Chapter 33 Nyah
NYAH
Iwoke up with a dull heaviness in my chest and the faint rhythm of a heartbeat that didn’t quite feel like mine yet. Caleb’s head was resting on my hand, his fingers curled around my wrist. The sight made my throat tighten before I could even speak.
Dr. Sloan walked into the room. “Hey, sleepyhead. How are you feeling?”
Caleb startled awake immediately, lifting his head and blinking as if he had been pulled out of a nightmare.
Through the oxygen mask, my mouth felt dry and useless, but I managed to mutter, “Parched,” my voice barely more than a rasp.
Dr. Sloan adjusted my bed upright while Caleb rushed to get me water. I drank the entire glass in one go, the coolness soothing my throat.
“You’re a real fighter, you know that?” Dr. Sloan said as he checked my pulse.
I smiled weakly.
“I’ll come back and check up on you later,” he added lightly. “Don’t you go anywhere.”
When he left, Caleb sat down beside me again. His eyes moved over my face. “You sure have a lot of fans.”
I followed his gaze around the room—flowers everywhere, get-well balloons, cards stacked on every surface. My chest warmed at the thought of all those people.
“I wish the employees loved me as much as they love you. They haven’t stopped coming by to check up on you,” Caleb said with a smile. “Dr. Sloan has checked up on you a lot, before and after his shift.”
I smiled as he gently put the oxygen mask back on my face. Then his expression changed. His smile faded, and he looked down at the floor.
“Nyah,” he said, his voice wavering as he shut his eyes, “I thought I had almost lost you.”
The pain in his voice cut straight through me. I wanted to lift my arms, to hold him, to tell him that I had heard him even when I couldn’t respond, that he was the one who had brought me back.
I closed my eyes and remembered leaving my body while the doctors worked to revive me, watching from above as machines kept me alive and the defibrillator jolted my chest. I felt detached, weightless, until a warm light drew me forward into a vast meadow where I felt free for the first time in years.
A voice had called me by my old name—Jiya—and told me it wasn’t my time, that there was still more life waiting for me.
I didn’t want to leave.
Then images slammed into me—Caleb’s face, Lucas’s laughter, blood, gunshots, a red house with a blue door, a man whose face I could never forget. A little girl. A funeral. Then, impossibly, a wedding.
I had heard Caleb’s voice, breaking as he begged. “Come back to me, Nyah. Please come back.” That was what had pulled me away from the meadow and back into my body. Even though I had lost that sense of freedom, I was still alive—and I had chosen to be.
I opened my eyes and saw Caleb. I wanted him to know how deeply that mattered to me, how deeply he mattered, but my body wouldn’t cooperate.
Elle, Donna, and Randall walked in.
“You’re awake!” the girls screamed, rushing toward the bed.
Randall kissed my forehead and smiled warmly. “Good to have you back, my child. We were all worried about you.”
I smiled back, overwhelmed by the love in the room.
Randall turned to Caleb. “Why don’t you go home, shower and change, and then come back? I’ll drop you off.”
I nodded at Caleb, even though every part of me wanted him to stay. “The girls will keep me company. Don’t worry.”
He glanced around the room uneasily before taking a few hesitant steps toward the door.
After he left with his father, Donna and Elle filled the space with chatter.
Donna apologized over and over, while Elle questioned me about why I hadn’t said anything about my condition.
I felt guilt settle in my stomach, the old habit of protecting everyone else at my own expense.
The nurse interrupted us. “It’s time for your shower, Ms. Rodriguez.”
The girls hugged me and left, promising they would be back that evening.
The nurse helped me to the bathroom, and I asked her to wait outside. I wanted a moment alone, even if I wasn’t strong enough for much else.
When I undressed, I saw the stitches for the first time.
The scar was five inches long, right in the center of my chest. It would be there forever, a permanent reminder of what I had gone through on my birthday.
