ch 2

Matt woke up the next morning and the first sensation he felt was pain and lots of it, he hurt from head to toe and the details as to why were slightly vauge to him at the moment, he saw a woman wearing scrubs and it hit him hospital he thought and then the events leading up to him waking up in the hospital became clearer.

" Oh you're awake " the nurse said coming over to his bed. " I'll get your vitals, do you need anything for pain " she asked.

" Yeah " he winced.

She could tell he was hurting " are you in a lot of pain " she asked.

" I'm just real sore, everywhere " he told her.

" Alright sweetie I'll see what the doctor ordered for you " she said gently patting his leg.

Matt nodded and closed his eyes he remembered the fall and being rushed into emergency surgery then before he got a chance to recover from that they did a second surgery on his back to remove a ruptured disc that was putting pressure on some nerves, so now what he wondered. His questions would be answered shortly as his doctor came in making his rounds.

" Good morning Matt, how are you feeling today " he questioned.

" If I say fine can I go home " Matt asked.

The doctor looked at him a moment in thought " I'm thinking more like this weekend but you'll be happy to know that I'm upgrading your condition to good, do you have any questions "

Matt nodded slightly " Lots " he said. " First off how did the surgeries go "

" Both went well, do you remember us talking "

" A little but now that I'm fully awake I'd like to hear it again " he told him.

" Alright " the doctor pulled over a chair and opened Matt's chart. " When you came in Sunday night you were bleeding internally and we weren't sure of the source, we did a CT and found out it was due to your fractured ribs slicing a nice gash in your spleen and a ruptured kidney, we repaired the kidney and removed the spleen. Also we removed and fused a rupyured disc in your lower back that was pressing on some nerves, I suspect you to make a full recovery " he told him.

Matt sighed " And how long do you expect the recovery to last "

" Well with the severity of your injuries, this isn't something to be taken lightly and the amount of injuries you had all at once plays a factor as well, my estimation barring any complications is six to eight months, giving your over all good health it may take you less time. " he said. " And we'll have you up and moving around today "

" Trust me it will " Matt assured him.

The doctor smiled " You make my job easy, I'll check on you later " he said and got up to leave as the nurse was coming in with his pain meds.

" Thanks doc " Matt said.

The nurse came over to the bed " Here you go and I have your breakfast outside " she said and Matt took the two pills.

She went out and got his tray then came back in " And your breakfast " she said.

Matt winced when he tried to sit up on his own, he wasn't sure what hurt more his back or his abdomen, the nurse helped him get into a comfortable enough position to eat, Matt rubbed his right shoulder than his left, he didn't remember hurting either one of them but they sure were sore.

" Side effect from the anestigia " she told him.

" Excuse me " Matt sort of smiled hearing the phrase side effect.

She pointed " Your shoulders being sore, it's from the anastegia, if you want later I can come back and massage them for you after you eat "

Matt nodded slightly " Sounds good " he said and began to pick at the lovely breakfast he was going to force himself to eat.

The nurse left and he was about finished with all the health food he could stomach " Good way to loose weight " he said pushing the tray aside. And the urge of nature's call hit him. " Well the doctor said I should move around so here it goes " he said and got to a sitting position, then put his feet on the floor and stood up. As luck would have it he must have done something to his knee because it was sore as the rest of him so he limped slowly into the bathroom.

The nurse came back in and saw his bed was empty " Mr. Hardy " she called into the room.

Matt chuckled " I'm in here " he called from the bathroom.

The nurse moved across the room quickly and knocked on the door " Are you alright ' she asked in an alarmed voice.

Matt opened the door " I'm fine " he said.

She shook her head " Mr. Hardy " she said helping him back into bed " You really should have waited for help " she scolded him as she covered him up.

" The doc said to get up and move around " he told her.

She frowned " Yes but with help you can't just go running around here alone you could fall " she warned.

" I'm sorry but really I had no problems " he said.

She smiled " Alright that's good, now you stay put while I take care of some things then I'll come back and help you get moving " she told him.

She reminded Matt of his mother and he couldn't help but say " Yes ma'am "

The nurse left and Matt started to doze off the pain killer taking effect when he herd the door open and he said " Back so soon " but it wasn't who he thought it was and he stared as if in shock.

" Eve " he more questioned than stated he thought he must be dreaming.

