Drifting away from everything, all was calm and peaceful and bliss. Anytime I wandered a little further, a voice kept coaxing me to open my eyes, to come back, promising things will be better. It was better where I was but the desperation that came with the voice perked my interest. I tried so many times to do as the voice was asking me but something kept holding me back.
It was no different this time around, the voice had begged me to open my eyes but stopped after a while. I had to push through it.
The burning sensation behind my eyelids slowly subsided as my eyes fluttered open. The lights in the room made it hard for me to focus, I blinked several times before my eyes adjusted. My mind was in a muddle, I didn't know where I was or what had happened. I heard the beeping of a machine and slowly turned my head to investigate my surroundings, a monitoring machine, tubes, a hospital dress?
My mind was in a frenzy as memories of me fainting overtook me. My baby! That was all I could think of as my hand frantically moved to check my stomach. I sobbed out in relief as I had feared the worst, losing my baby. I stopped amidst my sobbing as Alex appeared out of a room with his hair wet but fully dressed.
His steps came to a halt, he stood there connecting his icy blue eyes to mine. My treacherous heart skipped a beat as he regain his movements and all but raced to my bedside. I accessed his face which was closer to me now. He had dark circles underneath his eyes and his beard looked unkept.
"Zana" he mentioned my name as if to certify if I was really awake. He pressed a button near the bed as he took my hand in his.
"The Doctor will be here in a minute. You had me worried and scared Zana"
"Water" I croaked out and he rushed to pour me a glass from the bedside table.
He held the glass to my lips as I drank my fill.
"Well you shouldn't be, and it was just a minor dizzy spell you shouldn't have brought me to a hospital. I was just out for a few hours"
"Few hours? Zana you have been out for three days straight"
"What do you mean three days"
"I found you unconscious at the base of the stairs. Do you recall what happened"
"Umm yes, I felt dizzy as I was about to take a step on the stairs, I tried grabbing the rails but it did nothing to help"
"So you didn't fall from the stairs?"
"I did fall but not from the stairs"
He was pensive for a moment before his eyes met mine again. I still couldn't grasp that I had been out cold for three days. I was lost in my thoughts when I heard him speak again.
"About the last time, I-" I cut him off with a wave of my hand.
"I get it Alex, you don't have to explain or apologize. It was a mistake, let's just focus on the child right now and building a mutual co-relation" I croaked out.
Remorse filled his eyes for a second before it completely disappeared. A doctor entered the room a minute later before Alex could utter another word.
"You finally awake" the doctor said cheerfully.
Alex took that moment to excuse himself from the room leaving me and the doctor alone. He went straight ahead to examine me and conduct all the necessary procedures.
"You really lucky Mrs Flemming, not many pregnant women fall and come out of it unaffected."
Mrs Flemming, nobody had ever called me by that since I got married to Alex, it felt strange and weird to hear it.
"Just call me Zana Doctor, and I didn't really fall from the stairs I just fainted at the base" I corrected.
"Well either ways you lucky, both health-wise and husband-wise. He hasn't left your side since he brought you in, talking to you and whatnot." He ranted on as he finished with his examination.
If only he knew the truth of the story he wouldn't consider me lucky. But I couldn't help but be a little pleased that Alex hadn't left my side. And all the coaxing voice I heard was him, well, well, what a way to show some heart, I thought to myself.
"When can I get out of here doctor, since you said I'm fine?" I questioned as I folded my hands on my stomach.
"Tomorrow hopefully" he replied scribbling away on a folder I presumed was mine.
Alex came back at that moment, and my eyes flew up to meet his. He smiled my way a brief moment before fully walking in.
"Ahhh Mr Flemming, good you are back. She will be discharged tomorrow. And I advise she stays off her feet for a couple of days, and no stress either physical or emotional." He threw at both of us turning his head back and forth between us.
"Which means no sex" he added with a smirk.
He left after that remark leaving an uncomfortable Alex and me alone. My eyes were looking anywhere but him. It wasn't as if I was getting some so why was I nervous and thinking about that silly remark.
I heard him clearing his throat before asking me if I was hungry and what I would like to eat.
"Is it even allowed to ask for what you want?"
"Anything for you Zana"
He uttered with a little smile, reminding me of a certain part of him he showed me sometime ago.
