Chapter 75 Devastated
The next morning Christian gained consciousness, but the pain all over his body was killing him. The doctor increased the dose of the painkillers to relieve him. He fell asleep again, unaware of what lay ahead of him. Skylar stayed with him in case he woke up again. She was dreading the moment he would realize his condition. She would have to give him hope.
The pain was unbearable, and he had hardly acknowledged her presence when he woke up earlier. This time, when he woke up, she would be ready. At least they both were alive and with one another! At least Steele wasn’t successful in his mission. He couldn’t take their lives.
Two hours later, Christian opened his groggy eyes and looked all around him. Was he alive? He remembered the excruciating pain in his body as if he was dying. He remembered the accident vividly. It relieved him to know he had saved his Skylar from the jaws of death. Where was she? Had she left him here?
He focused his bleary eyes on the nurse tending to him. “Water, please!” he croaked, his voice echoing in the still hospital room.
“Oh, I’ll get it right away. How are you feeling?” She poured some water into a tumbler and held it to his lips.
“Very exhausted! I can’t move my body, especially my lower half. Even my rib cage hurts. What’s wrong with me?” he croaked.
“You had two major surgeries yesterday, Mr. St. James. Your body will take months to heal.” The doctor came in to check up on him.
“Hello, Mr. St. James! I’m Dr. Foster, your orthopedic surgeon. How’s your leg today?”
“I can’t move from the waist down. Am I paralyzed?” Christian saw the hesitation in the doctor’s face and instantly knew something was wrong.
“That’s because you suffered a spinal cord injury, Mr. St. James. The affected vertebrae had to be surgically reconstructed. Dr. Garrett, our best neurosurgeon, operated on you yesterday. It will take at least four months to heal. He will check up on you in a while.”
The doctor took a deep breath before answering his second question. “You fractured your right leg in the accident. It resulted in internal hemorrhage and acute compartment syndrome. We had to perform a fasciotomy to stop the pressure build-up, and hemorrhage. We will observe you for seven days for a recurrence.” Christian listened intently, noting the way Dr. Foster avoided his last question.
“How long will my leg take to heal, doctor? When can I start walking?” It was an important question, and he needed to know the answer. He couldn’t afford to be bedridden for long.
“We can give you a proper verdict after observing you for seven days, Mr. St. James.”
“But can’t you at least tell me what my chances are to regain control of my lower body?” Christian was desperate by now. Why couldn’t the doctor tell him if he could walk in two to three months?
“I’ll be quite frank with you, Mr. St. James. Right now, the chances of paralysis are very high, but maybe with therapy, you can improve. If the compartment syndrome recurs, the chances will decrease further. Whatever the case, at least for a year you wouldn’t get complete mobility. You have to opt for long-term therapy.” Shocked was an understatement of what he felt at that moment. He couldn’t believe that he would be paralyzed for life! His life, his career, his work, everything was over! How would he face Skylar now? She would hate to be married to a paralyzed man!
“I wish I had died instead of facing this.”
“Don’t lose hope, Mr. St. James. Miracles happen if you persevere.”
“I can’t afford to wait all my life for a miracle to happen, doctor.”
“Don’t give up so easily. Follow my instructions and let’s hope the compartment syndrome doesn’t recur.” The doctor instructed his nurse about a change in his medication and left. Christian covered his face, too devastated to face anyone now. He had no idea where his family was.
“I’ll call your wife, Mr. St. James. She’s downstairs giving her statement to the police. She has been staying here with you since yesterday.” Christian’s eyes widened at the information since he had expected her to leave.
“She’s here! Does she know about my condition?” he croaked, and the nurse nodded.
“Yes, Dr. Foster informed her. Your family was here, too. They all know about it.”
Christian frowned, wondering why no one was as bothered as he was. His life was doomed, yet no one was here by his side. He longed to know Skylar’s reaction to the news of his paralysis. What if she wanted a divorce? After all, who would want to waste her life taking care of a paralyzed husband? No, he wouldn’t wait for her to reject him. After all, not once did she admit she loved him? It was his heart that sought her out. It was his stupid heart that wanted to believe she loved him. Not anymore! He would set her free!