It was sore and painful to the touch, so I moved carefully while bathing.
As I brushed my hair, a wave of weakness hit me, and I had to steady myself against the sink.
I slid into a new robe and called out for the nurse.
No one answered.
A dizzy spell rolled through me, sudden and terrifying. I shouldn’t have asked her to stay outside. Now I will probably fall, hit my head, and be here even longer.
There was a knock on the door.
I tried to walk toward it, but my feet felt like they were stuck in concrete.
Seconds later, the door flew open, and Dr. Sloan rushed in. His salt-and-pepper hair and grey eyes made him look classy and attractive even in a moment of irritation. “Nyah, are you okay? I saw the nurse at the desk, and I couldn’t believe she left you here alone.”
I nodded as he helped me lean on him and guided me back to the bed, my body grateful for the support.
Caleb walked in just then, and the tension in the room was almost tangible. “Is everything okay?” he asked, his voice tight.
“Yes,” Dr. Sloan said, nodding. “She’s just weak, and the nurse left her alone while she had a shower. Excuse me,” he added, his tone carrying a quiet anger. “I’ll come back later.”
Caleb helped me lie down and then sat beside me. He looked exhausted, with dark circles under his eyes, his shoulders heavy with worry. I wanted to reach for his face, to smooth away the strain I saw there, but lifting my hands felt like too much.
“You’ve been here the whole time,” I said softly. “Why don’t you take a break, sleep, and come back tomorrow? I’ll be fine.”
“I saw how fine you were when I left for only an hour,” he replied, adjusting the pillow behind my head. “So, no thanks, I’m staying right here.”
I tried to convince him, but he wouldn’t budge. I asked about Lucas, the worry for my son pressing in again. “Is he alright? Is he still scared?”
“He’s fine,” Caleb reassured me. “He’s a strong little boy. I told him that you fainted and the doctors were taking care of you.”
Relief washed over me, and I thanked him silently and aloud. I was discharged two days later, and Dr. Sloan told me that an anonymous donor had paid my bill and the bills for a few other patients as well. I silently blessed whomever that kind stranger was, my heart full of gratitude.
On the drive from the hospital to my apartment, my thoughts wandered.
I worried about Jeremy being in the city and whether the stress from the fight with Caleb and the news of Jeremy’s presence had pushed my heart too far.
I had also been working out extra hard with Tyrone.
According to Elle, Caleb had been at the hospital the entire time.
Could Jeremy have snuck in if he had known I was there? The question left me uneasy.
“We’re here,” Caleb said, pulling me out of my thoughts.
I walked into my apartment and saw the same crowd that had gathered on my birthday. This time, there was no chorus of “Surprise,” just a sign that read, “Welcome home!”
Hugs, kisses, and love surrounded me. The best one came from Lucas.
“Oreo and I missed you, Mama. I’m so glad you’re better. Please don’t ever do that again.”
I kissed him and promised I wouldn’t, even though I knew some things were beyond promises. Oreo wagged his tail and licked my face while I scratched him. I cut my birthday cake, mingled for a bit, and then the medication took effect, making my eyelids heavy.
Elle noticed and led me to the bedroom. “Just sleep. I’ll take care of everything. I’ll stay with Lucas and you for a couple of days. What do you think?”
Her kindness made my chest ache, but I couldn’t burden her. “No, Elle. It’s fine. I’ll be okay. Don’t worry. It’s just the medicine.”
Caleb came in a few minutes later. “If you think you are going to be left alone with Lucas in the apartment, you’ve got another thing coming,” he said in a firm voice, tucking me in carefully. “When you wake up, you and Lucas will be staying with me for a week. Is that clear?”
His military-style order startled me for a second, but his kiss on my forehead softened it. “Rest for now,” he said gently. “I’ll be right here.”
A couple of hours of snoozing energized me. Everyone had left except for Caleb. With Lucas and my bags packed, I realized I was secretly happy not to be staying at my apartment. In my weakened state, I wouldn’t have been able to defend myself against Jeremy or protect Lucas.
