Chapter 15: CHAPTER FIFTEEN
It was shameful of her to admit it, but when she'd seen Laurent's text, she'd lost touch with humanity for a while. She'd cried for a while from disappointment, then from shame before she'd proceeded to clean up all the efforts she'd made on her face. That had been slightly therapeutic because she was then able to think straight.
A part of her was still disappointed at the abrupt change in plans but Laurent had texted to say he was on his way already. They'd probably just get a bite to eat. The rest of the time would then depend on whether or not she was in the mood, which judging by her reactions around him wouldn't be a problem.
She smiled when she saw the familiar outline of Laurent's black Chevy drive into the hospital parking lot. He highlighted from the car pretty quickly and his eyes glanced around the parking lot. Looking for me, her brain helpfully supplied and her smile grew wider.
From her position by the window of the second floor, her phone rang out and she bit her lip to stop the cheesy grin.
"Hey", his voice rang out when she picked up the call.
"Hey"
"I'm at the hospital already. Where should I come meet you?"
She thought about it for a while. If not for the interruption in their first plan, she'd have skipped downstairs as soon as she saw him and practically jumped him, but now, there was a little distance.
"I'm upstairs in my Dad's room. He wants you to come say hi first" she lied.
He immediately jogged to the entrance, his "Sure" the last thing he said before he hung up.
She also left her position by the window and walked into the private room her father had been moved to that morning. She met him trying to sit up in the bed so she rushed to help.
"Dad", she scolded when he was finally sitting up gingerly, "You should've called for a nurse or something."
His hand shook as he shifted the oxygen mask on his face so his mouth was visible.
"I could have done it, Love. I'm not helpless" he rasped, exhaustion lowering his voice to a whisper..
She rolled her eyes, "Of course. Now is there something else you need that you're waiting for me to leave before getting?"
He laughed at that and the mask slipped back down before his hand dropped. She hid the concern in her eyes. He'd had a heart attack, that was all, he could be as strong as he was. She couldn't resist asking, "Are you okay?" though.
Her father patted the hand she still had on his shoulder. "Of course I am, darling. My body is just taking its sweet time"
"You should give it time, Dad. Don't overdo it, okay? There's plenty of time to get stronger"
"Of course ma'am. Any other medical recommendations"
"Twenty more, give or take"
Her father rolled his eyes heavenward, "Thank God you eventually decided to stay in the family business, huh? Can you imagine if I were your patient? You'd nag me to death."
"Of course. That's my job, Dad. But aren't we forgetting one little detail? I didn't decide, I was forced to"
He mock-shuddered, "How could I ever forget that? You didn't speak to me for ages"
"Obviously. You tore my dreams away from me" she retorted, with no real heat in her voice. She could still remember that period of time like it was yesterday. She'd been in middle school, and she had a crush on a guy whose parents were doctors. He'd also wanted to be one, so naturally, so had she. She'd drawn pictures of both of them in their white coats around the house, convinced that they were in love. Last she heard, he was doing his residency and was engaged to a fashion designer.
She looked at her Dad's face. He also had a small smile on his face but the look in his eyes were quite serious.
"Now what is it, Dad?" She asked with a false amount of levity.
"Are you happy, Love?"
She took a minute to think about that.
"I am, I promise"
She hugged his side, "I'm the sole heir to one of the most profitable businesses in the country. What's not to be happy about?"
His eyes lightened at that and he shook her arm, "Just don't be planning my funeral just yet. I'm still in charge of the company"
"Yeah, of …."
She was interrupted by the sound of her phone ringing. She hurriedly picked it up, realizing that she'd forgotten about Laurent.
"Dad, you remember Laurent, right?" She rushed to ask.
"From the company?"
"Exactly. He's been a great help to me. You don't mind him coming to say hi, do you?"
Her father stared at her long enough that she averted her eyes. She'd never been able to keep any secrets from him.
He finally smiled, and she breathed a sigh of relief, "Why not?"
"Perfect" she kissed his cheeks before she hurried out of the room to pick the call.
"Laurent, hey," she answered the call, trying to keep the eagerness out of her voice.
She heard the smile in his voice, "Where we met this morning. You mentioned that he's no longer in the ICU right?"
"Yeah. He got his own room. Let me come pick you up"
"Alright" he answered, his voice warm. There was a pause, but he didn't hang up.
She stared at her screen, shrugged and also left the call running. Forcing herself not to run back to the reception, she lowered the brightness of her smile too.
When she got to the reception, she was hit with a bolt of jealousy when she saw him smiling at one of the nurses. Without thinking about it, she sidled to his side, kissed his cheeks and flashed a big smile at the nurse. The lady blinked back, but her gaze was already back to him. A bright light in her life, and someone she was growing to crave. He smiled at her, and she smiled back. Then because why not, she rose on her tiptoes and planted a kiss on his lips, tilting her head when he deepened the kiss.
"Shall we?" He asked, after he had finished kissing her brain away from her skull.
She just smiled sheepishly before leading him to the room. He kept his hands on her hips for the short walk to the room.
LAURENT couldn't say he hadn't been laid claim on before, but there was something hot about it when it was done in front of a lady who hadn't exactly been making her intentions subtle.
He left his hands on Rose's hips and she didn't shrug him off until they got to the front of a room. There, she removed his hands but stuck close to him. He took a deep breath before she opened the door. Let the game begin.
Weekly Power Status
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