By the way guys, I've been writing from the app on my cell phone vs on my laptop, and when I have 10 minutes here, 15 minutes there, I've been able to get a little more down, that combined with actually having the spark back in writing is why this story is progressing like it is! I hope you guys are enjoying it, I appreciate you guys sticking with me. Love you all!!!
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I woke up to a nurse checking on Trent. "Mrs. Ralston," she smiled as she checked his charts and added something to his IV.
"What's that?"
"Antibiotics. His immune system will be weak after the trauma." I nodded. It made sense. "It's cute how you slept holding his hand," the nurse smiled. It was then I realized my hand was still in his.
I let go and blushed.
"Don't be embarrassed." She giggled. "It's cute. It's obvious how much you care about him."
I gave her a half hearted smile as I sat up. "How's he doing?" I asked nervously.
"Strong pulse, low fever, his lungs still have some recovering to do. But I'd say he's looking good." She smiled at me.
"Can he hear me? When he's like this, I mean."
The nurse shrugged. "Depends who you ask. Most doctors say no. Several patients have said yes. I'd say at worst you've got a 50/50 shot."
I smiled and nodded. Maybe he'd heard me last night then. I checked my phone and saw I had two missed calls and seven texts. I'd turned it on silent. My blood ran cold when I listened to te voicemail from an unknown number.
"Mikaela, you and I need to have a little chat. I will be in Atlanta in the morning. We will discuss your little arrangement. I feel strongly that you will see it my way."
What on earth did Donovan want?
I was about to check the next voicemail when Trent's door opened and a wall of a man stood in the doorway. Donovan Ralston.
"Sir, it's immediate family only." The nurse offered politely, but firmly.
"I'm his father."
"Then it's up to his wife."
"He can stay." I agreed.
"Well, the doctor should be in soon." The nurse promised as she left.
Donovan glared down at me. It was obvious he wasn't pleased to be here or to see me. "Did you stay here to play the doting wife?"
My eyes narrowed. "Are those really your first words to me? Not how's my son? Not have there been any changes? Your first thought is to accuse me?" I growled. He was a bully and used to getting his way. I lost any sense of respect I had for the man in that moment.
"Don't act indignant. It's obvious this is an act. You're doing this for the money. You're just another whore, prostituting yourself out for your research. I'm not stupid."
"Yeah, you kind of are." I snarled back. "If you aren't here for Trent, then why the hell are you here?" I demanded, my temper flaring.
"To finish what he could not. I will double what he's offered you to pretend to be his wife."
I shook my head. "You can leave. You are the reason there's so much he tries to prove. Why do you hate the idea of your son's happiness? He told me about his mother. He told me about the double standard of him and Nick."
"Listen, little girl, you know nothing about that."
"Don't talk down to me. Men like you are pathetic. You're a bully and bullies only bully because they feel inadequate somewhere in their lives. So what is it? Did your daddy not love you enough? Do you feel insignificant somewhere? Are you ashamed of cheating on your wife? Are you afraid you've failed as a father-" I felt a painful sting across my cheek and I was knocked off the cot into the floor. Tears burned my eyes and I clutched my face. "I see." I swallowed. "I hit a nerve with that last one. You can leave now." I picked myself up and I hit the nurse call button.
"You stupid bitch," Donovan spat. He was storming out as the same chipper nurse walked in.
"What happened?" She asked, alarmed as she saw my face.
"I've changed my mind. Please don't let that man back in or anywhere near my husband." I offered. "And could I maybe get some ice?"
A few hours later the police had been called. I'd chosen not to press charges, but a report was filed anyway. Nick had been in shock when he showed up. Rory had been furious and was shocked I wasn't pressing charges. Honestly, there were two reasons I chose not to. One, I really couldn't deal with much more at the moment. And two, I wasn't sure how Trent would react to it. I didn't want to upset him once he woke up.
My parents stopped by and my father was livid. He insisted on staying tonight, just in case. I rolled my eyes at that, but that was my daddy.
He and Mom left and came back with fresh clothes for me, plus all the bathroom necessities and dinner. Mom had cooked her homemade sauce and brought enough to feed an army. She certainly won some friends on the nursing staff.
The next few days seemed to stand still and fly by all at once. Four days after his accident, the doctors decided Trent was doing well enough to wake him up.
My throat felt tight as I stayed by his bedside. I'd never felt this way about someone before. I was strangely protective of him. I wanted to know what they were doing or what they were injecting him with. I annoyed one of the nurses when I asked her to double check a dose, especially when it turned out I was right and it might have caused an overdose. When he started to rouse my heart skipped a beat.
