Page 10 of With Love

Adrienne

It’s hard to tell with it being dark outside and being in the middle of the woods, but it appears that Marshall lives in a glorified treehouse. On steroids.

Once I am out of the ambulance, Marshall and Max, the paramedic, carry my stretcher up the front steps of the house and place me down on the grand, wrap-around stone porch.

“If you guys can handle getting her inside, I’ll stay out here and unpack the truck.”

“Thank you, Max. Do you need help getting anything into the house?” Marshall asks.

“Nope, nothing I can’t handle!” he answers.

I hear a series of beeps before the lock turns and Marshall pushes the door open. He helps guide the wheels of the stretcher over the threshold and into the foyer. Turning from me, and I begin to wonder where he is headed when all of a sudden the lights go on. Blinking, I raise my arm to block out some of the light until my eyes adjust.

The scene before me is the complete opposite of what I was used to at Lock’s cold, rigid estate.

The lofty space is warm and inviting. Everywhere I look there is wood, stone, and iron. There is an enormous great room that takes up the entire right side of the house. The ceiling has to be at least 30 feet tall. There is an open staircase directly in front as you walk through the door that looks more like a piece of art. The large, rectangular, stone slab steps are held in place by strong iron railings. Instead of traditional balusters, there is ironwork in the shape of tree branches and vines that crawl upward toward the second story landing. The second floor looks over onto the first.

To the left of me is a dining room. There is a large farm-style table in the middle of the room with 8 chairs around it. The room has a minimal amount items in it, but the decorations that are there are lavish. There are a few sconces and smaller decorations on the walls peppered here and there, but they’re nothing compared to the chandelier; the centerpiece of the room. Centered perfectly over the table, it appears as though there is a tree growing downward, away from the ceiling, with its branches sprawling the length of the ceiling. Each branch has several, different sized light bulbs hanging from it. It’s one of the most exquisite things I’ve ever seen.

Next to the dining room is a gorgeous, gourmet chef’s kitchen. All stainless steel appliances, more cabinet space than is necessary. I could fit my entire apartment into this kitchen. I laugh inwardly for a moment before realizing what just happened. Apartment? I don't have an apartment. Where did that come from? The thought left my brain faster than it entered, leaving me dazed and confused.

“Where will she be staying, Mr. Trent?” Lucy asks breaking my attention.

“For now, until she can handle steps, she will be staying in the furthest bedroom down this hallway.”

You’d think that I would be used to people talking about me as if I’m not in the room. Lock did it all the time and I didn’t think twice about it. But as Marshall and Lucy do it now, it makes me want to scream and throw things as a toddler would. As I contemplate acting like a petulant child, Marshall leads us to the hallway just beyond the kitchen.

“This room is yours, Lucy.” He explains as he points to the first room on the left.

“Right across the hall is the guest bathroom.”

As he continues walking down the hall, I hear Lucy speak up from behind me.

“Mr. Trent, is this the only bathroom back here? If so, then it may be wise for Mrs. Tr—um, it may be wise for Adrienne to have this room.”

“This next room here is the first-floor master suite. It has its own bathroom, so I figured this is the best place for her…at the moment.”

Don’t think that I missed that slight pause there, because I didn’t. What does he mean, at the moment? Is he going to insist that I sleep in his room eventually? I am scared to know what payment he is going to expect from me for my care.

Just as I complete that last thought, Marshall walks forward and opens the set of double doors at the end of the hall. The wooden doors are darker in color, like a walnut. They have a chiseled, weathered look to them that blends well with the rustic characteristics of the house.

When they wheel me through the doors, I am greeted by the feminine elegance of the space. It’s large with light colored walls and a tall ceiling. There is a king-sized bed to my right, along the back of the room. The wall behind it is decorated in wooden paneling matching the bedroom doors. Straight ahead of me is a wall of windows which includes a set of French doors leading out to the wrap around porch that I saw at the front of the house. Each section of windows is framed with sheer, white curtains. To my left is a sitting area with two large, tufted armchairs positioned in front of a grand, stone fireplace.

“I think that you’ll be comfortable here while the worst of your injuries heal,” Marshall says with a nod.

“Thank you, this is more than enough. I appreciate it.” At least he addressed me this time.

“Well, I will leave you to get settled in, then. Lucy, once you help Adrienne to bed, would you please meet me in the kitchen? I want to talk to you about where we should keep all of the medical supplies.”

“Sure thing,” Lucy answers with a smile. She reminds me of Liza and I like her. The aura that rolls off of her comforts me.

As she answers, Marshall approaches the stretcher and takes my hand in his. Every time we touch, my heart races and I get a feeling in the pit of my stomach. Similar but very, very different than the heart racing, stomach ache that I used to get when I would see Lock. I cringe a little at the thought and Marshall’s smile fades from his face. Just as I am about to let him know that I wasn’t cringing because of him, he takes his hand back.

“Okay well, good evening, Adrienne.” My heart stutters a little when I realized how choked up he is.

“Lucy.” He nods and leaves the room.

“Okay, let’s get your stretcher over to the bed and then I can help you up and in.

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