The Ailing Heart

Chapter 10

Sorry to make you wait so much for this chapter!

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"Nidhi". Someone whispers, gently putting their hand on my shoulder as a reaction to which I jerk awake.

" Sssh. It's just me". I calm down to realise it's Liam. But how did he know that I'm here ? I didn't even inform anyone. Not even Jenny and Trevor.

"How did you know I'm here?" I ask as I straighten myself in my seat.

"Well.. Your dad and my dad are pretty old friends. And that's how I came to know where you are". He says tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear.

" Dad never mentioned this to me. But then again I never bothered knowing either". I say.

I rest my head on his shoulder as we sit there in comfortable silence. The doctor comes into the hallway and gives me a sympathetic smile.

He enters the room letting the door close slowly behind him, giving me glimpse of Dad laying still on the uncomfortable bed. My eyes start to tear up at this sight.

"He'll be fine soon." Liam says reassuringly rubbing my back. And there's nothing I can do to help the situation in hand.

Liam leaves to get me a cup of coffee while I sit there alone. The doctor gets out of the room, seeming relaxed. He flashes me a small smile.

"Miss Dashwood, your father is recovering pretty good and should be fine within a week or two, except for his broken arm. That shall take a while longer. We'll have him under observation for a day more. I'll left you take him home within a few days if everything goes well." He says, relieving me of most of my worries.

"So when can I meet him ?" I ask out of curiosity.

"Well soon as he's awake which must be on an hour or so." He replies sweetly.

I thank him for this news as he vanishes out of the corridor.

Liam enters almost immediately after. I leap onto him making him lose his balance for a split second and almost soiling the coffee over both of us. But thanks to his vampire powers, he balances himself.

I squeak out to him like a five year old about what the doctor said while he looks at me with his ever so sweet smile.

He pulls me onto his embrace and softly kisses my forehead. We get back into our seats and wait for the nurse to tell me when I can finally see Dad.

I suddenly remember I didn't talk to Jenny or Trevor ever since the time I left the restaurant.

"Umm... Liam can I use your phone for once?" I ask him, realising I left my phone back home.

"Sure thing. You don't even need to ask." He hands me his phone.

I dial up Jenny's number and wait for her to answer. I have to call her up thrice before she finally answers.

I explain her everything that happened after I left the restaurant. She got pretty worried after listening to all that and said that she'd come up with Trevor in a while.

Liam starts up some random topic for discussion to kill our time. While we're in the middle of our discussion, a man enters the corridor. He is pretty tall and pale. His eyes, golden in colour and his physique resembling Liam's.

I look into Liam to see him smile at that man.

"Hello Nidhi. I am Richard, Liam's father and Christian's friend." He says putting his hand forward.

"Nice to meet you." I say as I shake his hand.

The nurse opens up the door and informs that I can go see Dad now. I excuse myself from Liam and Richard as I hastily walk in the door.

Dad lays on the bed flashing me a weak smile. I sit on the chair beside his bed and hold his hand. Tears start streaming down my cheeks and I can hardly stop.

"Dad.. I'm really sorry for all that I've done. I know I'm really bad. I know I could never be a good daughter and that's why mom left me. But dad I promise you I'll be the kind of daughter you'll be proud of. I promise Dad." I say before breaking into sobs.

"Nidhi stop blaming yourself. There's no way you're the reason your mom left. And yes you're not a good daughter. Cause you're the best daughter a father can ever ask for." He says caressing my cheek with his free hand.

It takes me while more to compose myself after which Richard and Liam come in. Richard makes some lame jokes yet making Dad laugh.

The nurse barges into the room in the middle of the little comedy session and tells us that dad needs some rest now. I flash one last smile at dad before leaving the room.

"Nidhi I think you should go home and take some rest. Considering the fact that you've been here all night, you must have hardly got any sleep." Liam says.

"No. I'm fine." I reply.

"I really think you should go home Nidhi. You don't wanna be sick when Christian gets home do you?" Richard adds.

I'm not left with an option but to agree. Liam walks with me till we find my car. He offers to drive and so I take the passenger seat.

I turn on the radio and it plays some old English classic. I'm just about the change the channel when Liam asks me not to.

"It's one of my favourites." He says shifting his eyes to me.

"But that's so old." I protest. "Well I forgot I'm with an oldie." I tease.

He gives me a glare which I find so funny. I laugh out at this and he joins me too.

Once we've reached home I fiddle in my pockets to find the keys and unlock the door. We walk in and I plop myself on the couch. Liam gently seats himself beside me.

"You wanna eat something ?" I hear Liam's voice from a distance. But wasn't he sitting right next to me moments ago?

"Well yes. I'm starving you know." I say as I open my eyes and find Liam in the kitchen.

"So when did you come into the kitchen to cook for me?" I ask.

"When you were passed out on the couch." He says. "So madam why don't you go take a shower while I make the food?" He adds on a fake accent earning a giggle from me. 

I head to my room to get a shower. I come down to find the table already set with steaming hot food. I walk up to the table and Liam pulls the chair for me.

The food was really delicious. I'm really tired, the shower hasn't helped me much. I walk up to my room as Liam follows. I drop down on my bed and cuddle up with my pillows.

"So I'll take a leave." Liam says, tucking me in.

"I'll appreciate your company here. I know I'm bothering you but I just don't want to be alone." I say.

"You're not bothering me one bit. And I'll appreciate your company as well." He says sitting on the other side of the bed.

We talk about some random stuff before I finally drift off to sleep.

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