My Hired Boyfriend (Completed)

47. Promises

            I stare at the rose bush outside of the hospital window, its vines and branches whittled from the cold. The roses had long fallen off and fall was officially here.

It took a month for my body to finally decide that it was ready to heal itself.

The cuts were fading and the discolored bruises disappeared into tender spots on my body.

As for my stab wound, it was closing nicely—a "healing miracle" as my doctor said.

Every day he would come into my room with an overly bright smile, as if I should have been happy that I was healing nicely.

And I guess I should be happy—

Jeremy won't tell me anything about Coda, saying that he 'doesn't know', but I don't miss the way he looks away pursing his lips guiltily.

For one month I've waited for Coda with no sign of him.

It was like he disappeared.

Layered beneath my anger is hurt and I've had enough with Coda's game.

I already know what he's doing.

If he thought he was giving me a chance to live happily without him, he's highly mistaken and Im going to throttle him when I see him again.

"Come on home Hazel, everyone's waiting for you," Jeremy says. He stands by the door way supported by a single crutch.

Drawing away from the window, I cast one last look at the dying rose bush and head determinedly for the door.

Looping my arm around Jeremy's we hobble to the hospital exit together.

The sun is blinding as I take my first steps out into the real world after a month.

I breathe in deep and think about how weird it is to think that my heart stopped a month ago and yet here I am walking out of the hospital into the light.

Jeremy keeps glancing at me, watching for any hint of my emotions or thoughts but I keep them concealed.

We don't say anything on the ride back home and when we finally get home, the familiar two story house looms ahead, beckoning me.

"I'm going to freshen up," I tell Jeremy, absent-mindingly stepping out the car to head up the steps.

Jeremy trails behind me, lost in thought. "Be sure to come down soon. The entire family's waiting for you."
I don't say anything to that, the disappointment in my heart a heavy lump.

I don't want to see anyone but him.

Splashing cold water onto my face, I lean against the counter and stare at my face.

It is shadowed from healing bruises and there's a certain gauntness to my cheeks but it's my eyes that scare me the most.

They are blank and emotionless.

Leaning back, I close my eyes to get the image of my saddened face out of my mind.

A distant memory comes to my mind and I lean against the bathroom door, slowing my erratic breathing down.

"Are you going to leave me to go through this alone?" I ask, feeling small.

Coda's eyes roam my face for a long drawn out silence before he moves to tuck a stray strand of my hair away from my face.