Chapter 8 : Sick, again.
Charles was very anxious. He was feeling terribly for his daughter, his little and only girl who was an ocean from him. He decided that he needed to stop thinking about what was happening to her and her boyfriend ("boyfriend, pfff" he thought, still angry about this) and needed to concentrate on his bags.
The next morning he was arriving in Chicago. His anxiety was growing and he wasn't really sure why. Was it the fact that he will see Elizabeth with a man that he hated, because he will watch his grand daughter for a few days or because he will see his only child ill? He exited the plane absent-minded and managed to catch a cab without even thinking of it. When he realised that he was just a few blocks from the hospital, he asked the driver to stop, he paid and went do some shopping. First, he entered a toy shop and bought a puzzle with little cats and dogs on for Ella. Then, he went buying some flowers for Elizabeth, he chose some pink roses, he knew she loved them plus he didn't want flowers which smell too hard. He passed in front of a kiosk, and on an impulse, he entered and bought some magazines for Robert. He knew that he needed to be kind, at least during Elizabeth's hospitalisation.
When he entered the hospital quiet bedroom, he saw them. They both looked so happy, so good with each other. Robert was lying on his back with Elizabeth's head on his shoulder, her hand resting on the opposite one under his own hand, his other hand resting on her waist. Charles approached them. He was feeling bad for spying on them like that, "I'm not spying on them" he tried to reassure himself. At this moment, Robert opened his eyes, he saw from his expression that the young man was more than surprised to see him there, but seeing his girlfriend sleeping, he didn't make a move. He moved his hand from hers to shake the one of his step father. He moved carefully, allowing Lizzie to stay on the bed and got up.
The two men moved in silence to the cafeteria. Previously Robert had left Elizabeth a little letter to let her know where he was. They sat, still silently, at a table far of the other people to have some privacy, in case they'll yell at each other. They didn't know how to start the conversation; neither of them wanted to argue. Robert finally made the first move: "I didn't know you'll come. What brings you here? Not that I'm not glad to see you." He added in a softer voice. "Elizabeth called me yesterday, while you were sleeping. Is my visit a problem, Robert?" He said, insisting on his name (I don't remember the other expression which means that - not sure what you wanted to say here ) "Not at all. Well, in fact, I can't say that I'm very happy to see you, but I'm glad you came, Lizzie missed you very much. And she'll be happy to have you while she's here." "I was sure you wouldn't be that happy with me being here. But we can try to act as civilized men, at least when we're near Elizabeth and Ella." He told him firmly. "But Robert, tell me, now that you're dating my daughter, you could at least try to learn her name, fully!" "I know her name, Charles. Lizzie is just a lovely nickname which matches her coloured personality!" "If you say so."commented the old surgeon, a bit exasperated. At this moment he noticed Robert holding his head for dear life. "-Robert, you okay?" Asked Charles, feeling suddenly worried for this man. "I think I am" responded Robert moment later, regaining his composure. "It was just a headache; the neurologist told me that it'll pass in a few days." "Well, I hope it'll pass. Really, Robert." He said, sincerely. "Thank you." said Robert, shocked by his kindness. "You're welcome. So, Robert since how long are you with Elizabeth?" "A bit more than a month. You know, Elizabeth was trying to protect you, she didn't want to bother you about it. though I'm sure she was planning to tell you. She needed time, to accept it herself and to find an easy way to tell you." "You think?" "Yes, I do. She was just trying to manage you." "Thank you. I never thought I'd thank you one day." ""It's strange to me too" smiled Robert. "Perhaps we misjudged each other and we're mean to get along." He added, laughing.
"Yes, perhaps." Charles laughed too. "What about coming back to see Elizabeth, she's surely awake now."
"Sounds like a plan!" with that the man got up and paid.
