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ChapterTwenty-Five
Ramsey
Isat quietly in the hospital room, the air heavy with tension and regret. Dee, the woman who had entered my life as a nanny for my daughter and had since become so much more, lay in the bed before me, her face pale and fragile. Guilt gnawed at my conscience as I looked upon her, knowing that our fight had led to this painful moment.
The accident had shaken us both, a harsh reminder of how fragile life can be. But even amidst the chaos and worry, my relief was overwhelming when the doctors assured me that Lily would be all right. Izzy would take good care of her while I focused my attention on Dee.
“Alright,” an older man in a white coat bustled into the room with a tablet in his hand. “Are you the husband?” he asked me.
“Fiancé,” I quickly answered.
The man nodded, not caring who I was. “I don’t see anything broken. There’s no internal bleeding, but because she was knocked out, I’d like to keep her overnight for observation. She’s got a mild concussion and a lot of bumps and bruises, but I don’t see anything that requires any surgery or anything like that.”
“Really?” I asked with surprise.
He shook his head and ran his finger over the screen of the tablet. “We’ll get her some pain meds but I don’t want to give her too much. She’ll be watched overnight and we need to make sure we can wake her up and gauge her pain level.”
“What about her ribs?” I asked with concern. “She says it hurts to breathe.”
The doctor chuckled. “She ran into a concrete barrier; I would expect it to hurt to breathe. I checked for cracked or broken ribs. They are definitely bruised, which can be incredibly painful. We’re going to wrap them and take care of the few little cuts. You’re a very lucky woman, Miss Rich. I would have at least expected a broken nose. You have an angel flying alongside you.”
“Thank you,” she said. “Can I have some water?”
“You are free to eat and drink, but I would caution against too much of either,” he warned. “You have a concussion and that can make you feel nauseous. Trust me, if you think breathing hurts, wait until you vomit.”
“No, thank you,” she muttered.
“We’ll get you sent upstairs for a horrible night’s rest,” he joked. “I’m sure you’ll be home tomorrow afternoon. Try and rest.”
“Thank you,” I said to him.
He hustled out of the room, off to see another patient. I turned back to Dee and smiled. “There you have it,” I teased. “You’re going to live.”
“I hope they give me more pain meds,” she complained. “My head is throbbing. My chest feels like there’s an elephant sitting on it.”
“I’m sorry,” I said. “If I could take away your pain I would do it in an instant.”
She closed her eyes again. I watched her grimace with every breath. The room was quiet, save for the soft beeping of the machines that monitored her vital signs. I reached out and gently took her hand in mine, my touch tender and filled with remorse. “I’m so sorry, Dee,” I murmured, my voice filled with regret. “I never meant for any of this to happen.”
Dee’s eyes fluttered open, a mixture of pain and confusion reflected in her gaze. “Ramsey,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “I didn’t mean to… I’m sorry, too.”
My heart ached as I looked into her eyes, longing for the connection we had shared before it all unraveled. The weight of our fight hung heavily in the air, the hurtful words and misunderstandings lingering between us. But in this moment, with Dee lying vulnerable and in need of support, I couldn’t deny the depth of my feelings for her.
“I care about you, Dee,” I confessed, my voice filled with sincerity. “I never wanted to hurt you, and I want to be here for you, to help you heal.”
Tears welled up in Dee’s eyes, her vulnerability laid bare. “I care about you, too, Ramsey,” she admitted, her voice laced with both pain and longing. “But we need to figure out where we stand, what we want from each other.”
I nodded, acknowledging the truth in her words. “You’re right,” I agreed, my voice steady. “We need to take the time to heal, to address our issues, and find a way to move forward. Right now, we just need to get you better.”
I leaned in, gently pressing my lips to Dee’s forehead, a gesture of comfort and reassurance. “We’ll find our way back to each other,” I vowed, my voice filled with determination. “But for now, let’s focus on healing and supporting one another.”
Dee’s eyes met mine, gratitude and longing mingling in her gaze. “Thank you for being here,” she whispered, her voice filled with vulnerability. “I want to find a way forward too.”
With renewed hope and a shared commitment to healing, we would navigate the uncertain road ahead.
Two nurses came into the room. “Alright, we’re going to take you up.”
I walked behind them with her purse in my hand along with a bag filled with her clothes. They transferred her to a bigger bed and got her situated. “You’re going to be in some pain for the next week or two,” the nurse said. “Do you have someone who can help you out?”
