Chapter 11
eleven
For the first time in my life, I wasn’t sure if I was doing the right thing. ~ from the journal of Prince Gabriel
GAbrIEL
Gabriel, using a sort of ‘back door’ into the hospital to keep his presence there unnoticed, walked calmly through the halls, despite feeling the exact opposite, his security close behind.
It had barely been thirty minutes since Corrado had informed him of the accident, and his heart had not stopped pounding since.
The news had only stated that one of three people had died and another was on life support in an accident involving two prominent young women, but they had not released names.
He’d asked his security to look into the incident, but he had not received an update yet so he headed to the hospital anyway to see if Genevieve had been the one injured.
It was risky, he knew it. Even as his worry for Genevieve clouded his judgement, he knew being seen was a risk. But he had to know. He’d deal with the fallout if he were recognized.
The hospital administrator who had met them as they arrived had confirmed Genevieve was hurt but not as seriously as Miss Kaur, and was now leading them towards the intensive care unit.
The administrator stopped in front of two swinging doors. “The waiting room for family members is just inside to the left. Per your request, we’ll see about moving Miss Kaur if the doctor allows it.”
“Thank you.” Gabriel pushed the door marked “IN”.
A slight gust of air brushed against his face as he stepped through and he took in the area around him.
A large circular nurses station was up ahead, patient rooms just beyond.
Washrooms to the right, and the waiting room to the left.
He peeked inside first and his heart jumped, then dropped.
She was there. She was safe.
He put a hand over his heart as he repeated those words to himself.
Yet, she was also alone. He could see the Kaurs with what must be their extended family taking up the majority of the room. But Genevieve had no family. She was sitting in a corner, bandages on her hands and smaller ones on her face, her hands holding two purses tightly.
She looked so sad and alone.
He took a deep breath, pasting on his ‘formal face’, and stepped inside, timing it when families of other people were distracted by the television in the room.
Mr. Kaur noticed him first and stood. “Your—”
He shook his head. “Please, no formalities here. I don’t want my presence to distract. I heard about the accident and wanted to come by and offer my personal support. How is she?”
“Thank you, Your…Thank you. She’s come out of surgery but they still don’t know. They don’t know.”
Mrs. Kaur started crying again.
“I’m very sorry. I’ve asked the hospital to check with the doctor if she might be moved to the Royal Wing, where you might have some more privacy.”
Mr. Kaur pressed his lips together and nodded, emotion heavy in his eyes. “Thank you.”
“Please let me know if I can do anything else to assist you. I’m going to check on Miss Ruffin as well.”
He walked slowly to Genevieve but she didn’t notice until he sat down next to her.
She blinked a few times, frowning. “Are you really here or am I seeing things again?”
He glanced around, then reached for her hand and kissed it. “I’m here, my dear. How are you?”
She must have been dazed because she didn’t pull her hand away. “Okay?”
“What did the doctor say?”
“I didn’t really ask to see one. They put bandages on me but that was it.”
“What? Why not?”
She turned her head away, and he came to a quick conclusion.
“Your mother?”
Her voice grew even quieter. “We don’t have the money to deal with hospital bills.”
For fuck’s sake. When he became king, he was going to implement fully covered healthcare for everyone, even if that was the last thing he did. “Come with me.”
He started to rise, tugging her with him, but she pulled back, shaking her head. “Sam…I need to stay.”
“She’s only just come out of surgery. They won’t know anything yet, but we need to check if you’re okay, my love.”
The endearment had just slipped out but he’d meant it. That she didn’t react to that either told him something was wrong with her. “Let’s go.”
He paused by the Kaurs before stepping out. “It seems Miss Ruffin wasn’t properly seen by a doctor. I’m going to arrange it now. My chief of staff, Corrado, is here; don’t hesitate to let him know if you need anything before I return.”
Mrs. Kaur stood and went to Genevieve. “Of course. Genevieve, are you not well? Why didn’t you say? After everything you did for our Samira…” She started crying again and Mr. Kaur gently led her back to a seat.
The administrator was still nearby so he arranged for a private room and a doctor to exam Genevieve. The doctor confirmed x-rays would be needed and Gabriel stayed by her side throughout.
Though the doctor gave her a clean bill of health internally, he believed she was in some shock and had minor injuries externally. They would need to keep watch over the next few days in case delayed injuries made themselves known.
