Something More (18 page)

He closes his laptop
and we both stand up. He leads me into the little kitchen area where there is a
small array of breakfast items displayed. My stomach appears to be talking to
the food. I grab a cheese danish, put it on a plate, and pop it into the little
warmer. Drew grabs a muffin and when my pastry is warm enough, we go back out
into the main cabin.

We take our seats and
buckle up to prepare for the landing. I finish up my breakfast in lightning
speed and really could go for another. Moving to unbuckle my seatbelt to take
my plate back to the kitchen, Drew's hand flies over to stop me. “What are you
doing, Rebecca? We are about to land.” My mouth still full with food, I raise
my eyebrows and the plate to show him I was going to put the plate back. “No.
Sit. Alexa can put that away.” I roll my eyes at him as he calls for her to
come and get the plate and our trash. She doesn't seem very pleased when she
comes to get our stuff. She even has a slight attitude when she snatches it up.

My eyes dart to Drew to
see if he can give me a clue of what the fuck that's about. He looks annoyed,
but just takes my hand and kisses the back of it. Maybe they had an altercation
while I was asleep. Or maybe she's mad because she and Drew were fuck buddies
and now I’m here. I have to ask. After about a minute, I hear the plate crash
into the sink. I can tell it didn't shatter, but it was put in the sink with
more force than an accidental drop. Drew and I both look in the direction of
the kitchen for a moment and then I look at him.

“What the hell was that
all about?” It sounds a little harsher than I would've liked.

His thumb caresses my
hand. “It's nothing, baby. Truly.”

This answer doesn't
satisfy me so I probe some more. “Why is she being rude, if it's nothing?”

Drew turns to look at
me. “She's one of those women, Rebecca. The ones who think they can date me or
catch me or whatever it is they envision. It's really nothing.” Oh, a wishful
thinker.

“So she doesn't like
the fact that I'm here. Thought she might get lucky if you were by yourself?”
I'm talking aloud, but really to myself.

When he answers, I'm
surprised. “Yes, I guess so. You should know that I've never had, um…relations
with
any
of my employees.”
Well, that's welcome information.
“I
like to keep my business just business.”

“Thank you for telling
me that little nugget of intel. I'm always willing to accept more information
about you.”

He raises my hand to
his lips again, placing a gentle kiss on it. “I'm an open book for you,
Rebecca. And now that I know she's that kind of woman, she will no longer be
employed by me. This is her final trip.”
Oh, nice.
A man of action. As
if I didn't know this already. Drew's even hotter when he's in work mode. That
totally turned me on, even in my fragile state of mind.

The plane touches down
and when it starts to slow down, we are free to move about the cabin.
Immediately, I unbuckle and head to get another pastry. Turning into the
doorway of the kitchen, I see Alexa putting things away. She's about to put the
food that's she's already wrapped up into either the trash or the refrigerator,
I'm not sure which. “Wait,” I almost shout and she whips her head in my
direction. “I would like a couple of the danishes, please.” She apparently is
still mad at me or mad at being let go. The daggers she is shooting my way are probably
supposed to be making me uncomfortable, but it's almost amusing to me at this
point. With my head all wrapped up in Charlie, this crap is just that. Crap.

I try my hardest to
keep my composure. I don't know why I find this funny, but something in me just
wants to laugh. Maybe the stress and lack of sleep is making me delirious. I
start contorting my face to try to avoid laughing and end up biting my lips as
hard as I can to distract myself. Alexa looks at me strangely, like she's
trying to figure out what I'm doing. She shoves the whole tray of the sweet
treats into my arms, rushes around me and out of the kitchen. Yep. She's mad at
me. Or maybe just at my existence. Finally, I let out a quiet giggle.

Now I have a bunch of
pastries wrapped in plastic wrap and nowhere to put them. Backing out of the
kitchen, I walk back to the bedroom to get my bag and set the food on top so
they don't get squished. I drop the tray back off in the kitchen and head back
out to the main cabin to find Drew talking to Alexa. Now she looks pissed and
hurt.
Oh, well. Time to put her big girl panties on, I suppose.
Continuing
on my path while they're still talking, her eyes flash to me and Drew turns. I
smile at him, he returns one, and I go to take a seat to wait for him. 

When he's done talking,
he heads in my direction and I see her wipe away a tear as she turns to walk
away. But not before she gives me her “eat shit and die” look again. I just
smile back at her, which speeds up her walking. There has to be something more
to her story to make her
that
pissy about me being in Drew's life.
Either he doesn't know or he's not telling me. Something isn't sitting right
with me about Alexa, but I can't worry about it because I have to focus on
Charlie. 

Just as I come out of
that thought, Drew is standing there with his hand out. “Time to go see
Charlie, baby. Let's get out of here.” As he helps me up, I get this feeling that
everything is going to be alright. A sense of anxiousness comes crashing over
me and, instead of him leading me out, I pull him along behind me. I want to
get to that hospital as quickly as possible. 

