I flinched when I saw Ned who was silently sitting beside the bed, and was staring at us while we slept. He must have put us to bed, and covered us after we fell asleep. I placed my finger on my lips to shush him and beckoned for him to come outside my bedroom. We went outside the bedroom, in the hallway, and closed the door behind us. Amelia finally slept and I didn’t want to wake her up.
Ned held my gaze, “Feel better?”
I nodded, “I needed that rest, I felt like my head was about to explode.”
He tucked my hair behind my ear, and cupped my face with his soft hands, “You need not to worry about tomorrow. Let me help you take care of your siblings.”
I shook my head, “I can’t let you. You already did enough for us, and I thank you for that, Ned.”
“Celia, I’m trying to make you understand…” He trailed off, and pulled his hands off with annoyance. He looked hurt, and confused.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“I care about you and there’s no day that I don’t think about you,” Ned said, “I just want you to be happy.”
I crossed my hands over my chest, and looked away, “Ned…”
“Celia,” he called.
“I’m just confused.” I said, “I’m sorry, I need to go.” I got in my bedroom and closed the door behind me. I stood there staring at Amelia snoring and thought about Kent. What was he doing, and why didn’t he call me yet?
We were supposed to meet, but he never bothered to call and check on me. I didn’t know what to do, and what should I tell Ned about us. Should I just tell him the truth? Or give him a chance? I felt like my heart was pulled with two strings. One string was the passionate love with Kent, and the other was a caring, sweet love. I felt so hurt, and confused. Part of me wanted Ned, but refused the new relationship. Maybe I was scared to get hurt again. Or scared to start over again.
Chapter Nineteen
I woke up that morning with a headache, and looked on my bed to find that Amelia wasn’t on there anymore. I uncovered myself and got up on my feet. I walked down stairs, smelled the aroma of a cooked meal, and headed to the dining room to find Adam, Amelia, and Ned, sitting around the dining table, eating breakfast. I was surprised that Ned took the time to cook us breakfast.
“You cooked this?” I asked.
“Err, yeah. I did,” he replied and chewed his food.
I went to the table, and sat on a chair beside Ned, “I…you didn’t have to.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Ned said.
I looked down at his hands over the table as he moved his hand, and placed it over mine. I smiled at him as a thank you. I saw Amelia and Adam eat with an appetite, like what happened yesterday hadn’t effected them. Maybe Ned being around them made them feel safe, and secure. He had that charm after all.
He took my phone from his pocket, and gave it to me. “Your father tried to call you.”
I took it, and checked the missed calls from Dad. There were even miss calls from Jane. I dialed Dad’s number and when he picked up I asked, “How’s Mom?”
He signed, “She’s stable. How are you and the kids?”
“They’re fine. Eating breakfast,” I answered, “Ned stayed the night with us to make sure we’re okay.”
“Ned?” He repeated.
“Yeah.”
“Well, thank him for me,” he said, “Honey, I need you to come in later. I haven’t slept all night.”
“Okay,”
“I love you,” he stated.
“Love you too.”
And he hung up.
I placed the phone on the table and said, “He thanks you for what you did.”
“No problem.”
“And we have to go to the hospital,” I announced.
“Yeah, I can take you there,” he suggested, “Do you want me to stay with your siblings?”
I shook my head, while I looked down at the table, “I need them with me. I can’t do it alone.”
“I understand.”
****************************************
We arrived at the hospital and went to the private room, where my mom slept as a baby on the hospital bed. They must have drugged her to calm her down, and she didn’t move even a bit. The window curtains were open and let the sunlight in the room. My siblings were behind me, staring at her, maybe thinking that we would lose her. Ned rested his hands over their shoulders, between them. I walked closer to her bed, and called, “Mom?”
I heard rapid footsteps and saw Dad appear at the doorway, with empty emotionless eyes. We exchanged looks for a minute, and he said, “She’s has been like this since yesterday.”
I took her hand that rested on the bed, and held it in mine. I brushed her hair away from her forehead, and looked at her resting face. She looked so peaceful on the bed, like a mummy. Silent as the dead. Then I started worrying if admitting her to the hospital was a good idea.
I swallowed, “What happens now?”
“They will monitor her, and check for improvements,” Dad explained, “I called her doctor, and he suggested something else.” His face fell.
I had a bad feeling about it, because Dad sounded like he was delivering a bad news, “What is it?” I whispered.
“They want to take her in, Celia. They think her condition could get worse,” he said, and tried not to choke on his words.
I felt my stomach twisting, and turned to look at him, “Never!”
He got
