Chapter 310 Shock!
Josephine sighed, "It ain't that I don't want you to stick around, it's just that the setup here is kinda cramped. Even though Jeffery is in a private room, there are only two small beds."
"I won't sleep," Stuart said. "You sleep, I'll stay by your side. If anything happens at night, I'll call you."
Josephine insisted, "There's really no need."
"Josephine," Stuart interrupted her, "maybe it's not the right time to say this, but I still want to apologize to you."
Josephine was puzzled, "Why?"
"Back at the hot springs, I..."
As soon as he mentioned it, Josephine felt her cheeks heat up. She lowered her head, "That's in the past, and besides, you already apologized."
"No, it was my fault. I didn't control myself at the time. Josephine, it's not that I don't respect you, it's just that I really missed you. I'm sorry, I swear it won't happen again. No matter what I do, I'll seek your consent first. Josephine, please believe me."
"I understand," Josephine said without looking up. "You should go back."
"I'm not going back," Stuart said. "Even if I have to stand at the door of the hospital room, I'm not going back."
Josephine got angry, "If you don't go back, don't talk to me anymore!"
"But I'm worried about you guys!"
Josephine sighed, "There's really no need. How about this, you come back tomorrow, okay?"
Stuart didn't say anything.
Josephine continued, "What will it take for you to agree to go back?"
Stuart looked at her, a bit incredulous, "Josephine, you're letting me set conditions?"
Josephine looked at him, "Yes, tell me, what will it take for you to agree to leave?"
"Can I really set a condition?"
Josephine said, "Hurry up, I need to go back in and watch Jeffery."
"But..."
"No?" Josephine said, "Then forget it."
Stuart grabbed her, "Yes. Just, Josephine, can you hug me?"
Josephine was taken aback.
"Just a hug," Stuart looked down at her. "I want you to hug me. It's been over five years, and I often dream that I find you, but you don't even look at me and just walk away. No matter how hard I try, I can't catch up."
Before he finished speaking, Josephine opened her arms and hugged him.
Stuart's body stiffened.
The hospital was already a place where sadness and joy intertwined, so a simple hug didn't attract much attention.
Josephine hugged him, and the familiar cool fragrance from years ago filled her nostrils.
Stuart's waist seemed thinner than before, but also more solid.
Josephine took a deep breath, let go, and then looked at him, "Can you leave now?"
Stuart came back to his senses, "You really hugged me."
But the hug was so brief that he didn't have time to savor it before it ended.
"I need to go back and take care of Jeffery," Josephine said, feeling a bit uneasy. "You should go."
After she finished speaking, she turned and went back into the room, closing the door behind her.
She leaned against the door to steady her breathing before going to check on Jeffery. He had sweated a bit but was still asleep.
Josephine wiped him down and changed his clothes before sitting by the bed. Her mind was a bit chaotic, perhaps because Jeffery's illness had stripped away her previously strong and independent facade.
She admitted that, in that moment, she also wanted to hug Stuart.
Stuart was right; when a child was sick, it was usually both parents who stayed by their side.
Being alone made it easy to feel weak. She shouldn't have hugged Stuart just now. After the hug, he might start overthinking things.
She was conflicted. To say that everything in the past was entirely Stuart's fault wouldn't be fair. Before marrying Stuart, she knew he had someone he liked.
The misunderstandings between them were also due to a lack of communication. Stuart had hurt her in many ways, but to be fair, she had brought some of it on herself. If she hadn't married Stuart, or if she had talked things through with him after the wedding, things might have turned out differently. Even more so, if she had spent some time with him, realized he didn't like her, and just divorced him.But she didn't. She endured a three-year marriage with Stuart, almost masochistically. The crazy part was that it was only after they split that she finally understood her own feelings.
Thinking about the future made Josephine's head spin. She decided to stop overthinking it, whether it was about Jeffery or her relationship with Stuart. She'd just let things play out.
Worried about Jeffery, Josephine sat by his bed, dozing off now and then. Whenever she woke up, she'd touch his forehead to make sure it was cool before feeling at ease.
Around five in the morning, she heard some noise outside. She walked to the door and heard voices.
Opening the door, she immediately saw Stuart.
He quickly said, "The nurse is here to take his temperature."
"You didn't leave?" Josephine asked helplessly, but there was no time to say more.
She let the nurse in, glanced at Stuart, and said nothing more.
Stuart continued to wait outside.
Not only did they take Jeffery's temperature, but they also drew blood and did some other tests.
Josephine held Jeffery in her arms, comforting him, "Be good, Jeffery, don't look."
The nurse also said, "I'll be gentle, it will be quick."
Kids were always afraid of needles, but Jeffery buried his face in Josephine's arms and didn't say a word.
When the nurse came out with the tray, Stuart quickly asked, "How is he?"
The nurse was puzzled, "Why don't you go in and watch your son?"
Stuart looked a bit embarrassed and didn't say anything.
The nurse, noticing his height and good looks, wanted to chat more. "Did you two have a spat?" she inquired.
Stuart nodded.
"You better patch things up," the nurse advised. "Your wife is so beautiful and has a great personality. And that son of yours? Handsome and tough—he didn't even cry during the shot. Those big brown eyes of his, they melt hearts."
Stuart was stunned.
The nurse continued, "When a child is sick, you should take care of the child first. I have to go now, I'm busy."
"Wait!" Stuart suddenly came to his senses, barely daring to breathe. "What did you just say? His eyes, what about them?"
The nurse laughed, "I said his eyes are beautiful! We have so many kids in pediatrics, but I've never seen such beautiful eyes. I think your son's nose, mouth, and chin all look like you. His eyes look like your wife's, they're brown, so beautiful."
Before she finished speaking, Stuart had already stepped past her and pushed open the door to the ward.
Seeing him rush in, the nurse shook her head with a smile and went to another ward.
Stuart's heart was pounding so hard it felt like it would burst out of his chest. He entered the room, but for a moment, he was at a loss.
Josephine heard the commotion and looked up, instantly panicking, "Why did you come in?"
Stuart went to look at the little figure on the bed. Jeffery seemed to have fallen asleep again, lying quietly on his side.
Josephine quickly walked over and grabbed his arm, "Let's talk outside!"
Stuart couldn't calm his racing heart, and his breathing was rapid.
Josephine couldn't move him and said anxiously, "What are you doing? Jeffery is asleep, let's talk outside!"
Stuart took a deep breath but still couldn't calm the shock and joy in his heart. He glanced at Jeffery again, then followed Josephine out of the room.
As soon as the door closed, he suddenly hugged Josephine tightly.
Josephine was startled and instinctively tried to push him away.
"Let me hold you for a while, Josephine, please." His voice was choked with sobs, as if he were crying, and Josephine was stunned. A soft spot in her heart inexplicably melted. She stood still, letting him hold her.
Stuart bent down, burying his face in her neck.
Josephine felt Stuart's tears on her skin.
Was he really crying? What on earth happened?
Josephine couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong? What happened?"
Stuart didn't say anything.
Josephine whispered, "You're a grown man, and you're crying. Jeffery didn't even cry when he got his shot."
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