Something More

by Jenna Tyler

  When we arrive in Charlie's room, her bed is empty, and then I hear the toilet flush in the bathroom. She comes out in her hospital gown and I immediately think about her clothes. She isn't going to have any clothes to wear out of here because they had to cut them off of her.

  “Charlie, I need to go get you some clothes to wear home. You can't go home in that.”

  “Good morning to you, too, Mom.” I frown and feel bad for not greeting her before I started on her clothes.

  “I'm sorry, sweetie. Seeing you in the gown made me think of it. And look at you, up and about. It makes me so happy to see that you're doing well.” I walk up to her and gently hug her. There are no tubes attached and her color looks good. I take a deep breath while holding her, thanking whoever it may be for making her okay.

  Charlie pats me on the back. “I'm fine, Mom.” I hate to let go of her now, but I can't hold on forever. “Yeah, they made me start walking around last night so I didn't get much sleep. After being in that bed all day yesterday, I just wanted to stand up and move around.” She makes her way back to the bed, but instead of lying down, she sits on it, Indian-style.

  “Where do you want me to go get you some clothes from?” I ask.

  “I can have someone bring you whatever you want so your mom doesn't have to leave you,” Drew says.”

  “Drew, you don't have to keep doing this. I am capable of going to get her something.” He rolls his eyes at me, which tells me he's going to do it anyway. Why do I even bother trying to argue with him? There's no point in it.

  Looking back at Charlie, she looks at me trying to gauge my feelings. I just shrug. “A pair of jeans, skinny or boot, or jean shorts from Hollister, size two. A tee, any kind, size small. Panties from Victoria's Secret, cheeky ones, size extra small, and a push-up bra, 34B. That should cover it.” She is such a little shit. I start to snicker.

  Drew looks at me a little dumbfounded. I don't think he expected Charlie to blurt out bras and panties, much less their sizes and styles. I love this girl to the moon and back. Giving him the same shrug I just gave Charlie a moment ago, I say, “I guess that'll do it then.”

  “Alright then,” he says with amusement. “I’ll just make a call or two and get that brought over as soon as possible.” I don't know who he is going to call or how he's going to make it happen. It's not like those places deliver, but I know he will get it done. He steps out of the room to make his calls and I sit down on the bed, facing Charlie.

  As I am just about to start chatting, a nurse walks in. I see Drew out in the corridor on his phone. He's even sexier when he looks like he's doing business. The door swings back closed and the sight of him disappears, bringing me back to Charlie and the nurse.

  Charlie is lying down now and the nurse is looking her over, asking her questions about her aches and pains. She seems satisfied with her answers and says, “The doctor will be in with you shortly to check you out and may want to run some tests before you go, just to be on the safe side. And I believe Dr. Chambers wants another CT scan done. I will double check and get you down there as soon as possible, if that's what he orders.” Drew's dad is still here?

  The nurse exits the room and Drew walks back in. “Everything will be here within the hour.” He strolls up next to me and plops his arm around the top of my shoulders, crossing a foot over his other one, resting the tip on the floor. “Charlie, are you ready to be sprung from this joint yet?”

  “I'm dying to get out of here and breathe some fresh air. This hospital stench is nauseating.” We laugh and all get comfortable waiting on Charlie to get discharged.

  Having fun banter back and forth and chatting, the door opens and in walks Marcus with a nice shiner. The mood shifts immediately and Drew leans forward in his chair, probably expecting a confrontation. Marcus holds up his hand. “Don't worry, I'm not going to start anything.”

  Drew relaxes slightly and sits back in his chair. Marcus turns his attention to Charlie. “When are they letting you out of here, kid?”

  “We're just waiting on the doctor and possibly some more tests to be run.”

  “What's the hold up?” He looks over at Drew. “Can't you speed them up?” We all erupt into laughter, except Drew. He's only mildly amused.

  Just then, a couple of hospital staff came in, the nurse being one of them. “Charlotte, we're going to take you down to get that CT scan now. Tracy will wheel you down there.” Charlie swings her legs off of the bed and slides down until her feet touch the floor, then sits in the wheelchair. She looks at me and rolls her eyes, telling me she hates it.

