Page 50 of Words Unspoken

Kelly. Michael opened his eyes and saw a dimpled smile. His tongue hurt.

“Welcome back.”

He closed his eyes. He didn’t want to be back.

“I will go get you some breakfast,” she removed the cuff.

He must have dozed off because Kelly was back with a tray almost instantly. He ran a hand over his face and tried to remember what had happened.

There was the wedding.

Ann. Ann was engaged.

He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. Despair danced in his chest. Maybe they could just put him out of his misery.

“How about I just help you sit up?” Kelly used the foot peddle and the bed obeyed. “I have got the walker here just in case you need to make a trip to the washroom. You are going to be very tired, so you need to call me using the call button if you need to get up. Otherwise, we will be picking you up off the floor.”

He ignored her. Kelly could call him cranky pants all she wanted. He was tired and wanted the world to go away.

She pushed the table over his legs. “You will feel better once you eat something.”

No, he would not. Michael sighed and opened his eyes, dropping his hand. There was no point in arguing with Kelly. He drank the coffee and ate what he could stomach from the breakfast before pushing it away and going back to the sweet oblivion of sleep so that he could forget about Ann and her engagement to George Stapleton.

∞

Max and Piaget were the first to arrive. They brought a ridiculous plant. It was small and fernlike. Michael had no idea what to do with it. He supposed FenLei would look after it.

“You scared us Michael,” Max sat on the chair and Piaget perched on his leg. It seemed to be one of their favorite ways to sit.

Michael waited. He didn’t even know what had happened. The doctor had not been by yet to tell him his prognosis.

“Has anyone told you what happened?” questioned Piaget.

Michael shook his head no.

“You had a seizure,” she explained. “The doctor says you are going to be okay, but you will be on some new medication.”

A seizure. Michael heaved a sigh. No wonder his tongue hurt. He had probably bitten it when he fell.

“Hey, you made our wedding the talk of the season,” Max tried to lighten the mood.

Michael sent them a look of apology.

Piaget gave her husband a look of exasperation. She leaned over and gave Michael’s hand a squeeze. “We are just glad you are okay.”

Weren’t they supposed to be on a honeymoon? Michael mimed an airplane with his hands.

“That is what trip cancellation insurance is for. We will go later,” Max said.

Michael nodded.

Elle and Noah came next with the twins. They set both the boys on the bed and Michael endured their hugs and pats. Thankfully, they did not bring a plant. He wondered if it had been Piaget’s idea.

“Michael, please do me a favor and never do that again,” Elle shuddered.

He could not promise that. He did not remember being on the terrace at all. Elle filled him in on the details. He was sorry that he had upset her.

His mother came. She did not bring a plant. She did however, get the chair from Max and Piaget. They all chatted around him, and Michael let the noise wash over him. He fell asleep again because they were gone when he woke up and Kelly had appeared with lunch.