Chapter One Hundred and Sixty-Four
Kelley could see the dried tear marks on Milana's cheeks and her eyes flitted to his and then to the baby in his arms. Kelley stood looking at her, her expression not changing. She resumed staring at the wall, her eyes empty.
Kelley walked back towards the clear bassinette that had been left in her room and placed Kyzer down in it. He was still asleep and one hand made a fist on his cheek. His finger trailed over Kyzer’s fist and then he turned back to Milana.
A tray stood on the bed trolley and Kelley lifted the lid. Her breakfast stood untouched, the tea cold and he sighed before he sat down on the edge of her bed. “Mila.”
She didn’t blink and when he placed his hand on her arm she flinched a little but her expression didn’t change once. He looked back towards Steel and he could see the worry in his eyes. “Steel … get her some of those breakfast sandwiches she loves so much.”
Kelley turned his attention back to Milana once Steel left the room. He closed his eyes briefly and dragged a hand over his face. The door to her room opened and Kelley turned as the nurse stepped inside.
“Are you her husband?”
Kelley stood up to face her. “Yes.”
“She’s been unresponsive. She needs to stand up or she risks complications. She needs to eat before the doctor will discharge her.”
“I’ll get her to eat,” Kelley said.
“If she keeps on refusing they’ll transfer her to the psych ward, it’s an automatic 72 hour hold and then they’ll stick a tube down her nose to ensure she gets the nutrients she needs.”
Kelley nodded his head, hoping that Milana would snap out of it, whatever it was. The nurse rounded the bed and pulled the covers back. Milana still didn’t move. The nurse sighed as she looked at her.
“Mrs Alexander, I’m going to help you to shift onto your back and then I need you to bend your knees outward so I can remove the catheter. You’ll feel some pressure but it won’t hurt at all.” The nurse turned back to Kelley and then looked at the door. “You might want to step outside for this.”
“I’ll stay with my wife.”
Kelley watched the nurse as she bent Milana’s legs with her heels touching and then she proceeded to remove the catheter. Milana still didn’t move and the nurse checked her vitals again. The nurse made some notes in her file before returning to Milana’s side.
“Mrs Alexander, I’m going to help you to sit up and then I’ll swing your legs over the edge. You have to stand up and move around a little. It’ll hurt but the faster you start to move, the faster you’ll start to heal.”
Kelley moved to Milana’s other side as the nurse propped pillows behind her back and tugged Milana into a sitting position. Kelley saw the flinch of pain in her eyes and he gritted his teeth. He needed to keep his mouth shut and let the nurse do her job.
Milana’s legs went over the side and hung towards the floor. “Ready?” Milana just kept staring out in front of her but when the nurse shuffled her to the edge and pulled her so that she could stand on her own two feet, she cried out.
Kelley looked down when Milana did and saw blood running down her legs. “It’s normal,” the nurse said as she saw the look on Kelley’s face.
Milana bit her lower lip but tears welled in her eyes and Kelley placed his hand on her waist, giving her support and she leaned against him. “She should try to shower, it’ll help.”
Kelley moved painfully slowly towards he bathroom. Milana’s lip trembled with every step and Kelley resisted the urge to sweep her up into his arms and just carrying her to the bathroom. The nurse nodded her head and stepped out of the room just as they reached the adjoining bathroom.
Kelley held on to Milana and leaned into the shower and switched the water on. He waited until the water was perfect and then he pulled the hospital gown over her body. “Fuck, Mila,” he whispered as he looked at her.
He could see her ribs over the swell of her stomach. A large plaster covered the wound on her lower abdomen. Her thighs were thinner than he remembered and she’d been slim and tiny to begin with. Milana didn’t look at him but she did lower her eyes.
“You’re going to take him from me, aren’t you?” Milana’s voice was soft, barely audible and this time she did look him in the eye.
“No, Mila.”
She nodded her head once and moved to the shower. Kelley helped her inside and then stood back when she slid the glass door closed. Kelley sat down on the toilet and slid his hands over his head, the short stubbles of his hair tickling his palms.
“Marley went shopping for him. He’s in the guest room across from my study. Anything can be changed to how you want it. I wasn’t going to leave you here, Mila. You have a son and you have a husband and you have a home.”
Kelley looked at the glass door, not being able to see her clearly, but he knew she was washing herself and knew that it would take longer than normal. She was in pain, he could see that much.
“Please, Mila.”
The water shut off and he stood up with a towel in his hands. The glass door slid open and Milana stood there. He wrapped the towel around her and held her arm as she stepped out of the shower. She motioned to the toilet and he helped her to sit down.
“I need my things,” she said softly.
“What do you need?”
“Underwear, maternity pads, sweatpants, t-shirt, my toiletry bag and my hairbrush.”
Kelley left Milana in the bathroom and unzipped the suitcase that he had kept with him in the waiting room. He found her clothes, a pack of maternity pads, underwear that looked like it might be too big for her and her toiletries.
Kelley helped Milana to get dressed and her whole face heated up when Kelley held her up and stuffed the maternity pad between her legs and pulled her underwear up. It cradled her stomach and he realized now why it had looked so big.