Elizabeth woke up, feeling something cold touching her chest. She opened her eyes and saw a nurse, listening to her breath. She smiled at her finish, and then rolled on her side, thinking she would find Robert there, but he wasn't. Her mind was not very alert. She sat up on the bed and looked all around the room, hoping to see him. The nurse smiled, amused, and told her that she had seen him leave with an old man. Elizabeth let escape an "oh my god" at the thought of her father and her boyfriend-yes, he was her boyfriend- together. The nurse handed her a letter, she took it, wondering what it could be but as soon as she opened it she recognised Robert strong writing. She carefully read it and burst out laughing, it was a nervous laugh. She was trying to imagine how on the earth they have been dealing with each other for more than an hour without anyone coming to tell him that one of them had killed the other. She feared the worst - angry words for the best but a fight was still possible, and knowing the health state of her lover, she was really frightened. She started coughing very hard, the nurse, still in the room, brought her a water glass. Meanwhile, Robert and Charles entered the room, smiling and laughing.
She just couldn't imagine her father and Robert getting along so well. She looked at them as if they were alien. She stood a moment immobile, not knowing how to react, if she should just go at their throat or yell at them. Instead of both of those choices, she got up, hugged longly her father, it was so good to be in his arms, she had forgotten how good it was actually. Then she moved towards Robert and buried her head in his shoulder, searching caresses and comfort. He took the hint, encircling her tiny waist with his arm and placing a soft kiss on the top of her head. He murmured sweet words in her ear and asking her to go back to bed. Before doing what she had been asked, she passed her arms around his neck and put a sweet, moist kiss on his mouth.
The morning went calmly, neither Charles nor Robert making bad comments. On the contrary, they were starting to like each other company, much to Elizabeth's amusement. Near noon, Elizabeth and Robert, who were both feeling much better, decided that they could use a little walk to the cafeteria to have lunch. They put their arms around each other to steady themselves, but also because they were feeling extraordinary good together. They walked slowly, enjoying the shocked looks of their colleagues.
Arrived at the cafeteria, Elizabeth was starting feeling bad. She felt nauseous andshe saw brightness everywhere around her. She tried to focus, she thought it was because she hasn't eaten and moved in quite a long time. Her legs started to feel weak, she grabbed Robert's arm but in a second she was unconscious, falling heavily but still gracefully on the ground. Robert held her to avoid her hurting herself too much but with only one arm it was a hard job for him. She was immobile on the ground, like a statue, a beautiful one, thought Robert, but still a statue. Pale and rigid.
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Charles was very anxious. He was feeling terribly for his daughter, his little and only girl who was an ocean from him. He decided that he needed to stop thinking about what was happening to her and her boyfriend ("boyfriend, pfff" he thought, still angry about this) and needed to concentrate on his bags.
The next morning he was arriving in Chicago. His anxiety was growing and he wasn't really sure why. Was it the fact that he will see Elizabeth with a man that he hated, because he will watch his grand daughter for a few days or because he will see his only child ill? He exited the plane absent-minded and managed to catch a cab without even thinking of it. When he realised that he was just a few blocks from the hospital, he asked the driver to stop, he paid and went do some shopping. First, he entered a toy shop and bought a puzzle with little cats and dogs on for Ella. Then, he went buying some flowers for Elizabeth, he chose some pink roses, he knew she loved them plus he didn't want flowers which smell too hard. He passed in front of a kiosk, and on an impulse, he entered and bought some magazines for Robert. He knew that he needed to be kind, at least during Elizabeth's hospitalisation.
When he entered the hospital quiet bedroom, he saw them. They both looked so happy, so good with each other. Robert was lying on his back with Elizabeth's head on his shoulder, her hand resting on the opposite one under his own hand, his other hand resting on her waist. Charles approached them. He was feeling bad for spying on them like that, "I'm not spying on them" he tried to reassure himself. At this moment, Robert opened his eyes, he saw from his expression that the young man was more than surprised to see him there, but seeing his girlfriend sleeping, he didn't make a move. He moved his hand from hers to shake the one of his step father. He moved carefully, allowing Lizzie to stay on the bed and got up.
