Chapter 43: Chapter 43

JAYSON'S POV

"Doctor, please how is she? What happened? Was the surgery successful?" I ask, my mind beating as I wait to hear his response.

"She's safe." The doctor says and moves to leave but I stop him with a strong grip on his shoulders.

"What do you mean she's safe. Talk to me, to us, tell us how my wife is faring?" I ask him frantically.

"She's safe man, she's lucky to have being brought in on time, if she had being brought in a minute later, she would have bled to death, but not to worry she's fine. We removed the bullet and right now she's currently being transfused with some blood and multivitamins to make up for the one she lost. Congratulations, your wife is fine." The Doctor says and I sigh in relief, as Jeanne who was busy tapping her feets and crying finally stops and starts laughing.

"Have a good day." That said the Doctor walks away and Jeanne comes and hug me sighing in relief.

"Oh God, Jayson, I was so scared. I thought we were going to loose her." She says and starts sobbing again.

Rubbing her back slowly, I say, "It's okay, Jeanne, I thought of it too. Everything's fine now." I assure her and myself also, I need it.

**********

A nurse walks out of the operating room and we both rush to meet her.

"Can we go in to see her now?" Jeanne asks and the nurse nods a no as she continues, "She has being transferred to the VIP section now, and is taking some transfusions. She needs enough rest, but I'll advice the both of you to go and change your clothes as this outfit won't be allowed in because of germs and infection. Also get something for her to eat, mostly fruits, she'll be hungry once she wakes."

"Oh okay, we'll do as you say." Jeanne interrupts her, and the nurse walks away.

'Oh God I can't wait for her to wake up, and kiss her. God! I thank you.' I think looking up, and thanking him.

"Eh hem." Jeanne clears her throat looking at me, arms akimbo bringing me back from my thoughts.

"What, why are you looking at me like that?" I ask her chuckling.

"When did Cherry become your wife?" She asks and that's when I remember that she doesn't even know I proposed or was planning to propose.

Fuck! How do I begin. Sighing, I look up at her and say, "I proposed to Cherry at the beach."

"What!" She squeals clapping excitedly, "And you didn't even tell me about it, you didn't even tell me you were planning on proposing. Wow! Nice one Jayson, Jeanne 0, Jayson 1." She says mockingly and I can hear the underlying hurt tone in her voice.

Rubbing my hands on my forehead, I don't know how to apologize, but I know how she must feel.

We both tell each other our plans, considering that she was the one that made all this possible in the first place.

Swallowing the only pride I have left in me, I say, "I'm really sorry for not letting you know about it, I wanted to make it a surprise to you, the both of you actually, you know you always told me to man up, and that I did. Besides it came impromptu, I already had the ring you know, I never wanted to propose at the beach, I thought it was too early, but what transpired between the both of us made me do it. I didn't see another opportunity and I didn't want to waste the one in front of me."

Coming to stand in front of me, she remove my hands from my forehead and holding it, she says, "It's fine, although I'm a little bit hurt that I don't know, I'm still happy you know. I'm so happy, my plan worked out, fuck that." She swears and start laughing and I join her.

Everything feels surreal, I never expected to ever see Cherry again, but now here I am, soon to start my life all over with her again, and I don't even know when, but I feel tears dropping down from my eyes.

"Oh, cry baby, what's wrong with you." Jeanne says and I come back from my thoughts, "I don't know what's wrong. It's just, everything happening, it feels too good to be true, even with the bad side." I say and she smiles and says, "No need to overthink, Cherry's fine, here with you and I think what you have to do or we rather have to do, is go freshen up, get her something to eat and come and see her. What do you think?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm overthinking, let's go get her something to eat." I say, and she smiles and walks out of the hospital doors, as I follow her slowly.

*********

I walk into the hospital ward, going straight to the receptionist and getting my VIP card from the nurse on duty.

I walk into her room, and see her still asleep and looking so beautiful.

I drop the basket of food and fruits I brought with me, which was packaged by Maria and Jeanne.

Jeanne couldn't make it with me, something very important came up and I decided to come alone, I needed to even be alone with her, I don't know how selfish this sounded, but I wanted my face to be the first thing she saw when she woke up.

Going to stand beside her bedside, I brush her hair with my palms, and looking at her hands I see the ring still sitting pretty on her fingers and I smile.

Picking up the hands, careful of the drips hooked, I kiss it slowly, and rub it softly.

I keep rubbing it softly, thinking to myself, when I hear a sound and I look up and see her groaning.

Fuck! She's awake, she mumbles some more, and finally opens her eyes to me.

