Chapter 17

Carmela took a deep breath and turned to Max. "I appreciate you being here," she said, her voice steady. "But I also want to make sure that you and Pedro get along. You both mean a lot to me, and I don't want any bad blood between you."

Max looked at her, his eyes softening. "Of course," he said, his voice gentle. "I respect Pedro, and I have no desire to cause any problems. I just want to make sure you're okay."

Carmela reached out and touched Max's arm, her eyes pleading. "Please, Max," she said. "I need you and Pedro to get along. I don't want any conflict between you. I just want us to be a united front, for the sake of the kids."

Max looked at her for a moment, and then he turned to Pedro. "I'm sorry if I've caused any trouble," he said, holding out his hand. "I just want what's best for Carmela and the kids. Can we start over?"

Just then, the hospital doors swung open, and a doctor stepped through. He walked over to Carmela, his face grave. "I'm afraid