“No need to call her. She should be busy with the cops.”
He lay down and closed his eyes. “You need to eat, Mr. St. James.”
“I’m not hungry. Can you leave me alone for a minute?” he growled, making the nurse leave him alone for a while. However, later, Christian’s mood soured as he gingerly ate his lunch at the doctor’s insistence. One look at the wheelchair that arrived for him annoyed him further. He didn’t want to use that disgusting thing.
Skylar walked down the corridor towards the elevator. She hadn’t expected it to stretch this long, but it was necessary. At least her statement was proof enough to start the investigation and arrest the culprits.
She met Sebastian at the reception where he was completing the formalities. “Done?” he asked Skylar.
“Yes, now they will cooperate with the traffic department to arrest the culprits.”
“I just hope they arrest Steele before he causes further harm,” said Sebastian as they walked down the corridor toward Christian’s room.
“Chris should be up by now. I’m scared to face him,” said Sebastian, and Skylar sighed knowingly. She, too, was apprehensive about it. How would he react to his injuries? They went inside to see Lillian and Grandpa Ben sitting at his bedside.
Christian was awake, but his scowl deepened at the sight of Skylar with Sebastian. So was she repenting her decision to marry him?
“If everything goes well, they might discharge you tomorrow,” said Grandpa Ben.
“I have to get back to work. I’ve wasted enough time already,” said Christian as Skylar came to sit on the bed beside him.
“Your health is our top priority, Chris. I can handle the work until then. Skylar can help me,” said Sebastian. Christian frowned at his suggestion, misunderstanding him totally.
“I’m not dead yet. I can work.”
“Do whatever makes you happy, Chris. Let’s have a word with his doctor, Grandpa,” said Lillian.
“Yes, I want to know about the therapist who will help him,” said Grandpa Ben, getting up to leave. “Rest, Chris. We’ll come back in the evening.” Christian didn’t respond and they left him alone. Maybe he would feel better after talking to Skylar.
“I need to rest,” said Christian, closing his eyes to dismiss Skylar and his brother.
“Fine. I’m going home now. I’ve been here since last night,” said Sebastian with a sigh.
“You can also leave, Skylar. I won’t wake up before evening.”
Skylar shook her head vehemently. “No, I won’t go anywhere.” Christian felt annoyed by her act. She had signed the contract marriage agreement without a thought. Why was she putting up a show now? He knew she didn’t love him.
“I’ll leave then.” Sebastian walked out with a frown on his face. He couldn’t figure out what was wrong with his brother. Why was he behaving in such a weird manner? Why was he blocking all of them out of his life? He needed to talk to Lillian and find out. She was a doctor and would know what was going on in Christian’s mind. Maybe he needed counseling to help him come to terms with the reality.
“Are you in pain, Christian?” asked a worried Skylar, still sitting beside him. She stroked his head but he glared at her, pushing her hand away.
“No, I’m fine. Can you please leave me alone? I don’t want you here, Skylar.”
“Please, let me stay, Christian. I won’t disturb you,” she begged, getting up and sitting on her bed.
“No, I want you to go home. I don’t need you here.”
“Why are you behaving this way with me? What have I done?” whispered Skylar, choking the tears back.
“Get out of here before I lose my mind,” he yelled, and the nurse came rushing inside.
“Please don’t get so worked up, Mr. St. James. Your blood pressure will rise. It can trigger the compartment syndrome like earlier. This can be fatal too,” warned the nurse.
“I don’t care. I want to die. If you’re so worried about me, ask her to go home. I want to be alone here,” growled Christian. He had to push her away. He didn’t need her pity! He didn’t want her to waste her life taking care of him. She was young and would one day fall in love with someone much better than him. He would release her for her own good!
“Please, Mrs. St. James,” begged the nurse. Big fat teardrops fell from Skylar’s eyes as she ran out of his room to spend the night in the lobby. She couldn’t leave him and go home!