**********

CHERRY'S POV

I groan and open my eyes, the vision blurring, and I close and open it again.

I do so like two times, before my vision becomes clearer and I look up at my unfamiliar surrounding.

Everywhere is so white, it looks like a hospital.

God! What happened? I ask myself.

My head is so heavy, as I try recalling what happened, and that's when it comes rushing in, I remember seeing Talia, Jayson's ex girlfriend, I remember us shouting, with me begging her on my knees, I also remember taking of the ring Jayson proposed with.

Oh God! How will he feel, all this and more I keep remembering and that's when my mind goes blank as I remember Talia shot at me.

"Cherry" I hear my name being called and I look to my right, and come face to face with Jayson, who's at my bedside, kissing my fingers.

"Cherry." He says again, this time louder and I look at him and smile and he sighs.

I try to sit up, but everything feels heavy, the IV hooked all over, the bandages and all, and Jayson stops me, "Hey, take care, don't worry yourself or you might get hurt. How are you feeling now?" He asks.

"I'm fine, I just feel pain, and heaviness all over my body." I say and I swallow my saliva but my mouth is so dry and bitter I squirm inwardly.

"It's okay, it's normal, considering you are well now, but don't worry you are safe now, okay." He assures me and I nod.

"God! I love you, I love you so much Cherry, I was so afraid. don’t scare me like this again." He mumbles slowly kissing my palms.

"Where's Talia?" I ask and he shrugs, "She's in jail." "Oh!" I exclaim and he just smiles at me, gently brushing my hair, "Don't worry, she's gone from our lives for good, you are safe now."

"Okay, what of Jeanne." "Oh, she's coming, she went to take care of business, she'll be here soon."

I nod, and we just stare at each other for minutes, seconds, hours, days maybe, when we both hear the door opening and Jeanne walks in.

"Hey baby." She rushes to my side, hugging me gently and tightly at the same the,as if she doesn't want to let me go.

"How are you feeling now?" She asks me and I tell her how very healthy I am sarcastically and we both laugh, although my throat hurt as I laugh.

Jayson brings a basket and starts arranging some food and fruits on my bedside.

"Here." He says handing me a sandwich but I refuse it.

I'm tired definitely, but I'm not hungry and I don't have any appetite.

"Don't even say no, you are going to eat that." Jeanne says collecting the sandwich and taking some fruits as she comes to my side and tries to force me to eat, but I still decline, and instead ask for a glass of water.

Jayson gives me the glass of water and I gulp down a large quantity.

"More." I say but Jeanne collects the glass from my hand and shoves two strawberries in my hands.

"The doctor said you will be very hungry when you wake, and the nurse also mentioned something about your mouth being bitter, so have this fruits, and get ready to eat something."

"Yes mom." I say mockingly, and put the strawberries in my mouth, and truly my bitter mouth become sweet and I munch it fast.

I think I'm becoming hungry and I start to ask for some chicken sandwich, when Jeanne’s phone rings interrupting me and I continue eating the berries as I listen to her.

"Hello."

“I'm fine and you."

"Oh she's fine now."

"Okay, I'm coming." She says and cuts the call smiling which is unlike her.

"Hmmn, who was that?" I ask her but she just waves me off.

"What, seriously you are not going to tell me, well if you don't I'm not going to eat anything." I say dropping the berries in a plate by my side.

"Okay, okay, fine, it's Robin." She says shyly and weakly and Jayson raises his eyebrows at me, as if oblivious to what she's saying and I give him the same look, because I don't know what's happening here.

"What's wrong with him? Or what's up with the both of you rather?" I ask and she replies, "Um nothing, I told him about you earlier and he called to check up on you, and he's also coming to pick me up, he wanted to see you, but I told him you needed some alone time right?"

She says shyly winking at the both of us and Jayson just laughs.

"Huh, really when did Robin start picking you up? Is something going on between the two of you?" I ask and she nods negatively.

"What's wrong with you, nothing is going on. He's just coming to pick me up, he's offering me a free ride that's all."

"Oh, a free ride right? To where? And if I may ask who's going to drive your car home?" I ask and she rolls her eyes at me.

"Oh Cherry! When did you become this inquisitive? I think it's all these meds pumped in your bloodstream. Well, don't bother yourself, my car will get home safely, I'll call my driver to come pick it up. I'll take my leave now, Jayson please take care of her for me, and makes sure she eats." She says, picking her bags and walking out the door, stopping to blow me a kiss, and I laugh.

She'll never change, this one.......

TBC