Chapter 14 CHAPTER 14: A Family Affair
Hazel
A frantic voice cut through the haze of sleep, "Mrs. Thorn! Mrs. Thorn!" My eyes fluttered open, sluggish and heavy. "But Williams is right here," I mumbled, logic fighting a losing battle against the remnants of a vivid dream.
Another insistent tap jolted me fully awake. A nurse stood beside me; her brow creased with concern. "He's awake, Mrs. Thorn," she stated, her voice clipped. "He's been asking for you… rather insistently, I might add."
My heart hammered against my ribs. “So, it was only a dream”? I muttered to myself as relief washed over me. The images of the unsettling dream flashed through my mind and I shuddered - Adam, the hospital, the accusation in William's eyes.
“Okay thanks”, I turned to the nurse with a half-smile as I made my way to the emergency room.
As I got there, Williams smiled and beckoned to me. I went close and sat beside him. He indicated to me to get close, and I did. He looked around shyly before he put his lips in my ears and whispered.
“I need to use the restroom” his voice held a hint of embarrassment as he gave a shy smile. I nodded and he pursed his lips. I chuckled and looked around.
Fortunately, there was a doctor on the other side of the room, so I walked up to him. With a hopeful smile, I launched into my mission. "Excuse me, Doctor," I began, my voice hushed but firm.
"Do you think my husband, William, could manage a quick trip to the restroom?"
The doctor's brow furrowed in concern, then softened as he glanced at William. "Hmm, let's see." He walked past me and reached for a wheelchair at the other side of the room, then wheeled it closer, its chrome gleaming faintly under the harsh fluorescent lights. Then, with practiced ease, the doctor helped William transfer from the bed to the chair, his movements efficient yet gentle.
He handed the wheelchair over to me as I took the lead, gripping the handles of the wheelchair and propelling it forward to the restroom. As we got to the restroom, I helped William transfer from the chair, bracing myself for the unfamiliar weight in my hands. As I fumbled with the unfamiliarity of the gown tie, my hands shook. Instead of loosening the laces, i ended up tightening them. I gulped as I came in contact with his flawless creamy skin. A chuckle escaped from Williams' lips, startling me before the chuckle turned to a strangled laugh. "Shy, are we?" he rasped, his voice laced with a teasing pain. Heat flooded my cheeks as I averted my gaze and turned my face away. When he was done relieving himself, I helped him tie the ropes to his gown, settled him back on the wheelchair, and we made our way back to his bed.
I stole a glance at his face and I saw a ghost of a smile playing on his lips and I returned the smile as I watched the doctor help put him back on the bed. At that moment, it dawned on me that I had never seen Williams so vulnerable, stripped of his usual bluster and strength. We stood in silence for a few minutes, then he mumbled something.
"Do you need something"? I asked, turning my gaze to him. He nodded and shifted in his bed before gesturing for me to climb up.
“Is that allowed”? I asked skeptically.
"Who cares" he said, smiling. As I climbed the bed carefully so as not to give him discomfort, I made a mental note to ask the doctor what he did to my husband because I could barely recognize this new Williams physically, emotionally and otherwise. The bed was too small for two and slightly uncomfortable, but I managed to fit in thanks to my small figure.
“You comfy”? He asked. I nodded and forced a smile. Then he pushed me close with his good hand, but I tensed.
"Hazel, trust me I'm okay, and I won't bite unless you ask me to", I blushed and shook my head but heaved a sigh of relief that I didn't know I was holding under my breath. William gently nudged me as I rested my head against the crook of his arms while he kissed the top of my head, the touch sending a jolt of pleasure through me.
“Heard from my dad”? He asked out of nowhere.
“Yes, he was around in the early hours of this morning but had to leave to attend to business” I replied.
“Hmm” he grunted
"Why did you ask"?
"Nothing serious" he replied.
“I could call him for you if you want”. I added
“No, its fine” he waved the suggestion aside.
“I am sorry, Hazel,” he said, with a hint of regret in his voice.
It felt like a déjà vu since I heard the same words from Adam earlier today.
“Sorry? Why? I asked in bewilderment.
He heaved a sigh of relief “I know I have not been the perfect husband and I have not treated you right since we got married. I’m sorry I made you lose your job. I had a moment of clarity when my life flashed before my eyes the day I was involved in the car crash. I have so much I want to tell you. Maybe it will help you understand me better. I looked up at him and saw him wincing, the effort it took for him to speak obvious. I gulped and was about to reply when the door swung open and a nurse appeared, eyes wide with alarm as she rushed to the bedside.
“Mrs. Hazel, please get down from there immediately. That is not safe for your husband”, she chided me like a child.
I was about to scramble away, but Williams held my shoulder and forced my head back on his chest.
“No, I want her to stay” he said with authority.
