“Now,” he said changing the subject, “What did Jack mean about owing you?”
Shay laughed as she settled back against the pillows and started to explain to him what Jack meant about his little remark. He watched as her eyes blinked rapidly trying to stay awake, and he leaned forward to kiss her lightly on the lips, “Go to sleep sweetheart. You can tell me about it later.”
She nodded her head at him and her eyes closed as her breathing evened out. He smiled though for in her sleep her hand curled around his and did not let go so he rested their joined hands on the mattress as he watched her sleep.
Chapter 26
Three days later, Cordial got a call on his phone as he was heading home.
“Mr. O’Ryan,” the voice said, and he frowned for the voice sounded familiar.
“Yes,” he said gruffly for he had wanted to take a shower and go to the hospital to see Shay before visitor’s hours were over.
“This is Alice from the Hospital, and I was told to call you to inform you that Miss Montgomery has developed a staph infection,” the woman said.
“Is she okay?” he asked hoarsely as he leaned against the wall.
“The doctor is sure that he caught it in time, but she will be staying longer to control her temp and so that she receives the correct dosage of the antibiotic,” Alice said, and he heard the hesitation in her voice.
“What is wrong?” he asked again straightening up from the wall and already heading out the door to his truck.
“Nothing is wrong except she is asking for you,” Alice told him.
“I will be there in ten minutes,” he replied before saying a terse “goodbye.”
He was true to his word for he was at the hospital within the ten minutes he told her, and he rushed through the hospital to get to the floor where Shay’s room was located.
“Shay,” he said going through the door to stop as he looked at her. Her black hair was drenched in sweat as she looked at him through bright green eyes letting him know that she had a high fever.
He walked over to her and lifted her hand into his as he settled into the chair next to her bed.
“Shay,” he whispered, and she lifted her beautiful eyes to look at him.
“Sorry, Cordial, but I sleep better when you are near me,” she whispered back. Tears fell slowly from her eyes as the nurse adjusted her tubes, and said, “It is okay, sweetie, your boyfriend is here now.” She turned to Cordial, “She is just feeling down because she is feverish and in pain. We need to keep the wound clean so she has to have sponge baths until the doctor says otherwise.”
She finished what she was doing before she said, “I will be going off duty in another hour, but the doctor has said that your man can stay as long as he likes for the next couple of days.”
Cordial nodded his head and said, “Thank you” although his eyes never left Shay’s face.
The door closed behind her and Shay moaned from where she laid on the bed.
“Talk to me,” Cordial said to her placing a kiss into her palm.
“What do you want to talk about?” Shay muttered looking at him with her feverish eyes.
Cordial smiled although his silver eyes were worried, “Tell me how you helped Jack and Amanda get together.”
Shay nodded her head and began to talk softly, “When we were in our third year of college, Amanda was seeing some jerk who was Jack’s roommate although Jack and Amanda had never really met. One day, Amanda went over to their room because she had gotten an unsuspected free class and she wanted to spend it with her boyfriend only to find him in bed with another of her friends. Jack had walked in behind her and quickly got her out of there, and back to our room. She had cried the whole night and the next day, Jack had come over to check on her and everyday for the following two weeks. Amanda appreciated the concern he showed her, but she did not think about a relationship with him until she was told although it was not true that he was seeing one of her classmates. It turns out that her ex-boyfriend had been upset that she had ignored his calls and broke up with him that he decided to ruin the budding relationship between Amanda and Jack. For two weeks, Amanda would not talk to Jack and Jack was by this time stalking our dorm room. Finally, I had enough and decided to intervene.”
“What did you do?” Cordial asked noticing that she had relaxed back into the bed.
“I locked them in the closet in our room and made sure that the door was blocked so that he could not open it. Then I told them that I was going to be out for at least four hours, and that they had either to talk or sit in silence because nobody was going to let them out. I made sure that everyone knew that Amanda was indisposed and that she was not to be bothered for the rest of the day, and making sure the door was locked reinforced that idea. By the time I got back, they had made up at least from what I had seen when I opened the door later on that day.”
Cordial laughed as he said, “It may have not worked.”
Shay shrugged her shoulders, “Then I would have thought of something else, or I would have killed them both for they were driving me crazy.”
They were silent for a few moments then Shay started to ask him about what Todd and Ray discovered, and he was about to respond when he saw her eyes close.
“I will tell you later,” he said softly to her as he sat forward to kiss her lightly before settling in the chair for the night.
For the next two weeks, Shay fought the infection that had invaded her body, and Cordial was there every night to hold her hand so she could sleep.
During the day, he would have Ray go sit with her because Shay was getting bored with nothing to do.
“Hi, Shay,” Ray said on the fourth day of her extended stay in the hospital and Shay glared at her from the chair near the window. At the beginning of the week, the doctor finally said she was out of danger from the infection for all the test showed that it was gone, but the fever persisted for a few more days so the doctor decided to keep her an extra week just to be on the safe side.
“Stop being such a grump,” Ray said as she pulled from her oversize handbag a Chick-Fila bag and Shay’s eyes brightened when she saw it.