"Well I would like some pancakes, waffles, chocolate ice cream, oatmeal cookies and a glass of orange juice." I finished off.
This time around he smiled one of his dashing smiles my way.
"Lemme get the nurse for you so you can tell her cause I'm not sure I'm going to remember all that"
He disappeared to go fetch the nurse and come back with a pretty friendly one. She smiled at me whiles I told her all that I would like. She looked as if she wanted to oppose to what I wanted but one glare from Alex kept her mute. She assured me to be back later soon and left.
"Do you have to be mean to her"
"I wasn't mean to her, I barely even said a word her way" he replied as he went to sit on the sofa by the window.
I rolled my eyes at him and waited patiently for my food, I was so so hungry considering I had been out for three days. The friendly nurse returned shorty pushing a food trolley. My mouth watered as the smell of pancakes and waffles invaded my senses making my stomach growl, loudly.
"Mama is hungry too baby." I laughed as I patted my stomach.
The nurse made an attempt to serve me but was dismissed by Alex who seemed willing to do so. He drew the over bed table from the corner of the room to the bedside and busied himself transferring the food from the trolley to the table. I studied him as he moved about setting up the table. It took me fainting for him to return to being nice to me, I thought to myself.
After he was done with his task he pushed the bed side table in front of me and helped prop up pillows behind my back so I was comfortable. As I made an attempt to pick up the fork to start eating, he snatched it up quickly.
"Ermm can you hand me the fork back?"
"You heard the doctor, no stress"
"How is feeding myself stress? Please give me the fork I'm really hungry"
"I will feed you then"
"No" I protested.
"C'mon Zana, let me."
I was too hungry to waste time butting heads with him, I let out an audible sigh and nodded my head. He took a seat opposite me on the bed with the over bed table separating us. He started off with the pancakes, I hesitated a little when he brought the fork to my mouth before opening my mouth.
He diligently fed me the pancakes and waffles in silence, holding the straw in the juice glass to my lips to sip in between bits. After that was done, he tried to feed me the chocolate ice cream too but I refused.
"I can take it from here" I said to him as I took the bowl of ice cream and crumbled the oatmeal cookies into it.
He sat there looking at me with amusement in his eyes. I ignored him and concentrated on my ice cream. He moved the over bed table from the bed and cleared the plates back to the trolley. When he was done he took a seat on the sofa, still gazing at me eat.
The nurse came back after I was done to take the trolley back and check if I was okay. The silence in the room when she left was deafening, thankfully they was a tv in the room and a remote on the bedside table. I glanced at the watch in the room as I turned the television on, it was 11:51am, I sighed to myself as I settled myself to get comfortable.
Next Day
Monday finally came around and I was glad I was getting out of here, I didn't have a phobia of hospitals I just didn't like staying in them for too long. Alex was stretched out on the couch sleeping, he looked so handsome and tired.
He escorted me to the bathroom several times yesterday, more like carried me despite my numerous protests. And he fed me everytime I had to eat. I was being treated like an invalid and I didn't like that one bit. I checked the time on the way and it was 8:33am.
Getting out of bed, I set my bare feet steadily on the ground as I held on to the pole to which my drip was hanging on and unhooked the IV bag from it. I wasn't going to be pushing this thing with me to the bathroom.
I finished my business and came out to see Alex had awoken. I slowly made my way to the bed.
"Can you please go get the Doctor so he can discharge me. I want to get out of here"
"Sure" he responded exiting the room. He took longer to come back, I would have changed except I didn't know where my clothes where and things were still hooked into my hand. I sat patiently for about five minutes before he returned with a doctor.
"Had to fill and sign your discharge forms"
I nodded at what he said. The Doctor did a final check on as he gently took everything out of my hand and gave me a reassuring smile.
"Remember what I told you, no stress whatsoever. And please do well to take all your antenatal medications on time. You can pick them from the reception on your way out"
"Thank you very much doctor" I uttered with a smile of my own.
He nodded towards Alex and then left the room. I sat there whiles Alex stood there with his arms folded.
"Do you-" he cleared his throat "do you need help getting dressed?"
"No thanks but I need help finding my clothes"
He moved towards a drawer near the bathroom door with the overnight bag on top. He took out a dress of mine and handed it to me. I don't know how he got it but I wasn't about to ask questions.
"Help me unlace the gown" I asked as I got out of bed and turned my back to him so he could have access.
