Page 47 of Jonathan

“How long do you anticipate keeping her here?”

“A week. We want to make sure she is fully recovered.” He glanced at the young man. “You should go on home. She will sleep through the night.”

Jon nodded. He felt as if he had aged several decades and even his bones were weary.

“I think I might. I will be back first thing in the morning. But if there are any changes…?”

“You will be contacted.” The doctor reassured him.

“Good. I just need to see her before I leave.”

“Of course.” Stepping back, the doctor made way for him to slide by.

Jon walked quietly into the room, his heart pounding in his chest. She looked so peaceful, her chest rising and falling steadily with each breath, belying the trauma she had endured.

He took a seat beside her bed, careful not to disturb her. Reaching out, he gently took her hand in his, feeling the warmth of her skin against his palm. It brought him a small measure of comfort.

He couldn't bear the thought of losing her, and the fear still gripped him tightly.

Leaning in, he whispered softly, "I'm so sorry. I promise I won't let anything happen to you again." He pressed a gentle kiss to her knuckles, his resolve strengthening with each passing second.

He stayed by her side for a while longer, simply watching her sleep. The weariness from the day's events weighed heavily on him, but he didn't want to leave her. Eventually, he knew he had to let her rest and take care of himself as well.

With a final squeeze of her hand, he stood up and walked out of the room. The corridors were quiet, and his footsteps echoed softly as he made his way to the exit. The night air greeted him, cool and crisp, and he took a deep breath, trying to clear his mind.

Tomorrow was another day, and he would face it with renewed determination. She would heal, and together, they would move forward. But for now, he needed rest, if only to be strong for her when she needed him most.

*****

“Mother.” He had intended to go straight upstairs to his room and take a much-needed shower, when she stepped from the living room, her face haunted with worry. “You did not need to wait up.”

She felt a pang as she realized how tired and drained he looked. “Of course I did. You must be hungry.”

To his surprise, he realized he was in fact starving. It seemed like ages since he shared breakfast and lunch with Kamilah, and they went to the cemetery together. The traumatic events following that had wiped everything from his mind.

“I am. I was about to go and get cleaned up.” He lifted his hands and stared at his bloodstained nails, wondering if he would ever get the blood out. “It’s her blood.” He stood there for a few seconds staring at it as if he had no idea what to do next.

“Darling…”

“I felt her life draining away and I wanted…” His breath hitched and the overwhelming emotions he had managed to keep a tight rein on, came crashing down. He dropped down on the nearest sofa and buried his face in his hands.

Silent sobs shook his broad shoulders and for a minute, Leonie stood there stunned by the display of raw emotions. She had never seen her son cry – not since he had become an adult. Not even when his dad had died. Sucking in a breath, she rushed forward and knelt in front of him, wrapping her arms around him.

He resisted at first, but then leaned into her as the horror of what might have happened course though his body.

Taking a deep cleansing breath, he eased back and wiped his face with the back of his hand. His blue eyes swam with moisture and caused her heart to ache.

“Something to eat.” Slapping her hands on her thighs, Leonie rose gracefully and went to the sideboard where a dish was already prepared for him. “And something to drink.”

“In that order.” He smiled at her weakly, grateful that she was giving him the chance to recover his composure.

“Of course.” She brought a tray over to him and sat on the opposite sofa. “You need your strength.”

“The sheriff will want a statement.”

“They already got one from your men. Billy was the one who pulled the trigger. It was ruled self-defense.”

He scooped up the thick beef stew and automatically chewed, not really tasting anything.

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