The two men moved in silence to the cafeteria. Previously Robert had left Elizabeth a little letter to let her know where he was. They sat, still silently, at a table far of the other people to have some privacy, in case they'll yell at each other. They didn't know how to start the conversation; neither of them wanted to argue. Robert finally made the first move: "I didn't know you'll come. What brings you here? Not that I'm not glad to see you." He added in a softer voice. "Elizabeth called me yesterday, while you were sleeping. Is my visit a problem, Robert?" He said, insisting on his name (I don't remember the other expression which means that - not sure what you wanted to say here ) "Not at all. Well, in fact, I can't say that I'm very happy to see you, but I'm glad you came, Lizzie missed you very much. And she'll be happy to have you while she's here." "I was sure you wouldn't be that happy with me being here. But we can try to act as civilized men, at least when we're near Elizabeth and Ella." He told him firmly. "But Robert, tell me, now that you're dating my daughter, you could at least try to learn her name, fully!" "I know her name, Charles. Lizzie is just a lovely nickname which matches her coloured personality!" "If you say so."commented the old surgeon, a bit exasperated. At this moment he noticed Robert holding his head for dear life. "-Robert, you okay?" Asked Charles, feeling suddenly worried for this man. "I think I am" responded Robert moment later, regaining his composure. "It was just a headache; the neurologist told me that it'll pass in a few days." "Well, I hope it'll pass. Really, Robert." He said, sincerely. "Thank you." said Robert, shocked by his kindness. "You're welcome. So, Robert since how long are you with Elizabeth?" "A bit more than a month. You know, Elizabeth was trying to protect you, she didn't want to bother you about it. though I'm sure she was planning to tell you. She needed time, to accept it herself and to find an easy way to tell you." "You think?" "Yes, I do. She was just trying to manage you." "Thank you. I never thought I'd thank you one day." ""It's strange to me too" smiled Robert. "Perhaps we misjudged each other and we're mean to get along." He added, laughing.
"Yes, perhaps." Charles laughed too. "What about coming back to see Elizabeth, she's surely awake now."
"Sounds like a plan!" with that the man got up and paid.
Elizabeth woke up, feeling something cold touching her chest. She opened her eyes and saw a nurse, listening to her breath. She smiled at her finish, and then rolled on her side, thinking she would find Robert there, but he wasn't. Her mind was not very alert. She sat up on the bed and looked all around the room, hoping to see him. The nurse smiled, amused, and told her that she had seen him leave with an old man. Elizabeth let escape an "oh my god" at the thought of her father and her boyfriend-yes, he was her boyfriend- together. The nurse handed her a letter, she took it, wondering what it could be but as soon as she opened it she recognised Robert strong writing. She carefully read it and burst out laughing, it was a nervous laugh. She was trying to imagine how on the earth they have been dealing with each other for more than an hour without anyone coming to tell him that one of them had killed the other. She feared the worst - angry words for the best but a fight was still possible, and knowing the health state of her lover, she was really frightened. She started coughing very hard, the nurse, still in the room, brought her a water glass. Meanwhile, Robert and Charles entered the room, smiling and laughing.
She just couldn't imagine her father and Robert getting along so well. She looked at them as if they were alien. She stood a moment immobile, not knowing how to react, if she should just go at their throat or yell at them. Instead of both of those choices, she got up, hugged longly her father, it was so good to be in his arms, she had forgotten how good it was actually. Then she moved towards Robert and buried her head in his shoulder, searching caresses and comfort. He took the hint, encircling her tiny waist with his arm and placing a soft kiss on the top of her head. He murmured sweet words in her ear and asking her to go back to bed. Before doing what she had been asked, she passed her arms around his neck and put a sweet, moist kiss on his mouth.
The morning went calmly, neither Charles nor Robert making bad comments. On the contrary, they were starting to like each other company, much to Elizabeth's amusement. Near noon, Elizabeth and Robert, who were both feeling much better, decided that they could use a little walk to the cafeteria to have lunch. They put their arms around each other to steady themselves, but also because they were feeling extraordinary good together. They walked slowly, enjoying the shocked looks of their colleagues.
Arrived at the cafeteria, Elizabeth was starting feeling bad. She felt nauseous andshe saw brightness everywhere around her. She tried to focus, she thought it was because she hasn't eaten and moved in quite a long time. Her legs started to feel weak, she grabbed Robert's arm but in a second she was unconscious, falling heavily but still gracefully on the ground. Robert held her to avoid her hurting herself too much but with only one arm it was a hard job for him. She was immobile on the ground, like a statue, a beautiful one, thought Robert, but still a statue. Pale and rigid.
Hope you'll like. Please review!