Lovers and Reprisals (Lovers Series) (21 page)

Lucien strolled into the room, with an air of self-confidence.  Before arriving at the hospital, he'd sat silently listening to the transfer report.  The Samaritan Hospital assured Dr. stone that their facility was more than capable to address Ona Zelle's medical care.  He walked into the room, assured with this knowledge.  He said...

"So...today is the day.  Do you need help packing?"

Ona looked at Sahara, then her glance landed on Lucien.

"I came here with the clothes on my back...and those items weren't worth salvaging."

He nodded, then he said...

"I'd like to walk you out...figuratively of course."

Ona smiled, then she said...

"It would be my pleasure."

The next few hours had been a blur because Ona had never spent time in a hospital and she'd never endured the discharge process.  Nevertheless, she did as she was told, and it didn't pass her notice that Lucien, Rachel and Sahara had become her steadfast consorts.  After the procedures had been completed; Rachel stood outside of her room waiting with a wheelchair.

She'd been accompanied by everyone who'd been in her room; and that included Lucien Delors.  When the elevator stopped, the women filed out, going in separate directions.

Rachel and Sahara said....

“Go home and get some rest.”

“Yeah...we’ll see you tomorrow at the Children’s Center.  And don’t worry about anything.  Judd will meet them there tonight, to make sure that the place is ready.”

Ona waved, as she watched them leave.

Lucien said...

“Those two are excited.”

“Yes...I don’t know what I would have done without their help.”

Lucien pushed the wheelchair through the lobby.  One of the doormen approached him, offering his assistance.

“May I offer my help Mr. Delors.”  he spoke with a British accent. 

Lucien replied.

“No thank you Alfred.”

Then it dawned on him to ask...

“Ona...is the Samaritan Hospital sending a medical transport?”

“No.  We’ve never had a need for one.  The ferry has always served our purposes.  But to answer your question...my brothers are waiting outside with a cab. 

“A cab?”  He sounded disappointed. 

When they reached a wall of sliding glass doors, just beyond the entryway fountain, Lucien spotted them.  His brow furrowed when he said...

“Ona...I see three people out there.  I thought you told me that you only had two brothers.”

Now Ona was seeing what Lucien had seen and her stomach churned with annoyance; she hated surprises.  Wearing similar clothes, all three men stood at the rear of the cab in a semi-circle.  They appeared to be engrossed in a conversation, until one of them noticed her approach.

Noah, Caleb and Geff turned, and when they spotted her, they uniformly appeared displeased.  Before the glass doors slid open, Dr. Stone hurried to join them.

She handed Ona a sterling silver pill box.

“You forgot this.  These are your pain meds.  I wasn’t sure if the hospital on your barge stocked the brand or the generic...  You’ve been taking the brand named drugs during your stay.”

Ona politely nodded, even though the remark implied that the Samaritan Hospital was primitive and inferior.  There’d been a lot of that during her stay, and her thankfulness had repelled their choice of words.  However, seeing her brethren caused her to remember who she was, and now Dr. Stone’s gesture seem condescending.

Dr. Stone said...

“I recognize one of those men...but the other two...  Are they your relatives?”

“The one in the middle is my elder brother...and the man standing next to him--he is a member of my Sect.”

Ona didn’t think it necessary to supply his name. 

Dr. Stone said...

“I hope they don’t expect you to ride in the back of that cab.  Not with the injuries you’ve had.  And your leg cast...”

Dr. Stone pointed to her casted leg...

“You’ll need to stretch it out, and keep it elevated.  City Cabs aren’t roomy enough for that.”

They were only a few feet away from the door; just out of the sensors range, and Ona could see the puzzled looks on Geff, and her brother’s faces.

Lucien said...

“Are you sure Angela?  Is this a requirement for a discharge?”

“I thought I made that clear yesterday when we last talked Ona.  I said that you’ll need to keep your casted leg elevated when you’re not walking.  This will be necessary for a few more weeks--I also explained this to your doctors.”  Dr. Stone pointed at the cab, then she said...

“You may not leave this hospital if you plan to ride to the dock in that yellow cab.”

“But...what am I expected to tell my family?  They’re waiting for me.”

“You leave them to me.  I worked too hard for all of my work to be ruined after on ill-advised cab ride.”

Before Ona or Lucien could stop her, Dr. Stone marched towards the glass door.  The doors slid open, then close once she was on the other side.

Ona watched in horror, and she wondered what Caleb would say.  Hands and arms were in motion.  At one point, Geff opened the back of the cab, then he got in, simulating ways in which Ona could ride with them and still be safe.  Then when he failed, each of her brothers took their turn.  This went on for nearly five minutes, but to Ona, it felt like an eternity.  But when Caleb threw up his hands out of frustration, Ona knew that the duel of wits was finally over. 

Caleb walked inside with Dr. Stone, while Geff and Noah remained outside by the cab.

Irritated, her brother said...

“No one told us that we couldn’t take Ona home in a cab.  Why is this the first time that we’re hearing this?”

Dr. Stone said...

“I specifically explained Ona’s condition.  If the information was not clearly communicated, I cannot, nor will I be blamed for the miscommunication.”

Lucien didn’t want this exchange to get any uglier than it already had, so he thought it best to interject his suggestion.

“Will a limo suffice?”

His remark caught them all off guard.

Dr. Stone said...

“What?  A limo?”  She’d geared up to defend herself from false accusations, and now there was talk about a limo.  She looked at Lucien, then she understood his remark.

“Yes...  A limo would be fine.  As long as Ona can stretch out her leg on the seat...a limo will be perfect.”