“But Mr. William, it is not safe. She may be a…”
I raised my head up and cut to the nurse's explanation, “I understand, Nurse...
"My name is Gia," she replied, smiling.
"Gia, you don't have to worry. I will just sit close to him”. I stood up from the bed and this time William did not protest, but just glared at the nurse who ignored his stare and proceeded with her mission.
“Anyway, I came to inform you that you have a visitor.
“Who? William asked.
The nurse was about to reply when the door was opened and a tall middle-aged woman dressed to the nines bustled in with a bouquet of flowers. She was average height, sturdy, strikingly beautiful. She had sharp cheekbones just like Williams' and when I really looked at her, I realized she had a striking resemblance to William: defined jawline, chestnut hair, tinged with hints of silver and a commanding presence and that, very obvious. Despite her sternness, she possessed an undeniable beauty in her poise and demeanor. She looked like everything royalty.
I turned to look at Williams, but his eyes were fixated on the woman who had just entered the room. Then his face contorted into what appeared like a smile.
The woman drew close then let out a shriek before enveloping Williams in a tight hug that made him wince in pain.
“Aunt Phoebe, what a surprise!” He spoke
Before I knew it, the whirlwind known as Aunt Phoebe ignored him, launching into a torrent of tears that threatened to drown out the hospital's beeps and murmurs. Gia, who had almost left the room, returned with a stern face.
"Ma'am," she began, her voice firm but kind, "I understand this is a difficult time, but we can't have excessive noise disturbing the other patients."
Aunt Phoebe blew her nose noisily into a crumpled tissue. She went ahead to touch every part of Williams that was not covered in bandages as the tears kept rolling from her eyes.
“Aunt, stop crying, please I’m not dead”
He whispered before he winced again and coughed violently.
“Are you alright?” I went close and dropped on my knees next to him, but he kept coughing, so I ran to get the nurse.
When the nurse came, she asked everyone to leave, so Williams could rest. She pushed us out of the room as she examined Williams.
As we stepped out of the room, Aunt Pheobe decided to introduce herself to me.
“You must be Hazel; Williams did not mention you at all. I had to hear from his father that he had gotten married”. She smirked
“Oh yes, my name is Hazel George. We got married 6 months ago”. I replied,
“Hmm! George, the name doesn’t sound familiar at all. Who is your father?” she asked.
“I doubt you will know him, ma. He is just an old business person who deals in textiles and fabrics.
“Oh! Little wonder I do not know the name”
“So why will my Williams marry you in such a hurry? She asked disdainfully.
“He got you knocked up? She continued.
Her words stung but I decided to ignore the jab.
“It’s complicated ma” I replied mysteriously
Her piercing gaze spoke volumes. “Okay, this one has some backbone” she muttered to herself.
If this woman think she can intimidate me then she has one coming for her I thought
“It’s Aunt Phoebe to you Hazel for as long as you are here” she stated in a matter-of-fact tone. I smiled and nodded before my phone rang. I looked at it and saw Adam on the screen. I hit the silence button on my phone then looked up to see Aunt Pheobe trying to peep into my phone to see the caller. I glared at her
“Boyfriend”? her brows quirked up
“Maybe” I said returning the sarcastic smile then I watched as a genuine smile crossed her features.
Then my phone went off again but this time it vibrated
“Excuse me for just a second” I said and she nodded surprising me
As I stepped out into the balcony, the cold of the night hit me in the face making me shiver
Before I could pick the call, it went to voicemail but no message followed. I sighed and stepped back inside the hospital. I decided to head to the cafeteria for some snacks since I’ve not had any meal all through the day as my stomach growled. I got two cups of coffee, two doughnuts then headed back to the emergency ward to check up on Williams.
I got there and he was still sleeping peacefully so I dropped the snacks on the table and knelt beside his bed to wipe the sweat from his forehead.
I heard a sharp rap at the door and turned and came face-to-face with Adam. His eyes, bloodshot and haunted, held a storm of emotions I couldn't decipher. The washcloth slipped from my grasp and fell to the floor.
"What are you doing here?" I gasped, my voice barely above a whisper as my gaze darted around the room.
"You weren't picking up your phone," he said, his voice hoarse. "I got worried." He looked like a man on the verge of collapse, his usually crisp shirt rumpled, his hair a mess. He looked disgruntled.
"I've been busy, Adam," I managed, my voice thin.
"Clearly," he retorted, his gaze flickering to William and back. The air crackled with unspoken accusations. "Listen, about last night..."
His voice trailed off, his hand reaching out hesitantly. Just as his fingers brushed my cheek, a familiar cough echoed from the doorway. My blood ran cold as I locked eyes with Aunt Phoebe, her shrewd gaze taking in the scene with a predator's focus.