Challenge: A Contemporary MMA Romance: Oni Fighters Book 3
Page 5
“Was hard work getting there.”
“Ah, sweetheart, you know the course of true love never runs easy. Except where we’re concerned.”
“Right, that’s it!” I couldn’t take it anymore. I knew they were doing it for my benefit. “Go take a walk or something.”
Xander stood and offered his hand to his wife. I didn’t miss the sneaky little smirk he passed to Eden. Yeah, they’d done it to lighten the mood a little and break the ice in this very strange situation.
“We’ll let you know when Dane and Arianne get here with the food,” Eden threw over her shoulder as she gave me one last supportive smile before they headed off for a few minutes.
I looked over at Seth and I felt more nervous than ever, which was ridiculous. We knew each other’s bodies intimately; we’d shared all sorts of physical and erotic experiences.
Gingerly, I reached over and took his hand. Any other time, I would have been all over him and he would have had me wrapped up in his arms quicker than I could blink. He was just so still.
It was so very disconcerting.
His hand was warm in mine—the skin of his palm and fingers a little rough from all the building work he’d been doing at his place. Everyday, he got a kick out of showing me what he’d managed to achieve, and I was constantly surprised at his skills.
It seemed he was just at home with power tools and building materials as he was in a dojo, or pouring over geological reports.
Then it really occurred to me why all this was so weird—strange. Seth was never still. He was the type of person who was on the move from the moment he woke to the second he finally gave into sleep.
“Ah, Seth, why did you leave? Did I do something to make you flee? Was it something else? What happened out on that road? Were you awake? Did you fall asleep at the wheel? Were you awake after the crash? Did you feel the pain?”
I squeezed his hand and realized I’d whispered the questions aloud and immediately felt stupid.
“Why did I drink so much. I remember you taking me against the wall. It was so hot…everything just gets hazy after there. What happened?”
I sat there for a few minutes with his right hand in both of mine, just looking at his fine body, but not at the Seth I knew. Then, I realized what I was doing. I was distancing myself from him emotionally and starting to look at him as a being or entity other than the Seth I knew. That was something I couldn’t do. I had to treat him exactly as if I expected him to answer my question or talk to me.
“I know you need some time to recover, Seth, but you have to come back. We’ve got something, whether you want to recognize it or not. I know it’s there and, God help me, I’m going to find a way to get you to come back. I need you to come back. We all need you to come back.”
A few moments later, Nurse Michelle returned with a large folder tucked under her arm.
“Time for some more obs.” She placed the folder on the mobile table beside the bed and took the blood pressure cuff from the machine and secured it around Seth’s left bicep, then pressed the button on the electronic monitor and the cuff began to inflate.
While that was doing its thing, she peeled back the white waffle blanket and took a look at the surgical bandage across the centre of his lower pelvis. “This one is where they went in and did the bladder repair. I’m just checking to see if there are any signs of infection or irritation.”
His pelvis was bruised and swollen compared to how it normally looked. The “V” that was always there was less pronounced because of the swelling. Although Michelle was being totally professional, I got the feeling she was enjoying checking out my guy.
That rubbed me the wrong way.
“The doctor said he needs a surgery to stabalise his pelvis.” I grated out wanting to distract her attention.
“That’s right. They’ll probably go in here somewhere.” She pointed to his right hip and I could see now that I was looking closer, it wasn’t sitting quite right. I knew those hips! Knew what they felt like when they thrust hard into me.
“When will they do that?”
“Normally, three to five days after the fracture when the swelling has reduced. The Orthopedic Surgeon will decide. They’ll be in later today to take a look.”
Then, something else struck me. “Will this fracture affect his range of movement or anything?”
The blood pressure machine beeped and she recorded the reading in his folder.
“I can’t really say. It’s one of those things where you have to wait and see. His physical condition will certainly help a lot. I would think.”
She made a quick and clinical check of his urinary catheter before replacing the blanket, while I dwelt on what she’d just revealed.
How would Seth possibly cope if his normal movement was limited. His physicality was synonymous with him. It was like his signature. I could only imagine how he’d feel if that was taken away from him.
What if I was the reason? Would he resent me? Hate me?
“Sophia, could I have a word with you, please?”
I spun around at the voice; I hadn’t realized that Dr. Wilkinson had entered quietly behind me.
“Um, sure, I guess.”
“I just have some papers here that I want to go through with you and get you to sign.”
He placed the papers he was carrying on the rolling table that was pushed off to the side of the room. I moved and stood beside him.
“Okay, what I have here are the authorities to operate in case we have to go in quickly.”
My heart leapt into my mouth. “Is there some problem?”
“No, nothing’s changed. It’s just a precaution at this stage but one we like to have in place in case we need to move in a hurry. For example, if we need to relieve the pressure of a bleed on his brain, then that has to happen very quickly. For whatever reason, it may not be possible to reach you. I just want to be prepared.”