" Hi Matt " she said for lack of a better response.

He recovered quickly and his shock turned to sarcasium " Hi Matt, that's all you have to " he winced and held his injured ribs, he closed his eyes and waited for the pain to pass. After all this time that's all " he said.

" No but I thought it was a good start, how are you feeling " she asked again not knowing what to say.

" I can think of times I've been better and worse he added bitterly, this wasn't going as she had hoped.

Eve sighed " Maybe coming here was a mistake I can see you are not happy to see me " she said and went to leave.

" No coming here wouldn't be a mistake if you hadn't left in the first place " it didn't make sense to either of them but he got his point across. " why did you come here anyway " he asked.

" I had to see you " she said.

" Well you see me so now what " he asked still bitter.

Eve frowned " Matt don't be like this you are acting worse than a child " she scolded.

" Me " he cried and sat up, he gritted his teeth and eve gasped going over to help him, he pulled away " I can sit on my own " he stated and gave it his best try.

" Are you though " she asked and he mumbbled a response she couldn't make out as she raised the head of the bed for him. " Better " she asked and he nodded.

Matt sighed " Eve why are you here " he asked in exaperation.

" Matt I have something to tell you, something I should have told you a long time ago but didn't " just as she was about to tell him he had a daughter the door opened slightly and Faith peeked her head in.

" Come in " Eve told her and she did. " Matt this is Faith " she told him.

Matt did a double take there was no denying now why she was here and what she had to tell him, Eve saw the mixed emotions in his eyes and held Faith's hand.

" Is she, I mean she looks just like " he stumbbled over his words.

Eve nodded " Yes Matt's she's our daughter " she replied.

Matt motioned for her to come here and she did leaving her mother's side " Hi " she said when she got next to his bed.

Matt smiled " Hi yourself " and silence fell between them as they studide each other for a moment.

Faith was the first to speak " so tell me something about yourself " she said making herself comfortable on the side of his bed.

" What do you want to know " he asked.

Faith thought " how old are you " she asked.

" I'm thrity three and you "

" I'm sixteen, just turned it last month "

" So your bithtday is in November then "

" Yup, yours " she asked.

" September 23 " he replied. " What else do you want to know " he asked.

" Umm what's your name "

" Matthew Morre Hardy, and yours "

" Faith Marie Lane " she told him.

" I like that " Matt said nodding his approval to Eve. Matt touched Faith's hand and they both smiled " I'm enjoying talking to you very much and we have a lot to catch up on but right now I need to talk to you mom for a bit " he told her.

Faith stood up " Yeah I fiugred you would I need to call my friend Dana so you two talk " she said and left the room.

Matt shook his head " Boy she's something " he said.

" She's everything " Eve added.

Matt's tone went from a proud father to a betrayed friend " How could you keep her away from me like that Eve " he wanted to know.

She sighed and scooted her chair closer to his bed " I knew you wouldn't beat around the bush and you'd come right out with the hard questions and I have thought all night what I was going to say to you, how I was going to justify myself and you know what I came up with " she asked.

" What " he winced as he tried to get himself some water from the picture on the night stand.

Eve stood up and without missing a beat she poured the water and answered his question " Nothing, here " she gave him the water. " I can't find a way to justify it, I was wrong and I'm sorry is all I can say to you Matt " she sat back down.

Now Matt was at a loss for words, he was ready to go a few rounds with her but not ready for such a quick surrender " I...I don't know what to say " he said.

" Well then that makes two of us but the fact is we do have a daughter together " she reminded him.

" So let's move on from here is that what you want, me to just forget all the ... " he paused and held his abdomen all the tension was getting to him.

Eve stood up " Are you okay " she asked and he nodded. " It's not good you getting all worked up like this, I'll bet your blood pressure is off the charts right now " she said getting the cup and putting it on his arm, she was right. " You need to calm down " she said.

" You act like you've done this before " he said as she checked his IV.

" Well first I was a Medical assistant, then a CNA, then a LPN and now I'm an RN so yeah I've taken a few BP's in my time " she said.

" I find that hard to believe " he smirked.

Eve looked hurt " why, you don't think I'm smart enough of something " she asked.

Matt smiled " No, I just remembered the time I got busted open down at the lake and you freaked out " he reminded her.

" Oh well that was different the blood was on someone I l..." she paused.

