To Love Again

Decision Made

Just a filler chapter to keep the story going. Been busy lately because of family coming over. But I hope you enjoy it nonetheless.

Strong language used herein.

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Maine literally stayed in her room for the rest of the afternoon. At some point, she heard Jason's voice outside her bedroom so she knew that Richard called him. She knew that she probably should've stepped out when the good doctor arrived but she is nothing but stubborn. She didn't move from her spot, in the middle of her bed. A couple of times she heard a hesitant knock on her door but when she didn't answer, whoever was on the other side, eventually walked away. She shouldn't feel guilty. It's her day off after all.

However, Maine heard all the plans regarding Bella because she had her hand held monitor turned on. 

"Well, her lungs sound clear for now but I can't really tell you what will happen in the next 48 hours. If she aspirated, she might start to develop pneumonia and I'm sorry to tell you, but if that happens, Bella has to be admitted again for a closer observation." Jason remarked.

"What should we do in the meantime?" Richard asked, his voice sounding nervous and tired.

"Just keep a close eye on her. If she starts to spike a temp, let me know. We need to start an IV on her for the time being. I don't want her to choke again. Also keep an eye on her trach secretions. If it changes in colour, let me know" Jason answered.

"Shit! How did this happen?" Richard stated, clearly exasperated.

"Hey, hey. Don't beat yourself up about this man. We talked about these things before she got discharged. You knew these things were bound to happen." Jason consoled his friend.

"I know, I know. It's just that she's been doing so well in the last three weeks that I almost forgot she's sick. Maine...er I mean Miss Mendoza has been taking such good care of her. Bella even started saying 'dada' in the past few days" Richard said sounding so defeated.

Maine's heart constricted on hearing Richard sound like that. She's seen him be the businessman, seen him be the father but she's never seen or heard him sound like his world was ending. And that's how he sounded right now. She badly wanted to reach out to him and she was about to step out of her room to do just that, when she heard Jason over the monitor again.

"Speaking of Miss Mendoza, where is she?" He asked.

"She's in her room, nursing a hangover" Richard answered, his tone of voice quickly switched to that of an affronted male.

"Oh. That bad eh?" Jason asked again.

"Yeah. Look, Jay. You're my friend and I respect you but Miss Mendoza came home wasted last night. I realize she's an adult and free to do what she wants but I expected you to take care of her."

"Yeah I know. I didn't realize she was a lightweight regarding alcohol. She kept saying she was fine and she was at first. But then after the 5th or 6th shot, her eyes started glazing over. That's when I decided to take her home" Jason explained sounding contrite.

Listen to these two cavemen. I can hear you, hello? They're discussing me as if I'm a teenager. Then, Maine's train of thought vanished with the next set of conversation.

"Do you think she'll go out with me again?" Jason asked after a few moments of silence.

Richard didn't answer right away and Maine pictured him just giving a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders. But then...

"Jason. You know me. I'm not territorial but...(long silence except for the sound of the IV machine being set up)... I ask that you leave Miss Mendoza alone. I know how you are with women. I don't want her getting hurt in the process."

"Whoa! Wait a minute. How I am with women? What's that supposed to mean?" Jason answered a little insulted.

"Oh don't bullshit me man! You change your women like you change your underwear. Nah, nah, nah! Don't even try to deny it. You know I'm right" Richard replied.

"Okay Bella's IV is all set up. You just need to change the IV bag when it beeps." Jason explained. "So let me get this straight. You're asking me not to ask Miss Mendoza out again because you don't want her getting hurt? Well, what if I tell you that I have no plans in hurting her?"

There was a long silence to which even Maine held her breath for the answer. She could just picture Richard running his hands through his hair in frustration. However, his next words and the way he said them shocked her.

"Jason. You've been my friend for a long time now. I don't normally say anything regarding your personal life. And you know me, I'm not one to take possession if I don't really mean to have it, so I'll say this just once. I don't want you asking Miss Mendoza out again because I plan on asking her out myself. I don't know when, I don't know how but I will. In other words man, BACK OFF!" Richard stated the last two words with a growl. Like a male lion marking his territory.

WELL! That was unexpected!

Maine sat back down on her bed as the wind was knocked out of her. She did not expect those words to come out from the mouth of 'Richard Faulkerson Jr'. Wasn't that you're plan Maine? Wasn't that what you wanted to happen in the first place?

Maine sat there, waiting for the feeling of satisfaction, of triumph, of glee, of anything! Anything at all that would be close to happiness perhaps? But nothing. What she felt instead was guilt and remorse. Guilt because she could hear the truth in Richard's voice. That he meant what he said.

If there was one thing that Maine couldn't handle, it's the thought of hurting other people, whether intentional or not. She can't handle that thought. Wait a minute! Again, you started all this, didn't you? Ugh! And by the way, what's with the guilt?

And as the afternoon turned into the night, Maine had to reconsider all her laid out plans. She reached the conclusion that she won't be able to go through with it. Not when it involves hurting other people. And she knows that in the end, if her initial plan would succeed, she would be hurting Richard and Bella; that she realized, she won't be able to do.

Bella. The deciding factor in all of her decisions nowadays. Bella. The little girl that's sleeping in the room next to hers. Her little body exhausted from all of the excitement this afternoon. Her little Bella. Whoa! Wait, what?!? When did she become my little Bella? When did she become my anything? As much as that thought shocked her, it also brought a certain pleasure because she's never had anything that's hers. She might be jumping the gun here but she would like to think that Bella is hers. In the back of her mind, the possibility that her blood also flows through Bella's actually brings an unexplainable feeling of joy.

So with that thought she made the decision to throw all her initial plan out the window. No more manipulation! No more hidden agendas! Regardless of what happens, she will take it one day at a time! Forgive me Ate but I can't forgive myself if I hurt that little girl and her father. In the last three weeks, they have been a big part of my life. May you be at peace, wherever you are.

Little did she know, she will live to test that decision in the next few days to come.