It was all so real and daunting. He wanted me to sign a paper that was all about Seth’s life being in the balance, giving him permission to drill into his skull.
That was about as serious as it got. I was signing papers that gave the doctors the okay to do some very scary shit.
“You’ll only do what’s best to help him get better, right?”
“Of course. There are risks to any surgery. However, head injuries particularly if there are bleeds or pressure build ups can very quickly become fatal if not immediately acted upon.”
I nodded and suddenly felt quite emotional.
Dr. Wilkinson gave me a sympathetic look. “It’s a very tough time for family and friends. Rest assured, we’ll do everything we can to pull him through this and get him up and around as quick as possible. It is very much one step at a time though, until he decides to join us again.”
“Thank you. We certainly appreciate it. It’s just been such a shock. Seth’s normally well…” I waved my hand towards Seth’s prone figure on the bed.
“Fit, healthy, imposing, hard to miss,” he offered with a lot of kindness and a few rays of humour.
“All of those things and more.”
“Okay, well if you can just sign here and here.” He pointed to the paper and went into some more detail about exactly what I was signing. It was all medical legal mumbo jumbo. Then, he offered me a pen and I didn’t hesitate in signing the document.
What other option was there?
“I know this is all terrifying for you and there is really nothing I can say or do that will lessen it. Just know, he is in the best of hands and we’ll do everything we can.”
“Thanks.”
I meant it, I was very thankful. It just seemed such an empty word.
“I’ll keep you up to date on what’s happening.”
“I’m not planning on going anywhere.”
“I didn’t think you were. I’ll be around again later in the day unless I’m needed earlier.”
I nodded as he turned and left.
No, I wasn’t even going to let mysel
f contemplate his need to come around earlier.
“Don’t you go doing anything crazy or reckless, Seth Harris. You’ve still got some explaining to do about why you were driving last night. You and I will have words about that one when you’re well, but until then, you need to get better and out of this bed.”
5
Sophia
Saturday rolled through into Sunday and then Sunday into Monday. Seth’s condition hadn’t changed. He hadn’t gotten any better, nor had his condition deteriorated which the doctors were taking as a positive. We’d taken turns being with him throughout the last couple of days and, already, it was starting to wear.
I was no stranger to hospitals. When we’d been in the fire, a few years back, I’d spent about a week admitted dealing with a little smoke inhalation and some minor burns. It was one thing to be the patient. It was something very different to be the supporter.
Eden had been in and out of hospital so many times. However, she never left for the first several months. During that time, my parents, Tori, and I all spent countless hours beside her bed. It never got easier.
Yes, they needed you to be there but it was often dead boring and you felt bad for feeling bored as you sat in those uncomfortable chairs.
Those feelings were coupled with the anxiousness of not knowing how they were going to recover and, in both cases, all the questions around the events that led to the hopsitalisations.
It was a vicious circle of emotions—one that fast became tiring. These hospital bedside vigils were sort of the equivalent of ultra marathons—a test of sheer endurance and willpower for both patient and those caring for them.
Before I could relieve Xander and Eden, who were at the hospital this morning, I needed to go into work and make some arrangements for leave. There was no way I could go to work when this was going on.
I pushed through the glass door of Tanner Properties. I’d purposely come in a little later than normal. John, my boss, was already at his desk. In fact, the dozen or so others who worked here all seemed to be in the office as well this morning. Just my luck.
Rather than making my way over to my desk, I moved straight over to John. I might as well get this over and done with as soon as possible.
He looked up at me with a little curiosity and a lot of annoyance at me obviously not being at my desk where he thought I should be. John, in his early thirties, was the number one sales representative in the firm. His last name also happened to be the same as the one on the signage over the door and the signs we tapped into the ground in front of properties we listed.
“Running late today, Soph, what’s up?”
“Hey John, I was hoping we could go grab a coffee, I have some stuff I need to discuss with you.” Even though the rest of the staff were busy, I felt their curiosity boring into me as they did their best to appear occupied all the while eavesdropping on my conversation.
“Give me five minutes. I just need to get this email out.” There was an edge to his voice. It wasn’t so much the words he used, rather the tone. John was always polite. It was very much the tone that differentiated his real meaning.
“How about I go and grab a table and order coffee down at the Magic Bean?”
“Fine. I’ll be there in less than ten.”
I didn’t call past my desk, nor did I bother speaking to anyone else in the office. We all got on okay and I felt I was doing well, however, I knew a lot of the other women in the office didn’t accept me. My mother always said jealousy was a curse and, unfortunately, my physical appearance often created a wall.
Many women resented the fact I was attractive. Just like people judged others for being too fat, too thin, too whatever—I was too attractive, relative to many others.
Regardless how hard I tried, there was nothing I could do about the fact I was close to six-foot-tall and had the looks of a runway model. People seemed to forget, I hadn’t asked to look like this. It was the way I was born. Just like the woman to my left was short and had red hair—she’d been born that way. Or the one that had the desk in front of me, she was medium height with, big, totally non-surgically enhanced boobs. Again, just the way she’d been born.
