Chapter 28 – Tobias
No way. There's no chance it's her. My mind must be playing tricks on me as a result of my head trauma, but as I blink repeatedly she still doesn't disappear she only gets clearer as she moves closer.
Just when I thought being in a car accident was bad enough here she is waltzing into my room with what appears to be balloons as though we have been close friends for a long period of time. I want to scream at her to get out, or send her a menacing glare but my lack of voice and muscle coordination prevents me from doing so.
I have still yet to go to work since she called me but I assume the weekend must have passed, and even though it feels as like I have been laying here for days on end it must only be early in the week, if her appearance is anything to go by.
Her high pitched voice suddenly rings out in my ears as she cries out, "oh Tobias" and I can feel Tris's nails digging deeper into my hand, most likely in shock of someone else saying my first name so openly, but I squeeze back just as hard as the contact provides me with some of her strength as I know I'm going to need it due to my own shock and confusion over what is happening right now.
This situation was already something I was struggling internally with as I knew the moment Tris stormed out of my apartment that day, that I needed to find words to explain to tell Tris how the girl I had told her about all those years ago is Nita, and that she now is somehow my supervisor.
It was hard enough trying to think of possible ways to approach the subject without Tris thinking anything would happen, and it is safe to say that this isn't how I ever thought it would pan out, but as I lay here with no voice I feel completely exposed and unable to defend my position to Tris, who I know is going to jump into all sorts of conclusions.
Nita's attempts of sincerity and softness towards me go unacknowledged as I occupy my mind with the woman holding desperately onto my hand. I hadn't looked over at her since Nita walked in as I was set in a state of shock, but as she gets closer to my other side I cast my eyes over at Tris and I can see a deeply embedded scowl creasing her forehead and her eyes now a noticeably stormy gray.
Her eyes are locked firmly on Nita and just as I am about to attempt to pull her hand towards me in order to redirect her attention I hear a shrill voice close by my right ear, "I'm so relieved to know you're okay!"
I continue to try my best to ignore Nita and focus on Tris as I know if she saw my shocked and, hopefully, innocent expression she would ignore her presence as well, but that goes out of the window as soon as Nita takes a hold of my right hand. My body reacts almost instantly as a sting radiates through me, completely juxtaposed to the way my other hand feels with Tris's firmly intertwined with mine.
I'm sure Tris's shock mirrors mine as I try and coordinate my movement so I can rip my hand out of Nita's grasp but I assume she notices my lack of attention as she moves to hover over me until she says, "oh sorry I didn't see you there. I'm Nita," which obviously is directed towards Tris.
I can see the wheels in her mind turning as she pieces together the name, the person in front of her and no doubt the phone call I was on the other day where I assume she heard me say Nita's name. I see her eyes scan the room erratically before they land on my right hand which apparently is still in Nita's if Tris's expression is anything to go by. Shit.
I can see her face drop and I don't even have the chance to attempt to tighten my grip on her hand before she rips it out and stares angrily between Nita and I.
I know from experience that when Tris is angry or hurt she rarely sees sense whilst in the heat of the moment but as my voice can't diffuse the situation my only hope is that I can convey what I am feeling through my eyes. I have been trying to shield her ever since I woke up from the excruciating pain I am in, and she can probably see right through me but I shield her from as much as I can as she has already been through so much. I know she is strong and can handle anything that is thrown at her and her standing beside me now is a testament to that, but I can't help the innate desire which compels me to protect her at all costs. My previous actions may have been questionable to some but I have always put Tris above all else and now is no different as I know I have to let her in if I am to have any hope of extinguishing anything Nita may have to say.
However I suppose the only issue now is getting her to look at me for longer than the fleeting glances she's giving me now whilst she processes everything around her.
"Sorry how do you know Four?" Tris asks with controlled anger. I clench my eyes shut as soon as she finishes the question, as firstly I'm unsure if she is using Four as a weapon against me or warning Nita off, and secondly I know Nita's response will be nothing short of over exaggerated and it will lead to nothing but pushing Tris and I further apart from each other.
Tris is incredibly perceptive, always has been, so I am banking on her right now to read this for what it is and not be blinded by my past actions.
Tris POV
I can't believe she is here. This Nita woman who was on the phone to Tobias the other day, in which he not so discretely made me well aware of his affection towards her, is stood directly across from me still holding Tobias's hand. I raise my eyebrows towards her expectantly as I await the answer which will confirm my suspicions, if his reaction is anything to go by.
She straightens slightly as though not to crease her attire and she gives me a small smile before glancing at Tobias, "well we go way back, we've always been very close" she reveals to me with a hint of suggestion. I nod almost mechanically as she pretty much confirms what I already thought and I feel as though I need to escape from this room immediately, but before I can Nita speaks up again.
"Sorry…who are you?" she asks challengingly.
"I'm…I'm Tris, just his friend," I stumble out dejectedly. I don't really know what we are to each other right now, and just being his friend isn't what I want but as I look his way I don't miss the way his eyes are searching mine or the pain swirling through them. I know he is in pain from his injures but I'm confused as to why he is revealing this to me now after he so strongly denied it only moments before.
"That's nice, but I am here now so you can go" she firmly tells me. I recoil at her words as they sting more than I thought they would.
I stand frozen by Tobias's bedside in disbelief, as not only did she tell me to go but now she is coddling him as though I'm not even in the room and he doesn't even seem to flinch at her touch.
I thought he respected me enough to not flaunt her in front of me but I guess I was wrong, and maybe that means I've been wrong about a lot of things regarding him.
"Are you going to stand and watch all day?" she says rudely as she interrupts my thoughts.
Confusion and pain are my overriding emotions as I stand dazed in place, but as she finishes her question I begin having an internal battle with myself over whether I should trudge out of this room defeated or stand up for myself and what I want.
