Sorting Through Life's Puzzle Pieces

Chapter 21

          Maeve woke to a very sterile room, blinding sunshine and more flowers than she had ever received in her life. While the light made her squint, she viewed the room in its stark contrast to the vast array of colors laid out on the surface edges of it. While they were all beautiful and vibrant she couldn't help but focus on the muted tone of the sterling roses next to her bed. A small smile played at her lips, knowing exactly who had left them there.

The door opened, drawing her attention away. "Ah, good to see you up. Let's see how your last results are doing and maybe we can give you a clear time of your discharge." The doctor was quite nice and seemed to notice how the brightness from the windows affected her, as she moved to turn the blinds a little to soften the tone. "Your numbers are good, and you made it through last night without strained breathing. I think one more night, just on the side of caution will do you good then you can be out of here tomorrow."

"Thank you, Doctor. Um, how long have I been here exactly? Most of it is a little hazy."

"I would imagine so. You've been here almost two weeks. You don't usually see it in people your age, but after hearing how much work you were doing, and in the conditions you put yourself it wasn't surprising. Your fever broke about four days ago, but your body was so exhausted you were in and out for a while. Nice to see you lucid. I will also tell the kitchens that you can have more solid food and weak coffee."

"Thank you, ma'am." The doctor just smiled and turned to leave. Just as she reached the door she turned back, as if she had almost forgotten something. "By the way, you're are very lucky to have that man of yours. Had to threaten to admit him for exhaustion to get him to go home and get some proper rest. If my husband had been that devoted to me, we would still be married."

Maeve stared in shock at the closed door. What the hell! Married to who?

Tom walked into the London, looking far better than he had the last few days. He was not only freshly showered but had gotten a full night's sleep since he wasn't bent over the side of a hospital be while sitting in a chair. He had tried the couch the first night and had promptly rolled off in the first fifteen minutes of laying on it. The staff at the information desk waved to him, now familiar with his presence.

He had brought a lovely plant for the nurses' station on Maeve's floor. They had been absolutely lovely after his mother's visit. Coddling grandmother's the lot of them. He suspected his own mother had a hand in that and had also sent her an arrangement as well.

They had called him earlier in the morning letting him know that his Angel was lucid when she woke and seemed to be through the worst of it. She would have to stay indoors, but there were worse things than being stuck inside for a few more weeks. She was smiling as he walked in the door, and it warmed him to see the warm chocolate eyes he had missed so much looking back at him.

"Good morning, Angel," he greeted, placing a tender kiss on her forehead. "How are you today?"

"Oh, I am just dandy. How have you been through all this?"

"As well as can be expected, I suppose. You have no idea how much you scared me, darling. What made you so determined to ignore Beatrice's warning to wait until the warmer months were back?" Tom was doing his best to remain calm and patient, but she seemed so nonchalant about waking in a hospital bed that he was having a hard time holding it in.

"Well, you see, I met with the people they had helping them. They don't go out to make sure everyone is still finding a warm place to sleep. Some of the shelters are so underfunded that people are sleeping around the perimeter just to get breakfast in the morning. The family shelters were turning away people because they were out of room."

"Maeve, Beatrice told me you flat out refused to believe she was looking out for the families and were out there every day. I know how much time you take in making the meals you cart out to them. You exhausted your body to the point of illness. Beatrice just happened to catch me getting off a flight when she called. What do you think would have happened if she couldn't reach me?!"

Maeve's doctor was speaking with a few of the nurses, going over rounds notes when they all heard the raised voices. Turning towards its source, the young doctor started to step towards the door, but was stopped by head nurse laying a hand on her arm. She turned and looked questioningly at the older woman.

"Child, you will soon learn that ill or not, this fight was going to happen. Better here than at home in case she gets overtired from it. Now, I just happened to make a cup of tea I would be happy to share with you while we listen in."

"You old Busy Body." The young woman grinned back. "I would be delighted."

"We may have a great deal of discretion when it comes to our current patient, doesn't mean we don't enjoy a good lover's spat." She passed her cup to the doctor and they shared back and forth for a good twenty minutes, taking small sips to make it last. The everyone's eyes went wide and they all stopped when clear as day Maeve's voice rang down the hall.

"Withholding information? Well, Kettle, why the BLOODY HELL, do they all think I'm MARRIED!!!?"

Tom froze from his pacing at that question. When he gave a slight wince, Maeve smirked back at him. "Why would you tell them we were married, Tom?"

"I hadn't even realized I had done it. It just sort of came out and then some knob told the press, Ben came flying in with Rob. We did our best to do damage control, but so far the best I've got is a statement from the hospital saying some crazed fan had insisted they had seen me at the hospital doors, but that it wasn't true."

"Okay, but what about the staff. Starting with the doctor this morning, I have had three different people telling me I was lucky to be have you."

"I didn't know they were thinking that. They never commented on it while I was here."

"I will not marry you, Tom. We are friends, and there is nothing to change that. I won't go through that again. Now, I suggest you have Luke come up with something better than this bullshit before I am discharged. I will not hesitate to put an end to any ridiculous questions given just because the two of you couldn't come up with some commonsense excuse for this."

"And just what would you suggest, Sherlock? It's not like I tell a cabby to ignore police sirens every day."

Maeve rolled her eyes, "Seriously? You had a pair of friends in the humanitarian field reach out to you just at the most fortuitous time and acted quickly, as health is always an urgent matter. They are recovering nicely and hope to return to their work as soon as they are able."

Tom looked at her and simply nodded. His mind wasn't really on the press release she had just popped out with, but on her statement before. He felt a pain in his chest, as he left the room. The nurses gave him sympathetic looks and the head nurse followed behind him as he headed to the family waiting room to make his call.

Once he hung up he turned to find her waiting patiently. "Eaves dropping is quite rude, you know."

"It's not eaves dropping if it carries all the way down the hall. We won't tell anyone about that, by the way. You really stepped in it didn't you?"

"If that is the term for it, indeed I did."

"You want some advice?"

"Absolutely."

"Give her what she wants. If she couldn't tell before, she won't be able to tell now. She'll come around, and if she's got a best friend she talks to, she will be your biggest ally in this."

"She already is. Looks like she and I have got some more work to do."

"May I ask a favor of you?"

"Ask away, I'll let you know if I can do it."

"Be sure to invite us all to the wedding." Tom laughed for the first time since leaving the set weeks ago.