  While Tracy is adjusting the foot rests on the wheelchair, Drew asks her, “Do you want me to get you some real food to eat?”

  She nods vigorously. “A Cuban sandwich would be great. Pressed.” Oh, that does sound good. I really miss good Cuban food. Florida is flooded with amazing Cuban restaurants, especially in the Tampa area. A lot of Cubans moved there back when the cigar factories were there and I guess they just stayed after all the factories closed.

  “Make that two,” I chime in.

  “Make it three,” Marcus says, getting in on the action. I giggle and look at Drew. Now he seems amused.

  “Okay, I'll make it four. I need to find out what this Cuban sandwich is.” He stands up and pulls out his phone as Charlie is being wheeled out the door. He looks at me. “What's the best place to get a Cuban sandwich around here?” I have no clue. I never really came up to Gainesville, except to move Charlie up here. I shrug. He looks to Marcus and gets the same response. “I'll go ask the staff then.” He walks out to the nurse's station, and I stand up to stretch my legs and move to go look out the window.

  Her room overlooks the beautiful parking lot and the little park where Drew and I first said, I love you. Marcus doesn't talk to me and I'm very thankful for that. He always seems to say something that he shouldn't. I can feel his eyes on me, though. Trying not to think about what he may be looking at, I push him out of my mind and spot the tree that Drew had me pinned up against yesterday. That's a much better subject to think about.

  A minute later, Drew walks back in and up to me. He places a kiss on my temple and whispers, “Is everything okay?” I simply nod, wrap an arm around his waist, and lean into him. “The sandwiches will be here in thirty to forty-five minutes.”

  “Sounds good. You will love it. I miss Cuban food. Is there a Cuban restaurant in Portland?”

  “Honestly, I don't know. I haven't heard of one. Do you want me to open one?” We laugh and I hear Marcus behind us, huffing. We ignore him and continue looking out at the park.

  Before you know it, Charlie is back from getting her scan, the food has arrived, and we're all sitting in her room, eating. Not much talking is happening while everyone is enjoying their sandwich. Drew loves it and wants to taste some more Cuban food. Secretly, I really want him to open a Cuban restaurant so I can have a little piece of home with me in Portland.

  Since I only eat half of my sandwich, I'm done before the rest of them. While I'm waiting for the others to finish, I check my cell phone, which I haven't done at all since I left home. I see there are a couple text messages from Alyssa. One is just asking how things are, and another is asking about a picture in the paper. A picture in the paper?

  Texting her back, I tell her that I'm not in Portland at the moment and give her the short version of what happened with Charlie, but that all is okay. I also say that I should be back soon and then I ask what she is talking about with the picture in the newspaper.

  Alyssa responds quickly expressing her concern for Charlie. A couple minutes later, she sends a picture. It's of Drew and me outside of the medical building where I work. I had forgotten all about the paparazzi and that there might be articles in the paper mentioning me. The headline is: “Andrew Chambers: Off the Market!”

  Rolling my eyes, I drop my phone into my lap and rub my face. I look up and Drew is looking at me, concerned, with a mouth full of Cuban sandwich. I show him the picture on my phone a
nd he gives me a sad look. I know that he’s sorry and that there’s nothing I can do about it, but it is my first time having to deal with this. I'm entitled to be a little miffed about it all.

  After he swallows his food, Drew tries to comfort me by actually saying he's sorry. He warned me it would happen and said it would hopefully get better once the newness wore off. I will just hope it wears off sooner rather than later.

  Charlie asks to see and her response is, “Your hair is a mess, Mom.”

  “Gee, thanks, sweetheart. It was…windy that day.” I give Drew a dirty look and he smiles. He knows why my hair is a mess. He had fucked me senseless that day…a couple times.

  When everyone is done eating, we make light conversation until the doctor comes in. Charlie's new clothes that Drew bought arrive and she's anxious to get dressed, but has to wait to talk to the doctor first.

