Chapter 80: Chapter 80

It was only when they got home that he relaxed a bit. As soon as the plane touched down, he brought out his phone and put a call to Frank, who informed him that Jessica had been admitted to the best hospital in Sacramento and was doing better than before, although she was still in a coma. Carol watched Sebastian's face brighten visibly at this news but did not say anything, not that there was anything she could have said. She was feeling quite unwell, and all she wanted to do was go lay down until she got herself back. Maybe she had picked a bug from the exotic location that they just came back from or something. Whatever it was, she was feeling faint and she had a raging headache, so she excused herself and went straight to her room to lay down immediately they got into the house. She must have slept for only about 10 minutes when there was a knock at her door and Sebastian poked his head around it.

"Hey, Carol. Are you alright? You're very tired, huh? I can relate." He asked when he saw that the first thing she had gone to do was to sleep. Carol opened her eyes with an effort and glared at him balefully. So he was ready to be friends once again after acting like an ass for the past two days? Anyway, she wasn't in the mood to deal with him and the expression on her face showed him this.

"Well, I wanted to let you know that I'm going to the hospital now. I'm going to see Jessica and see how she's doing."

"I thought Frank said that she's still in a coma."

"Well, yes. But I just want to see for myself. I'll be back in the evening, ok?"

"Sure," Carol said, after which he left.

By the time she woke up, the headache had graduated to a full-blown one that had her head pounding with the force of it. Also, she was feeling really feverish and her whole body felt weak. Carol tried to sit up in bed, but the movement caused this headache from hell to worsen, and she collapsed back onto the bed, which was where Sebastian found her sleeping later that evening when he got back from Sacramento. At first, he knocked on her door and when there was no response, he figured that she may have gone out, but wondered where the hell she could have gone by this time of the day and without any bodyguard or driver to accompany her. He had checked the entire house before he knocked on her room door, so he knew that she was not anywhere else in the house. Still standing in front of her door, he dialed her number and was surprised when the phone began to ring inside the room, so he pushed the door open, to find her fast asleep in the same clothes that she had been wearing when he left. She also looked like she had not gotten up or done anything else since he left and her breathing was a little off.

"Carol?" He called gently, but there was no response, as she remained fast asleep.

He got on the bed and shook her slightly, gasping in surprise when he felt how warm she was even through her clothes. Touching her forehead, Sebastian realized that she was having a serious fever.

"Carol?" He called again, shaking her harder this time around so that she woke up and peered at him through fever-ravaged eyes and muttered something that he could not hear.

"You're burning up. Hang in there and I'll get someone to drive us to the hospital, okay?"

Carol nodded, or at least, tried to nod. Her head was pounding as though there were troops who were marching to battle inside it. She was vaguely aware of Sebastian leaving and then coming back to lift her up in his arms and take her to one of the cars. The next time she opened her eyes was the next day. She found herself in a hospital bed, but felt infinitely better, even though she still felt very weak. Sebastian was sitting in a chair in the corner, fast asleep. From the look of things, he had fallen asleep while reading the magazine. In the span of just a few days, he was already looking so worn out and tired that Carol's heart went out to him immediately, despite her anger at him.

"Hey," she croaked through a parched throat. Her throat and mouth felt like they belonged to someone else. Sebastian came awake immediately and was at her bedside within seconds.

"Hey. How are you feeling?"

"I feel much better, thanks," Carol replied.

"They said you have the flu in that we could go home as soon as you woke up so you can recuperate at home."

"Yeah. I thought as much."

"Why didn't you say something about how you were feeling? You half scared me to death, you know." Sebastian said, looking for all the world like a father whose child was really sick. There were dark circles under his eyes, showing how little he slept.

"It's just the flu, Sebastian. It's hardly cancer or anything that serious. Besides, the symptoms came up suddenly. You look like hell, by the way. You're not getting enough rest, are you?"

"I'm fine. Anyway, I'll be back shortly. Let me go ask a doctor to come to examine you one last time so that he can see if you really can go home." Sebastian said, leaving the room before she could protest. Carol smiled to herself. She had not known that Sebastian could be so caring. He soon arrived with an exasperated-looking doctor in tow. Carol could not say that she blamed the man, considering that Sebastian was acting as though it was the end of the world, although she found his behavior incredibly sweet. The doctor examined Carol briefly and gave her the okay to go home.

"Just make sure that she gets lots of rest and that she takes in enough fluid. She'll be better in no time." The man said, and then she was on her way home with Sebastian, who assisted her to get to her room and then looked down at her sternly.

"You're going to stay in this bed, and if you need anything, you're going to call Gloria or anybody else to get it for you. You're also going to take your medicine as prescribed and rest until I get back. Got it?"

"Yes, father," Carol replied, rolling her eyes. He was so overbearing, a trait that she hadn't noticed until now, but it was good to know that at least someone cared.

"I mean it, Carol. The last thing I need is for you to go about infecting other people or have you become unconscious and hit your head or something. As it is, I may even get the flu too. Besides, I don't want to have to worry too much about you while worrying about Jessica."

"Oh, that's right. How is she doing by the way?" Carol asked, making a mental note to visit the woman once she was better.

"There is no improvement yet, but the doctors are hopeful that she will pull through."

"That's good to know. Anyway, I need to go back to the office now. Call me if you need anything."

"I thought I was to call Gloria or anybody else," Carol said jokingly.

Sebastian did not answer, but shook his head and went out the door.

A few days later, Carol was already back to her usual self and could now venture into the garden and even draw a little. This particular evening, she was in the garden drawing a picture of the beach where she had loved to sun on her vacation and enjoying the cool evening breeze when her phone rang. It was Mr. James who was calling.