Page 17 of Bastain

“I can’t be around stairs. Not yet anyway. They’re going to be putting me in one of those removable casts soon.” He told her there were two bedrooms on the main floor that she could live in. “I didn’t say I was going to go there. If your mom will be better off there, that’s fine, but that’ll be up to her. She was kind enough to tell me that she’d care for me when I got out.”

“She told me. I hope you’ll allow me to have this room done the way you want it.” She asked him what he was talking about. “It’s the master suite and a nursery on the main floor. There are several bedrooms on the second floor with their own bathrooms. I loved that part about the house.”

“I’m not having children with you. As I said, I don’t love you.” He rubbed his heart this time and told her that he understood. He did too. He’d been a total jackass to her, and she had no reason to love him. “You’re too nice right now. I don’t believe that you’ll stay this way.”

“I’m working on it.” She nodded once, and he smiled. “If you give me a chance, you’ll see that I can be a really nice person. I’m working on not being such a pain in the ass. With your help, I think I can be a really nice person.”

“You have a lot to work on.” He burst out laughing; her honesty was so harsh at times that it took him by surprise. “Why do you want to change? And if you say it’s because of me, I won’t believe you. There has to be something else.”

“No. Just you. I want to be a better man for you.” She side-eyed him, and he laughed again. “You’re not going to cut me any slack, are you?”

“I won’t lie to you if that’s what you mean. You’ve been a cruel bastard. And I retaliated. I don’t care to be acting like that either. You brought out the worst in me.” He said that he knew that too. “Yet you kept doing it. Why? Did you get a kick out of treating me like you did?”

“Not at all. I think—I was married before, and I think that I was so hurt by her that I pushed you away when it was obvious that you were the one for me.” He said that he’d been married for five years and it had been the worst five years in his life. “That’s not your fault, but I’m just putting it out there. She only married me for my money, and when I wasn’t as forthcoming as she thought I should be, she decided that making my life hell was the next best thing. She also had affairs in our house and left me clues so that I’d know. I had her sign a prenup, and that pissed her off too.”

“I’m not signing one. I don’t want your money.” He laughed. He told her that he’d been thinking that’s what she would say. “You can keep your money. I’m going to work until I can’t anymore.”

“Good for you. I have to work as well, or I’ll go crazy. I think that having a job right now is keeping me from tossing you onto the bed and having my way with you.” He reached up and closed her mouth. “I know what you mean by being shocked. This is the first time that I’ve thought of you sexually since I fell in love with you.”

“I’m not having sex with you.” He asked her why not. “Because we don’t love one another. At least I don’t love you.”

“Fair enough. I understand that.” She leaned back on the bed, and he could see her fatigue. He didn’t know what happened when she was in physical therapy, but he’d bet that, like when he exercised in his basement, her muscles seemed to be tighter and in more pain. He watched her until her eyes finally closed.

~*~

Waking up in her cold room, she pulled the blanket up and over her shoulders. It was strange not having a cast on her arm, but she loved it. Now that she could move her arms around, she felt like an entirely new woman. It was her leg that was giving her fits now, and she couldn’t wait for the problems with that to be over. Sitting up higher in the bed, she waited for her breakfast to be given to her.

“Bastain Smith left a message for you.” She was given a folded-up sheet of paper and laid it on her tray. “He also told us that he’d be back tonight and that he’d be bringing you food. I guess you didn’t get to eat any of the things that he brought you last night.” She said that she’d not known that he’d brought anything. “Yes. He left a chess set here as well. I didn’t know if you played or not, but he said that he’d be back.”

“Thank you.” After the nurse left, she read the note. It said the same thing that the nurse had told her, other than the fact that he said he’d call her around noon—they’d replaced her phone to find out what sort of meal she’d like to have. Not knowing what he wanted, she was going to think about what she wanted in the way of a meal. It had been so long that she’d been in the hospital that she was eating the same thing nearly every day.

