Innocence (31 page)

They all left the room while the doctor and nurse examined Sophie to determine whether she was ready to be moved to another ward.

They stood outside the room.

“Well, it has certainly been a stressful time,” Rosalind said.

“Yes and we still have a long way to go,” Alan added. “What are your plans, Calvin?”

Calvin stared at him, unsure how the hell to respond. “Not sure at the moment. I’m going to call Father soon then the office to decide what I should do. Personally, I wish to remain here and continue giving Sophie all the support she needs,” he said, wondering how they would digest that information, but then he really didn’t care.

“It is a difficult time for her and your friendship would be valuable to Sophie. Then you also need to think about your job in London,” Alan continued.

“I will discuss that with my father,” he said not wishing the conversation to carry on.

“Of course,” Alan replied.

Calvin stood a few feet away from the couple.

“It’s great she has woken?” Rosalind spoke out.

“Yes,” both the men replied together.

A short time later the door opened and out stepped the doctor wearing his stethoscope around his neck. “I am having Miss. Richards transferred to another ward where they will look after her, giving all the required care she needs,” he said. Calvin heard all he needed to and left the parents talking to him.

Calvin re-entered the room, delighted Sophie had been making great progress.

“Hey, so you’re moving?” he said smiling at her.

“It appears so,” Sophie said, smiling back.

He stared into her brown eyes, and could see her looking happy and just that made his heart fill with passion. He had no idea how the hell to tell her he was falling in love with her and how the last few days had made him realize she was all he needed.

“Better get you packed up and ready to go. I believe the porter is being sent in thirty minutes and then you go for another journey,” he said, looking at her bedside cabinet with her toiletries and perfumes, noticing a bottle,
Our story
from Avon. He grinned, wondering if there really was a story to tell between them.

“And many more journeys to come!” Sophie said when he paused.

He knew exactly what she meant, referring to Kacey. “Mum was telling me that they have rooms where I could stay while Kacey is in the hospital.”

“Yes,” he said, turning his head to look at her. Her eyes met his. “Yes, they’re really nice too, or there are large couches you can have pulled up alongside her incubator,” he informed her when her parents came back in the room.

Calvin gazed at Sophie admiring her from the opposite side of the room while her mum fussed over her. His eyes met Sophie’s many times as she smiled at him, he wondered if she was feeling the same way as him.

Chapter Fourteen

Sophie was delighted to be removed from all the equipment that surrounded her, only she had to keep her IV line for her antibiotics. The porter arrived and she was taken to another private room. Her parents had insisted she should be transferred to a private hospital.

“But, Sophie, you would be given the best treatment.”

“No…I’m staying here with my daughter. I have nothing else to say on the matter.”

Sophie watched her mum huff and sharply turn her head away in utter disgust. Her mum and her opinion was the least of her worries.

However, it was her mission, as soon as she was settled on the ward, to go see Kacey. She had to see her daughter, it had killed her already that she hadn’t seen her other than a picture Calvin had taken, not good enough for her aching heart.

Once in the private room and transferred to another bed, her mum unpacked her belongings and helped to get her more comfortable. Sophie wished she would give her space. She noticed Calvin stood in the corner watching her mum like a spare part. She smiled at him, longing to reach for him and just have him closer to her. However, with her mum being in the room…she would only interfere.
It amazes me how all these years she’s slammed the door in my face without care and now she wishes to play the doting mum, acting like nothing ever happened, typical.
Sophie rolled her eyes, not being comfortable with her mum being so close. After all, they had never been close.

“I will go down to the shop and get her some juice and other bits,” Calvin spoke out.

Sophie smiled at him, delighted with his offer, but she would prefer her mum to go and leave her with Calvin.

She was just about to reply to him.

“Wonderful idea, Calvin,” her mum cut her short.

Sophie gazed at him and smiled. Calvin grinned back. She could tell he was pushed out with all the fusing her mum was doing. She appreciated the help and support, but there were still many issues to digest, but right now was not the time or place.

“If you need anything, Sophie, please do call us, we are only a phone call away. Your father is getting you a mobile phone, so you can contact us,” she said delighted.

“Oh right.”

“How do you feel about Calvin?”

“What do you mean?” she asked not wishing to say too much and have her mum interfere.

“About him hanging around.”

“I like it.”

Her mum stared at her dismayed.

“And him kissing you.”

“Mum, he is simply being a dear friend.”

Sophie could see her mum had something to add when the door opened and Calvin appeared.

