Believe (Short Story Random Updates)

Chapter 14

Carina heard the door open and someone step in. "Doc," Raven smiled as he tightened his grip on Carina's knee in a comforting way.

"How is our patient doing Raven?" Dr. Roberts asked as he walked over to them. "Hey, you're awake. How do you feel, Little One?"

"Lot better," she whispered. "Raven's soup helped a lot."

"Potato soup, Raven?" Dr. Roberts asked shocked, "she should have started out with something a little less heavy on her stomach."

"Doc, I feel lot better," Carina pouted. "It was so yummy and I didn't eat a lot. I'm very full."

"Da," Raven nodded, "only eat small bites. I nyet push, she want this she get it."

"Fine," Dr. Roberts sighed, giving in. "But please take it easy, Little One."

"I will," she promised. "Raven already made me promise to ease into eating."

"Oh," Dr. Roberts said a little shocked. "Really?"

"Da," Raven chuckled, "I know take small bites now, eat full later."

"Did Sean and North lecture you, Raven?"

Raven burst out laughing making Drakon wake up and huff in annoyance. "Nyet," Raven said once he calmed down.

"Well, how is your pain, Little One?" Dr. Roberts asked slipping back into doctor mode.

"I'm fine, the medicine is working," she admitted.

"Feel up to trying to stand then?" he asked curiously. "We won't try walking yet but we can try standing and see how your balance is."

"Okay," she beamed. "Drakon ready to work?"

He yawned then barked softly before she felt him hop off the bed. "I help, Kitten," Raven said as he stood. "I nyet let you fall."

"I know," she smiled softly as she heard the door open again.

"Hey what's going on?" Sean asked as he walked into the room.

"Kitten try standing," Raven said proudly.

"Awesome," multiple men said happily.

"Everyone here?" she asked nervously.

"Yes," Owen said as he walked over to her. "We are all here."

"No pressure then," she said dropping her head.

"Hey," Owen said calmly. She could tell Raven stepped to the side since the smell of gun powder moved to her left and the scent of Irish Spring surrounded her. "There is no pressure at all, Darling," he spoke softly. "If you can't stand it's not a setback at all, it just means your body needs more time to heal, that's all. If you are then good, you're one step closer to leaving here. You will get out of here eventually, whether it's tonight, next week, next month, or months from now, you will come home with us when the time is right, and we will be here with you for every step your recovery just like we were with Miss Lee, Mr. Taylor Jr., and Dr. Green."

"Why do you do that?" she asked as she fidgeted with his cufflinks.

"It's a habit," he cleared his throat, a little thrown off by the question. "How about this?" He asked trying to regain control of himself, "if you promise to TRY not to feel pressured and push yourself then I will try to break my habit of using last names, deal?"

She bit her lip and frowned when she thought she heard multiple barely there groans, but when she felt Owen pull his hand back to hold hers she didn't hear anything so she must of just imagined it. "Kitten?" Raven asked his tone slightly huskier than it was moments ago.

"I'll try," she said nervously.

"I'll do it," Sean said confidently as he walked over to them.

"No," Dr. Roberts shook his head. "If she loses her balance, you will fall too. I'm her doctor I will do it, besides all of you are too tall and it will throw her off."

"If that is the way you want to be, then you are too tall also," Erica said smirking. "I will help her, now move out of my way." The men moved and Carina thought she could have heard many of them grumbling under their breaths. "Alright Dear, do you need help moving to the edge of the bed? Take your time and let me know if anything hurts. I can always kick them out if I need to."

It took some time but Carina was able to move to the side of the bed and have her legs hanging off of it. She felt Erica step up to her knees and place Carina's hands on her shoulders. "I feel silly," Carina whispered blushing.

"I get it," Erica smiled softly. "Many new moms feel the same way after giving birth, especially the C-section moms as they regain feeling from the epidural. I promise I won't let you fall and just take your time. If this is all you are ready for that's okay too. It's great you can move Carina, that lets me know you don't have any damage to your muscles or nerves. This is great progress."

"Thank you, Mommy," Carina whispered. "Jess?"

"Jess and Max are napping at the house," Kota said from across the room. "She got tired after double checking everything was set up to her standards for you so she stayed home to nap, and Max stayed with her so she wouldn't be alone. We left her a note in case she woke before we got back."

Carina took a shaky breath and scooted even closer to Erica. Once her feet touched the floor she waited until she felt sturdy. She applied pressure to Erica's shoulders and rocked forward so she could stand. "There you go," Erica beamed as she held Carina's waist. "How do you feel?"

"A little dizzy," Carina said applying more pressure to Erica's shoulders. "Don't move."

"I'm not and you aren't," Erica said confidently. "Let's just wait and see if it passes. You're doing great."

After a couple of minutes Erica felt Carina ease up on her grip and Drakon growled as he pressed into her legs. "What?" Dr. Roberts and Sean asked at the same time.

"He's protesting her trying on her own," Erica chuckled. "I'm not letting her go, Drakey, I promise. I can tell she is still a little off balance but thank you for letting me know."

"I want to try," Carina said softly. "I feel better."

"Just two steps, that's it," Erica said in her mom tone. "This is already longer than I was expecting. Two steps that's it, Care."

"Okay," Carina agreed. Drakon whined and pawed at the ground in earnest.

"What?" Kota asked.

"He's insisting on his handle if she's going to walk," Jessica said as she walked into the room. "Hey look at you, Girl. Freaking go Girl."

"Thanks," Carina blushed at the praise. "Can you get him set up, please?"

"You got it," Jess smiled after hugging her. She slipped Drakon's vest on then attached the walking bar. "Here you go."

Carina held the bar and Erica took one small step away from them to see how she was standing on her own. Once Erica and Dr. Roberts felt good about her balance, Erica stepped out of the way. "Alright, one step, Dear."

Drakon took one step and Carina faltered, causing Jess to quickly grab her and everyone take a step forward at the same time. "I got you," Jess said calmly. Drakon sat right in front of her, not letting her try again.

"I think that's for another day," Carina said softly.

"Yeah, I think so too," Jessica smiled as she helped her back to the bed. "So want me to tell you about the house?"

"No," Carina shook her head, "maybe later, I'm tired now."

"Then get comfortable," Kota said walking over to the bed. She heard him pick something up from the table by the bed. "This is The Mystery at Lilac Inn, book number 4, Chapter One."