Once we finally arrive
at the hospital, I jump out of the car before the driver barely has it put into
park, leaving Drew behind to get my things and instruct the driver what to do.
I run inside to the information desk and ask where Charlotte Michaels is. They
tell me she's in the ICU on the third floor, pointing me in the direction of
the elevators. 

While I'm standing
there waiting, Drew finds me, my bag over his shoulder. Seeing that makes me
think of an older couple, when the man walks around holding the woman's purse
and the shopping bags while she shops. It makes me smile. I reach to grab my
bag from him, but he turns it away from me. “I got it,” he says and takes my
hand in his, bringing it to his lips to give it a kiss. He does this gesture so
often, and I love each and every time he does it.

The elevator dings and
we ride up to the third floor, holding hands, and my anxiety starts to build
the longer it takes for this stupid elevator to reach the correct floor.
Nervously, I start swaying back and forth from foot to foot. Drew places his
free hand on top of the one of mine that he's holding and I look at him.
Normally it would calm me, but right now seems to be the exception.

Waiting to see Charlie
and talk to her doctors is about to make my heart leap out of my chest. The
elevator dings again at our floor, but it seems to take forever for the doors
to open. I dash out when they do, dragging Drew behind me. Following the signs
to the Intensive Care Unit, I find the desk of nurses I need to talk to. I
startle the women when I rush up to the desk demanding, probably not in the
kindest manner, to see my daughter.

One of the nurses steps
up to the counter. “Ms. Michaels. I'm Andrea, your daughter's nurse this shift.
We have been expecting you. I have your identification bracelets ready to go
into the ICU.” How did they know Drew would be with me? And his name? And
whatever other information they need for that type of thing? She clips our
bracelets on. “Please, come with me.” I'm a little confused, but I roll with it.
This nurse can lead me to Charlie and that's all I care about right now.

As the nurse comes
around the desk to lead us to Charlie, I look to Drew for reassurance. He's
right there behind me…ready, waiting, and confident. I reach my hand out for
him, and he takes it. He's going to be my rock. I need him next to me. We walk
behind the nurse on our way to see my daughter. With her hospital badge, the
nurse opens the glass sliding doors to the ICU and we all walk into an oval-shaped
room, patient rooms lined along the outer walls. There is another nurse's
station in the center, enclosing some nurses and doctors with their computers.
It looks too fancy to be real, like a TV show. It must be a newer
hospital. 

Our nurse leads us to
the nurse's station in the center and walks up to an older looking gentleman. A
doctor. At least he looks like one with his white lab coat on over his blue
scrubs. When we approach, he peers up from the computer screen, looking first
to the nurse and then to me. He smiles when he gets to Drew's face and stands
up to come around the counter. I turn to look up at Drew, who also has a smile
on his face.
What the hell is going on?
The doctor walks around and
straight up to Drew, embracing him. “It's good to see you, son,” the doctor
says, patting him on the back rather hard.
Son?
He returns a hard pat on
the doctor's back before they separate and take a step back.

The doctor turns his
attention to me now. “Is this your girlfriend, Andrew?” He's nearly as tall as
Drew with gray hair, slightly wrinkled, and glasses over blue eyes. Not quite
the same blue as Drew's, though.

Drew automatically takes
my hand again and pulls me closer to him. “Yes, Dad. This is Rebecca. Rebecca,
this is my father, Dr. Nathan Chambers. He's a neurologist.”
Dad?
I'm a
little taken aback. I offer my hand to his father to shake, but he pulls me
into a hug instead.

“I'm so happy to
finally meet you. My son has talked about you quite a bit recently. I'm glad to
see him with someone that makes him happy. And so beautiful to boot.”

“Thank you. It's nice
to meet you, too. He makes me happy, as well. Now, not to be totally rude, I'd
like to see my daughter.” The pleasantries can wait until after I see Charlie
and get the status on her. I've waited long enough.

“Of course. She's right
this way.” He leads us to a room a few doors down the corridor. Dr. Chambers
stops us at the door. “She's still critical, but stable. Andrew called me in to
make sure her brain was functioning properly.” He holds up his hands to stop me
from asking the question I was about to ask. “Her brain seems to be working
just fine. She probably has a concussion from the impact, but her brain is
doing well. I just got here a few hours ago myself and I'm going to stay until
she wakes up so I can assess her further.” I tighten my grip on Drew's hand and
he squeezes back.

Dr. Chambers steps
aside and lets me by to go into the room. I start to tremble just before I'm
about to round the doorway and see her. Stopping for a second, I take a deep
breath and give myself another second to fight back the tears that are
inevitable. Drew says, “I'm here for you. Whatever you need.”