  Dr. Chambers walks in a few minutes later and says Charlie is clear in the neurology department. “Thank you so much, Dr. Chambers.” I say as we shake hands, and Drew steps out into the hall with his dad for a moment.

  We just need Dr. Phillips to okay Charlie's release, and then we can get her out of here and back to her place. Car shopping can happen tomorrow or the next day, if Charlie is up for it.

  About an hour goes by and Dr. Phillips finally shows up, clearing Charlie to go home. He also gave her clearance to car shop, but to take it easy and not over do it. Now we just need to wait on the paperwork. Charlie steps into the bathroom with her new clothes and changes. She comes out looking like my old Charlie…a little banged up, but still my old Charlie.

  The paperwork arrives and the nurse comes in with a wheelchair to wheel her downstairs to the exit. Sometimes hospitals contradict themselves. They want the patient up and moving around, yet she has to ride in a wheelchair to the exit.

  Marcus takes Charlie to her apartment and we follow with the car Drew has hired. Charlie doesn't live too far from the hospital or the college. Everything is pretty close, but her apartment complex isn't in the greatest neighborhood or in the best shape. This is what you get on a budget…ratty carpet with stains and burn holes from previous tenants; rust stains in your sinks and tubs; and dingy, nasty tile that no matter how much you scrub, it still looks like shit.

  Once we get Charlie into her apartment and set her up on the couch, we all discuss dinner plans and plans for tomorrow. Since Charlie is home from the hospital earlier than we expected, Drew and I decide to stay long enough to take her car shopping ourselves. We decide to wait until tomorrow to make plans so we can see how she is feeling first. I bet once she takes a nice hot shower and gets cleaned up, she will feel much better.

  Drew treated everyone to a pasta dinner, and Marcus has been behaving himself, for the most part. A few wisecracks or noises about something said, but nothing to cause anything other than an annoyance.

  After dinner, Charlie wants to take a shower and I go along with her, in case she needs any help. I sit on the toilet while she showers, just talking about what kind of car she might want to look at and if she thinks she will be up to going tomorrow.

  “It feels really strange to let Drew buy me a car,” she says. It's weird for me, too, but what can I do to stop him? He's going to do it no matter what I say or do. I've already learned that he usually gets his way.

  “Just go with it, honey. That's what I'm learning to do with him.” It's about the only thing you can do with Andrew Chambers. At least, the Andrew Chambers that I know. I don't know how he is in business or with his family, but the Drew I know is very confident and spontaneous. I can only imagine that he's gotten so successful by being assertive and smart. He seems to be normal around his father, at least as far as I can tell.

  Charlie finishes up her shower and gets dressed all by herself. It makes me feel good knowing that she will be just fine on her own after I go back to Portland. She lies back on the couch and not very long after that, she starts drifting in and out of sleep. Marcus is going to stay with her tonight so he gently picks Charlie up, like he did when she was little, and carries her to her bedroom. I follow them back there, just like old times, and I tuck her in, kissing her on the forehead. We say goodbye so she can get some rest and then Marcus takes over the couch as we're getting ready to walk out the door. We agree to meet back at her apartment around ten in the morning, giving everyone time to get up and get ready.

  I'm almost more exhausted today than I was yesterday. A lot of sitting around doing nothing can be just as draining as running around being busy. Not to mention last night's festivities that kept me up and sweating. I will never complain about that, though.

  On our way back to the hotel, I snuggle up to Drew, resting my head on his shoulder, and fall asleep. It seems like only seconds have passed and he's already rousing me, trying to pick me up to carry me out of the car. Groggily, I say, “I can do it, Drew.”

  “I'm sorry, baby. I was trying not to wake you.” He sets me back down and climbs out of the car, the driver holding the door open. Drew offers his hand, as usual, and helps me out. When I'm out, he swoops me back up into his arms and carries me into the hotel. I lean my head against his chest, wishing I could fall back asleep, but the jostling around makes it nearly impossible.

  It's not even late and I feel like I've been hit by a Mack truck. The past two days have just been completely filled with every kind of emotion and I think it's finally caught up to me.

