Christian fell asleep as the amount of painkillers started taking a toll on him. Unknown to him, Skylar checked him three times while he was asleep. She spent her time in the lobby outside his room but couldn’t go home leaving him here. His behavior hurt her tremendously, but she swallowed the pain and didn’t let it get to her. Grandpa Ben tried to convince her to go home, but she was adamant. She would return with Christian.
It was evening when Christian woke up. The doctor arrived to check him up and so did his family. Skylar didn’t enter his room for fear of aggravating his condition. Despite throwing her out of his room, Christian’s eyes searched for her. It seemed she had really left.
“Your pressure figures aren’t good, Mr. St. James. If you don’t rest adequately, the compartment syndrome will recur. This time another surgery will lead to permanent paralysis,” scolded Dr. Foster.
“I’m sorry, doctor. The news derailed me a little. Henceforth, I’ll try to keep calm.”
“Good! We can discharge you soon if you cooperate. Your therapist will be here tomorrow morning. Please follow his advice stringently if you wish to walk again. I have arranged for a counselor to have a word with you.”
“I don’t need a counselor, doctor. I’m fine,” protested Christian.
“One session won’t harm you much, will it? It’s part of the postoperative therapy.”
The doctor left with the nurse, while Lillian, and Caleb sat at his bedside. Both of them wanted to talk to him about his behavior with Skylar, but couldn’t. They didn’t wish to get him worked up.
“Just cooperate with Dr. Foster for another day, Chris. We’ll get you home and Caleb will consult his friend, Dr. Clinton, who’s the best Orthopedic Surgeon in Cleveland,” said Lillian.
“I’ll return to LA and consult someone there,” said Christian stubbornly with a grim look on his face.
“I won’t allow that, Christian. You both will stay here with us until you’re one hundred percent fit,” scolded Caleb while Christian groaned. He knew this time there was no escaping from here. “I’ll have a word with your neurosurgeon.” Caleb left the room and Lillian sighed, knowing she had to talk to her brother. Skylar couldn’t spend two days in the lobby this way.
“Please don’t argue, Chris. We both can take care of you here. You’ll receive the best treatment and therapy if you stay here. Skylar can’t take care of you all by herself in LA.”
Christian scoffed at the mention of Skylar’s name. “I don’t want her to. I’m sure she wouldn’t want to either. Where is she, by the way? She didn’t even consider it necessary to visit me. How do you expect her to take care of me?” His taunting laugh made Lillian frown. She realized how badly he needed counseling.
“You pushed her away, didn’t you?”
“Yes, I did the right thing. I’m sure she wouldn’t want a paralyzed, good-for-nothing husband like me.”
“Dr. Carnell, your husband wants you to talk to the therapist. He’s here now,” said the nurse, coming into the room. Lillian sighed and followed her out, leaving the conversation incomplete. She wanted to clear Christian’s doubts about Skylar, but maybe it would have to wait.
Christian closed his eyes to calm himself down when the door creaked open. Maybe the nurse had returned! However, a sweet, familiar scent hit his nose, and he knew who it was. He could recognize that scent even with his eyes closed. It was Skylar’s! He opened his eyes just in time to see her sneak into the washroom. When did she arrive? Why didn’t she meet him if she had come here with Lillian and Caleb? Was she repenting their marriage already?
Mad fury coursed through him as he waited for her to emerge from the washroom. After two minutes, Skylar came out but froze at seeing him glaring at her.
“Why are you here? I think I warned you not to come to the hospital to see me,” he barked impatiently.
“I needed to use the washroom. I’m sorry. I’ll leave right away. Please calm down,” she struggled to speak without breaking down in front of him.
“Why did you need to come down here in the first place?” Skylar ran out of his room as fast as she could. She didn’t want to argue with him at all. Maybe next time, she would use the washroom in the lobby!
Christian frowned at her disheveled state. How was she wearing the same soiled clothes since he sent her home in the morning?
Lillian came in with a man. “Chris, meet your therapist, Ted Johnson. He will start warm-up exercises with you tomorrow morning.”
“Hello, Mr. St. James. I’m looking forward to working with you. I met your wife outside at the lobby in the afternoon. She told me you were resting, so I didn’t meet you earlier,” explained the therapist. It made Christian frown. What was Skylar doing here in the afternoon?