“Thank you, Ray, you are the best,” Shay said as Ray handed her the bag. Ray laughed as she sat down in the chair opposite her and Shay began eating.
“So,” Shay began after chewing and swallowing a bite of the chicken sandwich Ray got for her, “Did you talk with, what was his name again, Evan…Evan Mellows?”
Ray nodded her head as she ran a hand through it, “He is happily engaged to the woman he met four years ago. According to Evan, Charity was a one-night stand he met two years before he met his fiancée. They had met at a nightclub where a group of him and his friends went in Middleton and they had a few drinks. Afterwards they went back to his apartment at the time. They had their fun and when he woke the next morning, she was gone leaving no number and he only had her first name.”
Shay had continued eating as Ray talked. She sighed when Ray finished, “So that is all of them?”
Ray nodded her head again, “All that we could find in the immediate area. The other names in the diary, I think, were chance encounters like Evan. Men she met in some club or when she went to her parents’ house in the mountains. I do not think they had anything to do with her death.”
“It was not one of her lovers,” Shay stated leaning back in her seat, and Ray nodded her head slowly. While Shay had to stay longer in the hospital, Ray would tell her about the information they discovered from each man they had talked with who was listed in Charity’s diary.
Ray and Shay discovered the more they talked, the more certain they were becoming that Charity was not killed by one of her lovers.
There was a knock on the door, and it opened before either woman said come in. Cordial walked in and looked at them with a frown on his face.
“What is wrong, Cordial?” Shay asked sitting up faster than she should have for she grimaced as her stitches pulled. Cordial rushed over to her as she shook her
head at him indicating that she was okay.
“They are releasing Dad today,” he said answering her question.
“I will take him home,” Ray offered quickly knowing that he wanted to stay with Shay although he was worried about their Dad. “Don’t worry, brother, I will make sure he gets home in good shape.”
“Thank you,” her brother said although he sent her a glare for her teasing, and Ray just laughed as she kissed his cheek. She called out “goodbye” to Shay as she walked out the door, “See you later, Shay.”
“Bye Ray,” Shay said to her before the door closed.
Cordial sat down in the chair that Ray evacuated when she left the room, and asked, “Are you okay, Shay?”
“Cordial, I am fine. I just moved a little too fast and pulled a few stitches,” Shay said to him as he lifted a hand to her face. She leaned her face into his palm giving him a smile and he leaned forward to kiss her lightly.
“I heard from Nettie, Pauline and Mark. Pauline and Mark wanted to cut short their cruise,” and smiled when Shay frowned and started shaking her head.
“I knew that you would not like that so I told them that I would keep a close eye on you and inform them if anything else happens. I told them to enjoy their cruise so that you could quiz them about it when they come back.” Shay sent him a humor-filled glare from her green eyes and he could not help but lean down and kiss her again.
“You heard from Nettie too,” Shay asked him huskily a few seconds later.
He cleared his throat before telling her, “She asked me how you were doing and if you needed her, but I could tell that she was enjoying her time with her daughter and her grandchildren so I told her no that you were doing fine and you would see her when she got back.”
Shay nodded her head as the door opened to reveal the pretty nurse “Alice”.
“Hi Alice,” Shay said wearily, and Cordial heard the tiredness in her voice.
“Back into bed for you, love,” he said standing up to gently lift her from the chair.
“I can walk you know,” she muttered and Alice laughed as Cordial placed her on the bed.
Alice covered her with the sheets before she took her blood pressure and temperature.
“Good,” she said after she got both readings, “The doctor has said that you can go home in three days time now that the fever has finally dissipated. The financial clerk will come see you in another day for you to fill out some forms.”
“Thank you,” Shay said to Alice before she left the room, but Shay was thinking about how she was going to pay the bill.
“Lets not worry about the bill right now, Shay,” Cordial told her, and he asked quickly to take her mind off of it, “So Ray told you what they found out from Mellows.”
Shay grimaced as she made herself comfortable on the hospital bed, “Yeah”.
Then she laughed humorlessly, “Charity had more lovers in one year than I had when I turned of age.”
Cordial was silent and Shay lowered her head as her face paled, “I am sorry, Cordial, that was insensitive of me.”
Cordial nodded his head although he did not tell her that what he was thinking about was not how many lovers Charity had, but how many she had.
Shay had closed her eyes as he grabbed her hand, and he was about to ask her the question that was burning in his brain when she said softly, “Compared to her fifteen, how will I ever measure up? She was too young to have so many lovers.”
Cordial let his breathe out slowly and he would have answered her until he noticed that her statement had been made as she was going to sleep. He smiled as he realized she probably would be upset to know that she had told him how many lovers she had, or lack of them, but he had to admit that he was pleased.
His silver eyes flashed with possessiveness and his grip tightened on her hand. They would have to talk more for he wanted to know more about her life, but he also knew that he would have to take it slow. Shay was just getting over being shot and having a serious infection that had drained her, he would need to be there for her until she realized that he truly cared about her, Shay, and it had nothing to do with the fact that she looked like Charity.