My poor heart can't
take it and a tear runs down my cheek. I turn my body towards his and place my
forehead on his chest. After one more deep breath, I look up at him and see him
hurting for me. “Can you give me a little time alone with her?” I ask.

“Absolutely,” he
replies. “I'll be right here if you need me.”

“Thank you.” I turn
back towards the room.

When I finally round
the doorway, my eyes flood with tears. Seeing my baby girl lying there
battered, bruised, and hooked up to machines is something no parent ever wants
to experience. I swipe away the tears and move closer to the bed. Once I reach it,
I lean over Charlie and start moving her hair away from her face, rubbing her
head. I really just want to crawl into the bed with her and lay her head on my
shoulder. I just need to hold my baby.

Standing up, I take her
hand in mine and grip it, hoping she will grip it back, but she doesn't.
Willing her to wake up isn't working, either. I spot a chair over in the corner
and I release her hand long enough to drag it over to the bed. I'm not leaving
here anytime soon and I want to hold her, even if it's just her hand.

*
* * * *

Sitting here for I
don't know how long, hunched over with my head resting on our hands, has my
body aching and itching for movement. Before I make a move to get up, I hear
the door open and feel Drew's presence beside me. He places his hand gently on
my shoulder, and I raise my head up and look at Charlie. She hasn't moved and
still looks the same. Drew gives my shoulder a little squeeze and leans down to
talk quietly in my ear, “The doctor wants to come in to check on Charlie and
run some tests. And Marcus is here.” I whip up my head to look at Drew with
wide eyes.

“Marcus? You met him?”
I ask, sounding terrified. Well, I kind of am. It's never very comfortable for
an ex to meet the new man in your life. It must be really awkward when the new
guy looks like Drew and wears expensive suits.

He nods once and smirks
at me. “You look nervous, babe.”

“I am. That must have
been a little awkward for you. I'm sorry.” I stand up and my bones crack and
pop, my muscles are overjoyed to be moving again. Stretching a little, I give
Drew a hug. “Thank you for coming with me. Just knowing you are here comforts
me.” Turning back to Charlie, I lean over and give her a kiss on her temple. “I’ll
be right back, baby,” I whisper. Taking Drew's hand, I head out into the
corridor and see Marcus down the hall.

When he sees us come
out of Charlie's room, he starts toward us. “How is she?” he asks, all but
yelling.

“She's unconscious, Marcus.
Keep your damn voice down.” I can't believe he's being so loud in the ICU. What
a fucking moron.

“I see you've met
someone. Is he rich or something?” I roll my eyes and then close them for a
moment, trying to control my anger. I can't believe I used to be married to
this asshole.

When I open my eyes, I
look at Marcus. “Or something, you dumbass. What the hell is your problem?”

“My problem is that
your boyfriend here wouldn't let me in to see Charlie.” I look up at Drew and
he looks like he’s trying hard to control his temper. I am, too. Turning back to
Marcus, I start to wonder if he's back to being a drunk. He just looks sloppy
and he seems a little irrational, but I will give him the benefit of the doubt.

“Well, I can see why.
You're acting like a total asshole for no reason. Drew was just letting me have
some alone time with Charlie. When the doctor is done, you can go in there and
spend time with her. Until then, shut the fuck up! No one here wants to listen to
your shit.”

Marcus looks at me
dumbfounded. I finally didn't keep my mouth shut, like I usually do where he's
concerned, and I told him off. I really don't know what came over me. Maybe
it's the situation with Charlie. Maybe it's the confidence I have with Drew
next to me. I'm not quite sure. But I know that I liked it. I don't know why
I've never really done that with him before. When I was done with the
relationship, I just left. I've only had to deal with him when it came to our
daughter. Once she turned eighteen, I was set free. Only having to deal with
him via text over the last few years has been great. The distance of over a
thousand miles has been even better. No more hiding behind racks in stores if I
see him, just to avoid any drama. No more seeing him driving around town. Yes,
it's been fabulous being away from him.

Now Marcus looks at
Drew, who is looking quite pleased. Marcus looks like he wants to say
something, but he just stalks off around us and waits outside of Charlie's room.
I look up at Drew and he smiles down at me with bright eyes. “Let's get some
coffee, shall we?”

I smile back at him. “Ah.
A man who knows what I like. Yes, let's go.”

“You handled him nicely.
It kind of turned me on,” he says as we walk out of the ICU and head off to
find the cafeteria. Peering up at him, I know he's just trying to lighten my
mood and make me feel better. But now the thought of sex is creeping into my
head. My brain starts to chant…
Charlie. Charlie. Charlie
. This is
definitely not the time or the place for sex, although it would be a first for
me to have sex in a hospital and it
could
release some tension. No! No!
No! Charlie needs to wake up and be okay before anything like that happens.