The Morning Show: Reset the game

Chapter Eighteen

I'm by Robert's side all the time and the 48 hours of surgeries are already complete. Marie asks all the time if "Daddy is still sleeping" and I say yes. The doctor said that he is reacting very well to the surgery and that he would be back today to see him. Talk to Robert while I'm here, say positive things, about Marie and Chloé come to visit him often.
- That night I dreamed that we were on the beach, the water was so blue and the sand so white it looked fake. We ran to the water and when we got in I heard a baby crying. I looked back and there was a little baby who was just born on a towel and we went to him and you took him and immediately he stopped crying... What does that mean?
I told all this by holding his hand and rubbing his head and I felt a slight squeeze on my hand and I couldn't contain my smile.
- Robert, did you shake my hand?
He squeezed once more.
- I'll call the doctor!!!
I didn't want to let go of his hand, but I had to call the doctor and he came. As the doctor approached, Robert coughed a few times as if he were choking and opened his eyes slowly and I tried to contain myself, but I couldn't, of course. He's intubated, he woke up kind of scared, looking from side to side, until he looked at me and tried to get up.
- Hey, hey, calm down! It's all right, effortless.
- Let's take the tube out. I'll call the nurse to help me.
Robert didn't take his eyes off me, even when the doctor spoke he didn't stop looking at me. He looks like he wants to tell me something, but he can't speak.
- I'm glad you came back, my love...
The doctor came back with the nurse and asked me to stay away, but Robert didn't let go of my hand.
- I'm not leaving, it's only 1 minute, ok? Just to get that tube out of you. I will stand here in front of you.
He opened his hand and let go, I pulled away and the doctor took his tube and put it in his nose and I breathed a sigh of relief. Every improvement is a victory. The doctor talked to him and asked me to approach him again.
- Hi Robert, welcome back.
He smiled at me and looked at the doctor and looked at his legs. He spoke hoarsely and with effort.
- My legs... I don't feel my legs, what happened? Why am I here?
The doctor has gone out to see if the orthopedic surgeon is in the hospital. Robert is agitated, distressed.
- Petit, how did I get here?
- My love, don't you remember anything?
Robert closed his eyes and stayed like that for a few seconds, I felt him go cold.
- Shots, I remember shots.
- Yes, that's it. You got shot 3 times.
- I was at home... Did someone try to kill me?
- Yes.
- I remember the shots, from home, but the person who shot them, no.
He already had a tired voice, pulling in air with force.
- My love, don't talk anymore, you need to rest.
- My petit legs, I can't feel my legs!
The surgeon arrived at that moment and listened to what Robert said and explained everything to him, who was desperate.
- Am I paralyzed? Will I never walk again? No, no, it can't be!!
He started to cry a lot, in shock at what he heard and I got very close to him who rested his head on my chest and I stroked and kissed his hair, to calm him down.

                          ☼☼☼

I'm home and Cory is here with me now. We've always gotten along so well and now as a couple it's no different. My phone is ringing, it's Alex. I haven't been to the hospital for 2 days and no, I'm not proud of it at all.
- Alex?
- Are you alive? Where have you been? He hasn't even said hi for two days!
- I'm sorry Alex, I...
- Hey honey, where's my phone charger?
- I don't know, in that drawer?
I couldn't help it, Cory walked into the room talking loudly and for sure Alex heard.
- Bradley, who's with you?
- Cory...
- Calling you that?
- Alex I didn't want to give you this news over the phone but... Me and Cory are dating.
- Which??
- Yes why not?
- It's just that... I never imagined, I thought you were friends and that's all, I never saw it with other eyes.
- Yeah, but life is amazing, isn't it?
-And how... I called to say that Robert is awake, has already been detubated and is aware that he is paraplegic and is terrible because of it. He doesn't stop crying.
- Alex, I'm going to stay with you, wait for me, I'm coming.
- Are you going to bring Cory with you?
Did I feel a hint of irony and mockery in Alex's voice?
- No, I'm going alone!
I told Cory I was going to the hospital to be with Alex and see Robert and he just said:
- OK I love you.
- Love you too.
I gave him a kiss and left. When I was in the car, I saw that I left my phone and went back to get it. When I open the door I hear Cory talking but the voice is a little far away so dui slowly approaching me and then I can hear.
"Do you think anyone suspects?"
He was silent listening to the person on the other end of the line speak and I was hidden listening to everything.
"Do you think you can face me like this? It wasn't my idea, it was yours and the execution too. But you do things very badly! You never did anything right. If you think you are going to destroy me, you're sorely mistaken! Goodbye."
- Who were you talking to?
He was scared when he saw me.
- Honey, weren't you going to the hospital?
- I forgot my phone and went back to get it! Who was on the Cory phone?
He kept looking at me without saying anything, until he finally said something
- I was talking to an old friend.
- Same? I'm glad you never told me I do things really bad, right?
- Honey, forget about it. No biggie, are you going to get paranoid now?
- I'm not paranoid, I just asked who you were talking to.
- I know... Come here.
He pulled me by the waist and we kissed intensely like never before. Of course I didn't believe his story and I'm going to find out what's going on.