Michelle and Tyler: Christian Romance (Cathedral Hills Book 2)

by Morris Fenris

  “Michelle?” Tyler asked, butting into her thoughts.

  She turned her head and looked at him closely for the first time. He’d lost weight, and there was sadness in his eyes that hadn’t been there a year earlier. She stared into his eyes and then asked, before she could stop herself, “What happened?”

  Tyler saw her face soften and wondered what she had seen in his eyes to prompt that response. “What do you mean?” he asked softly.

  “Something bad happened, didn’t it?” Michelle asked.

  Tyler nodded his head, amazed at her perception. “Yeah, something bad happened. It was horrible, still is horrible, but it made me wake up and really think about what I wanted. I kept thinking about your words during our last fight, and suddenly – they started to make sense. I understood where you were coming from.”

  “You did?”

  “I do. I know you were scared. If I’d been smarter, I would have been scared a long time before now.”

  Michelle looked away, “What changed your mind?”

  Tyler swallowed loudly and then softly answered, “Adam. He’s paralyzed from the waist down.” He watched as tears began to flow down Michelle’s face. Reaching out, he attempted to wipe them away, but she scooted out of reach.

  “Don’t. Please.” Michelle took a breath and then asked, “Was he riding when it happened?”

  “Yes.”

  Michelle was quiet for a moment, and then she asked, “One last question – you said you were thinking about retiring. Were you just saying that, or did you mean it?”

  “I meant it. It’s why I’m back. Michelle…”

  She shook her head, “No more. My ankle hurts.”

  Tyler felt like a heel. “Of course. Let’s get you to the hospital.” He put the car back into gear and headed towards Montrose and the nearest emergency room. He knew they needed to talk things out, but she needed medical attention more. He wasn’t going anywhere, and they would finish this discussion in the near future.

  Chapter 7

  The trip into Montrose took over an hour, and Michelle kept her gaze fixed out the side window. She was hurting more with each passing mile, and the swelling in her ankle had worsened as her leg hung down over the seat.

  When Tyler finally pulled beneath the awning of the hospital’s emergency entrance, she sighed knowing relief was close. She needed some kind of pain medication, and she needed it now!

  “Hang tight and let me go find a wheelchair,” Tyler told her, not liking the way her skin had paled over the last fifteen minutes of their drive. He waited for Michelle to acknowledge his statement, but she only nodded slightly and continued to take shallow breaths.

  Tyler entered the hospital and returned moments later with an orderly in tow, pushing a wheelchair. He opened Michelle door and then slowly helped her turn in the seat and put her legs out. Seeing that she was going to try and stand on her own, Tyler pushed her hands off the car door and scooped her up into his arms.

  He heard her gasp but she didn’t try to fight him. He set her in the chair and then grabbed her purse and tossed the car keys to the young valet waiting patiently to the side. Parking was at a premium around the small hospital as it had been continually expanding, taking up all available real estate in a three block area. Valet parking was only offered at the emergency entrance, and Tyler was extremely grateful for it.

  “Michelle, why don’t you give me your insurance card and I’ll get the paperwork started?” Tyler hated the look of pain on her face and wanted nothing preventing them from getting her in and getting her some medical assistance.

  Michelle handed him her wallet, “It should be in there.”

  Tyler looked at the grayish tint around her mouth and then gave the orderly a questioning look.

  “Dr. Andrews will definitely want an x-ray of that ankle, so we’re going to head to radiology before I take her back. When you’re finished with the paperwork, come on back to exam room six. I’ll bring her back there after her x-rays are taken.”

  Tyler nodded, “Okay. Michelle, I’ll see you in a few minutes.” Tyler nodded to the orderly and pulled him aside, whispering for his ears only, “Can you see if they can give her something for pain? The camp nurse gave her two ibuprofen a few hours ago, but the pain is getting to her.”

  “Sure thing. I’ll take her over to radiology and then get something on board for her.”