Calvin walked in the room with bags filled with stuff and a large bunch of flowers to brighten the room.

“What a lovely bunch of flowers,” her mum said rushing to Calvin to take the flowers from him. “Aren’t they lovely, Sophie,” her mum said joyfully.

“Yes,” she bit her lip not wishing to say anything to jeopardise the current situation.

Sophie watched her mum inhale the flowers’ sweet aroma. Rosalind brought the bunch to her allowing her to look at the petals and smell their scent.

“Thank you,” she said, while engaging deep eye contact with him.

“No problem,” he said, wagging his brow. “I will go and locate a vase for them.” With that he left the room and her heart crushed a little. Sophie could tell he was doing his best to look after her, and she wished he would stop being so sincere, after all she had enough to worry about with her and Kacey.

“Good lord, I think he has brought the entire shop,” her mum mentioned.

Sophie turned to watch her produce fresh cartons of juice, a cordial, chocolate bars, fruit, sandwiches, and crisps.

“I think he is fattening you up,” her mum mocked.

“I think you’re right,” she said, smiling. Gosh her heart ached. She really wanted to get Calvin on his own and talk to him, but now she was back on a ward and visitors weren’t allowed as frequent, that had already been mentioned so she guessed she would have to wait, but then she needed someone to take her to see her daughter.

She yawned feeling sleepy.

“He has brought you some magazines too,” her mum said.

“Wonderful. Have you seen Kacey yet today?” she had to ask.

“Yes, we called in before coming to you.”

“Did the nurse say whether she had improved as Calvin told me she has anaemia?”

“Still the same, but she is a little fighter,” her mum said smiling.

A few minutes later Calvin arrived back with a large glass vase. He started arranging the flowers like a work of art, putting the smaller and more colorful flowers at the front and the larger at the back.

She yawned again, tired, her eyes becoming heavy. She tried fighting her sleepiness, but it became a losing battle. She dozed off.

She woke up, feeling dazed, in agony in her abdomen and struggling to move. She glanced around the room, seeing no one around, not even her mum then she also guessed they had to leave. Sophie reached for her call bell and pressed it. The pain was horrendous and she needed some pain killers immediately. The door was knocked on. A young nurse came in smiling. Sophie explained the pain she was in.

“I’ll get you some painkillers,” she said and started checking her pulse and blood pressure.

“What happened to Calvin?” she asked, annoyed he wasn’t with her.

“I think he went for a walk, or to see the baby, I’m not sure. We are very strict on having visitors on the ward.”

“Oh, but tomorrow I want him to take me to see my daughter.”

“Let’s see how you feel in the morning,” she said, walking to the bottom of her bed for her notes.

“Can he not come in please? I need him,” she said coming over with emotion. “I urgently want to see my daughter.” Tears filled her eyes. “Please, I need to see her,” she said aching, suffering more pain with her anguish due to missing her daughter than the discomfort in her abdomen.

“I will have a word for you and see what we can organize,” the nurse told her.

“Please, I haven’t seen her,” she pleaded.

“I will ask, but it will be tomorrow as you need rest.”

Sophie wanted to argue with the woman and ask her how she would feel about being kept away from her child, but then she didn’t wish to create a riff.

She picked up the mobile phone her parents had got her, in case she needed to contact them for anything. Sophie knew exactly where she’d be spending her next few months, in the baby care unit. She’d stay beside her daughter’s side no matter what, until the day she took her home. That was another subject where would home be? Sophie didn’t need to think about that right now, but to concentrate on where her immediate future was heading.

Tears ran down her cheeks, as she looked at the flower arrangement that Calvin had bought and arranged for her. Calvin was a unique guy, and she wished she had taken a different direction in her life. She wouldn’t have the dilemma of Rob, not wanting anything to do with her or Kacey. He had no idea she was even born, and to be honest, she preferred it to stay that way. Yes, she agreed the man should have a part in their child’s life, but when he wasn’t interested and wished them both dead, why bother?

Anguish filled her, suffering a severe pain in her chest, feeling sorry for her daughter fighting for her tiny life and yet the father wished her dead. How could Sophie explain in years to come that her daddy wanted nothing to do with her? Mummy had fucked up big time getting with a bad man…then she thought about if she’d never had a relationship with such an arrogant drug dealing man, Kacey wouldn’t be with her now.

She inhaled a deep breath and felt her tummy tender. For the first time her stomach growled indicating it needed something to eat. She checked the phone for the time seeing it was four p.m.

