Angel Face

Can I Ask You A Favor?

LXIV

A week.

It took the doctor, a week, to clear me to leave my room. Which also meant that, I wasn't allowed to see Duncan, during that time period. When I was first told this, everyone in the room got an earful from me, which was laced with some choice words, that was enough to last them a couple months. After that, everyone gave me space for the rest of the day. At first I thought it was because they were worried, that I would blow up at them again.

But I changed my mind, when the door to my room, wouldn't stop flipping open the rest of the week. Even though I had taken a look at the visitors' list, it still amazed me, how many people walked in through my hospital door.

Was a patient even allowed to have that many visitors?

Even though I couldn't see Duncan, everyone made sure that I was kept informed. But sadly, there wasn't much to inform. He was still in a coma, healing properly, but there was no sign of him waking up.

There had been a minor scare, when the doctors found swelling in his brain. But fortunately it went down without needing surgery.

Other than that, I was brought to speed about everything that was happening in the outside world.

Alex had been charged for his attempt to steal from the museum and my kidnapping. He had confessed to the same. Severino was dead and FBI was still clueless on who killed him. Every other man that Severino had brought in, were facing charges too.

Unlike what Ryker said, Nadia and her father were still a no show.

But the biggest outrageous news, according to me, was delivered by Clarissa and Richard. Turns out, Duncan had arranged that in his absence, both temporarily and permanently, all the managerial and decision making powers of Phoenix Corps, were to be transferred to me. As if I know anything about business or don't already have a career of my own. 

Both Clarissa and Richard promised to help out as much as they could. After all, Clarissa was the CFO and Richard served as the legal counsel for both Duncan and Phoenix Corps. But that just weighed heavily on my conscience, seeing that both of them had babies on the way. This was just additional burden on their already busy lives.

One good thing though was that mom and dad were back home, here in Brooklyn. Kyle an Kaylee were here too, taking a break from school on family emergency grounds, to offer their support. Travis and Elaine would drop by too, to visit both me and Duncan. And of course there were Ruby, Claire, Ezra, Ryan, Freya, Jules, Nick and Drew who dropped by. Clarissa, Richard, Brian, Ryker and Nick though were the ones who would visit most frequently and stay for extended periods of time.

Nick though was furious when he first visited.

Metal clanged against metal, when my wheelchair hit a stray stretcher in the hospital corridor. "Now, that wouldn't have happened if you would just let me wheel you around." Ignoring Nick's unnecessary comment, I wheeled myself back and tried to maneuver myself forward, without hitting anything. Unfortunately, I slammed back against the stretcher.

"Who leaves a stretcher in the corridor? This is the VIP floor, for heaven's sake." I grumbled under my breath. Nick huffed out a frustrated sigh, as he grabbed the handles of my wheelchair, pulled it back and started pushing it forward.

"Excuse me, I had that in control. I don't need your help." I snapped at him, but that didn't stop him. "If I left it to you, you would've just grown old, cursing at an inanimate object, while still in this very wheelchair." He replied coolly. "Just for once, Angie, relax and let us help you."

Letting someone help is what has led to all this, in the first place. I thought bitterly. "Did you cross check the report you and Freya made last minute, before submitting it? I didn't get to go through it. What was the issue again?" I asked instead, trying to steer the subject to something I had control over. "Evangeline," Nick admonished, frustration clear in his voice.