Beneath The Orange Sunset ✔️

8

~8~

Around five o'clock, Samuel peeked into the brightly lit hospital room. He still felt uneasy even if he had just checked the vitals of the young man.

Madame Emile was first to arrive. She was pacing to and fro the room. Samuel had briefed her when she arrived. She'd been panicky, but gradually calmed her nerves.

He heard a man's voice and he turned.

"Good evening, Mr Jacquet."

"Good evening," he greeted quickly when he recognized the man.

Samuel ushered him to the room. Antoine, a honey haired young man, with a square head, with a gap in the middle of his dentition that flashes each time he spoke. He was dressed in a formal black business suit, a neat white shirt with French cuffs, diamond cuff-links and a red silk tie.

His mother immediately rushed to his side.

"What went wrong this time?" Antoine asked giving his mother a side hug.

"I got a call from Samuel, said it was an emergency. But he said he's okay now."

"It was an acute nosebleed." Samuel said, "It's under control now."

Antoine looked at him with a quizzically.
"Nose bleed?"

Samuel nodded.

"I told him to get a nurse but he never listens to me," Emile's voice was shaky. "He stopped listening to me. Is he trying to make the situation worse?"

"He will be fine," Samuel said.

"You were present when it happened?" Antoine faced Samuel.

"Yes. Fortunately."

"Can you come by maybe three or four times a week to come check on him? Is that possible?"

"No, Antoine?" Emile shook her head in disagreement. "Samuel is a busy man."

"I will pay him. Can you do that for Maxime, until we find a suitable nurse?"

"If it's okay by the family. I will do that," Samuel glanced at the woman beside Antoine. She nodded reluctantly and waved her hand in agreement.

"When will he be discharged," Antoine asked.

"In a few hours. As soon as he wakes. He's under sedation right now."

"Fine. I will go see the doctor in charge."

"Sure."

Samuel saw them to the door. He watched both mother and son walk down the hallway. He returned to the bedside and watched the young man, his chest heaving with deep breaths.

Between Antoine and Emile Lacroix, Samuel wondered who was the most suspicious person. He had watched Emile's countenance. There was not a trace of indication whether she was pretending.

Antoine Lacroix... wouldn't want to hurt his brother. Would he? Was he smart enough to stage an accident that will take his father's life. A father that gave him everything he wanted.

Samuel was surprised when he saw Maxime place his left arm over his hair and down his forehead feeling the new bandage tied round his  eyes.
Was he awake?

"Hey, Maxime."

"Samuel?"

"Yes, how are you feeling now?"

"My head hurts."

"Do you know where you are."

Maxime nodded. "Hospital. I can smell it." He pulled the white soft sheets off his body and threw his legs to the floor.

"You scared the daylights out of me, Maxime," Samuel said trying hard to remain calm. "What were you thinking taking off those bandages without my help?"

"I wasn't really thinking when I did that."

"I was with you for Christ sake, you should have told me or something."

"Are you mad at me?"

"No, I'm not. I just..."

"Sorry, I wasn't thinking - "

Samuel puffed warm air from his mouth. He reached his hands and touched Maxime's face.

"Is the bandage too tight?"

Maxime froze for a second.

"It's fine," Maxime said. "So you are replacing Ms Philippe?"

"You heard? Well, Yes. Your brother suggested that I..."

Maxime waved his hand motioning for Samuel to stop. He didn't want to hear the details.

"Who exactly are you working for, my mother or Antoine?" Maxime blurted out.

Samuel noted the tone difference when he said mother. Antoine came off like the enemy he suspected.

"I think you're mistaken, Maxime. Your mother..."
Samuel flinched when the door to the room opened and Emile walked in.

"Maxime, you're awake," Emile walked over the bed and gave her son a hug.

Your mother...

"I'm fine, mum."

Emile Marcel Lacroix may not be Maxime's real mother...

Samuel recalled Rochelle's words.
The thought came to him in a flash. He watched both mother and son exchange pleasantries.

He took a deep breath and stepped out of the room. He better give the family some privacy. After all his life status was hanging on a thread as it was now.

Because the day he reveals to Maxime that his beloved mother is the answer to all the questions taunting him, that will be the beginning of his end.