“Would you like to open your gifts now?” Caleb asked.
I nodded.
I received a Dior watch from Simon and Sandra, a necklace and earring set from Bruce and Sophia, and a $500 gift voucher from Catherine and Connor.
Donna and Elle gave me a new blouse, blazer, and makeup.
Patty gave me the Puffin in Bloom book collection for my little library.
Lucas handed me a card he had made himself and two of my favourite chocolates, Toblerone and KitKat.
Then I saw a small blue box with a white ribbon and the words Tiffany & Co. printed on it.
“Open it, Mama! It’s from Caleb!” Lucas yelled excitedly.
I swallowed hard, my heart picking up speed. I hoped it wasn’t what I thought it was.
I opened the box.
Inside was a white gold ring with diamonds forming an infinity symbol.
“Um…” I looked at Caleb. “I’m sorry, I can’t accept this.”
“It’s not what you think it is,” he said quickly.
“Whatever it is, I can’t accept it,” I replied, shaking my head as I closed the box. “You’ve already given me too many expensive things. I can’t accept anymore. I won’t. I’m sorry.”
I wasn’t used to receiving so much, even when I had been with Harper. I needed to be clear with Caleb.
We hadn’t even officially started going out. Had we?
I didn’t know where I stood with him.
“It’s a promise ring,” he said firmly. “To let you know that I will always be there for you. That’s all. It wasn’t expensive, and it’s a gift. I won’t take it back.”
“Mama,” Lucas said seriously. “It’s a gift. You told me you can’t say no when someone gives you a gift, whether big or small. You just have to say thank you.”
I almost laughed. Smacked down by a six-year-old. I looked at Caleb, who was smiling widely. “I’m sorry,” I said hesitantly. “Thank you very much.”
Before he could win completely, I made him promise not to buy me anything that expensive again. He agreed, though I wasn’t convinced. I wore the ring on the fourth finger of my right hand, its weight both comforting and frightening.
After I freshened up, Taylor came upstairs to help with the bags. He expressed his concern, and when I hugged and thanked him, his face turned red.
At Caleb’s penthouse, Lucas was in awe the moment he stepped out of the elevator. After meeting Martina, I asked her and Taylor to join us for dinner, which was a first for them. They waited for Caleb’s nod of approval, and we shared a delicious meal together.
When Lucas fell asleep, I went downstairs to get water for my medication and said good night to Martina and Taylor. I couldn’t find Caleb, so I went upstairs to his room and knocked.
There was no answer, so I opened the door.
He had just come out of the shower, wearing only a towel around his waist. “Hey, sorry, I didn’t hear you. Do you need anything?”
His toned body made me blush instantly. I looked down and bit my lip. “I just wanted to say good night and thank you. Thanks again for letting Lucas and me stay here.”
I was trembling like a love-struck teenager and silently scolded myself to grow up.
He placed his hands on my shoulders, his voice low and husky. “I wouldn’t have had it any other way. I told you I would keep you safe, and that’s exactly what I plan to do.”
As much as I wanted to touch him, as much as I yearned for it, I couldn’t bring myself to start something I wasn’t sure I could finish. “I’m a bit tired,” I lied. “Still got some recuperation to do, I guess.”
“Give me a sec.” He walked into the walk-in closet and closed the door. When he came back out, he wore sweatpants.
He walked me back to my room and tucked me in beside Lucas, pulling the blanket gently up to my shoulders. The water droplets still clinging to his shoulders caught the light, and the sight of them made my skin heat despite myself. Then he stepped back quietly, as if careful not to wake Lucas.
“Good night,” he said, kissing my cheek. “We have a lot to talk about, but it can wait.”
I nodded, knowing that the almost-kiss before my birthday still lingered between us, that feelings needed to be shared and pasts needed to be disclosed.