Why didn’t people get it?
They were nice enough to my face, behind my back was another story. People were so stupid. They figured others didn’t realize they were sniggering. Didn’t notice it. As if!
My male colleagues were another story and that was the problem. The women were jealous of how the guys treated me. The men were more aware of me and all too eager to help me in whatever way they could and I knew that was predominately because of the way I looked.
Right from when I’d started, there had been a few offers of dates and several awkward situations which I’d managed to dodge. Problem was, I’d had to do the brush offs and rejections with a little finesse.
I was at the bottom of the ladder and I had ambition. One day, I wanted my name to be the one over the door and on the signs we hammered into the ground. That meant I had to be smart about how I played office politics, which irked me to no end.
Over the last couple of years, I’d worked my butt off to get my first two qualifications out of the way, meaning I could act as a real estate sales person. Now, I just had to finalise some paperwork and I’d have my Diploma completed and the licence to open my own agency.
This job at Tanner Properties, was all about getting me experience and John had one of the best sales records in the state. He moved a lot of properties and, for the last year, I’d been his right hand which, more often than not, should have attracted the official title of “Shit Kicker.”
I ordered the coffee and selected a little table out in the courtyard that was tucked into the corner. John arrived and took the seat opposite me just as the waitress placed our coffees on the table.
John settled himself and stirred a sugar into his coffee, then looked at me expectantly.
“So, what did you need to talk to me about? It sounds serious.”
“It is.”
Where did I start? How did I explain our relationship?
“Um, I’m going to need to take a bit of time off.”
He looked surprised. “Oh, what’s up?”
“My friend was in a very serious car accident on Friday night. He’s in a coma and pretty badly banged up. I need to be with him.”
“That’s awful. Is he going to be okay?” His words sounded concerned but the emotion didn’t reach his eyes.
“It’s too soon to tell, apparently. He needs additional surgery in the next couple of days to stabilize his pelvis and we won’t know about anything further until he wakes up. I need to be at the hospital with him. His family is not close.”
“So, what did you have in mind? I understand your predicament and, technically, you’re entitled to carer’s leave for family but you said he was a friend…”
And this is where it was about to get difficult. John was the smooth and cagey type. I’d treaded very carefully around him since I started because I’d gotten a certain vibe off him. Under the flashy whitened teeth smile, the tanning salon skin tone, and the hundred dollar hair cut, he was really ruthless and all about John.
“Well, I’m owed a couple of weeks holiday leave. I thought I could start by taking those, then see how it goes. Although I need to be up front and tell you that I’m probably going to be needing to help him once he gets home. I really don’t know the full extent yet.”
John’s eyes narrowed and I braced for his displeasure. Behind the usual layer of charm was something very unpleasant.
“All this for a friend. Must be some friend?” He raised his eyebrows pointedly.
Fuck it! What did it matter anyway? John was the type who would put his own spin or unpleasantness on it anyway.
“Seth and I have been seeing each other for a few months.”
I watched John stiffen. “So, you’re going to jeopardize your career for some guy when you only just got your licence? You can’t take time off now.”
He shook his head. “Sophia, you think you’re the only hungry young agent out there? What do you think will happen when word gets around amongst vendors and clients for that matter, that your friends are more important than selling their properties?”
“It’s not as if I’m the only agent in the office. In fact, you haven’t even let me have any of my own clients yet. I’m not sure I see the problem for the vendors or buyers.” There was no problem. His excuse was bullshit and we both knew it. John wasn’t known to be generous in sharing clients with other staff. He did just enough to make sure he kept his sales staff but not an ounce more. That’s why staff turnover was so high. I wish I’d have known that before I took the job. Once I’d started, I had to stick it out for a while. I didn’t want my resume to look like I got flighty and chopped and changed jobs often.
The truth was, John had been promising me some clients of my own for the last three months. To date, every prospect that had contacted the office, he’d snavelled or handed to Ted or Mike. He always had a feasible excuse for why they weren’t the right client for me to begin working with.
As if there ever was the right client? Wasn’t that part of the deal with being a salesperson? You needed to assess the persons needs, then figure out the properties that best suited their requirements.
“Nor am I likely to give you your own portfolio in the future with this attitude.”
“Attitude...my boyfriend is in the ICU currently in a coma and I have an attitude? What if it was your girlfriend?”
“I don’t do attachments for this very reason. Why do you think I’m so successful?”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Was this really what it was like with him?
“I’m sorry, Sophia. I really don’t think it’s possible. We had this discussion when you joined. No entanglements to prevent you from doing your job.”
“I’m not sure I recall the conversation going that way. You made it very clear I was not to get involved with any other members of the team, which I haven’t.” In fact, I’d gone out of my way to make sure that I didn’t give anyone ideas. I’m sure they called me the Ice Queen behind my back. I couldn’t care less. I was determined to achieve my dreams and I fully expected it would take a few years.