"Celia, don't ever scare me like that again." Chuck says as he enters my hospital suite.
After I was rescued from George's warehouse they immediately took me to the hospital for my wounds. So, for the past 3 days I have been stuck inside of a hospital room going stir crazy. This was the first time Chuck was able to come visit me since he was stuck in France for business. He wasn't very happy to be the last one to find out about what happened.
"It wasn't my fault." I protest.
"I know." He insists. "I just wish that someone would have told me that my little sister was kidnapped."
"Me too, but at least you know now." I say and he smiles. "Chuck, have the police told you anything about what happened to George? My nurses are refusing to tell me anything; they think that it will affect my recovery."
"And they are right about that." He says gesturing to my multiple injuries. "Everyone just wants you to heal Celia, and if you know..."
"Come on!" I point to my chart at the front of the suite. "I am going to be released in less than a week, and that is only for precaution. Please tell me."
Chuck sighs and moves closer to my bedside. "It really is driving you crazy isn't it?" I nod. "George was shot shortly after the police came in. Once you were outside, George tried to fight back and he was shot."
I pull back. "He's dead?" Chuck nods and I feel guilt overwhelm me. "It was my fault that he died."
"Celia, he made that choice on his own. You had no part in it, he tried to attack the cops and he was killed doing so. It is not your fault."
Realizing that he was right, I let go of the subject. "Okay. So, how were the police able to find me?"
Before Chuck could answer, Dan steps into the room with a enormous teddy bear and a balloon that says 'get well soon' in big black writing. "Your amazing boyfriend found you." He says.
"Dan!" I say excitedly as he walks to me and gives me a kiss. "You didn't have to bring me anything."
"Why not?" He says setting the gifts down next to the countless others. "If my favorite girl is stuck in this hospital room then I should do whatever I can do to make her happy."
"You are so sweet." I say smiling. "I can't believe it was you who saved me."
Dan gives an uneasy look but quickly returns to a smile. "Well, after I regained consciousness the only thing I thought about was you."
Chuck's phone erupts with a notification and he immediately takes a glance at the screen. "That's the hotel, they need me for something." He heads towards the door and turns to face me."Feel better Celia."
Just after he exits Nate comes into the room holding a bouquet. "You are awake." He exclaims.
"Yes, as I have been for the past three days." Nate shoots me a confused look. "Didn't they tell you that?"
Nate shakes his head. "Dan told me that you weren't able to take any visitors yet."
"My mistake." Dan says standing to shake Nate's hand. "It's nice to see you Nate."
"You too." Nate says and walks over to my bed. "How are you doing?"
I smile as he takes the bouquet and puts it on the bed table. "Good, thank you for the flowers; they are beautiful. Daffodils, right?"
"Yeah, I remember you telling me they were your favorite." He says repositioning them. "We were walking through a market and you pointed out how beautiful they were."
"Wow, that was what, 5 years ago?" He wanted me to get my mind off of my troubles with George so he took me on a walk. It is one of the only happy moments from that time in my life.
"I think so." He says and immediately turns to Dan. "I heard that you got pretty beaten up too, how are you doing?"
Dan answers instantly. "Good, now that I know Celia is safe."
Awkward silence fills the air as no one decides to say a word, Nate sits in the chair looking at me, Dan stands on the other side of me and looks at Nate, and I lay between the middle of them trying not to focus on either one of their faces. The silence is only interrupted when two familiar faces step into my room.
"Well, well, well, looks like Celia has gotten herself into more trouble." Serena says walking in with Blair on her coattails.
"Serena!" I exclaim and Nate and Dan turn to the pair. I try to stand up but Dan quickly tries to stop me. "Can I not stand up and say hello?"
"No, not when you were recently kidnapped and beaten." Serena retorts and Blair nods.
Serena sets a laptop case on my bedside table. "I brought your laptop like you wanted; but, why did you need it?"
I sigh. "I was really trying to keep this a secret but, I have been working on a cookbook for the past couple months. I am actually almost finished and I already have a publisher that wants to publish it after its finished."
"Why were you trying to keep it a secret? Is it about all of our secrets, like Dan's book?" Blair snapped glaring at Dan.
"Hey I said I was sorry." Dan says putting his hands up in defense.
Snagging my laptop off the table I opened up the document that had my most recent draft and turned it towards the group. "I wanted to show you guys after it was finished."
"And your almost done?" Serena said clicking through a couple of the pages and I nod. "When will it be published?"
"It was supposed to be published this week but, after the recent events they want to release it next week."
"Next week? Don't you think that is a little soon?" Nate says worried. "I mean are you going to be healthy for the release party?"
I turn the laptop back to face me and click on another document. "The publisher thinks that with all the press I am getting right now more people will buy the book. It isn't ideal as I will have all the my bruises and scars but the book is about me rebuilding my life through cooking."
Smiling, I turn around the laptop again with the cover of my book enlarged on the screen. The publisher thought it would be good to have me smiling and standing behind a counter with various cooking tools. Behind me through the windows is the Manhattan skyline, the only place that has ever felt like home. They let me pick out the title so in black cursive bellow my picture is "The Socialite's Guide to Cooking and Moving On".
"What do you think?" I say nervously, their faces seem to be both worried and excited.
Serena spoke first. "So, when can I read it?"
<First off, I am so sorry that this chapter sucks but don't worry because the drama isn't over yet. I have planned out the rest of the book and there should be about 11 more chapters. Thank you all so much for reading; it brightens up my day and makes me happy to know that you guys like it. Make sure to star and comment what you think will happen>