“Yes, I might have fallen asleep.”
“Rest as much as you can. Eat healthy and exercise. I’m sure you’ll make wonderful progress. I’ll see you tomorrow at 9. Take care, Mr. St. James.”
“Yes, see you, Mr. Johnson.” The therapist left and Christian turned towards Lillian.
“Where’s Skylar? Did she come along with you? When did you arrive here?”
“Caleb and I came here an hour earlier. Skylar didn’t return home even once since the cops admitted you both here last evening. She had been staying with you in this room, but ever since you threw her out, she’s there in the lobby. Grandpa Ben tried to convince her to leave, but she wouldn’t. Please don’t be so harsh on her, Chris. It’s very difficult for a woman to spend the night in a public place, in the lobby. She’s your wife. Grandpa is paying for this family room only because she didn’t want to leave you.”
“I don’t need her pity.” Christian was shocked to know the truth. Why didn’t she go home when he pushed her away? Why is she putting up an act in front of their family?
“What makes you think she’s pitying you? Would you have deserted her if she was the one injured?” asked Lillian with a sigh.
“No, obviously. It’s different in my case.”
“How is it different?”
“I love her while she doesn’t feel a thing for me,” said Christian bitterly.
“What makes you think she doesn’t love you? Did she tell you that? Did she prove to you that she doesn’t feel a thing for you? From what I’ve seen, I think she loves you a lot. Only you’re blind enough not to see it.” Christian was quiet. He couldn’t tell his sister about the contract marriage and the exact state of affairs between him and Skylar.
“She can stay here if she doesn’t disturb me.”
“I’ll tell her.” Lillian left while Christian waited for Skylar. However, even after fifteen minutes, there was no sign of her. Caleb and Lillian left after Caleb received an emergency call from his hospital. The nurse served him his dinner, but Christian couldn’t help but glance at the door frequently.
“Where’s my wife? Has she left?” he asked the nurse.
“She’s there in the lobby, Mr. St. James. Don’t worry, she won’t disturb you.” Christian frowned at her defensive reply.
“She can spend the night here.” He shrugged as he ate his meal.
“I don’t think she wants to put you at risk. I’ll just administer your medicines to you, Mr. St. James.”
A hospital staff cleared his dinner, and the nurse injected medicines into his IV channel. After the nurse left, Christian was still restless. He didn’t want Skylar to spend the night in the lobby. He felt a little guilty for his behavior earlier. After a while, his eyes drooped shut, yet he made an effort to stay awake. Surely she would come in to use the washroom again. He would talk to her.
Even after an hour, when Skylar didn’t come in even once, he fell asleep.
The next morning, the nurse freshened him up, and he tucked into a delicious breakfast.
“Your therapist will join you in ten minutes, Mr. St. James,” the nurse informed him.
“Did my wife come into my room last night?”
“No, Mr. St. James. She didn’t disturb you even once.”
Christian frowned at her answer. If he could walk, he would have gone to the lobby to stop her act immediately. The therapist arrived and helped him move his limbs. The pain killed him almost as he struggled to do the basic warm-up exercises.
“I can’t do anymore, Ted. There’s no hope for me.” He sagged into the cushion, but his therapist smiled.
“You did well, actually. I’m impressed by your stamina, Mr. St. James. I’m sure your condition will improve with every session.” After the therapist left, he closed his eyes to rest, but Skylar’s tear-stricken face was all he could think of. He hadn’t done the right thing in sending her out of his room.
After a few minutes, Grandpa Ben arrived with a frown on his face. He didn’t look at all glad to see him up and better.
“Good morning, grandpa.” However, instead of greeting him, his grandpa scowled more.
“You’ve made steady progress. The doctors will discharge you tomorrow,” said Grandpa Ben.
“That’s good news.”
“Yes. I’ll leave now.” He frowned as Grandpa Ben rushed out of his room without taking an update on him. What was up with him? The nurse came inside to administer his medicines.
“Can you call my wife, please?”
“She has fallen ill last night, Mr. St. James. Your grandfather and her brother took her home just now,”