  “Thanks,” Tyler told him, watching as Michelle was wheeled away. He headed for the receptionist’s desk, completing the paperwork in record time so that he could get back to Michelle’s side.

  *****

  Michelle breathed shallowly, trying to hold back her tears. She was trying to be strong, but when Tyler walked away, she really wanted to call him back. It wasn’t that she was afraid of hospitals, but her defenses were down and she really didn’t want to be left alone right now.

  “So, Michelle is it?” the young orderly asked. When she nodded weakly, he patted her shoulder and told her, “Let’s get you settled and then I’ll get you something to take the edge off that pain. Are you allergic to any medications?”

  “No,” Michelle whispered, really hoping they were going to give her something stronger than the over-the-counter meds she’d taken before leaving the camp. They hadn’t even touched her pain, and her entire leg was throbbing now.

  “Okay, hang in there.”

  Michelle nodded her head. I don’t really have any other options at this point. Bring on the meds. Please!

  The radiology employees were very kind, and before she knew it, she was being wheeled back towards the emergency department. The orderly had made good on his promise and had brought her a syringe of painkillers which had already begun to take the edge off her pain. They hadn’t been able to give it to her until after the x-rays had been taken, not wanting to interfere with a surgical fix should it be required.

  Luckily for Michelle, her ankle wasn’t broken, but she had done some pretty good damage to the tendons and soft tissue around her ankle. With the painkillers on board, and the x-rays in the orderly’s hands, she was now headed back to the ER to get her ankle stabilized so she could be discharged.

  As they neared exam room six, she spied Tyler pacing worriedly back and forth outside the room. He looked very concerned and for a moment, Michelle wished she knew whether or not his concern was all for her, or if something else was bothering him. Maybe he can’t stand hospitals! He’s spent enough time in them, both as a patient and as a visitor. Maybe he’s remembering Adam! Just thinking about the happy-go-lucky man, who had been Tyler’s rodeo partner almost from the beginning, had her sobering and tears springing to her eyes. That could have been Tyler just as easily! Hence, the reason they had fought a year and some ago.

  “Hey, sugar,” Tyler called to her softly as she was wheeled into the room. “Everything go alright in x-ray?”

  Michelle nodded tiredly, “Yeah. No bones are broken.” She used her hands to try and push herself out of the chair, but before she could even lift her backside more than a few inches, Tyler was there, scooping her up into his arms once again. “I could have gotten myself out of that chair,” she scowled up at him.

  Tyler grinned at her, and she felt her heart melt. “You could have, but then you would have deprived me of carrying you around. I like my way much better.”

  “So do I, as a matter of fact,” said Dr. Andrews as he walked into the room. “Just because the x-ray showed there were no broken bones in your ankle, doesn’t mean you’re going dancing tomorrow. Soft tissue injuries actually take much longer to heal. I’m going to stabilize your ankle with an air cast for now and then wrap it.

  “I want you to leave the air cast on for at least the next seventy-two hours. Elevate your ankle whenever possible. That should be almost twenty-three and a half of each twenty-four hour period, because you are not to be up walking around. Your ankle needs complete rest if it’s going to recover quickly.”

  Michelle thought about all of the things she needed to do
and frowned, “What about crutches? That would allow me to keep my weight off my foot.” She broke off as the young doctor shook his head.

  “Something tells me that if you have crutches, you’ll be up doing way too much for the next three days. I’ll send some crutches home with you, but with him.” He looked at Tyler and winked for added emphasis. “He’s going to keep them until your three days are up and then you can start getting up and around. But you’ll still need to elevate this ankle whenever possible.”

  Michelle watched the smug smile on Tyler’s face and didn’t like where this was going at all. If Tyler told Trey what the doctor had said, she’d have not one, but two overbearing men telling her what to do for the next three days.”

  “…I really don’t think you’re going to have too many problems with her wanting to get up. The pain killers I’m sending home with her are going to make her sleepy. She’ll probably sleep most of the next three days would be my guess. And looking at the dark circles beneath her eyes, I would say that’s a good thing all around. She looks like she’s been pushing herself too hard for too long.”

