Their Second Chance

Chapter 7: Won't he stop?

Autumn Pov:

    It’s been a week since Friday. That afternoon that Ashton barge in my home like he owns it. I haven’t feel like someone was stalking me, those are mom’s word. Dad wanted to come stay with us a few days, but I told him that we were coming this weekend. They told me we can’t visit.

    We ask them why. They didn’t explain. Ruby called me and told me that grandma got a little worse and that the doctor said that she needed complete rest and to not be disturb. In other words no children around. We facetime with grandma as much as we could.

    Mom and dad most feel overwhelmed and tired. We wanted to give them a break this weekend. But they told us they were fine. They look more tired and paler since I last saw them. Jen offered them to at least take a few hours to themselves and Ruby. We insisted so much that they cave in.

    Ruby told them she could stay with the nurse and to have a fun and relaxing date. That too took some convincing. All week Ashton has come by the gallery and bring me coffee and flirted with me. I decline everything, but by Wednesday I gave in to the iced coffee. Seeing everyday being thrown out was killing me, the coffee of course.

    It was a sin to do that to such a delicious drink. Ashton had a big smile. Maggie said that I made him the happies man in the world. He and Anna have gotten closer and friendly. She now asks me about him all the time. Apparently he told her something on how to deal with the boy that was pulling her hair.

    It seems to work since Anna hasn’t complain about the boy anymore. She hasn’t told me what she did or said only that it’s a secret. It’s Saturday and we are at the pool. Anna woke me up early just so that we can spend the entire day here. Kenneth and Sarah are here too. I gave the house staff the weekend off. I know I’ll be fine. Julius took it upon him to do some tourism and that he will be spending the weekend out of the house.

    Kenneth was playing with Anna. Sammy looks at the pool whining. I forbid him to get in. I will not have a pool full of dog hair. Sarah and I are tanning. She is at the end of her first trimester. Her belly looks like a little bump. Something tells me the baby is going to be big. I asked her earlier if she wasn’t more far a long from how big the bump is.

    Usually the bump appears more by the second trimester. She told me it maybe because she has a lot of cravings at weird hours and Kenneth buys her everything she wants. “Kenny is Ash coming?” Anna asks him. I see through my sunglasses that he shake his head. “No, princess. He’s working. He wanted to though.”

    She looks a little sad at this. “Can we call him?”

    “Princess he’s treating people that are sick or hurt. We can’t bother him.” After I told her that she rebelled. Act like a little brat. Which she has never done before. We try to calm her. Nothing work. I was about to give in to her wanting to called him when she told Sammy to get in the pool. He splash all over the floor. I was on the patio, and I didn’t see where I was going and trip on the wet floor. Stupid. I tell her never to run and that’s what I do.

     “Owww.” I rub the back of my head. “Mommy!!” “Autumn.” They all screamed at me.

    Sammy swam out of the pool and ran to me. He started to lick my head, where I was touching myself. Kenneth ran to me too with Anna following him. “Stay there Sarah.” She stays by the lounging chair. “Anna come here.” She goes to Sarah, and I see her crying.

    My poor baby. “You okay?” I open my eyes and see Kenneth standing in front of me. Looking if I had any injuries. “Yeah, my head just hurts.” He helps me up, but I feel a pain in my right leg, precisely my ankle. I look down and see it all blue and violet. Great.

    Kenneth looks down at it and I know what he is going to say. “No, I’m fine.” I walk a little, carefully, but it hurts. I was going to trip again but Kenneth hold me tight. “Babe I think you should take her to the hospital.” I shake my head, but they keep insisting.

    “I’m sorry mommy.” She starts crying. Oh, no. “Sweetie is not your fault. Mommy didn’t see where she was going. Why don’t you go inside with aunt Sarah?” Anna gets up from Sarah’s lap and walks to the house. “Careful.” Kenneth helps Sarah walk to the house and he later comes for me.

    “Do you want me to carry you?”

    “No. It’s okay. Let’s just get this over with.” We go to his car after we put some clothes on and he drives to the nearest hospital, where Ashton works. It wasn’t a long drive to the hospital. Kenneth left me in the ER to park the car. We’ve been waiting for over an hour now. “I’m calling him.” I try to tell him no, but it’s too late.

    He had his phone to his ear already. Great. “Hey. I’m in the ER. It’s not Sarah. It’s not her either. Just get down here.” Three minutes later I see Ashton half jugging into the ER. He sees Kenneth and then looks down at me. “What happened?” He looks me up and down and stops at my ankle.

    “Short story. She fell. Hit the back of her head and hurt her ankle.” They talk like I’m not even there. “Is Anna okay?” I nod. “Why didn’t you called me earlier? Was the ankle like this?” Kenneth shakes his head. “She didn’t want me to call you. I only did it because it’s been an hour and it got worse.”

