Chapter Nine #2
“It sounds like you have two places you can stay. I’ll discharge you as soon as I leave your room.
If you become dizzy, feel lightheaded, or your blood pressure goes up again, I want you to immediately come back to the hospital and call me on your way here.
Don’t hesitate or act like things are better than they are.
This is a dangerous time for you and any hesitation on your part could lead to dire consequences, Sheridan.
You need to take this seriously. I want your blood pressure taken once an hour at least and the numbers written down so you can see them and if there’s any kind of pattern if it rises and lowers over the day,” Dr. Matthews warns Sheridan and me as I make mental notes of things I have to do and buy before Sheridan gets to the house.
When we let her know we don’t have any questions, Dr. Matthews leaves the room and Mr. Russell enters again. We let him know Sheridan is being discharged as long as she can stay with someone who will be there around the clock for her.
“Mr. Russell, I know Sheridan wants to stay with you and that you’ll do anythin’ she asks, but I feel as if she’d be better off on the compound and in my house than anywhere else.
I can take care of her and if I have to leave for any reason, my parents and Janessa will be there for her.
You can come over any time you want as well.
If you want to stay in my house, you can.
I won’t ever keep you away from your daughter.
I just need her to be with me,” I tell Mr. Russell as he looks at me from across Sheridan’s bed like he’s trying to see through my soul to find the truth of our situation.
“Dad, I can stay with you. It’s not like I don’t have a room at the house and you’ll always be close by,” Sheridan says, turning a pleading look toward her dad in the hopes she’ll agree with him and not me.
“I think it would be better if you stayed with Axel, Sweetheart. I can’t necessarily be with you the way you need someone right now.
The garage is busy as hell and I’ve been here with you.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be than by your side.
But, if you go with Axel to his house, I can work during the day and get caught up again before coming to visit during the evening.
There’s way more people who can be there for you if you’re at Axel’s house than at mine,” Mr. Russell says, his voice soft and gentle as he talks to his daughter and tries to help me out here.
Sheridan looks at her dad as if he’s just betrayed her.
If I weren’t holding a grudge against her, Sheridan wouldn’t be this hesitant about staying with me.
I know she doesn’t need the stress and we will have the conversation that’s been long overdue.
If she’s in my house, it will be easier for us to have the talk we need.
I’ll just have to ensure the doors are locked so no one barges into my house.
Plus, I need to find out what’s going on with her and it will be easier if she’s in my house with me.
“Sheridan, I have a bedroom downstairs that already has a bed in it. I need to get a few things to finish it off for you and I’ll get that taken care of before you come over.
It’s got an attached bathroom with one of those huge tubs you used to talk about all the time.
I can get anythin’ for the room you need like a mini refrigerator to keep water and other drinks in during the day.
There’s a TV in the room already so you’ll have somethin’ to watch when you can’t sleep.
I’ll make sure you're as comfortable as possible and you’ll want for nothin’,” I tell her, needing her to want to stay in the house with me so she’s not agitated or upset with this situation we find ourselves in.
I watch on as Sheridan looks between her dad and me.
Mr. Russell isn’t backing down this time.
I’ve seen this girl give her dad one look and him crumble while giving in to her.
This time, he’s standing firm on his decision that he won’t be able to be with her the way she needs right now.
Finally, Sheridan’s shoulders slump and her head drops in defeat before I get a slight nod of her head.
“I’ll stay with Tease,” she says and excitement and hurt war inside me because Sheridan never calls me Tease. I’ve always been Axel to her no matter how pissed off she is with me.
“Okay. I’m gonna leave now to get things ready for you at the house.
Mr. Russell, if you bring her over in a few hours, I should be ready for her.
We can have dinner together and you can decide if you want to stay at my house with us.
I’ll have a room ready for you as well,” I inform them as I turn to leave the room with the largest smile on my face.
A smile I’m not ready for Sheridan to see because she doesn’t need to know this is exactly what I want and what we need to move forward.
Pulling out my phone as I leave Sheridan’s room, I call my parents to let them know what’s going on.
My mom is out the door before I even think about hanging up to go shopping for everything Sheridan could need.
She does task me with going to get groceries so I let my dad know I’m heading there and will inform Knuckles about what’s going on so Janessa and him can help us out.
While I head for the grocery store, my parents get to work on a few other things.
My dad is already at my house making sure both bedrooms don’t need much of anything for Mr. Russell and Sheridan.
Plus, my mom is calling him with a million questions about the rooms as Janessa and her shop.
I knew she’d pick Janessa up to go with her.
I’ve only got a limited amount of time before Sheridan will be ready to come to my house and so much left to do.