Captivated Desires

46

"I love Mama too, cariño," he said softly, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. "We all do. And we're all going to help her get better." Willow seemed satisfied with Reign's response, her small fingers now playing with the buttons on his shirt. She was blissfully unaware of the weight of the situation, just like the other kids. She was too young to fully understand, and for that, Reign was somewhat grateful.

He held her for a few moments more, the quiet of the waiting room interrupted only by the sounds of the kids' innocent chatter. The contrast between their carefree laughter and the seriousness of the situation was stark, but Reign found comfort in their innocence.

Olympia and Azar watched from their seats, both looking quietly contemplative. They knew how hard this was for Reign, for the whole family, but particularly for him. Reign, on the other hand, was lost in thought, caught between worrying about me and doing his best to reassure his children.

Willow eventually wiggled in his lap, signalling she wanted to get down. Reign let her slip off his lap onto the floor, where she quickly joined back in with the other kids, who were now playing a game of tag.

He watched her for a moment, his eyes following her every move. His protective instincts were in overdrive, the worry about me feeding his need to shield and protect what was most important to him. He sighed, running a hand through his hair again, the stress and worry of the situation seeping back into his mind.

The nurse came out "She wants you back in the room, Mr Ramirez,". Reign immediately perked up at the nurse's words. He quickly stood up, giving a grateful nod. "Thank you," he said, already heading in the direction of my room. Each step he took was filled with a mixture of anticipation, worry, and the unwavering need to be with me.

As he entered the room, he immediately saw me, sitting up in bed, my expression laced with a mixture of exhaustion and a hint of vulnerability. Immediately, his eyes scanned over me, checking for any signs of distress or worsened condition.

He approached me, his steps light and gentle, not wanting to startle me. When he reached the side of my bed, he stopped, his gaze taking me in. There was so much he wanted to say, so many questions and reassurances he wanted to give, but all he managed was a soft, "Hey, darlin'."

"Hi baby," I said gently "How are the kids?" I asked. Reign shifted his weight slightly, his expression softening a bit as he spoke. "They're okay," he responded, his voice gentle. "Playing with Azar and Pia's kids out in the waiting room. They... they ask about you. They miss you."

He paused, his eyes searching my face. "They're worried, but they're kids," he continued softly. "They don't fully understand what's going on, but they know you're in the hospital. They know you're sick, even if they don't quite grasp the seriousness of it all."

He took a small step closer, his gaze never leaving mine. "I told them you're strong," he added, his certainty evident in his tone. "That you'll get better, and come home soon. They seemed to accept that, for now at least."

He paused again, a hint of concern creasing his brow. "But I can tell it's hard on them," he admitted. "They're used to having you around, and they're wondering why you're not there. Especially Willow. She's still so little, she doesn't really understand what's going on."

Reign reached out, gently taking my hand in his. His touch was warm and comforting, a silent reassurance that he was there for me, that he was by my side. "How are you feeling?" he asked, his gaze roaming over me, taking in every small detail.

"I feel a bit better, but the doctor said that I will have good days and bad days till this infection is gone," I replied softly.

His expression darkened slightly at my words, but he quickly masked it, not wanting to add to my stress. "That's not unexpected," he said, his voice steady. "But the important thing is for you to focus on getting better, even if it takes a while. We'll get through this, darlin'. Every good day is a step closer to the end of this."

He paused, his thumb rubbing over the back of my hand. "And I'm here for you, every step of the way," he added firmly. "I'll be with you through the good days, the bad days, all of it. You're not alone in this, okay?"

After a few minutes, I spoke "Is there any news about the situation yet? Is Josh going to have a funeral?" I asked, my lip was quivering.

Reign's brow furrowed as the focus shifted to the ongoing situation. He swallowed hard, knowing this wasn't something I needed to be worrying about right now. But he also knew I deserved honesty. "No news about the funeral yet," he responded, his voice quieter. "And the situation... it's still unresolved. We're handling it though, darlin'. You don't have to worry about that right now. You just focus on getting better, okay?"

"You knew damn well, Josh shouldn't have died," I said with pure emotion.

Reign's expression darkened, the pain in my voice cutting him deep. He squeezed my hand slightly, his voice tight. "I know, darlin'. Believe me, I know. I'll have to deal with it. But not right now. Right now, you're my priority. We gotta get you well again, healthy and safe, and then we can deal with everything else."

"He should be alive-" I said firmly. Reign's jaw clenched at my insistence on the subject. The image of Josh lifeless in the warehouse came back to him, sending a wave of anger and regret through his body. But he kept his external demeanour steady, his gaze remaining on me.

"I know he should," he replied, his voice quiet but firm. "And I wish to God it didn't end the way it did. But it did, and we can't change the past. The best we can do is move forward. Together."