ELBINA

Chapter 20

"Make sure to let us know if you see any blood in your urine." The nurse collected up everything, before he helped me tie up the back of my gown having checked my bandage.

I immediately let out the longest groan when he shut the door behind him, the embarrassment reddening my cheeks. Why couldn't I be asleep when they removed that thing?

I still had my legs over the edge of the bed, head in my hands.

The morning light was coming in through the window now which meant that hopefully June would be bringing some of the kids today to visit me. I can't wait until I get released tomorrow, I couldn't stand being here any longer.

And I still didn't have my phone thanks to Jake who hadn't made an appearance since yesterday morning. I really hope June was right about giving it time, even though it's been years of him disliking Lucas without changing his mind.

My hands felt grimy, so I held my hand over my rib to stop it being stressed too much and tested my legs on the ground.

I gradually got them stable enough to stand up and once I started moving, although painful I managed to get over to the sink on the side of the room in front of me.

My hands immediately felt soft when I started drying them off, except my body wasn't exactly happy to be standing up quite yet and I had to drop the scrunched-up damp paper into the sink as I grabbed onto the edges, waiting for the dizziness to pass.

Just breathe,

Breathe.

I focused on the cold sink edges between my hands, the pads of my fingers pressed hard into it.

Finally, the fuzziness faded, and I turned around to edge my way back to the bed. Slumping on it to sit on the side again.

"You look like shit." I looked up to see Lucas halfway through the door, I chuckled at that. Grumbling when the pain hit through my rib.

I groaned through the pain, "Don't make me laugh!"

My mouth remained in the smile when he made it the rest of the way through the door, letting it shut quietly behind him.

He was wearing his brown jacket with his black jeans, his hair not styled at all but messily thrown about his head. Pieces of it falling into his face.

"How are you feeling?" He looked unsure of himself, his leg twitching as if wanted to rush over but he keeps thinking better of it.

"I'm okay."

"I would have come as soon as I heard but they wouldn't let me in, stupid visiting hours and everything." He stood still as a statue; hands shoved into his jacket pockets.

"Yeah, they're pretty strict about it. Even June couldn't get away with." I smile at him, humour laced in my tone and thankful that it graced a small smile on his face too.

"You don't know how scared I was when she told me you were in the hospital." His head shakes, and I try to stand but it hurts too much that it has him rushing over to push me back down.

"I'm good, I'm good." I repeat when he panics, until he sighs and sits beside me on the bed.

I kept looking at him, gulping inadvertently as I stared at his face only twisting my gut more when he turns to look at me too.

"I don't know what I'd have done." I knew what he meant.

He bit his lip in nerves, looking worried, eying me up and down noting the bruises and grazes across my exposed skin. His hand rose and his thumb ran along my cheekbone, my mind remembering the guy pushing my head into the gravel.