He blamed himself for it!...
He stood by the hallway and waited impatiently feeling out of place.
Everyone deserved to be with her at this point except for him. He was a monster and deserved to be cast away from the earth's surface. But he still stood there with a little hope that she might still accept him.
Jason sighed for the umpteenth time since he got a heads up from one of the maids about Sophia's situation.
He left everything to his uttermost surprise and drove recklessly to the hospital and was told to wait in the lobby because she was in the ICU.
His mother came sooner and gushed over how dangerous home accidents were and talked endlessly of the worst-case scenarios, causing Jason to almost snap at her.
It wasn't what he wanted to hear at that point, negativism. His mother sat behind him looking collected and calm but he could see the turmoil she was passing through and not really because Sophia was inside there but because her son was not himself at all.
She never guessed Jason would call her up for support, but she was glad he did, at least he still needed her.
But she was concerned because, for the past one hour, Jason stood and paced about in fear. Most annoying was the constant sigh he would let out whenever he looked at the door far down from where they sat.
She didn't hate Sophia but she didn't want her son wrapped around the fingers of a woman. She tried calming him down but no! It only riled him up. And that was the first time Olivia heard Jason address Sophia as his wife.
It sounded so foreign to her that for a second she looked at him confused until she truly got the reality that her son was married and that was her daughter-in-law in there struggling for her life.
After what seemed like forever. The door opened to reveal a doctor and behind was doctor Stanley who looked pale and sad.
Jason bolted for the two doctors and Olivia didn't waste time to follow.
Stan recognized Jason immediately.
He frowned the more glaring at Jason.
"I'm doctor Emmanuel Almon, is the patient your family member?."
"She's my wife" Jason interjected, surprising everyone both himself.
"Oh," doctor Emmanuel said looking flustered. "Doctor Stan didn't tell me that" he confessed while pulling at his surgical robe.
Jason and Stan were in a silent stare down for a minute before they were interrupted.
"So doctor how is she?" Olivia asked sincerely.
"Good... Good, we managed to fix back her shifted bones and the cut wasn't deep. I would only say that her chances of walking are now slimmer than before. She should never make use of her legs for at least a year an half. Then we can try physiotherapy again" he warned.
"Yes doctor, sure we will" Olivia added when she saw how conflicted her son was.
"Alright and please make sure someone is always with her at every time of the day, she could have hit her head or worst case."
"Sure we will, thank you, doctor."
The doctor walked away but Stan stood there wanting to say something harsh to Jason.
"Why do you suddenly care?" He asked. When Olivia left to complete the payments.
Jason looked up from his thoughts. He didn't want to reply Stan. He knew Stan would never understand him. Because he didn't live his kind of life. But this wasn't about him today.
"Can we go someplace and talk? I, I… Please?” Jason hardly begged. He preferred to carry his pride meticulously but in this matter, his pride could go to hell.
***
"I don't know if you'll ever believe me, or if you'll ever understand why I did the things I did. But I wanted to be here for her because I was the reason all of this started and I want to make it right... All of it" Jason started.
"But I don't know how to make it right because it seems I always end up messing up and ruining my chances. But am trying and I need you to help me... Help me get her better. To walk again even if it takes my fortune to do so I don't mind, I'll be grateful all my life" he stopped to catch his breath knowing that Stanley was scrutinizing him. Stanley didn't trust Jason at all and Jason understood why, perhaps.
"I wouldn't want to see her fall into depression again because of me, I can't take it. She's such a nice girl. it baffled me at first. It scared me because I had a different perception of women. But Sophia is different and calm, even though one could see the pain in her eyes." Jason sighed and ran out of words to explain what he felt.
Stan stood for a breath of fresh air. He didn't like the sudden change of heart Jason was getting. For all he cared, Jason didn't deserve Sophia at all. Not even her least pity. He wished so much for a while that she would see how aimless their marriage was and ask for a divorce. Stan wanted to tell her, but he refrained, knowing it wasn't in his place to do so.
He cared so much about her that he always felt at peace with Sophia. And rued ever letting Maureen marry her off to Jason. Before then, Stanley felt Sophia wasn't the type of woman to settle down with. She was too reserved and didn't like voicing out her opinion even when she knew she was right.
He thought her timid then. He wanted someone agile and intimidating, especially because his mother wasn't which led to her early demise.
But once he got to know Sophia more... Everything changed and he found himself drawn to her. He found himself wanting a woman like her instead of his previous qualities.
"There is no second chance at making a first impression. Do you suddenly want to help her?! Do you want to save her from depression?... Then what?!!" He faced Jason.
"Do you think you deserve her?... I cannot begin to count on different occasions you hurt her knowingly or not. In as much as she doesn't say so, she's hurting and the day she stops caring about you, just know she has written you off her life..." He paused for a while.
"Just pray she hasn't written you off too" he muttered and walked off without a second glance at Jason.
He finally entered her room and saw how pale she looked sleeping with the help of an inducer. Still, her face writhed in pain. If only he could help alleviate much of it.
He was scared to come any closer, afraid she might suddenly awake and throw him out for disturbing her personal space.
"Dear come on in, she's still asleep though," Olivia said gesturing with her hands.
At that particular time was when Maureen barged in looking anxious and sad. Every attention turned to her at how dramatic she became.
Jason eyed her suspiciously, he'd never liked that woman. The aura she possessed always reminded him of the kind of cunning and manipulative girls he always met at the nightclubs. He didn't like Maureen at all, but she wasn't his problem Stan was.
Maureen immediately ran towards Stan who was checking Sophia's vitals and leaned on his shoulder faking a sob.
The awkward act didn't go unnoticed by Jason and his mother, Olivia frowned in distaste from where she sat, and Jason knew he was on the same page with his mother.
"Stan, what happened this time? I thought she was getting better? I thought one of these days she would walk, but what am I hearing?..." She cried still leaning on Stanley who looked so uncomfortable and ashamed that Maureen had brought her silliness outside.
He pushed her off of him gently. "Home accident, she slipped and fell and no one was there for her" he spat eyeing Jason.
"Oh God, what were those lousy maids doing then?! Do they want to kill my daughter for me eh? To think I went shopping to buy some nice clothes to celebrate her recovery now t_"
"Uh, Maureen!" Olivia called.
"We all understand your cry of hurt but she still needs the quiet peace to recover and babbling all over what’s done isn't going to help at all" she spoke brusquely.
Maureen finally noticed her in-laws and bit her lower lip. She fished out a handkerchief from her expensive handbag to wipe her crocodile tears.
"Mrs. Bestman for a minute I didn't see you and your son there" she lied, deciding not to make much ado about anything.
"Oh, poor Jason how are you holding up?" She drew closer wiping her tears, Jason only stared up at her for a second before returning them to his sleeping wife. He wouldn't waste an ounce of his energy on people that didn't matter.
"He's doing alright as you can see. why are you just coming now? I mean we've been here for an hour or more but you were nowhere to be seen."
"Nobody told me about anything. I had to call Stan and he told me the bad news. how could I have known that my daughter was in danger_"
"Stepdaughter!!" Jason interjected bitterly, his nerve almost popping.
The two women turned to him with shock in their eyes.
He hissed and took off from his seat, he needed fresh air.
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