Chapter 26:
"But… The letter is open… Why?" Henry crumbled.
He was in the mercantile, facing Ned. He had in his hand the letter he had sent to his son a few weeks ago. He sent it back to him, open.
"I don't know, Henry." Ned looked worried at his friend's crestfallen face. What was this letter that seemed so important to him?
"Okay..." Henry kept his eyes fixed on the letter.
He looked up at Ned and found he had blurry vision. He turned towards the exit and tried to walk towards it but found that everything revolved around him. Then his legs gave way and he fell to the ground on his knees. He was sweating and shivering at the same time, his complexion extremely pale.
He heard voices around him that he could not identify. Then he felt that he was being forced to lie down on the hard floor. Then suddenly he came to his senses and could see clearly. What was he doing on the ground? He did not remember.
"Henry… HENRY!" He heard the sounds very clearly again and turned his head to Carson who was above him. He looked at him with worried eyes.
"Do you hear me, Henry?" he asked in a loud, detached voice.
Henry nodded. His mouth was too dry to utter a single sound.
"You had an illness, Henry." another voice informed him.
He turned his head towards it and saw Faith Carter's face also bent over him. He saw Ned and Florence looking at him with wide worried eyes and noticed other citizens whose names he could not remember at the time.
"We will take you to the infirmary." Carson said.
Henry shook his head. He did not want to go to the infirmary. Not for simple discomfort. He had just been shocked to receive his own open letter.
"Yes, yes. Go on!" Carson insisted.
He gently took Henry by one arm and Faith took him the other. They put him in a sitting position for a few minutes, before feeling that he was strong enough to stand up. Although with difficulty, feeling weak, Henry got to his feet with the help of his friends.
"Thank you..." he said weakly. "Abigail…" he did not know why he was saying her name. He had no words to say. He had just said her name and it sounded stupid to him now. He did not want to bother her about that.
"We'll let her know, don't worry." said Florence before starting to leave for the cafe.
"No, no…" he said weakly in an unconvincing voice.
"Yes!" Florence replied firmly as she walked towards the cafe while Henry was heading on the opposite side towards the infirmary.
When he was inside, he was directed to a bed and sat on it wearily. He felt stupid. He had just passed out theatrically in the mercantile under the eyes of his friends because of too strong emotions. He shook his head and sighed as Faith took his blood pressure and then gave him a small blood test.
"Are you all right, Henry?" Carson asked as he searched for something on a cabinet full of instruments.
"Can be Okay. Feel a bit stupid."
"Why?" Carson asked surprised.
"I passed out because of a stupid thing. I received a letter and… anyway."
"Henry, you didn't pass out because of this. You have a health problem." Carson said gravely.
Henry quickly looked up to look at Carson who was now in front of him, an instrument in his hand that he was unable to identify.
"I think you have blood pressure issues. But the analyzes will surely tell us more. You will have to rest until we receive them in a few days. That means no work, no physical activity, nothing."
"No work." Henry crumbled.
No work. He could not work. It just was not possible. What would he do? How would the company move forward without him?
"Yes Henry. It is very important that you respect what I tell you, your health is at stake. And that's the most precious thing."
Henry suddenly felt his mood change and his old one come back to him. He opened his mouth to make a sarcastic remark but closed it when he saw the door fly open to reveal Abigail. Immediately, he felt his remark fade away and he smiled stupidly at his companion.
"Henry!" she walked over to him; her gaze anxious.
She stopped near Faith and Carson who was in front of Henry and did not dare to take another step. Florence had simply arrived at the cafe and told her that Henry had suffered from the mercantile and that he was in the infirmary. She had rushed there, leaving Clara and Bill at the controls to prepare the lunch service.
She did not know what Henry had, maybe he was weak or frail right now. Was there something serious?
"Don't worry Abigail." Carson reassured as if he had read his friend's mind. "Henry felt unwell, and I suspect he has blood pressure issues. We are going to wait for the blood tests and in the meantime he must only rest, nothing else."
Abigail nodded, looking at Henry. She already knew that the idea of not working must have dampened his spirits.
"Is it serious if he has blood pressure problems?" Abigail asked anxiously.
"No, but he will have to follow strict diets. For example, not too much alcohol or things like that." Faith leaned a stern false look on Henry who, despite himself, smiled.
"Can I leave?" Henry asked softly, his eyes full of hope.
"Yes… but I would prefer you to stay here until the results if you are home alone. We're not sure if that's your blood pressure so…" Carson said a little pained for Henry.
Although it was only for a few days, he knew perfectly well that Henry would not wish to stay in the infirmary until the results. And he was right when he saw Henry's shoulders slump and his smile disappear.
"He will come to my house at the cafe." Abigail stated firmly.
Henry's eyebrows reached his hair, and his smile did almost the same. He was going to come to Abigail's and sleep over for a few days. Maybe today was not completely bad after all.
"We have two guest rooms. Clara sleeps in one of them and the other hasn't been occupied since Elizabeth left." Cody's mom shrugged trying to sound nonchalant as she felt her cheeks flush.
"And Cody will be okay with that?" Henry asked anxiously.
"You know, since he did his internship with you, he only talks to me about you." Abigail laughed accompanied by Faith and Carson who had had to welcome Robert.
Henry did not laugh, he just looked at Abigail with bright eyes. Finally, the week with Cody had gone extremely well. They got along so well that the day Cody had to go back to school, he showed up at Henry's company anyway. He had been so surprised at first that he had not known what to do. Should he take him back to school? Bring him back to Abigail? Scold him? Or keep him with him all day?
Finally, he brought Cody back to Abigail who smiled sadly, feeling that Cody lacked a father figure in his life and reflected his dreams on Henry. He had been very flattered to see this reality with Abigail, but at the same time, pained for the little boy and for himself. He had become very attached to Cody, too, and he missed seeing him all day.
They had not talked to each other about the relationship he now openly had with his mother. But they did not need it. He had understood that Cody approved and that he was even happy about it.
Then, now, Abigail was telling him that Cody often talked to her about him, and he was so proud of it. He smiled.
"Well…so I see no reason to object to you coming out of our infirmary, Henry." smiled Carson. "I will come to see you to communicate the results when I have them. And do not forget. No work, no physical activity. Just rest." the doctor reminded sternly, but with a small smirk.
"I promise, doctor." Henry smiled back as he got up from the infirmary bed.
He walked with Abigail to the exit and thought he was surely going to have a very good weekend.
Note: Henry's letter was returned to him! And now he has health problems! For those who have seen season 7 and 8, you recognize the episodes, I think. There's more to come haha! Plus, Cody and Henry get along great now!