  “You don't have to carry me. I can make it up to the room,” I mumble, possibly a little incoherently. He just snickers and continues to carry me. When we make it to the room, someone is already there with the door open so he just has to walk right in. I take a peek back at the door as the hotel personnel are closing it behind us. How did he get someone up here and ready for that?

  Drew lays me down on the bed and starts to undress me. He's so sweet. I really don't have the will or the energy to do it so I'm glad he is taking the initiative. He slides my sandals off, then unbuttons my jean shorts and shimmies them down my legs. Readjusting my panties that slid down a little when he pulled my shorts off, he then pulls me up to a sitting position to lean my side against him. He swiftly pulls my shirt over my head, tossing it behind him onto the floor, then unfastens my bra and throws it in the direction of my shirt. Ahhhh! My boobs can breathe again. I swear a man invented those damn things.

  Gently, he lays me back on the bed and then maneuvers the blanket and sheet down underneath my body so he can cover me up. I roll over on to my side ready to head off into dream land. Faintly, I hear him undressing and then he's whispering in my ear, “Scooch over a little, baby.” I feel a rush of cold air and a dip in the mattress when he lifts the covers and slides in behind me. Spooning me. The warmth of his body is so comforting. I could stay like this forever.

  Twenty-Five

  The smell of coffee in the air awakens me enough to look at the alarm clock on the side table. Squinting from the bright sun that is sneaking in through a tiny crack between the curtains, I throw my head back into the pillow to hide my face.

  Feeling the bed dip down again next to me, I manage to open one eyelid just enough to see that handsome man of mine. Oh! That word works both ways. He is mine and I am his. He's shirtless, showing off those strong shoulders and that gorgeous torso, and he's holding a cup of coffee. Perfection. “Mmmm. You know the way to my heart.” I stretch and yawn before accepting his gift of caffeine and taking a sip. Of course, it’s just the way I like it.

  “I do, among other things,” he says with a wink. “If you look on your side table, there's something else for you.” What? I just looked at the clock on that side table and there was nothing there. I turn to look and see that there is a danish sitting there. A cheese danish, one of my absolute favorites. There is no way he could've known that. It must have been by pure chance. But he did know I need a little snack with my coffee. He picks up on things most guys wouldn't. He's simply amazing.

  “Cheese ones are my favorite,” I say while turning back to
look at my man. Drew is dressed casually in jeans. I've never seen him in jeans before. I bet his ass looks amazing in them. He's smiling and sits next to me on the edge of the bed. I take another sip and place the cup filled with deliciousness next to my pastry on the nightstand. This counts as breakfast in bed and he's the only one that's ever done this for me.

  I scoot myself up to lean back against the headboard. “Thank you. This is nice to wake up to also. Although, I like having your arms around me when I wake up even more. You can alternate,” I joke.

  He chuckles. “I can think of other wonderfully, sexy ways for you to wake up,” he says, wiggling his brows in that cute, playful way he has. “Maybe I'll try one out on you tomorrow.”

  Finally, he coaxes me out of bed with just enough time to take a shower and get dressed. I was right. His ass in a pair of jeans is incredible, but he looks delicious in everything he wears.

  We get to Charlie's apartment right on time and I have to listen to Drew complain again about everything that is wrong with her apartment complex. “It's about time you got here!” She jumps off the couch, excited and ready to go. I guess she's up to going car shopping. I suppose I'd be excited if I were getting a brand new car, too.

  “You know, sweetie, Drew and I have been talking and I think I'm just going to have my car shipped to you and I'll get a new one.” I say it with as straight a face as I can so I don't let anyone in on my joke. It must work because her face falls. It’s priceless.

  “Mom, that's not cool. You can't say I'm getting a new car and then take it back. It's not fair!” She pouts and sits back down, throwing a little hissy fit. “And your car sucks. I'd look stupid driving your car.”

  Everyone is looking at me. Drew knows we've never had this discussion and he looks baffled. I guess I'm a good liar if they believe this crap. “I'm just kidding. Can't you guys tell when I'm joking? Drew offered it, not me. It's his gift to take away.” I look at him.