Alfonzo by S. W. Frank Page B

God’s punishment for her sins? Her eyes swelled with tears as medics continued to work on her boy as the vehicle swayed back and forth as they careened through the streets sirens blaring. She thought of the little baby who weighed a mere six pounds at birth. He was once a good baby. He had a quiet disposition and joyous smile but then he change d when he became a teenager. He began to fight in school, stay ed out late with thuggish friends , started smoking weed and a host of other things she disapproved of . She’d tried everything to curb his rebellious spirit with little success. Her brother Al intervened and tried to be a surrogate father. Alfonzo needed his real father but it could never be…no… never.!
    Memories of the past emerged. Oh, she was y oung and foolish in her youth and trusting . The young man lying motionless on the stretcher began asking about his father in Junior High School when pre-teens experience the e ffects of peer pressure. She told him half-truths about his father because she did not want him to know.. . her shame.
    To a child it is important to know their parentage, it’s v ital to their identity but Maria did not want her son influenced by his father’s lifestyle or acquaintances. To prevent further inquiry she told Alfonzo his father died. Alfonzo never questioned her . She hated to lie to her son . She hated Luzo.
    As a maid in a upscale hotel in Manhattan she spent time around the rich and envied their lifestyle. This was the first of her many sins. She met Luzo Palazzo there , a tall handsome and charming businessman. It was love at first sight. Days before check-out he offered her an enormous salary caring for his villa in Europe and placed a business card in her hand, “I pay well and you will have free room and board,” he said convincingly. Finally, after careful consideration and speaking to co-workers who affirmed Luzo’s reputation as a respected international businessman , she accepted the job offer and left New York City for a new opportunity. S he arrived in Palermo , Italy and Luzo showed the unsophisticated city girl Italy’s famed tourist attraction and the beautiful countryside. With the exorbitant salary she could send money to America and help her family . Good intentions on her part , but his were not.
    “You will have access to the Mercedes and I will give you an expense account. Since I travel frequently I do not get to enjoy my own villa,” he said .“ However, when I return home I like my home warm and smell fresh flowers.”
    After a year of his calculated seduction she began to fall in love with her charming employer and committed the ultimate sin. She gave herself to him many times. She enjoyed his lovemaking and most of all she envisioned a life with him until she discovered the truth about Luzo Palazzo.
    He was married.
    She returned home in disgrace, unmarried and pregnant. The unpleasant lamentation was interrupted by anxious voices. “ He’s losing too much blood, call it in, we need a trauma team on stand-by.”
    The driver radioed the dispatcher, “ M ale…early twenties…penetrating trauma secondary to a gunshot…”
    The medics e xpressions were intense as they tried to tamponade the bleeding and assist his ventilations using a Bag Valve Mask. She saw Alfonzo’s chest rise each time the y squeezed the device. She clutched tighter at the rosary beads. I must keep faith!
    Maria marveled at the medical workers cool composure as s iren s crackled and they were jostled every time the vehicle bounced over potholes. Within the confines of the ambulance the medics maintained equilibrium and worked to keep her son alive. S everal times the female paramedic glanced in her direction with a reassuring smile. This gave Maria hope, a rare commodity in this season of loss. She prayed for the workers, and she prayed for strength.
    Domingo followed closely behind the ambulance. Heavy traffic failed to yield to the emergency vehicles despite their incessant