Millionaire's Secret Love

Chapter Seven

Elizabeth finished her shift at eight in the morning.

Sluggish from a busy night, she went to the convenience store attached to the hospital and brought a few items for George. She did not want to go to see him empty-handed.

Her mother taught her never to show up at someone’s bedside empty handed. It was the right thing to do, she thought, as she carried the small white plastic bag with the items.

When she arrived on his ward, she heard some patients talking to each other in muffled tones. She walked past six occupied beds and wondered what they were talking about. Were they discussing their respective ailments or were they talking about their families?

Her preoccupation with patients and their ordeal was not something new. She was a nurse because her favourite aunt passed away from cancer.

 Before she died, her aunt Patsy told her how grateful she was that the nurses who took care of her made her last days comfortable. And as she watched her aunt take her last breath, it scared her but also gave her the strength she needed to pursue a career where her best efforts could be valuable. She always believed that if she was the last one to put the smile on someone’s face before they left this earth, then all the hardships she had in earning her degree would all be worth it.

It was worth it when she saw her patients leave the hospital with their families.

In no time, she was standing outside his door. She stared at the barrier between them and wondered if he too was awake.

Straightening her posture, she took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

He called for her to enter, and her shoulders sagged. It would have been better if he were still asleep before she could have left the items and made a run for it, she thought.

She entered the room and went to stand next to his bed. His gaze swept her and came to rest on her face. “You look tired.”

Elizabeth shrugged. “Night shifts are a b***h,” she replied, placing the bag she carried on the nightstand next to the bed.

“Are you feeling any better today?” she asked.

He inclined his head a few times. “They filled me full of drugs, I don’t feel a thing. It’s quite nice,” he grinned.

That must be the drugs talking, she thought. She had a fairly good idea of how much pain he was in.

“Did they say how long you need to stay here?”

He shook his head. “Not too long if I can help it,” he said.

She gave him a frown. “You realise you almost died?”

He shrugged, then winced. “I know, but I will not lie here and dwell on it. I have a business to run.”

There was nothing she could say to this. He knew his body and from what she remembered; he was in great physical condition.

“Well, it’s your body and your choice.”

He studied her face with a frown. “I can hear your disapproval, Lizzie.”

She scanned his face. “It’s not my place to tell you what you should or shouldn’t do.”

Amusement glinted in his eyes. “You don’t need to say the words Elizabeth, I can tell what you think by the roll of your eyes and your standoffish attitude.”

Her spine stiffened at his words. “Look, I don’t want to argue with you right now. I’m too tired.” She swept his body with a cool stare. “Plus, arguing with an invalid is kind of, sad.”

George lifted an eyebrow and sighed.  “What’s in the bag?”

Elizabeth scowled at him and took the bag up. “I bought you some fruit and some drinks. Would you like to check it to see if you would like anything else?”

She gave him a small smile and opened the bag for him to see what she bought.

George raised his body to see what was in the bag before he winced and flopped back down on the bed.

“You’re never so kind to me?” he muttered; his mouth pulled to one side in a grimace.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and set the bag back on the table. “I’m not nice to you because you’re never nice to me, there’s a big difference.”

“Maybe you’re right,” he agreed. His eyes raked over her face. “You rub me up the wrong way whenever we see each other.”

To show her sincerity in bringing him the snacks she opened the bag and took out one of the three oranges she bought him.

“Would you like me to peel this for you?”

He scanned her face with a suspicious expression. But inclined his head.

George watched her peel the orange and when she separated the slices and handed it to him; he used his good hand to take the orange and popped a slice in his mouth.

She watched him chew the orange.

Elizabeth never noticed his lips before, they were full and pink. An image of her kissing him popped into her head and she looked away from him less than he saw what she was thinking.

She scanned the room as a way of occupying her sudden carnal thought. She noticed the clothes he wore the night before over the back of one of the two chairs in the room.

“What about a change of clothes, would you like me to get some for you?”

She was not sure why she volunteered. Maybe it was because he seemed so lonely lying in the bed. She knew what it was like to be lonely. Even with a family as close as hers, she often felt she was missing out on many things. A year ago, she would have never thought of herself as a lonesome person. Now, she often felt as if she could not make herself open to anyone.

It was all her ex’s fault; she thought as she watched George enjoy the orange.

She kept giving him slices, and he kept eating until none was left.

When he finished, his eyes lifted to meet hers. “Don’t trouble yourself about the clothes, Ross bought some stuff over before he left last night,” he said nodding towards the small chest of drawers next to the bed.

When he finished his orange, and she handed him some tissue that sat on the side table. He attempted to squish the tissue in his hand to dry the juice, but it was no use. After watching him struggle for a few seconds she took the tissue, taking his large hand in hers she wiped it for him.

He stared at her too long. She met his eyes, but a mask of reserve seemed to cover his face.

“Have you thought about what you’re going to do?” she asked, throwing the used tissue in the bin.

“To be honest, I haven’t thought about anything. Everything seems to be a daze now.”

She nodded; Elizabeth could understand the confusion he felt at being a victim.

“Last night when I spoke to Ross, he told me you didn’t want your parents to find out what happened to you. Why’s that?”

 “My parents have a lot on at the moment I don’t think I can add to their misery when it’s my fault.” His voice was strange. “I should have protected myself,” he added.

Frowning, she gave him the once over. “Are you involved in anything illegal?” she asked.

He stared back at her, and she knew he would not tell her anything.

Sighing, she stifled a yawn. “Don’t even answer that, you wouldn’t tell me even if you were doing something illegal.”

George gave her a grim stare “For your information Elizabeth, I run a legitimate business. If you do not believe me, ask your brother.”

She snorted and scrutinized him. “If your business was so legitimate, why are you here in the hospital with a hole in your shoulder?”

“You may not believe this, but whatever happened to me, your brother is aware of what is going on.”

“Well, that’s fine, as long as you don’t get my brother involved in any of your shenanigans,” she responded.

George shook his head and scowled at her. “Thanks for coming to see me and for bringing me the snacks, Elizabeth, but I think it’s time I have a little sleep now.” His voice was dismissive.

Elizabeth bit back a retort. It was not his fault she was cranky.

“Since Ross has asked me to monitor you, I will leave my number here. If you need anything, give me a ring,” she said in a dry tone.

Taking out a piece of paper and a pen from the handbag which she carried draped sideways across her chest, she wrote her number, then lay the paper down on the bedside table. “I just want to say that just because I left my number it doesn’t mean you can wear it out,” she said, as she placed the pen and paper back into her bag.

For the first time since she saw him, he grinned at her and it reminded her of their previous encounters and his somewhat annoying habit of pestering her.

“Are you saying that I can call you, but I shouldn’t call you too often,” he mocked. “And how often is too often?” he asked, in an amused voice.

She shook her head. “I’m glad to see that you are your most difficult self again. Now go to sleep. If you need anything, just give me a ring,” she said.

Elizabeth turned to leave, then paused.  “Can you use a phone?”

He nodded, then used his good hand to show her his phone. “Thank God I’m right-handed, or I’d be screwed,” he exaggerated.

“That’s all good then,” she mumbled, before walking to the door.

At the door, she turned to give him one last glance and saw he was still watching her. She waved at him and slipped through the door before she gave into the temptation to give him a reassuring embrace.

As she walked away from his room, she wondered why she was being so nice to him. It was because of Ross, she told herself, but deep down she knew it was rubbish.  It was a part of her job to show care therefore she should not read too much into her actions, but she had a suspicion that George was easily becoming a consistent thought in her head these days and she wondered how she was going to stop herself from thinking of him.