Page 157 of My Damaged Protector

Her response is immediate.

Mandy: Take your time!

I smile and start to dig into my food. I finish within minutes, surprising myself.

I've not eaten this eagerly in a while. I get the urge to get a second portion, but I ignore it. I don't want to take too long.

Sitting for a few minutes so my food can digest, I start to leave when I can no longer stay without my worry getting the best of me.

I've just stepped out of the cafeteria when my phone starts to ring, and I see the call is from Mandy. My step falters, and my heart starts to beat fast.

I force myself to pick up the call, despite my fear.

“Mandy?”

“Sarah, he's awake. Get your ass here.”

45

IAN

“I can't waitto see you guys!” Sarah's excited voice reaches me from my place of unconsciousness. Feeling the urge to move, I turn on the bed I'm in, meeting loads of pillows in the wake of the action.

“He can't talk right now. You'll see him when you get here.” She speaks again to someone.

“Yes, Auntie. He's fine. I'm taking good care of him. Why are you only bothered about him, anyway? What about me? Don't I need to be taken care of?”

Jealous woman.

Forcing my eyes open, I'm met with the gracious sight of her.

She's dressed in a blue sundress, her hair packed in a ponytail. Her back is to me, and what a joy that is. Her luscious behind taunts me through the material of her clothes.

Where are we?

I turn my head, and I'm momentarily blinded by sunlight.

“Shit.” I curse. She's instantly by my side, her call long forgotten.

“What happened?” she asked.

“The sun,” I mumble. She immediately goes to close the blinds, apologizing for leaving them open in the first place.

She has nothing to be sorry for, though. I'm not ill anymore. It's been six months since I got out of the coma. And I've been perfectly fine, except for the occasional confusion I get when I first wake up from sleep, which I've been assured is normal and will go away eventually.

“It's fine. Tell Sheila I can't wait to see her, too.”

She smiles and puts the phone back to her ear. “Ian is up now. Do you still want to talk to him? Okay. Hold on.” She passes me the phone, and I take it, but not without placing my other hand on her belly that's now big.

“Good morning,” I say both to Sheila and my little angel at the same time.

“Hello to you, too, Ian. How are you?”

“Very well, Sheila. Thanks. Where are you guys now?”

“We just got to the airport. The plane will board soon, and we'll be there before you guys know it. We can't wait to see you. Hold on, Olivia wants to say hi.”

“Ian!” The excited voice of the little girl that stole my heart the very first time I met her, just like her mom did, reaches my ears.

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