After the doctor left and they were alone in the room, Gabriel sat beside her and put an arm around her. She didn’t fight him, and simply put her tender head against his shoulder.
“You’ll be all right, my dear.”
“Will I? If Sam doesn’t make it…”
He gently brushed a hand over her hair, then rubbed soft circles on her back.
He’d never faced a situation like this, never stayed worried in the hospital while his loved one was on the brink of survival.
His grandparents had passed when he was younger at different times, but it had not been like this.
His father had gone to the hospital, then arranged state funerals.
He’d been almost a bystander to grief. Oh, he’d loved his grandparents, but they’d not really been part of his life.
“Your Highness.”
Gabriel looked up as Corrado entered. He knew by the look on his face what was coming.
Gabriel turned more towards Genevieve and cupped her face, tilting it up to meet his. “My dear…”
“What?” she whispered, then caught sight of Corrado. She sprang off the bed, Gabriel keeping a hand on her back to steady her. “Is it Sam? Is she awake?”
Corrado glanced at Gabriel, who nodded. Corrado nodded once and began. “I’m very sorry, Miss Ruffin, but Miss Kaur passed away.”
She stood completely still, bruised and exhausted, clutching the two purses so tightly her fingers paled. It was as if she were frozen…perhaps frozen in a nightmare.
“My dear…”
She started shaking her head. “No. No, it’s not true. She wouldn’t leave me. I told her not to leave me.”
Gabriel gestured to the door, and Corrado handed him a piece of paper; Gabriel glanced at it, seeing a preliminary report of the driver, and folded it away in his pocket.
After Corrado left, Gabriel focused on Genevieve again. “Genevieve.”
She was pacing now, clutching those purses even tighter. He could see her knuckles turning white with the force of it, her fingers digging into the leather and suede.
“She wouldn’t leave me. She promised! She can’t leave me. I’ll be all alone. I don’t want to be alone.”
His heart broke for her. He reached out and his fingers had barely grazed her arm when she whirled on him. “This is all your fault.”
He kept his expression neutral. He knew she was lashing out and he knew it wasn’t true.
She poked one finger in his chest. “It’s. All. Your. Fault. We were only out tonight because of you. Because you’re so…infuriating and we had to talk about it!” She clutched her hair for a moment then let go.
He didn’t mind her trying to hurt him, but he did mind her hurting herself.
He grasped both of her wrists and brought them to his chest, and the slim purses made a soft thwack as they hit his shirt.
She looked up at him, her eyes wet with anger and frustration and sadness and pain. He wasn’t sure what the right thing to say was. He was a prince trained to know what to do, but he didn’t, not in this situation. So he decided to lead with his heart. “She loved you very much.”
Her lips pursed into a frown, the kind you have when you’re trying not to cry. “No. She’s not gone. She’s not gone!”
“Shall we go see her parents? Give them our condolences? Or should we wait? You know them best. What should we do for them?”
Several expressions crossed her face before eventually her body slumped, as if all the fight she had left her. “I-I don’t know. It’s my fault. They probably don’t want to see me.”
He let go of her wrists and hugged her, tucking her head under his chin. “It’s not your fault, my dear.”
Her hands were still against his chest, clutching the purses. “It is. They probably hate me.”
He couldn’t let her think that. Maybe they would be upset with her, but given how they’d reacted to her in the waiting room, he didn’t think so. “I’ll be with you the whole time. I won’t leave you.”
She shook her head against his chest. “That’s not true. Everybody leaves me.”
He hugged her tighter and pressed a soft kiss to her hair. “I won’t. Now come, my dear.”
He let go of her and started towards the door, giving her some space. He held out his hand and waited and, after several moments, she placed her hand in his. Corrado was still outside the door and he led them back to the waiting room.
Genevieve paused outside the door, looking through the glass window in the door to peek inside. He could see the Kaurs inside from his viewpoint, crying inconsolably.
Genevieve shook her head over and over again. “I can’t, I can’t I can’t.”
He cupped her face again, forcing her to pause and look into his eyes. “You can. And I’ll be right here when you do.”
She pursed her lips, then licked them and took a deep breath. Gabriel opened the door for her and she stepped inside. Then she burst into tears.
“I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry!”
The Kaurs didn’t stop crying, they only enfolded her into their hug.