Chapter 93: I Completely Understand
After the doctor looked Grandma over, she seemed much more cheerful. She noticed Cathryn came into her room alone. She peeked out the door and said, "Where did Mr. Clarkson go?" Grandma looked disappointed when Cathryn came in. "I never had a chance to thank him for the way he swiftly took care of things. He saved my life!" She was grateful to him for being so good to her.
"Keith's already left for Douglas City. He has a lot of work to do," Cathryn said, trying to hide the disappointment in her voice.
Grandma tried to sit up, and Cathryn went over to help her. Grandma looked a lot better after her surgery. "I can tell you're feeling much better! The color is back in your skin."
"I completely understand. His work is probably behind schedule because of the time he spent here." Grandma nodded in understanding. She looked up at Cathryn. "What have you been doing? You've been here for two weeks. Will that affect your work?" She paused and looked around the room. "Stella told me you were in a movie?"
"Speaking of Stella. Where has she been?" Cathryn asked. Not once in the two weeks since her grandmother's hospitalization had Stella come to visit her Grandma.
"She's been away on a business trip. Stella wanted to come, but her mother told her she would keep her informed," Grandma explained to Cathryn.
"Oh!" Cathryn sounded surprised. "The movie I was in has finished. It was only a small part, and when I go back home, I will continue studying for the teacher's exam." Cathryn yawned and laid back on the bed beside her Grandma.
"Your mother told me that you've been studying. She's really proud of you," she said excitedly.
"The exam is scheduled for the end of June, and it's only April. I have a couple more months to study. I've gone over a lot of material and still have a bit more to read, but I really think I'm ready," Cathryn said reassuringly.
Grandma smiled at Cathryn as she told her about her plans. She never asked Cathryn any questions, she just listened. "I'm so proud of you. You were never one to follow through with your goals, but now it seems..." Grandma hesitated. "Maybe it's because you're pregnant or because of Mr. Clarkson. Maybe it's the combination of both, and that's why you're finally pursuing your dreams."
"Thanks, grandma! I think you're right. I don't only have myself to take care of anymore, but I will soon have a baby." Cathryn hugged her Grandma and kissed her on the cheek.
The time went by fast. It was now the first of May. Two weeks had gone by, and Cathryn hadn't seen Keith. He was busy with business trips, and Cathryn was busy taking care of her Grandma. Cathryn's plans were to return to Douglas City as soon as her Grandma recovered.
"It's such a beautiful day outside. Would it be okay if I took my Grandma out for a walk?" Cathryn asked the nurse. The nurse got a wheelchair, and they went outside. It was Spring. The sun was shining, and the warm breeze was blowing.
"Mr. Clarkson has been busy with work?" Grandma inquired. "I haven't seen him in over two weeks. Should I be concerned?" Grandma had been thinking about it for some time now, but she didn't want to upset Cathryn.
"Yes, he's been working a lot. He's been away traveling for business." Cathryn sighed deeply at the thought. "He told me he has visited at least eight different countries. Every place he visits, he buys me fancy snacks. I'm getting anxious to return home."
"You're funny," Grandma laughed at Cathryn's remark.
When they returned to the room, Cathryn's phone was ringing. She glanced at the screen, and Keith's name was lit up. Her eyes brightened, "Hello," she hastily answered.
"Hello! How are you and your Grandma doing?" Keith asked.
"The doctor said she is doing very well. As long as she keeps taking good care of herself, there is a low risk of her having another heart attack," Cathryn replied. She started to giggle, "So, hmmm. I think I will be home within a week."
There was silence on the other end of the phone. After several seconds went by, Keith said, "Really?"
"Yes, really!" Cathryn wasn't expecting Keith to be so excited. Her heart swelled with hope and happiness, "Is it okay? Do you want me to come home?"
"I can't believe you're asking me such a question. Of course, it's okay!" Keith was overjoyed, but he wasn't sure how to express his excitement to Cathryn. He thought, 'I haven't seen Cathryn in two weeks. I am more than missing her. I can't get her out of my mind. I think about her day and night. I wish I could tell her how I really feel.'
Cathryn smiled, her heart was aflutter as she thought about seeing Keith. "Grandma said to tell you hello."
The whole time Cathryn was talking to Keith, Grandma was nudging Cathryn's arm, "Don't forget to tell him," Grandma said over and over again.
"Tell her I said hi, and I'm glad she's feeling better. Now let me know the exact day when you will be coming home because I will be the one who picks you up." Keith tried to keep his voice calm. "I'm going to call Jeremy in advance and let him know we'll be able to go horseback riding at our place."
'Our place,' Cathryn thought. The words kept replaying over and over in her head. Her heart swelled with happiness.
"You haven't gone yet? It's been a month since the masquerade party. You must have been really busy?" Cathryn sounded surprised but was also somewhat relieved, knowing Keith hadn't gone without her.
"It's very quiet in the house without you," Keith lowered his voice.
Cathryn chewed her lower lip and looked around anxiously. Her heart began to race, "I guess you can have any fun without me?"
"No, I can't," Keith chuckled softly.
Neither one of them would say they missed the other, but their conversations seemed to become more intimate each time they talked. It never lasted, and it always ended in awkward silence.
Keith broke the silence and said, "I forgot to tell you. The money you won from playing poker, I opened an account and put it in there for you."
The last time Keith visited Cathryn, he asked her for her social security number. This was so he could open a bank account for her. With everything going on with her Grandma, Cathryn never questioned him why.
"You didn't have to do that. Thank you, but half of the money is yours," Cathryn told Keith.
"No, the money was won by your hand, not mine. Aren't you going to ask me how much you won?" Keith asked.
Cathryn figured it was three or four hundred thousand dollars. She didn't tell Keith, but when she returned to Flower Island, she was going to withdraw a majority of it and give it back to him. "Umm....three or four," Cathryn never had a chance to finish her sentence before Keith interrupted her.
"Not even close. Five million dollars!" he casually answered.
"What are you talking about? How could there be so much?" Cathryn asked in a choked voice.