    Ashton moves to me from the foot of the bed. “Next time call me. No excuses, beautiful.” He kisses my forehead and caress my hair. “I’ll be right back.” He looks me in the eyes for some seconds and leaves. Why did he do that? I feel myself blushing at his actions. Kenneth chuckles. “Shut up.”

    “You have it bad for him. Like he does. Just have s*x already and get back together.” I ignore his comment. “Why didn’t any of you treat her? Are you all doing nothing? This is a hospital not the mall!” I hear Ashton yelling from some place close.

    “Oh, the interns are in trouble.” I look up at Kenneth and see him with a frown on his face. “No. No. They are patients in the ER waiting to be treated. Get back to work. NOW!” I feel bad, but he has a point. It seem like they weren’t doing anything. I mean I’ve only ever seen two people dealing with patients and from the group that he just yelled at they look like more than ten.

    I see him walking over here and I stop staring at him. I made it like I wasn’t paying attention. I look up at Kenneth and raised and eyebrow at him, daring him to say anything. He makes a thinking face but drops it when Ashton comes back. “Sorry about that.”

    “It’s fine.” He starts dealing with my ankle. “I don’t feel it broken, but it’s swollen. Don’t put pressure on it. I’m taking you to do an MRI.” I look at him confused. “Because of the head.” It doesn’t hurt me now, but he is the doctor.

    I think that he may be doing it to spend more time with me. “Nothing else hurts?” I shake my head. He closes the curtain that separates the rest of the beds. Kenneth was against the wall, away from us. Ashton moves closer to me. “I’m only going to make sure you don’t have more bruises.”

    I look at him suspicious, but nod. He carefully moves my clothes and sees that I’m fine. He moves his hands on my back and put a little pressure. It doesn’t hurt me, but it’s making me all jelly from his touches. His hands feel warm and soft against my skin. I’m cold. I flinch away because his hands are warm which is weird since we are in a hospital. “Are you cold?”

    “Yes.” My voice comes out raspy from not talking for some time. I haven’t have a drink in over an hour. He accommodates my clothes back and leaves. He comes back a few minutes later with a hoodie. “Put it on.” I don’t take it. It can be anybody’s. “Beautiful, it’s mine.” I snap out of it as I hear his pet name to me.

    I bit my lip. “Also your shirt is see-through. I don’t want anyone else to see your t**s and body.” Ah there is the guy I know. I snatch it from him. He helps me put it on, even though I could do it. He treats me like a baby. “Don’t you ever show that sexy body of yours to anyone else. Only I can see it.” I slap his shoulder.

    “Stop saying things like that.” I’m red now from all the blushing. “I won’t.” He puts his hands on my cheeks and kisses my forehead. I try to pull away from him but to his hold is strong. Once away from me I take deep breaths. He opens the curtain and Kenneth looks at my face. He starts wiggling his eyebrows at us. “Ignore him.”

    “Ms. Maverick?” I look at the person who call me. It’s Mr. Rourke. “Hello Mr. Rourke.” He is a forty something man with brown hair, grey eyes, and about 5’5” tall. He looks at the bandages on my ankle. “What happened?” I chuckle a little. I see Ashton with a serious face. Weird. “I wasn’t looking where I was going and trip.” He nods and looks at Ashton. “Dr. Mercer. Is he treating you okay? I can change him.” I look at him confused. “I’m one of the attending surgeons here.”

    Oh. That’s why Ashton is all serious. “He is fine. I was unattended for over an hour until he saw me.” Mr. Rourke or should I say dr. Rourke look around the ER. The interns are now working, and he has a confused face on. “He scolded them.”

    Why isn’t Ashton talking? Why is he standing there? I nudge him, but he ignores me. He looks like a soldier that is being reprimanded. “Good. You’re taking her for an MRI?” I look up and see Ashton’s face the same, serious. “Yes, dr. Rourke.” He nods and moves a few steps away. Ashton puts me in a wheelchair that I don’t know where it came from.

    “By the way, my wife adored the painting. She wants another one, for my sister as a gift.” I smile glad she like it. “Tell her to come by the gallery in the week any time.” He commissioned a painting a few months ago when I came to deal with some stuff and was on the gallery over seeing something.

    I decided to benefit from it and did it. He was a kind nice man that wanted to give his wife of twenty years an anniversary gift. I couldn’t say no to that. Ashton wheels me to the same place that he took Anna for an MRI last week. Everyone is looking at me like some freak or something.

    “Why is everyone looking at me?” The stares are endless. “You wearing my hoodie and they don’t know why. You are a patient.” I roll my eyes at their stare. They have a hospital full of patients and they are looking at me over a hoodie and don’t know who I am.

    We wait like thirty minutes to take the MRI. The line was long. I kept getting impatient and Ashton rub my arms to calm me down. I’m stupid for letting him do that. Still I don’t fight or stop him. “Can you give me your phone?” I look up and ask him with my palm open.

