No Filter

Chapter XLI (41)

Nate and Richie helped take Liam upstairs into his bedroom. The doctor came and checked him out. I stood by his desk, arms crossed, and waited patiently. It was two in the morning. I was tired, but I manage to stay this long to find out the results.

I informed the servants what happened to Bear, and they fell worried. I told them to get some rest, even though they wanted to stay up.

After another ten minutes, I feel my eyes heavying, but I shake myself awake. The doctor walks up to me and explains, "Mr. Payne is alright, but his health is slowly decreasing. You need to make sure he doesn't smoke or drink much anymore. The more he does, the more at risk his health is going to be."

I question, "What's wrong with him, Dr..."

"Jordan," he answers. I nod my head. "Mr. Payne has been suffering from high blood pressure for a while now. About five years ago."

"How?"

"Aside from his smoking and drinking," he begins, "he also has a very short temper. I heard a couple years ago, he lost a lot of the people that he loved. His mom. His dad. His wife. Something with a fire messed him up."

"What?" I ask, astonished.

"You might want to ask him yourself, but knowing him for years now, he's not going to say anything," he says. "Just please make sure he rests."

I nod my head. "I will. Thank you for coming this late in the night. I owe you so much."

He raises his hands and shakes his head, chuckling a little. "No problem." He exits the room.

I sigh and walk up to Liam. I gaze at him resting. His eyes close shut. He breathes through his nose. I caress his face to feel his temperature. He was a little heated and sweaty from being outside and stressed all day.

I wonder what happened to him. He was never like this. He was more calm and had a higher tolerance for things. Maybe it was Cheryl and him separating or the responsibilities of being a parent. Or maybe a separation from his son. Or whatever happen to his parents or that fire Dr. Jordan mentioned. I really wish I knew.

That's a question in the morning.

I pull up a rocking chair in the corner of his room and rest in it. My rest here is only because I was worried about Liam. I know we've kind of been at each other's neck, and I do feel that there's going to be more bickering, but there's just something about Liam that I couldn't help but stay and be there for him. Like what a friend does.

I close my eyes and rock back and forth until my mind drifts away.
—
I cringe, covering my face from the brightness. A blanket fell off my arms and onto my lap. I open my eyes and take a look at my surrounding. I was in Liam's room. A blanket covered me, and I recall I didn't snuggle in one last night.

I look ahead and see an empty bed. I panicked. I stand up and walk around the room. Liam enters the room from the bathroom, and I let out a breath of relief. "Oh," I mumble.

He creases his brows. "What's the matter? I just knocked out. I am not crippled."

I shake my head and acknowledge the bleak expression he was putting on. "No, I just thought that you might've ran out to find your son."

"I've done this multiple times. I know what's good for my health," he says.

"If you know what's good, then why drink and smoke?" I cross my arms.

He snickers, "I said that I know what's good for my health. I never said that I do what's good for it. Why do you even care? You're just here because I hired you so you can get paid and help your dad."