Love Me? Like You Do.

Chapter 8

"Shes not waking up." Raul said raising his hands dramatically. "Why the hell is she not waking up?"

"I said she's resting. Stop creating a ruckus." said Sebastion checking his phone. 

Max, Melly and their father had gone home after a couple of hours and Jack was rejoined by his coworkers in the waiting room. Carefree Raul and the responsible Sebastion were a very unlikely pair. They were always bickering but were the best of friends.

"She'll be alright. You guys stay here, I'm going to check on Dad." said Jack standing up. With that he walked off to the single room at the end of the corridor. He knocked and almost immediately a voice called out,

"Come in." came a hoarse voice. The elderly man was sipping tea, while reclining on the bed.

"Brielle's hurt." said Jack as he sat on the chair beside him. "I should have got to her earlier. I was too late." He clutched at his hair in frustration.

"What happened? And who's Brielle?" asked his father furrowing his eyebrows.

"I forgot you didn't know." said Jack. "She's the girl who brought you to the hospital this morning and paid for your treatment. It was probably all her savings but she did it anyway. Thank God she got to you in time."

"Brielle, Brielle, would that be the lovely girl with chestnut hair, who joins me in feeding the swans every morning?"

"She feeds swans? You feed swans?" repeated Jack, at the new piece of information.

"Yes. Its nice, you should try it. The lake is so calm in the morning and the birds are simply beautiful." said Dixon Senior closing his eyes and sipping his tea.

"Ugh." said Jack making a face. He didn't have time to look at still lakes and flightless birds. He was up till three o' clock every night working and it was a miracle if he ever woke up before nine in the morning. The old man was smiling to himself. He could be very infuriating if he liked.

"She's asleep." said Jack irritably. "Damn it. Dad I've never felt so guilty before. Why on earth does that girl have to be so kind hearted all the time? There was absolutely no need for her to take matters into her own hands. She could have told her boss, she could have told me, I was sitting right there, but no."

"I'm lost." said Dixon Senior. "Fill me in?"

Jack sighed and briefly told him the whole story. His father remained expressionless throughout but when he finally spoke, Jack was stumped.

"So do you like her?" asked his father out of the blue. 

Jack raised his eyebrows and licked his dry lips. 

"She saved your life, Dad. You're the only family I have, so of course I like her. But she probably thinks I'm an asshole. I haven't exactly been nice to her."

"Don't be diplomatic with me. Save that for press conferences." scolded the old man.

"Dad..." said Jack sighing. "I don't like her. I honestly don't have the time for relationships at the moment, so no I'm not in the least interested."

"She has a rough life, that girl. Lost her parents, a few years ago. Works quite a few jobs and juggles university." said Dixon Senior merrily. Jack was surprised. He hadn't known this. He had truly been harsh on her. Guilt was new to Jack. He had never known a conscience. Now here this girl called Brielle came along making him feel emotions that were alien to him. He was never filled with gratitude (when she saved his father) or full of anger (when she was attacked) or full of fear (when she was hurt). What is she doing to me?

"But she's much better than your last girlfriend. I forget her name, but I recall she asked me to swallow some pills and take a hike."

"No she didn't." said Jack astonished. He knew Claire was mean, but not that mean. And it was over two years ago.

"Okay, she didn't but she seemed to be thinking that." said the old man with a grin. Jack sighed. None of his girlfriends had been able to win over Dixon Senior. Except the girl who wasn't his girlfriend, the girl who went by the name Brielle.

"Mr Dixon?" came a knock and a voice from the door.

"Come in." said both father and son simultaneously. 

"Ms. Dane has woken up. She is in a stable condition, though the doctor recommends a night's stay. Her wound will need ten to fifteen days to heal completely. You may visit her if you like." said the nurse.

"You should go see her." said Dixon Senior smiling. "Ask her out. I'm getting old and I'd like some grand-kids soon."

"Not happening Dad." said Jack rolling his eyes and getting up to leave.

"That's what you think." said his father slurping down the rest of his tea a smirk on his face. "Your mother was a lot like Brielle. You're not my son if you let her go."