Chapter 553 If There Is an Emergency
Winona stayed quiet, waiting for Zachary to continue. She had a gut feeling there was more to his question.
Zachary scooted to the edge of the bed, making room for Winona. "Come on up."
The hospital beds in public hospitals were only three feet wide. It was already a tight squeeze for someone as tall as Zachary, let alone fitting two people. Plus, this was a hospital, and nurses could come in at any moment. If she got caught lying on the bed, she couldn't bear the embarrassment of being scolded for taking a patient's spot.
Zachary's voice was still raspy from just waking up. "Aren't you tired?"
"No matter how tired I am, I can't sleep here."
Just as Winona finished speaking, a nurse walked in. "Zachary, I need to take your temperature."
Winona stepped aside, covering her mouth as she yawned. She hadn't slept well the previous night, worried about Zachary. Now that she knew he was okay, the exhaustion hit her all at once.
After a few more yawns, Winona's eyes were watery, making her look even more endearing.
The hospital had strict rules about the use of the companion beds. Even though Winona was exhausted, she couldn't sleep there.
Zachary pressed his lips together. "When can I be discharged?"
"You have both external and internal injuries. You'll need to stay for at least a week, depending on your condition. You just got out of the ICU this morning, so don't rush it. Focus on recovering first."
"Can I switch to a different room? Or at least get a wider bed?"
The nurse glanced at Zachary's bed, not seeing the issue. "All hospital beds are the same size. Even someone weighing 400 pounds can fit on this bed."
Zachary was speechless, probably encountering someone who couldn't read between the lines for the first time. He didn't say anything for a while.
Seeing Zachary at a loss, Winona found it amusing. Her eyes sparkled with laughter, and Zachary's gaze met hers.
The nurse finished up and prepared to leave. "No fever. Try not to move around too much for the next couple of days."
Zachary asked, "Are there any single rooms available?"
Single rooms had a family bed, unlike the companion beds that had restricted usage times.
"There's no single room available right now, and your condition isn't severe enough to warrant one."
After the nurse left, Zachary looked at Winona, who was still laughing brightly. He couldn't help but smile and reached out to her. "Come here."
Perhaps because she was mindful of Zachary's injuries, Winona didn't argue and obediently walked over.
Zachary pulled her to sit down, speaking with a mix of helplessness and affection. "Is it that funny?"
Winona, surprisingly straightforward, replied, "Yes."
Zachary sighed, "I..."
Just as he was about to explain why he wanted to switch rooms, Winona suddenly hugged him. Her face pressed against his neck, and her voice, muffled, came from there. "I'm just so happy you're okay. It's not funny, but seeing you makes me want to laugh."
Her words were all over the place, but Zachary got the gist.
His heart melted, feeling like it was soaking in warm water, utterly comfortable. The smile on his face didn't fade, and his hand, which had been about to hug her back, paused in mid-air.
Winona's face was pressed against Zachary's shoulder, her arms tightening around his neck. After a long while, she continued, "Zachary, you scared me to death. I thought you were buried under the rubble. I thought you were dead."
Zachary was alive and well in front of her, so the word "dead" no longer felt taboo. All the emotions Winona had bottled up finally poured out.
Zachary felt his neck getting wet where her eyes were. He wrapped one arm around her waist, the other hand resting on her nape, his rough thumb gently stroking her delicate neck. "I'm sorry. It's my fault for worrying you. I won't let myself die, especially not at the hands of someone like Timothy. I've liked you for so many years and finally got you. I wouldn't give you up to anyone else."
He kissed the top of her head. "I only jumped out of the window because I was sure I could escape. It was an emergency, and I couldn't tell you in advance."
In reality, Zachary had only been fifty percent sure. Life and death were equally possible.
But now that he was safe, there was no need to let Winona know about the danger.
Winona rubbed her face against Zachary's shoulder, wiping her tears on his shirt. She looked up, her eyes still red. "Sure you could escape? You have the nerve to say that. If the police hadn't checked the scene, you could've been swallowed by a snake, and no one would have known. You lost so much blood. If they had been an hour or two later, you'd be in the morgue by now. If something had happened to you..."
What would she do? How would she explain it to Lydia?
Winona hadn't told them yet. Evander still thought Zachary was missing and was asking around for his whereabouts.
Zachary interrupted her thoughts. "There won't be any 'if,' Winona. I can't bear to leave you. Even if I had one foot in the grave, I'd find a way to crawl back."
His thumb caressed her face. "If I'm slow, it's because I'm tired. Call out to me more, or say things I like to hear, and I'll crawl back faster."
A voice interrupted from the doorway. "Who's pouring hot sauce in my ears? They're burning."
Winona recognized the voice immediately. She pulled away from Zachary, sitting up straight and smiling at the newcomer. "Rebecca, what are you doing here?"
Rebecca wasn't here to visit Zachary. She probably asked about him just because of Winona, worried that his death would upset her.
Winona glanced at Anthony, who was with Rebecca. Rebecca must have come with him.
Rebecca, looking annoyed, pulled up a chair and sat in front of Winona. "Someone insisted on waiting for you to come get me. You were too busy with your romance to care about me, so I had to come myself. Tell Anthony he doesn't need to watch over me anymore."
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