What She Doesn't Know

Chapter 12

Isabelle waited on Derek's needs throughout the entire night. Whenever he would get up for another glass of water, she told him to sot back down and subsequently got him some. Leo was on the verge of getting up and throwing a glass of water at the kid's face.

Derek didn't do it often, but the anxiety was wearing off and his body was drained of energy, wanting to replenish itself with water. His cheeks would tinge pink whenever Isabella would replenish his water. When she asked him is he wanted seconds, he was too scared to look over at Mr. Moretti. Declining politely, he excused himself to go to the bathroom.

"Of course, Derek. It's down that hall to the left." Derek nodded, put his napkin on the table, and followed her instructions.

As she was cleaning up from dinner, Leo came over and helped her dry the dishes. His warmth embedded itself into her body. She wanted to melt, cry, and scream all at once. Keeping up pretenses that she was her ordinary self was not working.

How could she have been so dumb to think that she could live without the warmth of her husband? It was the silent, warm moments like these that filled her heart with hope that maybe, just maybe, their marriage could work.

A snarky comment lodged itself in her throat, daring to ask if this was a facade. The answer to the question was already known, however. Derek was here; therefore, their facade that she and Leo were madly in love was going to end just as Derek left through the doors.

With the last dish finally handed off to Leo for him to dry, she let out a puff of air. Her shoulders sagged and the weight of the day finally sank in. First with the baby girl dying and hearing her mother's screams, then with Dr. Hans, and now Derek. She dared not ask what else could go wrong.

Leo sensed her exhaustion. Her eyes drooped and her shoulders slacked. Her hair was up in a messy bun and her clothes were wrinkled from the day's work. And yet she put aside her own needs and served him and the kid. A thought occurred to him, something he had heard in church when he was a child: a woman of valor. He supposed she was.

"Isabella, you should go upstairs and shower?"

"Is that a command?"

Looking at her tired state, he decided to not infuriate her more. "It's more of a suggestion."

A forceful puff of air escaped her nose. It was an indication of the humor of being autonomous with him rather than with Dr. Christian Hans. The queasiness of the day settled back into her stomach. She needed to inform Leo before it ate her alive.

She untangled the bun from her hair and ran her fingers through it. The action caused Leo to yearn the feel of it. He thought it to be inappropriate, considering he hadn't intimately touched her in a while. The boxing match didn't count. Not in his eyes, anyway.

Leaning her butt against the sink, she crossed her arms in front of her chest. Leo faced the dishes, unsure as to why she hadn't listened to him. He was looking out for her and yet she denied him.

He sideways looked at her and noticed the solemn expression marring her beautiful features. "What's wrong?"

She was shocked he had asked. She was also shocked that he didn't demand her to march up the steps and take a shower, promising her that he'd be in bed when they both knew he was lying.

"I'm worried about Derek." At least it wasn't a complete lie. She was worried about him, especially because that bruise on his eye couldn't have been caused by another high schooler. Was it his father? Maybe his mother? Perhaps another legal guardian like an uncle, aunt, sister, or brother? She felt helpless being unable to help him right away.

Leo let out a sigh and dipped his head. "He'll be okay, Isa."

"But he's not okay now."

He stood up and walked in front of her, gently cupping her arms with his hands. "Derek can take care of himself."

She didn't look him in the eye, too afraid that he'd stare into her soul and find out the real reason. When she texted Janice about Dr. Hans meeting with other nurses, she had denied doctors ever going out of their way. She almost threw her phone at a wall seeing her reply.

"He clearly can't, Leo. He was a mess at the door and was shaking slightly throughout dinner. He was checking the windows every now and again. Obviously he is spooked."

He was impressed that she noticed those things about him. Perhaps he did marry the correct woman. "He'll be fine."

She pushed away from him. "I don't care about the future, because that's not where we're at. Let him sleepover tonight so he can sleep well."

Leo grit his teeth at the suggestion. He didn't want the kid snooping about the house and finding anything that he wasn't supposed to. A torn feeling entered into him. Derek was shaken, and sending him back to the place where everything took place was probably not the best idea, considering the circumstances.

Huffing, he silently agreed with her. Damn her. "Where are we going to put him?"

"On the couch in the family room. I'll get him some blankets and give him the remote so he can watch whatever to clear his mind off of whatever happened." She moved around him and set in her path to accomplish just that.

Derek exited the bathroom, his eye still swollen shut. "Thank you for letting me stay for dinner, Mr. Moretti." Awkwardness filled the room as he didn't know what to do from there. He was going to thank Mrs. Moretti but she wasn't anywhere in sight. He scratched the back of his head. "I, uh, I guess I'll be on my way then."

"You can stay the night, kid." Derek was pleasantly surprised by this. While he had wanted desperately to stay somewhere other than his house, he was going to see whether is friends would let him crash for the night.

Just then, Isabella entered the kitchen and said, "Follow me, Derek. I've set up a make-shift bed for you. Hospital corners and all." She sent him a wink and turned around to show Derek where he was staying, blissfully unaware of his heated cheeks.

"You can also use our shower first if you'd like."

Derek was in awe, slowly nodding his head as it was filled with emotion. He didn't know he needed tender love and care to make him feel safe before coming to the Moretti's house. He had expected Mr. Moretti to slap him across the cheek, not a full dinner with a bed and show to use.

He wondered how Mr. Moretti had landed a woman like her: a beautiful soul with a face to go along with it. Exhaustion came over him. He followed Mrs. Moretti to the shower. She gave him a pair of Mr. Moretti's pajama pants and a clean black shirt to wear.

"Don't be afraid to ask if you need anything else, Derek. Leo and I will be in the room across the hall if you need one of us."

Somehow he doubted he would need them, but politely nodded and verbalized his gratitude.