Chapter 234: Silent Return
Ryan’s POV
Five days.
His Vivian had been asleep for five whole days. Just when Ryan, sick and tired of waiting had truly felt that he was about to lose his already fragile grip on reality, she’d opened her eyes, and had looked right at him. He still could not believe it. Vivian was awake!
As difficult as the thought was to believe, there was no denying her grey eyes now focused on his, and the fact that each time he squeezed her hand she squeezed right back. Her grip far too weak for his liking, but most definitely welcome. She had been awake for several hours now. But Ryan still felt like it was a miracle each time he looked at her and found her staring right back.
There was no longer a tube down her throat doing the breathing for her, the doctors having taken it out. Something that had exhausted Vivian to the point of napping for a full hour afterwards, an hour that Ryan had used to call their loved ones and tell them the good news. Now as she gazed up at him, Ryan was filling her in on everyone’s reactions to her finally being awake.
"Grandfather sends his well wishes. He came by to see you when you were unconscious, but I doubt he’ll be able to make the return trip again. He’s far too weak for that," At his words Vivian nodded. She opened her mouth to speak, then she closed it, a sad look in her eyes and Ryan gently patted her hand.
Her inability to speak was only temporary, which was a good thing. But it was clearly difficult for her, and Ryan felt bad that he could not make her heal faster.
As he watched she pulled her phone closer and began typing before holding the screen up for him to read. [It was really sweet of him, but he shouldn’t have come, especially if he’s under a lot of strain]. Ryan stared at her in shock. This woman though, she had nearly died and she was still worrying about other people.
"I will let the message be known, but I doubt he’ll be happy with you" Vivian raised a brow at that, clearly wondering why his grandfather would be against her being concerned for him. Not for the first time Ryan was glad he had taken the old man’s advice to rest. Had he not done so, Vivian would definitely have freaked at the mess that he had been.
"Right now you are the one in the hospital. Amy and Mark are also worried about you, they have been here almost every single day," Vivian tapped at her chin, then she began typing furiously.
[I did not mean to worry them]. She typed out, then she narrowed her eyes at him, and before Ryan could say anything. She took her phone back and began typing again.
[You said that I have only been here five days. Why do you look so thin and how come you have bags under your eyes like you are repeatedly punching yourself in order to compete with pandas?] As her gaze roamed over him again, Ryan said still, trying to fight off the guilt that he was suddenly feeling. Everyone had been telling him to take better care of himself. As stressed as he had been, he’d barely followed that advice. Now their words were being proven true. Despite him not being as bad as he’d originally been, it was not good enough to reassure Vivian.
***
Instead of focusing on herself, her attention was shifting to him as she noticed all of the ways that his form had degraded while she had been in hospital. Trying to play it cool, he shrugged. "This is nothing. I have just been trying this new diet and exercise routine," Vivian gave him a look that said that she did not believe him one bit, but Ryan was being honest. Chocolate bars and coffee were a new diet. Sitting in one chair for hours on end and then wandering through the hospital hallways was also a new form of exercise.
"Honestly, Vivian, I’m fine," Not liking how her worry for him seemed to be escalating despite the fact that he was trying to downplay the situation, Ryan got to his feet and posed the way that bodybuilders often did in competitions. "I am fine, look," He made a few more poses for her benefit, going as far as to add funny faces. Rolling her eyes, Vivian smiled softly and Ryan felt his tension ease. At least now she would be able to focus on healing instead of on him.
Looking down at his chair, he was about to sit down again when Vivian suddenly stopped him. Raising a brow, he stared at her as she typed, and then when he finally read her words, he immediately began shaking his head.[Join me in bed.] Vivian had written, it was all types of tempting but also a very bad idea.
"No, I can’t do that, you need to get some more rest," Not listening to him at all, Vivian shook her head, doing so a bit too fast before she immediately stopped, her hand coming up to her throat, pained tears escaping the corners of her eyes...oh no. His worry propelling him forward, Ryan found himself even closer than before. His hands hovering in the air nervously, he stood there unsure of what to do.
"Are you alright? Do you need more ice chips? Should I call the nurse to come and give you more pain medication?" After taking a moment to steady herself, Vivian grabbed the phone again, then she typed a quick, [no.]
"Whatever you need, name it and I’ll do it," He told her, smiling tiredly, Vivian scooted to the side, then she patted the now empty part of the bed and pointed at him,
"Vivian," He pleaded, but she would not be swayed. Not bothering to write anything down this time, she simply looked at him with those big grey eyes of hers and Ryan felt himself begin to cave.
"Alright, but only for a little while, I do not want to disturb your healing," It took a bit of maneuvering, but Ryan managed to not only join her on the bed, but to also arrange them in such a way that both of them were comfortable despite the small bed. Holding her in his arms for the first time in days, Ryan finally felt like he could breathe easily. Dropping a kiss on top of her hair, he fell asleep without even realizing it. Nestled in his arms, Vivian, exhausted despite having spent literal days asleep, soon drifted off as well.