She went to physical therapy after lunch. They were showing her how to use crutches so that she could get around by herself. It was stressful to do, remembering which foot to start out on and which to put her weight on. But she thought that she was getting it and was happy for that. As soon as she was back in her room, she took a nap. It made her feel better, and she didn’t have to lie there in pain while waiting for her muscles to calm down. She was just waking up when Bastain called.

“I can pick up anything you like.” She told him so long as it wasn’t hospital food, she was all right with that. “I think I can handle that. Do you like meatball subs?”

“My favorite. Just meatballs and sauce. I don’t want lettuce and tomato on it.” He said that was the way that he loved them, too. “Also, I think I can have a diet cola. That’s what I want to drink more than anything. If you’re sure you don’t mind picking it up for me.”

“Not at all. Do you want fountain or out of a bottle? I can do both.” She told him both. She could refill it then with the bottle. “I think that can be arranged. I’ll bring you in some bottles they can give you while you’re there. Just add some ice, and you’re going to be fine.”

“Thank you. I don’t know what happened to you, but I’m liking this person you’ve become.” He laughed, and she curled her toes. It was as if he was playing with her feet right now, and it felt good. “Try not to piss me off when you get here. I want that sub, and I’m not going to be happy if I have to toss you out again and not get one. Understand?”

“I understand.” He laughed again. “Do you want some fruit for dessert? I can’t bring you ice cream; it’ll melt before you can eat it. Unless you eat it first.”

“I’m not much of a dessert person. Fruit will be perfect. I love it all.” He told her that he’d make sure she had a variety then. “Good. I love all kinds of fruit, so whatever is on sale is going to be good for me. Even if it’s just a bag of apples. I’ll love it.”

“I’m at the market now. Mom is with me and is going to come and see you when I get there. She’s been busy getting your room ready for when you come to stay. She said you’re going to be up and going in no time.” She told Bastain that she hoped so, because she was sick of being in bed. “All right. I’m about finished here. Mom said that she won’t stay long, but I’m not sure why not. She’s been wanting to come and see you for the last couple of days.”

“I’ve been busy with therapy. They said that I’m progressing fine.” Trin thought about what Mark had said to her when he came to visit her today. “I’ve heard from Mark, too. I’ll tell you what he had to say when you get here. Nothing bad. But he’s leaving.”

“I’ll talk to you when I get there.” As soon as he hung up, she decided to see if she could wash herself up. She, of course, couldn’t take a shower, but she could get cleaned up with a pan of soapy water and a washcloth. The staff got her what she needed in no time, and she was even able to put on a fresh gown. There was no better feeling than being clean when you just needed it. As soon as they took away the dirty water and towels, Bastain and his mother walked in.

“I’ve had a bath.” For some reason, she felt embarrassed by saying that. “I want a shower, but I had to take a bath. It felt good.”

After giving her a hug, CarolAnn sat down close to her bed and held her hand. “It’s nice to be clean. I can remember when I was in the hospital, how I just wanted to wash my hair. It’s why I wash it every day now. I don’t like the feeling of not having clean hair. It makes my whole body feel like it’s dirty.” She laughed and shook her head. “Of course, I shower every day. I don’t want to feel like I’m scum when people are around me. I guess that goes from having to wash my husband every day when he was sick. I miss him so much.”

“I bet you do. I miss my mom.” She looked at Bastain to see if he’d say something cruel to her again, but all he did was finish opening the subs. Hers was given to her on a paper plate, and she couldn’t wait to bite down into it. As soon as she did, she moaned. “This is the best food I’ve had in three months.”

She managed to eat about half the sub. She didn’t have to worry about leftovers because Bastain finished hers off. Eating some star fruit with bananas, she felt stuffed. It had been a long time since she felt this full and was glad for it. Hospital food wasn’t as good as things brought in, and she didn’t care who knew that. She must have dozed off because when she opened her eyes, only Bastain was in the room.