  Tyler had thought the same thing, but he hadn’t had an opportunity to even scratch the surface on what might have caused her to come running home looking like that. If their fight had been the cause, she would have come home months ago. No, something else happened and I aim to find out what it was that hurt her so badly!

  Chapter 8

  Trey’s cell phone rang just as he was entering the men’s locker room at the hot springs. Glancing at the caller I.D., he picked it up, “Tyler, everything okay?”

  “Trey, yeah everything’s fine. Michelle just has a nasty sprain. They took x-rays to be sure, and then the doctor put her into an air cast and gave her some pain meds. We’re just getting ready to pull out of the hospital parking lot now.”

  “I’m glad it wasn’t broken. Jenna and I are at the hot springs with my parents. We’re going to soak for a little while and then we’ll head home. Do you mind hanging out with Michelle at the house until we get back? If you’ve got other things to do, I can call one of the girls…”

  “No problem. I’m happy to stick around. She’s almost asleep now anyway. The pain meds they gave her make her pretty sleepy.”

  Trey chuckled, “She’s a lightweight in the med department. I remember when she had her wisdom teeth out her sophomore year. Mom took her down to Montrose Friday morning and they put her completely out for the procedure. They had to physically put her back into the car, and I had to carry her into her room when they got home. She was mostly out of it until late Sunday night.”

  “Well, the doctor seems to think she’s nearing exhaustion so some forced rest is a good thing in this case.”

  Trey sobered and softly replied, “I have to agree. Something sent her running home, but she won’t talk to any of us. You said you didn’t think it had to do with you, so what happened over there?”

  “I don’t know, man. But I promise you this, if it can be fixed, I’m going to make sure it happens. I’ll get her to talk to me, I just need some time with her.”

  “You’ve got it. As much as you need until she gets well enough to physically toss you out of the house. Give her our best and we’ll see you in a few hours.”

  Trey hung up the phone and grabbed his towel. He quickly changed into his swimming trunks and exited the locker room to see Jenna standing nervously just outside the women’s locker room door, “Ready to go soak?”

  Jenna nodded and then fidgeted at the neckline of the rented suit. They had stopped by her old house, but all of her suits had broken down over the years and were unwearable. Trey looked at her in the black one piece suit she had chosen from the rental pool, and thought she looked absolutely stunning. She was a little too thin in his opinion, but he knew that would correct itself as she got used to being around friends once again.

  Trey stepped next to her and then slowly laid his hand on her bare shoulder. He didn’t miss the shivers of reaction that went through her body, or the tingles that traveled up his own arm. Taking a deep breath, he leaned down and whispered in her ear, “You are gorgeous. Let’s go relax for a bit.”

  Jenna relaxed slightly upon hearing Trey’s words. She was so self-conscious about her body, which was unusual for her. It’s because you don’t want to see disappointment in Trey’s eyes. Admit it! You’ve fallen for him in a big way and there’s no getting away from it! Jenna lifted her head and kissed his cheek, “Thanks.”

  His resolved weakened at the feel of her soft lips against his cheek. He’d promised her they were going to take things slowly, but he decided he would need to revisit what that looked like because he couldn’t stay away from her. Trey accepted her kiss, and then turned her head and tenderly placed a chaste kiss on her lips, “You’re very welcome.” Slowly, man. Keep it nice and easy, nothing that would scare her away.

  The sound of kids yelling as they came around the pool had him putting a few more inches between them. He swallowed and looked out over the pool, seeing his parents sitting in the larger pool watching his and Jenna’s interaction with soft smiles on their faces. Busted! Guess I don’t need to tell them where I hope things between her and I are headed now!

  “Your parents are sitting over there watching us,” Jenna whispered, a blush starting to steal across her face.

  “Yep! I see them. Don’t worry, it’s not like them to pry.” Trey grabbed her hand and kept ahold of it as they stepped down into the warm water and made their way over to the bench his parents sat on. “This was a good idea, mom.”

