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Chapter Sixteen
Camilla
I felt pretty terrible. Almost like I'd been hit by a car. I couldn't really move between my neck and my hips. I realized that the freezing must still be doing its work. I had heard about epidurals but never really thought I would ever have one. It was almost as bad as the stories I'd heard. I was just glad that I couldn't remember it being done. Being unconscious and all. Must have saved the anesthesiologist some time and effort.
I heard the door open and forced myself to turn my head, hoping against hope that it would be Aden. It wouldn't be fair to say that I was disappointed to see Cooper, but it would be fair to say that it wasn't what I had been expecting.
“Hey, sis,” Cooper said, nicer than usual. I was immediately suspicious.
“You need to back the hell off and treat me like an adult. I am old enough to make my own decisions and my own mistakes. I'm not in the mood for arguing so like it or lump it,” I said, as sternly as I could manage.
“I know, you're right,” he said.
“I'm what?” I asked, shocked.
“You're right,” he repeated.
“That's what I thought you said.”
“And I meant it, too.”
“Is this some kind of trap? You're not just lulling me into a false sense of security, getting ready to strike are you? Or being nice because I'm in the hospital.”
“Not that I know of. I actually support your relationship with Aden. I can't think of a better guy for you to be with. Though really, you didn't have to be quite so dramatic. I mean, really, throwing yourself in front of a car! A taxi no less.”
“Get the heck out!” I said, laughing as I did so.
“I'll send Aden in,” Cooper said as he headed for the door.
“Aden is here?”
“Of course, he is. Do you really think he would abandon you now?”
“No,” I said, almost defensibly.
I didn't know I had gone to sleep. If anything, I would have expected that the excitement about seeing Aden would have kept me wide awake. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.
When I returned to the waking world, I felt a gentle pressure on my hand. I tried to return the squeeze the actual grasp coming out a lot weaker than I had intended. I felt a second hand stroke my hair in a very familiar way, and I knew that it was Aden there with me.
“I'm sorry,” I said, my voice coming out as a weak whisper.
“Don't worry about it. You've only been out for about twenty minutes.”
“No, I mean for everything. Making you worry and all that.”
“You knew I was worried?”
“I know you, baby,” I said, trying for a smile.
“Yeah, you do.”
“Have you talked to Cooper?”
“Oh yeah. More than we have for the past couple weeks anyway.”
“What did he say?”
“That he's been an overbearing jerk and needs to back off, and has no problem with us getting married. I know we were well past the point of needing the blessing of the family, but it seemed formal, and things would be easier with it than not.”
