Breaking the rules

Chapter 6

I was breathing calmly as I stood at the hospital's front desk. The nurse was helping someone else while wearing the same pastel blue scrubs they wore when I brought Morana in. When the nurse searched her name, she seemed puzzled. She turned to another nurse, a male one. They squabbled for a little and the female turned back to me. "Mr. Barnes, your fiance discharged herself this morning. Were you not aware of it?"

I thought. She would have told me to pick her up. Or someone would have notified me before she went home. "She and I have not contacted. I assumed her phone died." I lied, I didn't text, call, email, or even leave a voicemail. Morana didn't mention leaving. Surely, she would've told Quinn or William.

Unless they knew.

"Well, her visitors checked up on her on Tuesday and brought everything she could need, including a charger," the nurse stated bluntly. "I think you might need to go find your fiance, Mr. Barnes."

I sucked my teeth and smiled. "Thank you. I will be sure to find her. Sorry for the inconvenience." I felt like sprinting out of the hospital. I strolled to my car and realized I took Morana's car instead of mine.

I waited for four days for her to text or call. I waited for my men to tell me she was ready for me to come back, but not even my best friend told me anything. He avoided me for hours each day. He still accompanied me to every meeting. William sat across from me, but nothing seemed to be unusual. William took notes for me while I was messing around on my phone. Actually, I wasn't messing around on my phone. I was looking at the pictures I had of Morana.

The roots of her hair had lightened up. Her eyes were more, happy. Almost every night, we'd go for a walk or I'd take her on a ride. We would drive for a few hours or if we walked, we would go to the neighborhood playground. She played on the equipment, letting her inner child out. People would pass by staring at her unless they noticed me first.

I quickly parked in my designated space at the office. I stormed in and heard nothing out of the ordinary. There was laughter, but that was William and Quinn. I walked past Quinn's office and knocked on the door. "It's Bucky, can I come in?"

"I don't know, can you?" It was Quinn fucking with me. I still frustrated her.

I opened the door and saw her and William eating. Whatever it was, it looked delicious, but it resembled a salad. "Which one of you have heard from Morana?" I asked.

"Why should we tell you? You're the one who fucked up." William set his fork down and stood up. He then bent down and whispered something in his fiance's ear to make her get up and leave. "You left Morana there. After tearing the one thing she had, you fucking left her. And it was over a stupid argument."

"Yes, I know it was stupid, but it was to make sure she was safe and getting the treatment she needed," I huffed, sitting in a seat. I ran my hands through my hair. It was a simple answer I needed. Is my fiance here: Yes or No?

"You think for a moment that leaving her alone in a hospital was the right choice after almost dying? What if she needed help? You left her there to suffer. Now Morana is in her office, but she does not want to see you. If you do go in there, I won't be surprised if there's a gunshot in your head." He grabbed his and Quinn's breakfast. I watched as Quinn kissed him away, and then she turned to me.

"Why? You had that stupid argument over fucking soothing her. William was right about you, you're a cold piece of shit for her. Maybe if her and Malaki could see eye to eye, he'd still be around while you sat there and watched her happy with someone else." Her words cut right through me. "Maybe she wouldn't end up in the hospital all the goddamn time if you weren't here."

Quinn was right. Quinn knew what was best for her best friend. I knew what was good and bad for my best friend. I would be arguing the same if they shot William. "Listen, Quinn, I'm trying to make things right with her. Yes, she would be better without me and with Malaki, but they're not together. Morana and I are fiances, we just need to stop being so stubborn." I passed her as I was on my way to Morana's office when, Quinn tugged at my sleeve.

"You will not go into her office. That's the only place she has peace right now." Quinn was standing mere inches from my face now. Her grip was tighter. In her head, her and Morana were torturing me, killing me.

"I will do whatever I want, if it means I am back in bed with her." I leaned down, and whispered. I jerked my arm away, and made my way to Morana's office.

I heard soft jazz music playing. There was a soft buzz of light coming from the other side of the door. I knocked and then opened it. She didn't want to look up. She was hesitant. Her face stayed on the paper she was working on, until I took in a deep breath. It seemed like her eyes wanted to smile, but the rest of her body was scared. Morana sat back in her chair, with her right arm elevated. "I wasn't expecting you so soon." Her stutter was adorable. The way she tripped over the simple made me smile.

"I went to discharge you and I was told you had discharged yourself," I explained. My voice didn't change from being calm. I moved to the seat in front of her. She only had that seat there for when she declared if the money was worth it.

"I told you, I didn't need you or your men. I had to prove my point," Morana was shy; scared.

"I'm not here to argue with you, or shout at you doll. I came here to apologize," I paused. Her little eyebrow scrunch made me smile even bigger. I love her. "What I said was not right. But what you said was also not right. I was hurt, I was already exhausted and then I was easily frustrated with you. You then got frustrated with me. All you wanted was soothing and I did not provide any of that.

For three days, I waited. I waited for three days for a call or a message. I didn't get anything. I sat on the couch in your house, waiting for Quinn or William to bring you home. I didn't text, call, or email you. I expected you to call me. You probably expected me to come crawled back."

I watched as she swallowed heavily. I caught the tears catching at her waterline. "I'm sorry too. I didn't do anything to fix whatever we are. I guess I was so heart-broken after hearing that my parents were worried and that you and Quinn tore my baby blanket." She stood up and sat on her desk. Morana kept her arm elevated with it on her monitor as she gave me a hug. "My dad threatened to kill you."

"Yeah, I don't blame him. I broke a promise," I smiled, taking her short body in my arms. "I also agree that you don't need me. You just deserve to be swept off of your feet, and I love knowing that it's me. We were supposed to be the couple where I keep you safe. That I would protect your shy self."

"Stop being a sap. Help me take things to the conference room. I am crippled enough, I don't need you to cripple me with love," She giggled.