    “Sure.” He gives it to me. It’s password locked. I put the one I knew since he was talking with someone and didn’t want to interrupt their conversation. I type it in, and it unlocks. He never changed it. Does anyone else know about his password? I dial Sarah’s phone and the name on the contact says future sister-in-law.

    I chuckle. “I’m busy now Ash. Can’t talk to you.”

    “It’s me silly.” She gasps. “I’ve been worry sick and so has Anna. Are you okay?” I nod, “Yes.” I tell her remembering she can’t see me. “Just a swollen ankle and he wanted me to do an MRI for my head. Everything is fine. Kenneth is driving me home in a few minutes. Is my princess okay?”

    “She’s sad and doesn’t want to come out of her room. I even bribe her with ice cream, didn’t work. Sammy is whining at the door. She’s blaming herself for what happened.” I tug my hair feeling frustrated that I can’t comfort her. “Tell her I’m on the phone.”

    “Anna, mama is on the phone. She wants to speak to you.” I hear some movement and a door opening. “Mommy?” Sarah must have given her the phone. “Are you okay?” I make a pout. “I’m great honey. Ashton took care of me.” I hear her sigh. I only told her because I sense she will feel relieve he took care of me. “I’m sorry, mommy. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

    “Baby you didn’t. It wasn’t your fault. Now stop sulking, your aunt is worried.”

    “Here.” Ashton kneels in front of me. “Is that Anna?” He whispers and I nod. A big smile appears on his face at my confirmation. “I’m ordering pizza, many. I’m craving it.” A laugh escapes my lips and his eyes twinkle. “Okay.” I end the call and give him the phone back.

    “Still the same password huh?” He scratches the back of his head. “Yeah.” He takes me to Kenneth and hands me crutches to walk with. “Use them. I know you walk a lot. This way you can move around more easily. I’ll be dropping by once my shift ends.”

    I was about to protest. “Don’t. He will insist.” I give Kenneth a stern look, but he shrugs it off. “I’ll see you later.” He kisses my forehead and frown. “Stop doing that.” I move his face away from me. Ashton chuckles and I look at him, a smirk is on his face. “You love it.”

    Deep down yes, but I will not admit it, less to him. Once home I wanted to take a shower, but I couldn’t. There was no one to help me. We didn’t want Sarah to trip too, much less in her state. And I don’t ever want Kenneth to see me naked. So I had to wait for Ashton to get here.

    I didn’t want to, but I had no other choice. I really regret my decision of giving the staff the Saturday off. Since on Sundays they don’t work. We ate some pizza. Sarah wasn’t joking when she said she was ordering a lot. She ended up ordering like five boxes of pizza.

    Anna was ecstatic. We only eat this kind of food on special occasions. Maybe I should let her eat more juke food, just a little. But she eats enough ice cream, so no. I ate four slices of pizza. I hear the doorbell ring just as I finish eating. Good, he got here in the right moment.

    Kenneth gets up to open it and Anna goes with him. When we told her Ashton was coming she started to make plans on how to spend the night with him. I think she likes him more than any of us. Poor Sammy will have competition.

    “Hey, princess.” He scrunches down and open his arms. “Ash.” She runs to him, and they hug. Ashton lifts her and gives her a kiss on the cheek. I shake my head at them. Sometimes it scares me how fast she’s getting attach to him. I don’t know if one day he will leave without saying goodbye or explanations. Like he did to me.

    “You want some?” I offer him some pizza. “Yes, I’m starving. Haven’t eaten in hours.” He sits in the stool next to mine taking a pepperoni slice. Anna was about to sit on my lap, but he takes her. “Mommy is hurt. Sit on mine.” She giggles and starts playing with his hair.

    The girls loves it. He’s hair is not even long. I play with hers and she leans against me. Three slices later Sarah and Kenneth said goodbye. “She felt asleep.” Sarah whispers in my ear. They left us in the kitchen, and I hear the front door lock. It locks itself so I’m not worried about doing it manually.

    “I need your help with something.” I bit my lip. “Showering?” I nod. “Do you have a tub? It’s better in there than the shower.” He takes Anna and carries her. “Where’s the elevator?” I point to it, and he goes there. I don’t know where the damn dog went to. “I’ll be right back.”

    “Sammy?” He doesn’t come. Weird. He has to be inside the house, everything is locked. I take my phone out and search the security cameras. He isn’t in the hallways or on the basement. I get in and keep searching. “Where is he?” I shrug. I see movement in my balcony and tap the screen.

    Once the doors open I go to my room and open the door. He circles me and I pet him. “How you get in there boy?” The doors were closed and locked. He couldn’t-shouldn’t- have gotten in there.

    “He was in there?” I turn and see him standing a few feet away from me. “I put her down. And I saw a night light, so I turn it on. Is that okay?”

    “Yeah. Thanks for everything.” He comes closer and Sammy jumps on him. “Anytime, babe.” He called me babe. Ugghh. Won’t he stop with the names and pets, and everything?