  Mary Cottrell beamed at her son and the young woman standing beside him, “Well, I’m glad I could help facilitate things so you two could join us.”

  “Try asking them beforehand next time,” Pastor Cottrell suggested smoothly.

  Jenna laughed at the look on his wife’s face and then bit her lip. It was so easy! Trey’s parents and her friends had made her feel so welcome. Trey’s words a few hours earlier came back to her …

  “…I want a chance to get to know you better. I know I only asked for a few days, until the paperwork arrived from Denver, but would you consider sticking around a bit longer?”

  As she settled herself on the bench next to him, her hand still held in his own, she watched him from beneath her eyelashes as he settled back against the concrete edge of the pool and closed his eyes. She appreciated the fact that he was being so careful with their emotions. Scooting closer to him, she felt his body stiffen when she brushed up against his side and leaned over to whisper in his ear, “Yes.”

  He opened his eyes and turned his head to meet her gaze, “Yes?”

  Jenna smiled at him, “Yes, I would love to go to the harvest party with you next weekend. And…if it’s okay, I’d like to stick around a little while longer.”

  Trey wanted to whoop for joy, but he controlled his reaction, instead giving her a tender smile and then brushing a damp tendril of hair off her cheek, “That’s good, Jenna. Real good.”

  She watched him for another moment, and then slowly lowered her head until it rested against his shoulder. She waited until she felt his body relax before she allowed her own to do the same. Something was happening between them, and after all of the years of heartache and disappointment, she would be crazy to not see where these feelings were headed.

  She closed her eyes and silent offered up a prayer of thanks –

  “God, thank you for bringing me back to Cathedral Hills. Thank you for showing me that I’m not unwanted or unloved. I know I haven’t really talked to you in a while, but I know you can hear me now. Guide me as I try to figure out what’s next for me. Help me figure out if Trey’s a part of that equation or not. And help me know what to say to Michelle to help take away the pain I can see in her eyes.”

  She kept her eyes closed as Trey filled his parents in on Michelle’s accident and Tyler’s return. She heard them question whether or not Tyler had anything to do with the sadness Michelle had been dealing with, but Jenna m
entally shook her head. A man might have been part of the reason she’d come running home, but not all of it.

  Michelle was fighting herself and Jenna intended to find out why. There was a hint of fear still lurking in her eyes, and a sorrow that reached into her soul and had stolen some of her identity. Jenna was determined to help Michelle find herself once again and she smiled as she realized that she actually had a purpose in Cathedral Hills right now. Help Michelle heal from whatever had hurt her!

  Chapter 9

  Tyler had driven Michelle home and then carried her into the house she shared with Trey. He’d easily located the small family room and comfortable looking couch and settled her there. She’d tried to argue with him, and it had taken a lot for him to bite his tongue and not laugh outright at her attempt.

  Michelle was completely under the spell of the drugs they’d given her, and most of what she said made no sense at all. Tyler had arranged her so that her ankle was propped up on the chaise portion of the couch, and then grabbed a fresh bag of ice.

  He’d settled himself on the couch next to her, unable to keep himself from touching her and trying to soothe her back into sleep. When he’d run a tender hand across her hair, she’d leaned towards him and snuggled his way so that she was half lying against his chest.

  Tyler had thought of moving her, but having her in his arms had felt so good! Over the year they’d spent time together, they had grown closer to one another, and had even exchanged kisses and cuddles a time or two towards the end. Having her back in his arms was like heaven. He smelled her lemon shampoo, and let his fingertips brush against her cheek and the side of her neck.

  Michelle was such a beautiful person, inside and out, and he’d always felt special because she’d wanted to spend time with him. He wanted her to feel that way again. Not because she was drugged, but because she felt the same way about him, and wanted to be in his arms. She’d given him all of the signs indicating that she loved him in the weeks leading up to their final fight. He’d known that, but instead of cherishing it, he’d thrown it back in her face accusing her of trying to manipulate him. He had so many things to ask forgiveness for!