A knock came on the door and then it opened. Sophie watched while an older nurse entered smiling, wearing a light green tunic, her long blonde hair scraped back in a tight ponytail, tall and slim, and pushing a yellow wheeled contraption. Sophie wasn’t sure what it was.

“Hello there, Sophie, Baby Richards mum… sorry, Kacey’s mum.” She grinned.

“Hi, yes I am,” she said.

“I’m Tony and well I’m the breast feeding nurse and I have been told by the neonatal who is looking after your little girl that Calvin your partner, came in not long ago and told us you wished to express and give your daughter the best medicine on the planet…we call it
‘gold’
,” she said smiling.

“Oh, gosh yes…hello, sorry. I’ve seen so many medical staff, I’m pretty confused,” she scoffed, trying to lift her body up on the bed slightly but struggled.

“It’s fine, it’s very daunting being in here. Now, I have brought a breast pump for you, steriliser and bottles. Now you first express will not be much. But in time will hopefully increase.”

“Okay,”

“So don’t be disheartened at all.”

“Okay.”

Sophie was delighted Calvin had managed to talk to the staff and she could finally do something to contribute to her daughter’s wellbeing.

Tony talked her through the steps and guided her all the way. Not much milk was produced and the machine felt terribly weird on her boob, but did she care…no.

“Well done, it takes some getting used to, but you’re doing great. I will talk to the staff and tell them you might need a little hand to express with you being bed bound for a short time, but I’m sure soon you’ll be running the ward very soon.”

“Damn right I will, I want to get out of this bed and see my daughter.”

“I’m sure you will, just try and be patient. I will come and see you again later,” Tony said taking the small amount of milk she’d managed to express.

Sophie smiled, just knowing she was contributing her daughter’s health was a blessing.

Soon another knock came at the door. The door opened and in stepped a young woman bringing in a tray.

“Tea time,” she said smiling. “Would you like a cup of tea?”

“Please,” Sophie replied and shuffled her bottom up the bed, trying not to hurt her abdomen and then there was the darn IV line in her left hand.

The young woman placed her meal on the table and brought it up closer to Sophie. “Wow, they’re nice flowers,” the woman mentioned.

“Yes, they’re stunning,” she said, thinking about Calvin and wishing he was by her side, so she could thank him for telling the staff about her wishing to feed her daughter.

Sophie didn’t trust her mum at all and wondered if her helping her was simply a cruel act to get back in her father’s good books, covering her selfish story. She still needed to get her father alone and talk about a few issues. It had been an emotional journey for everyone, and she hoped her mum would understand that. After all, if it hadn’t been for Calvin she might not be here.

“Wow, he must think lots of you,” she said, turning around to walk back to the door when another woman arrived with the cup of tea.

“Yes, he does,” Sophie said while gazing at the flowers.

Her heart could sense something was happening between them, but there was no time for stupid, romantic gestures.

She sat forward and looked at the food, seeing a bun, some butter, salad, a slab of cheese, yogurt, and a tiny plastic cup of fresh orange juice. She scrunched her nose up, not fancying any of that at all.

* * * *

Armed with a Chinese meal he had just picked up, he decided to head to the hospital to see if Sophie fancied any.

He had been earlier checking on Kacey noticing they had labelled Kacey with a pink name card,
Kacey Richards, weight 3lb 6oz
, that made his heart skip a beat. He also mentioned about Sophie wishing to breast feed and the nurse would arrange to send someone to her. He was just so pleased he had been the one around to help Sophie with her ordeal. He took a new picture of Kacey for Sophie to look at, and hoped tomorrow the ward would allow her to visit her daughter, if not he would kidnap her.

He waited outside the closed double doors of Sophie’s ward. He had to wait a few minutes, which annoyed him, he longed to spend some time with her alone and didn’t want the Chinese to get cold. He was also excited to show her the picture of Kacey’s name card.

He had earlier called his father after him leaving many messages for him. He was needed in London for an emergency meeting. Not impressed and certainly not looking forward to telling Sophie, but he would make the trip brief and planned on getting the train down to Kings Cross so he could communicate with his secretary via phones and make sure his speech and information was correct. After all, his mind had been far from thinking about business.

Calvin would be the first to admit that his head the last week had been all over the place, with Sophie, the baby, getting Ross involved finding them a home. He had a brief thought about getting his father to buy a rental property for her and Kacey to live in. He had so many ideas, but it was early and he needed to try and take one day at a time.