As I keep my eyes locked onto Nita's, whilst sorting through my thoughts, I see a flash of movement from the corner of my eye and she reacts instantly as her eyes move rapidly towards Tobias. I follow her gaze and notice Tobias's hand is no longer in hers and that he only has eyes for me. My breath catches in my throat momentarily as his deep blue eyes pierce through me, it sends a shiver up and down my spine in response to his intense gaze.
We seem to be each other's only focus until the shrill of her voice shatters the moment, "Tobias baby, look at me. I'm here now everything is alright" she says in a high pitched babyish tone. She then turns to look at me with a fiery glare, "as I said before, you can leave now."
I take a deep breath in order to give myself more time to think of what to say, "I'm sorry but I'm staying" I state firmly.
"I'm not sure what your relationship status is" I gesture between them, "but as his friend and the mother of his child I am going nowhere until he tells me otherwise."
Something I said must have caught her off guard as stares blankly at me and then Tobias, "you...you have a child? With her?" she asks incredulously. I'm once again taken a back as I realise he must not have told her about Ruby, and I can't help but think this entire scenario could be written into a soap opera.
I rub the palms of my hands over my face a few times as I try and relieve some of the stress and tiredness which is making itself known.
"Look I just want him to get better as soon as possible so we either sit in silence or you leave."
Safe to say she didn't appreciate that ultimatum as her upper lip upturns and an overall look of disgust adorns her features, but frankly I don't really care.
I return to my seat and quickly look at Tobias, to make sure he is okay, but I see that he is already looking at me with a small smirk. I look at him with raised eyebrows and a slight shake of my head unsure as to why he is directing it at me after the way I just spoke to his 'girlfriend.'
Suddenly his face is turned around by Nita's hand and I want to slap some sense into her as he just experienced significant head trauma and she is whipping his head around like a doll.
"Be careful! He may be awake but he is still critical" I shout out before I even realise it.
"He is none of your concern. I have known him longer than you and you're just some girl he had fun with, and he obviously accidently knocked you up. He clearly doesn't even care much for your child as he hasn't even told me-"
"Excuse me!" a loud voice booms through the room effectively interrupting Nita, I turn towards the door and see the friendly nurse from earlier, who doesn't look so friendly now.
I'm extremely thankful for her interruption as I don't know how much longer I could have listened to Nita say I was merely a fling for Tobias without my temper flaring and resorting to physical violence.
"Who let you in here?" she asks Nita directly with her hands on her hips.
"Uhh...ermm-"
"You are not authorised to be in here without approval so may I ask your relation to Mr. Eaton?"
I turn to look at Nita and she is visibly unsettled but manages to speak anyway, "yes, I'm a very close friend" whilst still managing to add a suggestive wink at the end.
I turn back towards the nurse and she looks sceptical as she moves her line of vision towards me. She gives me a questionable look as though waiting for me to confirm or deny but I simply shrug my shoulders as I have no idea what to think or believe. But I really wish I did
She moves slowly towards Tobias whilst politely asking both Nita and I to step outside so she can check him over. Although hesitant to leave his side for even a moment I know this needs to be done in private so I go without a fuss, Nita however takes a little more persuading and it's taking everything within me not to react.
I take my place against the wall, opposite to the door so I still feel close enough as to not miss anything if something happens.
"You know it's weird, Tobias never spoke of you Trish-"
"Tris" I interject firmly.
"That's what I said…anyways thanks for being here when I couldn't but you can go now. I'll stay and make sure he's okay. I suppose you could ask for the doctors to update you as I probably won't have time whilst I'm with him, and well he can't really do it himself" she laughs quietly to herself after she says that and then adds "…not the he would anyways" under her breath, but I'm sure she meant for me to hear it.
"Look I don't even know you or what you are to him, and frankly I don't care"…lies, I really do and it's eating away at me… "I'm here to help him get better and be there for him as well, so if you could respect our relationship that would be greatly appreciated."
I don't know how much longer I can go back and forth with this woman as the exhaustion really starts to take over my body. I have been running on adrenaline and built up anxiety for too long and I know I am about to crash but I can't let it be in front of her. I need to keep going for as long as it takes Tobias to be taken out of the critical stage.
Quite a few more minutes pass, thankfully in silence, as I stare at the door and Nita at me before the door swings open and the nurse makes her way out. I assess her for any physical clues as to any possible changes for both better or worse but she is providing no such luck.
"Excuse me" she directs softly towards Nita.
"Mr. Eaton has informed me that he does not require, nor desires your presence by his side. As you are also not of relation I must ask you to leave and to respect his wishes."
I stand frozen in place as I try and come up with any explanation as to why Tobias doesn't want her by his bedside.
"He can't even talk so how did he tell you he doesn't want me here!" Nita declares accusingly.
"Well sometimes someone finds their voice at just the right time" she says with what I think is a hint of insinuation in her tone, and as Nita storms away my eyes suddenly spring wide open in shock and excitement, "you know he's a very strong willed man. I have yet to see such a drastic recovery in such little time for a patient with as serious injuries as his. He must really have something worth fighting for" she adds with a wink before gesturing into the room and walking away, no doubt making sure Nita did in fact leave.
I don't know what to expect as I walk back through the door as I don't want to get my hopes up and presume that what the nurse insinuated was that he has got his voice back in fear of being disappointed. However as I move further into the room and into Tobias's line of vision he conjures up a small smile, "hey" he croaks out.
Glad I was able to find some time to write whilst I'm here and that the website is back up and running. Hope you enjoyed this one and I love hearing your thoughts, so thank you to everyone who reviews, favourites and follows you're all amazing :)
