Chapter 59: Chapter 59

Dimitri

It was already the ninth day since the accident and I was recovering more and more. I couldn't wait for Blair to come visit me, she had landed in the morning and I longed for her presence.

I couldn't stand to live away from her anymore, before I was willing to wait as long as it took and endure that insane routine from the beginning of our relationship, but after my near death experience, distance was no longer an option for me.

And, lucky for me, she thought the same.

So much had changed in such a short time. I walked to the window, watching the movement outside the hospital. It seemed like forever since I had been outside those walls, I couldn't even remember what it felt like.

I spent a few minutes standing there, lost in my thoughts when a knock on the door caught my attention. My surprise was complete when I saw who had entered the room.

" Olga…”

Your visit was not exactly an unpleasant surprise, the two of us had managed to find a middle ground in our coexistence over the last few months, but still, it was a surprise.

" I thought it would be better if I visited you here than at your place," she gave me a weak smile.

Surely this was better; Blair might throw her out of the window if she showed up at our apartment.

" Do you want to sit down? " I asked, settling into an armchair, feeling my curiosity about this sudden visit consume me.

" Thank you," she smiled faintly, taking a seat on the sofa.

For a few seconds we sat in awkward silence, until she spoke again.

" How are you feeling?”

" Better. I still feel some pain and discomfort, but nothing compared to the first day of the accident.”

" I'm glad," she forced a smile, looking around.

Once again that awkward silence.

" How are your parents? " I looked for a way to continue the conversation.

" Fine. They were worried about you too.”

That I find very hard to believe. But I preferred only a nod in response.

" I heard about the engagement. Congratulations.”

I shifted in my chair as the discomfort grew within me. She was the last person I wanted to talk to about it.

" Thank you," I stared at her suspiciously.

Olga stood up and paced back and forth, fidgeting with her hands.

" You know, Dimitri. In the last few months, as we got closer again, I thought that maybe fate was offering us a new chance," she began, making my eyes widen.

A new chance? After all that had happened? Has she gone crazy?

" Olga!”

" Please, let me talk. I have to put an end to this " she turned toward me.

" A end? You put an end to this two years ago. The end came when you accused me of using my profession to cheat on you, when you accused me of being a bad boyfriend and a bad son for traveling so often.”

The anger began to burn inside me as I poured out on her something that I didn't even know I had kept for so long.

" It was you who put an end to it, you didn't speak to me for two years, and…”

" Because I was hurt and not because I didn't like you. I said all that because I wanted to hurt you.”

I didn't know what to say. That woman was not making any sense to me at that moment.

" I wish you had chosen me. I wanted to feel more important than your career.”

" You were…”

" If you had to choose between Blair and your career, I'm sure you'd retire.”

For a moment my mind wandered back to when I didn't even hesitate before accepting her offer to trade international flights for domestic ones just to spend two days with her.

" That's the big question, Olga. If I were put in a situation that made me choose, I would choose you. I loved you. But the difference is that Blair would never demand this of me.”

I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath, waiting in vain for an answer from the woman.

" I loved you, I was ready to spend my life with you, but you killed that love yourself," I opened my eyes again.

Olga didn't dare to look at me, she played with her fingers, keeping her gaze fixed on her hand.

" You said you hoped we'd have a chance, but...”

" No, that's not why I came here," she raised her face toward me, not letting me finish speaking.

I raised both eyebrows, waiting for some explanation as to what all the talk was about.

" I heard about your engagement and was happy for you.”

" Olga.”

" It's true, your accident opened my eyes," she began, after taking a deep breath.

" Opened your eyes?”

" Dimulya, don't get me wrong, I like you, and I was devastated when I got the news, I prayed hard that you would be okay.”

Olga stood up once again, walking across the room as she spoke.

" And it all got worse when Yuri told me that you and Blair had gotten back together and that she was in the hospital.”

" Olga " I needed to interrupt her, having that conversation with her, even more so in Blair's absence, didn't seem right.

" And then he started telling me everything she had done to get to you, and everything she was going through. Don't get me wrong, Dimitri, I like you, and I hoped with all my might that you would get better. But I realized that I wasn't willing to do any of that for you.” she stopped walking, turning to me " I heard from you through your brother, and for me, that was enough. I never felt the need to come here, to disturb every hospital staff member to spend a few minutes with you, or to spend hours planted behind glass just so you wouldn't feel alone.”

The expression on her face was one of disappointment, and I myself didn't know how to define my feelings on that subject.

" That's when I realized how foolish I was to want to deprive you of this, when I wasn't willing to offer you anything even close to this feeling. So, yes, I am happy for you," she finished.

We both remained silent for a few moments while I absorbed everything she had related. In a way, that was good. At least I knew that she wouldn't try to get in my way anymore.

" Why now? " I stared at her. “I mean, why did you tell me this?”

" We're about to become uncles, you're going to marry Blair, I don't want to ruin all the important events for my sister," she sighed, making me understand her motivation.

We would have to socialize a lot, and the last family events have been complete disasters.

" I have to go, your brother wants to see you too," she smiled.

" Thanks for the visit," I managed to return her smile in a sincere manner.

" I'll tell Yuri to come in," she assured me before leaving me alone.

I stood there thoughtfully for a few minutes before my brother entered the room, watching me with an anxious expression.

His desire to know how our conversation had gone was evident, but he was still controlling himself.

" How are you feeling? “

" Better than last time," I assured him.

" That's good, you're dressed and walking around," he joked.

I merely smiled, returning to silence.

" So, how was your conversation with Olga? " he decided to cut to the chase.

" It was... surprising"I couldn't think of a better term to describe our conversation.

" Surprising in a good way? " he tried to probe me.

I found his failed attempt at discretion amusing, staring at him with a half smile on my face.

" From your curiosity I must assume that you were responsible," I commented.

Yuri shifted uncomfortably, sporting a guilty expression at having been discovered.

" I know I shouldn't pry into your life, but…”

" It's okay. It was starting to affect your life too," I returned.

He gave me a suspicious look.

" That is to say…”

" You don't have to worry, I think we can work something out," I assured him.

We spent the next few minutes chatting and in the end Katia and Olga joined us in the room, keeping me company, but my mind was stuck on Blair who still hadn't given any sign.

" Is there a problem, Dimitri? " Katia asked as she saw me checking my cell phone once more for any messages from my fiancée.

" No, I just haven't received any messages from Blair," I explained a little bewildered.

" Ahh, don't worry, Mama and Masha picked her up at the airport and then came here, she must be rushing to get everything ready," Yuri explained.

" Everything ready? " I frowned without understanding.

They exchanged glances with each other, seeming to know something I didn't even suspect.

" They didn't tell you? " Katia smiled.

" Told me what?”

" Dr. Pavlova signed your medical release earlier, you're going home today" Yuri ended the mystery.

For a moment I remained unresponsive, just processing what I had just learned, and then a spontaneous smile broke out on my face.

This was the best news I had received in days, I couldn't wait to be free of that hospital!