulation.

I've come to understand the profound importance of love and family, recognizing that nothing else compares. I know you have found a happiness that I can never know, and while I don't expect or deserve forgiveness, I hope you might find it within yourself to pray for my soul. I do not expect a reply from you because I don't merit one and I do not want you to feel any discomfort on my behalf.

With profound remorse,

Stacy

I showed the letter to Robert who told me, "Anne, it's completely valid if you choose not to respond. Focus on your well-being and our family's stability."

"I'm worried about Stacy's daughter in foster care. Shouldn't I acknowledge that part?"

"Trust your instincts, Anne. Do what feels right for you, and do not feel pressured to provide any information." He said.

After contemplating Stacy's letter, I decided against responding. I have found love and happiness in a wonderful family-things Stacy chose to discard. While I hope she undergoes genuine reform in prison, there's a lingering doubt about her potential to revert to her past behavior upon release. I will keep track of her parole hearings and ensure she serves her complete sentence.

Now I have come to the end of my incredible journey where through an accident my looks and voice were miraculously altered to the point my husband had not recognized me. Against all odds, the marvels of modern medicine played a pivotal role in restoring not only my physical self but also mending the bonds of love that seemed jeopardized by what appeared to be a profound breach of our marital vows.

For those curious about my outward transformation, despite two pregnancies, I am still able to "turn heads." I think it is because I invest considerable effort into self-care. Of course, I take pleasure in the occasional good natured flattery that comes my way, but I do not encourage anything beyond chivalrous praise of my beauty. Despite embracing the role of motherhood, I still find myself fielding numerous propositions from men. However, I staunchly reject each one, steadfast in my commitment to the promises made in my marriage.

True happiness comes from the joy of deeds well done, like raising your children well and bringing joy to those you share your life with. The persistent focus on my outward appearance has not bred vanity in me, rather, it reminds me how I almost losing my beloved husband and my happiness forever. My devotion to my husband runs as deep as his unwavering commitment to our love. "Chastity is the lily of virtues," fidelity to love is the anchor of our happiness.

The End