Page 54 of Legally Yours

“I need water or Coke or something. I can’t lick my lips.”

“No Coke. Water and ice, you can have.” Mom pours some water into a small glass with a straw and holds the straw to my mouth.

I drink greedily. “Oh, my God, that’s delicious.” I say with a gasp. “I never knew water could taste so good.”

“Hold on, here.” Mom rummages in her purse and pulls out some lip balm. “Here. I’ll put some on and leave this here for you.” Gently, she rubs the balm onto my chapped lips.

I chuckle, feeling like a child. “Ow!” A pain stabs through me.

Mom grabs my arm. “Don’t laugh, sweetheart. Your spleen was removed, and you’re still healing there.”

“No lie!” I grimace as the stinging pain begins to go away.

A male nurse comes into my room. “Mrs. Anderson, you’re awake! How are you feeling? Pain? Thirst?” He checks the IV bags dripping fluid into my arms. Then he takes my temperature and blood pressure.

“Your doctor will be in soon to check your abdominal incision. Until your cast is changed, we can’t check the incision on your leg.”

“Thank you.”

The nurse leaves, probably to update my doctor.

“Mom, where’s Liam?”

“Dad made him go home with him to sleep. He was up taking care of you. He didn’t sleep for more than 24 hours.”

My eyes widen, and my chin drops. “When did he get here?”

Mom thinks. “Three? No, four days ago. Your dad called him to tell him about your accident. He was on the next plane down here. Cassandra, that man loves you. What happened that you left him?” Her voice is gentle, full of concern.

My eyes fill with tears. “I love him, too, Mom. But I couldn’t stay with him, knowing that he might do to me what David did. I can’t trust men anymore.” I try to sniffle without hurting the incision near my stomach.

“Cassandra. Liam is not David. David is a low, cheating, lying scoundrel. And he does not deserve you at all. Liam, on the other hand, loves you with his whole being. He would never intentionally hurt you.”

“Does he know about the baby?”

Mom grins. “Oh, yes, he does! He is over the moon about this little one, just like the rest of us. He’s just been so scared and worried about the two of you.” She sniffles and places her hand gently on my lower abdomen. “He didn’t want to leave here until you woke up. But your dad made him go home to sleep and eat.”

My eyes overflow with my tears, and I sniff a few times. I accept the tissue that mom gives to me. “When will he be here?” My voice quivers with my emotions.

“Once Liam wakes up, they’ll be here. I gave your dad orders to make that young man stay in bed and get the rest he needs.”

I grin. “You love him.”

“Yes, we do. He’s our son-in-law, but the feelings are much stronger than that. Sweetheart, he will be tender and loving with your heart. And you need to tell him exactly why you left. He deserves to know.”

I swallow, then ask mom for the glass of water. When she gives it to me, I take another large sip of water, then keep the glass in my hand. “I know. But how do I get over this fear that he’ll do what David did?”

“Look at me. If he didn’t love you, he wouldn’t have come down here when your dad called. Work on this trust thing with him. It goes both ways.” Mom nods wisely.

44

LIAM

Andres is driving us, and I keep pushing at the floor of the car, trying to make it go faster. Finally, we are on the floor where her room is. Stepping out of the elevator, I follow Andres and Brayton. I clutch the toy bear and jewelry that I found for her.

“Okay, Liam. Go ahead. Brayton and I are going to wait.”

Brayton gives me a bright grin. “I get to go to the cafeteria.”

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