Caleb glared at Lucien, when he said...

“This has your fingerprints all over it.”

“Caleb!”  Ona was shocked by her brothers overt claims, especially when he didn’t have any proof to back him up.  Lucien sighed heavily, when he said...

“Mr. Zelle I’m just as surprised as you but, we must respect Dr. Stone’s suggestions.  After all...until she leaves this facility, she is still Ona’s doctor.  And as such...we must follow her orders.”

“So that’s it?  She can’t leave unless we get a limo to take her home.  Is that what you’re saying?”

Dr. Stone narrowed her eyes when she said...

“What I am saying is that Ona Zelle must extend her leg...and it is up to you to provide a vehicle that will allow for this.”

Caleb turned his back to them, then he stared at the cab.  Noah and Geff appeared perplexed and it was clear that they wanted answers.  He didn’t need to turn around to know what lie behind him. 

While staring through the glass, Caleb made a decision.

He turned meeting Lucien’s eyes, when he said...

“Fine...Ona will ride to the dock in your limo.  And I’m going along for the ride.”

Caleb turned to leave, and Ona wanted to stop him, but she muffled her voice when Dr. Stone began to speak, addressing her remark to her benefactor.

“Now that that’s settled...don’t be a stranger.”

Lucien replied...

“Thank you Angela for everything and I’ll see you at the next board meeting.”

“Goodbye Ona...it was lovely making your acquaintance.”  Dr. Stone inclined her head, then she left.

Now that they were alone, Lucien wanted to fix things before being rejoined by her brother.  He could see them talking outside, and they appeared locked in heavy debate.  Ona said...

“I’m must apologize for my brothers behavior.  He’s over protective and he only wants to do what is best.  Especially with both of my parents out of the country.  This is our way; the eldest brother assumes charge.”

“Is Caleb the eldest?”

“No...Noah is.  But...Noah cannot come into the hospital so it had been decided that Caleb would be the family’s mediator on my behalf.”

Lucien grab the attention of one of the lobby doormen.

He said...

“Could you have my driver come around to the front of the hospital.  And explain to him that we’ll be joined by my guest and her brother.”

“Yes...certainly sir.”

It didn’t take long, and Ona watched a long black limo driving up the horseshoe shaped hospital entrance drive.  Lucien pushed Ona towards the door, then it slid open.  She was greeted with a hug from Noah.

He stood back smiling while saying...

“Ona...we’ve missed you.  You look well.”

She returned his smile, and she was genuinely happy to see him as well.

“I’m fine Noah.”

Geff clumsily ambled forward then he nodded in greeting.  He said...

“It’ll be good to have you back at the commune.  My parents are looking forward to that dinner.”

There were more awkward stares, and uncomfortable moments, then the limo pulled right up in front of the door. 

Noah addressed Lucien.

“Sir...I hope you don’t mind, but my brother Caleb will ride in the cab with Geff, and I will join you and my sister in the limousine.”

Lucien didn’t have a problem with this happy change of events.

He said...

“You’re more than welcomed to join your sister as a passenger.  As a matter of fact...may I pay for the cab?  It wouldn’t have been an unnecessary expense if you’d known before hand.”

By Noah’s expression, Lucien knew that he’d offended him.

Noah said...

“It is a matter of pride that we care for our own sir.  The expense is neither a bother or unnecessary.  Ona is a member of our commune and we take care of our own.”

Two hospital assistants were helping Ona out of the wheelchair, and steadying her as she wobbled, negotiating  with gravity and the use of her walking cast.  When she was safe inside, Noah climbed in, then Lucien told his driver their destination.  It was late afternoon, and the traffic was beginning to get heavy.  This made for slow driving and the silence was a form of torture.  When she spotted landmarks, indicating that the dock was near, Ona broke the silence.

“Noah...I’ll need special seating on the ferry.”

“Don’t worry.  I’ll take care of that”

When the limo stopped, Ona leaned towards the door, to look out the window.  Her eyes were drawn to her brother when he said...

“Thank you Mr. Delors.  My family is deeply grateful for all that you’ve done for my sister and we apologize for any inconveniences.”

Noah extended his hand, and Lucien graciously accepted his handshake.  Noah looked at his sister, and he said...

“Stay here Ona.  I’ll need to talk to the boat master to secure special seating.”

Noah jumped out of the limo, leaving Lucien and Ona alone.  There were so many things that he wanted to say.  So many questions that he wanted to ask.  But he knew that he only had five or ten minutes alone--at best.  Lucien chose to address the most important question.

While reaching in his coat pocket, he said...

“I see that you’re wearing your band.”

He wasn’t sure when that had happened.

Ona smiled, then she said...

“Caleb brought it to me weeks ago.  I couldn’t wear it because I still had my arm cast on.”  She lifted her arm for inspection, moving it freely.

Lucien uncurled his fingers.  He said...

“I found this near your body, on the night of the accident.  I should have given it to the police officer but I didn’t.  When you woke up, I should have returned it to you then...”

His voice broke off, but Ona completed his sentence.

“But you didn’t”

They stared at each other, and their eyes penetrated the depths of their souls.  Ona had to know.  She had to understand what this meant.  She shifted in her seat, looking for the return of her brothers.  When she didn’t see either of them, she turned in her seat.  When she faced him, she said...

“Why did you keep it--I mean, after all this time, why are you telling me about it now?”

Lucien was direct when he answered her.

“I was curious Ona.  From the moment I first set eyes on you...I was curious.  Since that day, one question has plagued me.” 

Lucien slanted his head, viewing her at an angle.