The Rift Between Us

CHAPTER FOUR

Two quiet days passed since Louis had opened his eyes to the world again. Though his body remained sore, and bandages still wrapped around his forehead, hand and left thigh, he looked visibly stronger. The color had begun to return to his cheeks, and the glimmer of mischief which is so inherent to Louis Monroe had began to return. He lay reclined against the bed’s elevated headrest, his sheets lightly tucked over his body. When the door creaked open, his face brightened in anticipation.

Esmeralda Kingston entered quietly, her figure graceful even under the plain folds of her scrubs. Her long dark curls were tied loosely today, a few strands brushing her cheekbones. She held a tray of grilled lemon-pepper chicken with mashed potatoes and sautéed green beans, with a small plastic container by the side of the dish carrying his medications: Acetaminophen,Tranexamic, and a broad-spectrum antibiotic. She set the tray down gently on the table beside his bed without a word.

“Where have you been?” Louis asked, voice smooth but weak. “I haven’t seen you since the day I caught you staring at me through the window. I’ve missed you.” Esmeralda raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Instead, she lifted the tray and brought it close to his lap, drawing a chair beside him as she prepared to feed him. Louis smirked. “So you do miss me.” She ignored the comment and offered the first forkful of mashed potatoes. "Open your mouth." He chewed, then winked. “You know, if you keep getting this close to me, I might faint again. Heart attack this time. You’re dangerously gorgeous.”

Her fingers faltered briefly on the fork. She looked at him, a bit startled but not displeased. A faint pink began to bloom on her cheeks. She quickly looked away, trying to recompose herself. But he noticed. “Oh,” he chuckled. “So you do know how to blush.” Esmeralda rose abruptly, throwing the fork back on the tray in a bit of annoyance. “I can see you’re fine. Here, you can feed yourself.” She turned to leave, but Louis called out quickly, “Esmer! Esmer!” She kept walking. Then his voice changed tone. “Oh my God. My head. Ah… ahh!” Esmeralda stopped, spun around in alarm, and rushed to him. “What’s wrong? Are you alright” she asked urgently, inspecting his bandaged head. A boyish, mischievous laugh escaped Louis’s lips. Esmeralda froze for a second. “You’re unbelievable,” she muttered and stormed out. “No, really,” he called after her, grinning. “My heart hurts this time!” But this time, she didn’t look back.

Across town, the Fidelis mansion stood like something carved from a romantic painting. It's tall white columns lining the front porch, arched windows draped with elegant golden blinds, and balconies blooming with potted orchids and pink peonies. The front lawn was trimmed to perfection, and the double glass doors glittered beneath the late morning sun.

Inside, on the second floor, Susana stood before her full-length mirror in her room—a floral sanctuary that reflected her soft yet vibrant spirit. The walls were pale lilac, and the ceiling twinkled faintly with a constellation of tiny LED lights. Vases of fresh lilies, sunflowers, and tulips adorned every surface, from the white vanity to the bookshelf lined with novels and scented candles. Her curtains were gauzy, fluttering softly with the breeze, and her bed, framed with wrought-iron vines, was piled with rose-patterned pillows.

She was dressed to perfection. A flowery red off-shoulder blouse stopped just above her belly button, hugging her figure delicately. Her ebony-black hair was coiled into a neat donut bun, secured with a satin red ribbon, with two curled strands framing her face. Her lips were painted a bold red hue, matching the shimmer of her red diamond heart pendant. Black cargo jeans clung snugly to her hips, and the stark white designer sneakers she wore gleamed like ice. She looked like a rose kissed by rebellion.

A knock tapped softly at her door. “Come in,” she said. Her mother, Mara Fidelis, entered, smiling with that warm, knowing glint in her eye. “My God,” she whispered. “You look stunning.” Susana laughed lightly. “Thank you, Mum.” “And where exactly are you going looking like a Valentine’s Day goddess?” Susana’s face lit up with a chuckle. “To see Louis.” “Ah, my handsome son-in-law."

Mara usually called Louis her son in-law as she was sure they were destined for each other right from their younger days. Susana always acted straight up front but deep down she loved the idea of it, unconsciously hoping it would come true.

Mara grinned, and then vanished briefly, only to return moments later with a beautiful wicker basket brimming with assorted fruits like mangoes, apples, strawberries, grapes, kiwi, and nestled among them, a small cream-colored envelope. “Give this to him for me. My get-well gift,” she said proudly. Susana smiled brightly, hugged her mother, and with a final check in the mirror, she left.

At the hospital, Louis had dozed off again. The soft rhythm of his breathing filled the room. Susana entered quietly and smiled at the sight of him, peaceful and warm beneath the pale hospital sheets. She placed the basket down gently on a nearby stool and sat on a nearby sofa, pulling out her phone to pass the time.

A few minutes later, Louis stirred, murmuring her name. "Susana." She looked up, quickly crossing the room. “Louis?” His eyes opened slowly. “Hey, Susy.” She took his hand, brushed his curls softly, and kissed his forehead. “How are you feeling?” “Better,” he said with a small smile. “Seeing you helps."

Just then, the door opened. Esmeralda stepped in with a new tray of grilled salmon with seasoned rice and steamed broccoli and his medications. She paused, seeing Susana by his side. “I apologize,” she said quietly. “I didn’t know you had a visitor.” Susana turned and gave a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “It’s fine,” she said with a touch of acid.vEsmeralda didn’t notice or probably chose not to. She placed the tray on the same table, glancing at Louis once.

Louis laughed. “I thought you’d never come back after I pushed your buttons.”Esmeralda rolled her eyes saying nothing. He leaned forward playfully. “Aren’t you going to feed me?” Before she could reply, Susana stepped in. “I’ll do it.”vShe took the tray and sneered slightly at Esmeralda. Carefully, she scooped up a spoonful of rice. As she brought it toward Louis, he grinned.

“Do you know what this nurse did to me?” he said, eyes gleaming. “She left me to starve this morning. Said I was fine enough to feed myself.” Susana forced a laugh but her fingers trembled slightly. She looked down at the tray. Esmeralda turned silently and left the room.

After a pause, Susana reached into the fruit basket and handed it to Louis. “From my mum,” she said softly. Louis chuckled. “Oh, my mother in law.” Hearing Louis calling her mother his mother in law made her grin in hope. He took the envelope and read the little note inside, smiling to himself.The letter read:

"Dear son in law,

I feel deeply sad for not being able to come by to see you in this trying time, but always know you are in my heart and that of my husband,Mark. We will come by to visit you after you are discharged. We wish you a speedy recovery love.

Your mother in law."

This is sweet. Your mum is very thoughtful” "Yes she is" Susana smiled back.

Susana stayed with him for almost two hours. She listened to him talk, laughed at his jokes, and even held his hand when the nurse came in briefly to adjust his IV. But she still felt disturbed. He has been goofy with many other girls around but this time just felt different. There was something in Louis’s eyes when he looked at Esmeralda that she couldn't quite explain.

Later, as she drove home, her hands gripped the steering wheel tightly. The engine hummed beneath her, but her thoughts were louder. They always wondered off to Louis and Esmeralda every now and then. But then , choosing to shrug it off, assured herself that twenty years of friendship with her could not be outdone by two days of a little chemistry with the nurse.