Chapter 31
— chapter thirty-one
Nelson figured no one liked being in the hospital, but he was pretty sure that no one should be forced to rest in a hospital bed if they could do it just as easily at home.
Looking around the room with its faded blue walls, drab shades, and white Formica tile flooring, he frowned. “This is the kind of room that’s bound to make a person feel worse instead of better, Fanny. I need to get out of here.”
“No, you don’t. You need to stay in bed and let the nurses help you.”
“All the nurses have done is poke and prod me. I hardly got any sleep last night.”
“They also checked your vitals, monitored your concussion, and x-rayed your ribs and wrist. You’ve been given top-of-the-line care, and you should be grateful for it.”
“I am grateful. I just want to go home.”
“As soon as the doctors give you the okay, you’re going to be discharged.” Sitting back down in the plastic chair next to him, she added, “You would know that too, if you’d ever stop fussing and listen to them.”
“I listened.”
“Not very well.” She folded her arms across her chest. “And don’t even try to tell me that you’ve been a good patient. I talked to the nurses before I came in here.”
Nelson would probably be embarrassed about how much he’d fussed . . . if he wasn’t the one sitting in the hospital bed.
“Have you noticed what this place smells like, Fan? It’s like a combination of pine cleaner, bleach, and lavender.”
“It smells clean. You’d appreciate that if you weren’t in such a snit.”
“I’m not. I’ve been in this bed for twelve hours, and it already feels like two days. I can’t take much more.”
“I’ve never known a grown man to whine as much as you are doing, Nelson Harper,” Jenna said from the door.
Feeling like a little kid who got caught sneaking a snack, Nelson gulped. “Jenna. You came!”
“Mr. Arias was kind enough to come get me and bring me here.” She smiled at Hank, who was standing by the door. “And just in time, I think.”
“Thanks for getting her, Hank,” he said.
“Of course.” Hank had replied to Nelson, but he was looking at Fanny.
Actually, it was pretty obvious that he had gone over to retrieve Jenna as a favor for Fanny. The way Hank was staring at Fanny told him everything. Fanny was important to Hank. That was perfectly clear.
Just like Jenna had become so important to Nelson.
“Nelson, you really shouldn’t be giving everyone here such a hard time.
” Jenna had moved to the side of the bed and was straightening the sheet and blanket around his chest—all while lecturing him like he was Katie’s age.
He’d tease her about it if he hadn’t just noticed that her eyes were a little puffy and red. She’d been crying.
She’d been crying about him.
“Why don’t you take my seat, Jenna?” Fanny asked as she stood up and headed to Hank’s side. “I think the rest of our family is about to arrive. I’m going to head them off before they all come in here at once.”
“Mom and Dad are here?” He wasn’t surprised, but he wasn’t ready to have his dad ask him a dozen questions about the accident and the company.
“They’re on their way,” Fanny said. “My parents are heading over here too. But don’t worry, I’ll tell them they need to give you and Jenna some privacy.”
“I owe you. Thanks.”
“You’re welcome, but I wouldn’t count on getting more than a few minutes, boss.”
He would have grinned if his head wasn’t hurting so badly. When he noticed that Hank closed the door after he and Fanny left, Nelson focused on Jenna again.
“Hey,” he whispered.
“Hey.” She reached out and fussed with his blanket again.
She was still worried and stressed. Instead of asking her to relax, he decided to redirect. “How was the rest of your meeting?”
“Oh, you know . . . chaos, but I survived.”
“I knew you would.” He smiled at her.
Jenna licked her bottom lip. “I was surprised when you didn’t call back this morning. I thought you’d forgotten.”
“I didn’t forget.” He was tempted to tell her that she was his priority. That he would never ignore her wishes or forget to give her something she needed—even if it was just a phone call.
“That accident, Nelson! I heard that you are something of a hero.”
“I’m not. The weather was bad. I’m just glad that no one else was hurt.” He frowned. “At least, I’m pretty sure no one else was.”
“No one else was. Only you, Nelson.” Her bottom lip trembled. “When Hank told me what happened, I thought I was going to faint. I was so scared for you.”
“I’m sorry. I guess it brings back a lot of memories, doesn’t it?” He was only just now thinking about how hard it had to have been for Jenna to rush to the hospital again.
“It did bring back memories, but I’m okay.”
“Are you sure?”
“Jah, Nelson. You see, I didn’t lose you.”
Could her words be any sweeter? “I’d give anything to hold you right now.”
“That is going to have to wait. From what I understand, you are pretty banged up and bruised.”
“I’m going to be okay, though.”
“I know.” She still looked troubled, though.
“Jenna, take my hand, would you?” The hand next to her had an IV attached to it, but it wasn’t wrapped in a bandage.
When she gently slipped her hand into his, he immediately was soothed by the feel of her smooth skin next to his.
“Jenna, there’s something I need to tell you. Something about Jimmy’s accident.”
“All right.” Her brown eyes clouded, whether it was from confusion that he’d brought up Jimmy or because she didn’t like thinking about the accident, he didn’t know.
Taking a deep breath, he forged ahead. “Jenna, there’s something I’ve been keeping from you. You see, the day Jimmy died, he . . . he ignored a lot of protocols. He was mad at his supervisor, in a hurry, and refused to get help when the machine jammed.”
She shook her head. “Nee, Nelson. It was the machine.”
“The machine did jam, but it was because of Jimmy’s mistakes.” Before she could protest again, he continued in a rush. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“He’d been written up several times. I kept giving him another chance, though.
I knew that you and Katie were depending on him.
” Hating how hard it was to admit the complete truth, he added, “But after the accident, I thought if I had fired him, he wouldn’t have had that accident.
If I had fired him, he would still be alive. ”
Jenna gaped at him. Her entire body seemed to tighten before she exhaled. “Oh, Nelson.”
“I know it’s a lot to ask, but do you think you could ever forgive me?”
“Nelson, I canna believe you’ve been holding on to this guilt all this time. I wish you hadn’t kept it a secret.”
“I didn’t want to cause you any more pain.”
“Why?”
“You know why,” he whispered. “I meant what I said last night, Jenna. I love you.”
“I meant it too.”
“I know we’ve got a lot to work through, but I figure if we start with love, then everything else will fall into place. I want you to be my wife one day, Jenna.”
When she gasped, he quickly added, “Can you? I know that’s asking a lot. I’m asking you to put a life with me ahead of your traditional way of life. Because of that, I’m willing to wait until you are ready.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m positive. I’ve waited this long. I’ll wait another two years for you if that’s what it takes. All I need to know is that you want to be my wife one day. Whether it’s in a couple of months or not until a couple of years, I don’t care.”
“You can’t mean that,” she whispered.
“I mean every word,” he said. “I don’t want to pressure you, though I guess I am. I . . . well, this car accident made me realize that I need to tell you the words. I need to stop waiting. What do you think?”
When she didn’t say anything right away, he was pretty sure his pulse started racing.
Please, Jenna, he begged silently. We’ve come so far. Don’t give up on us now. He held his breath as he waited for her to speak.
“I think that it’s time I let my heart lead the way instead of everything else. I feel the same way. It’s time to stop waiting and say how I feel. Before it’s too late.”
He smiled at her just as his hospital room door opened and Fanny, Hank, his parents, and his aunt and uncle all poured into the room.