He kissed her hand before laying it down on the bed, and he felt the gentle squeeze she gave it even in her sleep. He could not help the smile that crossed his face, and a few minutes later when the nurse came to tell him visitors hours were over, she found them both asleep. Cordial’s head was lying on the bed near their entangled hands, and Shay’s body was turned towards him slightly. The nurse smiled softly as she turned off the light and quietly closed the door.
Chapter 27
Cordial got off early a few days later so he could pick up Shay from the hospital. He pulled up to the hospital to see Shay sitting outside in a wheelchair talking to one of the nurses. She turned to the truck as he pulled up and she smiled at him as he got out.
“Ready to go,” he asked after giving her a light kiss.
“Most definitely,” she said grimacing, and the nurse laughed as she handed her over to Cordial.
“Take care of your self, Shay,” she said giving her a friendly wave as she went back into the hospital.
“Thank you, Alice,” she called after her, and they both heard her laughter. Cordial smiled at her as he helped her out of the chair and into the truck.
“Let’s get you home,” he said as he closed her door.
Shay sat still as his words washed over her, but she shook it off. She needed to keep her head because for one, she needed to found out who was trying to kill her.
“So,” Cordial started as he got into his seat and started pulling off from the hospital, “What would you like to do?”
Shay sighed as she leaned her head on window, “Go to a comfortable bed as soon as we get to the house.”
Cordial laughed but all he said was, “Okay.”
As they arrived at the house, he saw his stepmother’s car in his driveway along with Ray and Todd’s vehicle.
“It seems that my dad is here along with my stepmother,” he remarked and Shay nodded her head.
After he pulled into the drive and helped her out, he asked softly, “Are you okay with our guests? I can ask them to leave…”
Shay shook her head, “Thank you, Cordial, but this is your home so you do not need to kick anyone out for me. I have been stuck in the hospital for over a month and could use some interaction with other people although I do enjoy spending time with you. Besides, I have not seen your dad since he was discharged.”
Cordial laughed as his arm settled around her waist not knowing that they were being watched from the front windows of his house.
He let them in and walked into the living room where everyone was sitting around.
“Shay,” Ray cried out jumping up from the couch to rush over and give her a hug although she saw her three days ago and it was a little awkward because Cordial did not take his arm from around her waist.
“Cordial,” Ray mocked at him looking down at his arm.
“Ray,” he said with the same tone of voice, and Shay laughed at them.
“Kids,” Todd said as he strolled over to them. He winked at Shay who could not help but giggle at the situation.
“You are so funny,” Ray said dryly elbowing Todd in the stomach. He winced at the jab, but he winked at her, which caused Ray to giggle at him too.
“Shay,” his father said walking over to them more slowly, and Shay smiled at him as her eyes twinkled.
“Sir,” she said, and he frowned.
“Vincent, my dear,” he reminded her.
“Vincent,” she said reluctantly that he laughed before giving her a hug.
“I am glad that you are feeling well, my dear,” a soft and sophisticated voice said. Lucille walked over to them in her slow stroll for a sophisticated and beautiful woman.
“Lucille,” Shay said respectfully although she felt very uncomfortable all of sudden.
“What about us going out to dinner?” Lucille said running a d
ainty hand through her hair.
Cordial frowned as Shay leaned against him, “Not tonight, Lucille. I was thinking of just ordering in so Shay could just relax before going to bed.”
Lucille frowned as the others agreed with him, and so they ordered Chinese food as they talked waiting for it to arrive.
Shay sat back on the couch listening to the talk floating around her.
Cordial sat down next to her, “Are you okay?”
“Fine, hungry though,” she teased, and he laughed lying his arm across the back of the couch behind her. Shay, without hesitation, leaned her head on his shoulder as Ray said, “When is the food going to get here? I am hungry.”
Todd laughed as Cordial said, “Shay was just saying the same thing.”
Ray looked at Shay and smiled, “Great minds think alike.”
“Of course,” Shay said without conceit, and Ray laughed. Just then, there was a knock on the door followed by the doorbell.
Ray rolled her eyes as she said, “Finally”.
Cordial felt Shay chuckle quietly near his ear as she rested against his shoulder, and her breathe in his ear caused his heart to race as desire coursed through his body.
“Dinner,” Ray called out a few minutes later, and Cordial drew in a deep breath to calm himself as he helped Shay to her feet as everyone else headed into the kitchen.
Once there, Lucille took control of the conversation as the food was dished out.
Shay ate until she was full, but by then she was so tired that she missed the next part of the conversation.
She saw all eyes turned to her and she blinked her tired eyes, “I am sorry. What was asked of me?”
Lucille’s mouth tightened for a second before said airily, “I was just saying that once you feel better, we can go shopping and get to know each other better.”
Shay wondered why Lucille wanted to get to know her all of sudden, but she decided not to question her motives right now although she felt a shiver of unease as she nodded her head and her eyes slid closed again before she blinked them back open.
A Ghost of the Past Page 15