Matt sighed " And that brings back to my orgional question of why did you leave and I don't think it was to persue a medical career "

" No, that came later after I finished school and went to college " she told him.

" So where did you go " he asked.

Eve sat on the edge of the bed " I went to live with my aunt in Calf. it was my mother's idea "

Matt nodded then looked away " Was it her idea not to tell me about Faith " he asked.

Eve nodded " Yes, I was scared Matt and can you honestly tell me that you were ready to take on a family, you were focused on one thing, the same thing you are focused on now and that's wrestling " she told him.

" I would have given it up for you and our baby " he said.

Eve stood up and shook her head she smiled slightly " Matt you say that now but you have regreted it and you have resented me and possibly even Faith, besides what's done is done and there is nothing we can do to go back now " she told him.

" I just wish you would have told me but you're right its done and its time to move on " he said rubbing at his sore shoulder. " I'd like to be able to spend time with her, where do you live " he asked.

" We still live in Calf, not far from my aunt's house " she answered.

Matt nodded " And I still live in Cameron "

" I know " Eve confessed.

" You know " he asked. " You know where I've been "

" Yes that's why I brought her here it wasn't looking real good for you and well " she trailed off but Matt got it.

Matt winced again as he got to a more comfortable position and Eve frowned " Are you in a lot of pain " she asked.

" Yes and no, my lower back is always a problem expecially if I sit too long " he told her.

" Aren't they having you move around " she asked.

" I did earlier but got in trouble " he said.

Eve chuckled " That's just because they don't want you to fall and sue them if you want I can help you sit in the chair but the bed would be more comfortable "

" Yeah that's true, I just can't wait to go home to my own house " he said.

" Oh you don't live with your dad anymore " she asked

" Nope I built my own house on the same land and Jeff lives there too right down the road from me " he said. " How long are you staying " he asked her.

" We can only stay the weekend I have to get Faith home for school on Monday "

Matt nodded " How is she doing in school "

Eve smiled " She's a stright A student on the Principal's list and part of the Honor Society "

" Wow nothing like me " Matt joked.

Eve agreed " Yeah and I'm very thankful for that "

A silence fell between them and Eve could tell Matt was getting tired, he also was sore and needed to rest he yawned and grabbed his midscetion " Oh shit that hurt " he cried.

" I bet " Eve said. " I'm going to go so you can get some rest if you want I can come back and visit later " she offered.

Matt nodded " Yeah that sounds good I am sleepy " he said and again with the shoulder.

" I know what will help you sleep, mind you I haven't done this in awhile one of the perks of being an RN but " she said as she stood behind him and massaged his shoulders.

" Well you haven't lost your touch " he said. " this feels great " he groaned.

A knock on the door stopped Eve's hands momentarly " How's things going in here " Gilbert asked peeking his head in.

" Good, come on in " Matt said.

" I didn't want to intrude but I was looking forward to seeing you, how you feeling " his dad asked.

" Sore " Matt said. " And tired " he added.

Gilbert nodded " So did you two get things worked out " he asked.

" Yeah I think so " Eve said as she finished massaging Matt's shoulders and moved to his upper back.

Gilbert smiled " Keep doing that and he may never let you leave " he said.

Eve smiled " Yeah well I can come back but right now I'm going to go so he can get some rest, I'll talk to you later, if its okay thought " she said shouldering her purse I want to let Faith come in and say bye "

" Yeah I deffently want her to " Matt said.

" She's been hanging out with Jeff and Beth " Gilbert told her.

Eve looked confused " Beth is Jeff's almost wife " Matt explained.

" Oh okay " Eve said and left Matt to visit with his dad.

Gilbert took a seat next to Matt's bed " well " he asked.

" I'm not sure what you are welling to " Matt said.

" Well what are you going to do are you going to be part of your daughter's life or what that's what I'm welling to " he replied.

The door opened before Matt could answer and Faith came in " Mom said you need to rest but Uncle Jeff said you like to play cards so when I come back I'm going to bring a deck okay " she said.

" I'll be here " Matt joked.

" Can I give you a hug " she asked.

" Just watch his stomach hun " he grandfather cautioned.

" I'd love a hug " Matt said and he wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.

" We'll be back you get some rest " she said and went back out with her mom.

Matt looked at his dad " Yeah I'm going to be part of her life, that is a garuentee " he replied.