His eyes fluttered open, confusion on his features. I squeezed his hand. "Trent?" I whispered. His eyes met mine and I saw recognition in them. "You had an accident. Don't try to get up. Can you squeeze my hand?" I felt a light pressure. "Good. Oh my god, I'm so glad you're awake!" I felt the tears leak out. His arm reached up and his hand cupped my cheek, his thumb brushing away a tear. That just made me cry harder. "I'm just happy." I assured him. "I'm happy you're awake." His hand traced my face and I winced. I'd forgotten about the slap until he'd touched my face. I shook my head. "Don't worry about that yet. Just worry about getting yourself better. Don't try to talk, with those tubes it will hurt. You had a concussion, one of your lungs collapsed, and you had several broken ribs. Your spleen was ruptured so they removed it, and you have a broken leg. Are you in pain?"
Trent's eyes didn't leave the bruise across my face as he shook his head. His hand traced my face again, the question burning in his eyes.
"It happened a couple of days ago. I'll tell you everything. I promise. Everything." I held his hand against my good cheek. "But first you have to get better. I need you better. Got it?"
Trent nodded.
I kissed his palm. "Good. Your brother is here in town. Do you think you're up for a visitor?"
Confusion showed across his features again. "You've been out for four days." I explained. "They did surgery, and with your concussion and your lung, they had you in a medically induced coma." My hand traced his face. "Do you feel up for visitors?"
Trent squeezed my hand and nodded. "Okay. Let me call him." I pulled out my phone and dialed Nick. "He's awake if you want to see him." I told him smiling as I wiped my eyes. I never cried and this whole mess had turned me into a blubbering wimp. I hung up and wiped my eyes again. "I'm sorry. I feel like a fool. I'm such a baby," I apologized.
Trent smiled and cupped my face as he shook his head.
"Oh hush, yes, I am. I never cry and now I can't seem to stop crying. Trent, there's so much I want to tell you. So much you need to know that I can't say right now. But there is one thing I need to tell you now. Through all of this I realized something. I love you." I froze when the words left my mouth. Trent's eyes widened. I watched him nervously, hoping he hadn't stopped caring about me. Trent smiled as best he could around the tubes. "And it's stupid that it took me almost losing you to admit it." I flushed.
Trent's hand cupped my cheek again. I wanted him to hold me, but I wasn't about to do anything that could hurt him. We sat there in quiet understanding until there was a knock at the door and Nick opened it.
"He lives and breathes," he teased as he walked in. "You know, as the big brother, you're not supposed to make me worry." Nick teased. "I'm glad you're awake. Next time you want to take a four day nap, you don't have to be so dramatic and get squished between cars. You can just ask for some time off, you know." Nick teased.
Trent flipped him the bird and we laughed.
"Be nice. He can't defend himself." I joked right back.
Trent pointed at me then gestured for more info.
"You want to know what happened to your pretty wife's face?" Nick asked. Trent nodded. " Our father." Was all Nick said, but Trent's eyes darkened and his heart rate shot up.
"Darn it, Nick." I sighed. "I hadn't told him because he needs to not be upset." I scolded. The nurse came bustling in.
"What's going on?" She asked as she started checking his vitals.
"He got upset." I offered.
"He just found out about Mikaela's face." Nick clarified. "As you can see, he's not happy."
"Alright you two, out you go. He's got to get calmed down or we'll have to sedate him again."
I squeezed Trent's hand and kissed his cheek. "Relax, I'll be back soon. Just focus on getting better. I'm okay, I promise." I whispered before I was ushered out.
I gave Nick an annoyed look.
"What? Don't look at me like that!" Nick defended. "He was going to find out sooner or later."
"I intended on later. He's still recovering. I'd rather him be curious and concerned than furious."
Nick shrugged. "I know Trent. It's best he's furious when he can't talk and can't leave a bed than when he can do something he might regret. You've never seen Trent's temper, but it's something to be feared. He doesn't get angry often, but there's a handful of buttons that if you push he'll go nuts. Hitting women is one of them." Nick explained. "I think Dad might have done it to his mom." Nick offered, scratching the back of his head. "But I've never asked, and I don't suggest you should either."
I nodded. Trent had only spoken about his mother twice to me, and both times seemed hard for him.
"Okay. But please, don't say anything to upset him further. Please?"
Nick nodded. "I won't. But you and I both know he wouldn't rest until he actually knew."
"I hoped he would."
"Then either you have blind hope or you don't know Trent very well." Nick teased. "Listen, now that he's awake, I need to get back to Nat. Will you be okay here without me?"
I nodded. "Of course. Once he's cleared to leave ICU I will let you know."
"Thanks, Mikaela. Hey, no matter what my father says, you're good for him and I'm glad he has you." Nick smiled as he gave me a kiss on the cheek.