He took the few steps needed and closed the space between us. Pushing my hair aside, he slowly unlaced the first knot then the second. Shivers run down my spine as he traced his forefinger along my spinal cord. I turned around quickly as if I had been burnt, literally.
I couldn't deny the attraction I felt for him but no way I was going to put myself out there again. Whatever games he was playing I wanted no part in it. I made my way over to the bathroom so I could change. A bath was much needed but I wasn't going to take one here, all I wanted was to get home.
Alex already had his satchel and overnight bag in hand standing by a wheelchair when I emerged from the bathroom.
"Ready to go?"
"Yeah but I'm not leaving in that" I said to him as I put on my sandals.
"Hospital rules Zana. It's either the wheelchair or I carry you." He replied with a smug look on his face.
"Fine" I rolled my eyes and sat down in the chair.
"Isn't it nice?" He smiled as he started pushing the wheelchair out of the room.
"Just shut up."
We stopped by the reception to take the antenatal medicine. I kept my head down the whole time till we got into the elevator, even though many people weren't around. The ground floor of the hospital was bustling with nurses and doctors attending to patients, but the curious ones did stop to look at Alex.
The scene before them was worthy of their attention, the Alex Flemming pushing a woman in a wheelchair out of the hospital, and a pregnant one at that. This was what I didn't want, I still kept my head lowered and Alex didn't seem bothered about the attention we were drawing to ourselves.
As soon as we reached the automatic doors of the hospital, I bolted out of the chair and headed towards the parking lot. I turned around to see Alex leisurely walking as if he had all the time in the world.
"You know for a pregnant, you sure are quick on your feet."
"Where did you park your car?" I asked ignoring his earlier comment.
He lead the way to his car and unlocked it. I cautiously got into the front seat and buckled the seatbelt whiles he threw his satchel and overnight bag in the backseat. He got in and we were on our way.
Arriving at the house didn't take long, all through the ride neither of us said a word to each other. I got out of the car and headed inside, the house seemed more empty than before. Well I was in dire need of a bath, a long bath. I got to the base of the stairs ready to begin my climb.
Before I could raise my foot, Alex swept me off my feet into his arms and headed up the stairs. I was tired of protesting and besides if he wanted to be my personal servant, who was I to stop him. I wrapped my arms around his shoulder and sniffed the hallow of his neck a little, he smelled so divine.
I quickly snapped out of it as I realized my actions. When he got to my door he paused for a moment lost in his thoughts before turning to his door, opening it and matching straight to his bed to deposit me in it.
"I think you lost your way"
"No Zana, I didn't. You staying in my room from today"
"No Sir, no. Now if you will excuse me, I need to take a bath in my room" I bellowed getting up and matching to the door.
"It's either my room or your room. You stay here or I come stay with you in yours. Your choice" he sternly said as he crossed his arms over his chest.
I opened the door, crossed the threshold, turned back to face, smiled sweetly and shut the door as loudly as I could in his face. That ought to give him an answer. No way he was going to stress me with all his nonsense. I walked into my room, bolted the door and stripped out of the dress.
I padded barefooted into the bathroom slowly, I had wanted to draw a bath but getting in and out was going to be tiring so I settled for a shower. Standing under the rainfall style shower head I turned it on and hot water cascaded down my body soothed my aching muscles.
After an eternity in the shower, I came out to my bedroom with a towel wrapped around me and my hair dripping to find an intruder in my room. How had he even gotten in or I didn't lock the door, I mentally questioned myself with a frown on my face.
"What? You thought you could lock me out? Either your room or mine, and it seems like you chose yours" he said from where he sat on the chair in the room.
I stood there biting the insides of my cheeks to stop from screaming. There was no point in arguing with him, I had to keep my cool and not get angry, for my baby's sake.
"Fine, you win. But you are not sharing my bed with me, you sleep on the floor or the settee there." I pointed over at the corner of the room.
"Sure, get some rest, will be back later with food" he said walking out.
Why were things getting out of hand, I dried myself and put on my boxer shorts with an oversized shirt. The coming days were going to be nothing but difficult, with him being this close. I patted my stomach, lost in my own thoughts.
So sorry for the long chapter😁. Thanks for all the reads, likes and comments, you guys are the best and I love you all. ❤️❤️❤️❤️ Until the next update.