REBORN (Metamorphosis Book 1) (14 page)

Half way into our run a couple of guys came running toward us, tripping Kayden.  He lost his balance and fell to the ground.  At first, I thought it was an accident, but when one of the men started kicking and hitting Kayden while he was on the ground, I knew we were being attacked.  I screamed at the top of my lungs; one of the men hit me in the face to try to keep me quiet.  I jumped on him and started hitting him.  He was too big for me and threw me to the side like a rag doll.  Kayden was being pummeled by hits, but managed to grab the man's leg sending him off balance to the ground. I continued to scream until I got the attention of a few passers by.  Someone must have called the police because I heard the sounds of sirens in the distance.  Blood was dripping from my head.  I collapsed on Kayden as a foot landed on my ribs.  The men ran off when they heard the police sirens and noticed all the bystanders.  My head was throbbing and everything started turning black.  I lay unconscious on Kayden's lap as the ambulance arrived.

Chapter Thirteen

We were taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital via ambulance.  I woke up in a bed with a terrible headache.  My hand instinctively went to my head to feel the bandages.  All of a sudden images of an injured Kayden came to my mind.  I tried to get up to go to him but couldn't.  I called for a nurse.

"The man who was with me, he was hurt, where is he? I need to go to him," I told the nurse.

"You will do no such thing; you are in no condition to go anywhere.  You are to stay in bed, doctor's order," the nurse told me in an unyielding tone.

"Please, I need to know how he is doing," I pleaded with her.

Her mask softened. "I'll try to find out, but you are not moving from here."

The first one to arrive at my bedside was Emily.  She took the train from Evanston to downtown Chicago in no time.

"Mom, oh my God, Mom what happened?" she cried out as soon as she saw me.

"To tell you the truth I don’t know, all I remember is Kayden and I running along the lake and being assaulted by two men.  Can you please find out how he is doing?"  I asked.  Just as I finished my statement the nurse I had asked returned followed by two police officers.

"Mr. Hale is being treated now and causing quite a havoc in the ER."  My heart collapsed at her words.

"Does Mr. Hale have any family we can notify?" asked the nurse.

"He has a brother who is a doctor at Rush Presbyterian, Dr. Carmelo Hale.  He is the head of Hale Enterprises so I suppose you can contact his secretary tomorrow morning for any additional information," I told the nurse, but the police officers were also taking notes.  Emily was standing by my side, holding my hand when Julian and Vickie entered the room.  Julian gasped when he saw me; Vickie ran to my side.

"I am sorry to interrupt, but we need to ask Mrs. McCabe a few questions, in private." 

"Ms. McCabe," I corrected.

"Sorry," said the police officer.

Julian identified himself as a lawyer, and requested to stay.  The officers looked at me and I said, "It's okay Julian, I am the victim of the crime not the perpetrator."  With that statement, Julian reluctantly stepped out with Emily and Vickie.

The police wanted a full statement, but the doctors had limited the time they could talk to me because of my head injuries.  I just told them the little bit I remembered. We were out running, a man who came running at his side tripped Kayden, and then he was viciously attacked.

"What is your relationship to Kayden Hale?" a policeman asked. 

"He is my boyfriend," I responded.

"Do you know if he has any enemies?"

"No." I was emphatic. Kayden was not the type of man to make enemies; at least that's what I told myself. The reality was that I did not know much about his business dealings. 

At that moment the nurse came in and told the officers, "End of the interrogation, Ms. McCabe needs her rest."

"Just a couple of more questions?" the police officer asked.

"There will be no more questions until the doctor authorizes it."  And with that she ushered the officers out.

She leaned toward me and said, "Mr. Hale is going to be okay, but I will deny providing any information."

"Thank you; thank you so much. When can I see him?"

"We'll see what we can do tonight after visiting hours.  He has been calling for you and threatening everyone if they don’t let him see you; that's what I hear from his nurses." 

Tears fell down my eyes, Kayden was as worried for me as I was for him.  Despite the nurse's reassuring words I could not stop worrying about him until saw him.  Oh God, let him be okay, I sent in a prayer.

Julian and the girls came back into the room and fussed over me until visiting hours were over.  Julian did not say much except that he knew I shouldn't have moved to the city.  Both Vickie and Emily admonished him.  They were gone at nine.  At ten an orderly wheeled Kayden into my room.  It seems he had been screaming for me, threatening to crawl out of bed and find me if someone didn't take him to me.  The man could be persuasive!

When he saw me, connected to all those machines and half asleep, he rushed to my side.  He called me softly, "Ellie, baby, are you okay?"

"Yes Kayden, please don't worry about me.  You are hurt much more than I am."  He came close to me, took my hand, and kissed it.

"Oh thank god you are here."  Silent tears came down our eyes.  He just sat there holding my hand while I went back to sleep.

Then the orderly came and said, "You have to go to your room; you suffered a concussion and need to be in twenty-four-hour observation."

"No way in hell I am moving out of here," he responded.

I opened my eyes for a brief second and begged, "Please don't go, Kayden."

"I am not going anywhere baby; I am right here."  And with those words he announced that he was not moving.  The orderly left to look for help, and by the time he came back Kayden had fallen asleep at the side of my bed with his hand tightly holding mine.

"Leave him, we'll keep an eye on them.  We don’t want to cause her additional distress," I barely heard the nurse announce. 

Chapter Fourteen

I woke up at six a.m. to the sound of voices in the room.  Kayden began to stir at my side when he felt me move.  Dr. Carmelo Hale smiled at me and then said, "So you must be Ellie, the woman who captured my brother's heart.  I'm Carmelo Hale, the much better- looking brother of Kayden."

"You only wish," Kayden said with a tired voice.

"So you are awake, good thing, I was ready to kick your ass before Mom and Dad get here and beat me to it."

"Why are they coming?  I'm okay," Kayden said.

"And here I was thinking you were viciously attacked and with multiple injuries.  What was I thinking calling Dad and telling him about it?  Don’t you know that if I didn't tell Mom I'd be the one lying in that bed instead of Ellie?"  Then he turned to me.  "How are you feeling?  You gave the nurses quite a run for their money last night."

"I'm much better; can Kayden stay here with me?" I asked.

"I don’t know, I have to consult with your doctor.  It's his decision, but I'll talk to him."  Carmelo then turned back to talk to Kayden's doctor about his prognosis.  I tried to listen but they moved away.

I turned to Kayden. "How are you feeling?"

"Better after seeing you," he responded.

"I don’t know how long you can stay."  My words were full of pain; I could not bear being separated from him.

"Don't worry, I am not leaving you, even if I have to sign myself out of the hospital.  Don't they have any double beds around here?" he asked his brother.

The orderly came to the room with a wheel chair to take Kayden for an MRI. Getting out of bed was more difficult than he anticipated.

Sadness came over me when I saw him flinch after a simple movement.  Tears poured out of my eyes all of the sudden; I was not able to control them. I tried to stand to move away from him so he would not see them.  Unfortunately I collapsed. 

I woke up in a fog in a strange environment.  In the distance I heard a muffled voice, "I told you to scare him, not almost kill him you imbecile!  And you were not supposed to touch her.  Don’t call me again; keep a low profile."

I opened my eyes but did not see anyone.  Maybe it was a dream or a figment of my imagination.  I was in a different room.  I looked for Kayden but could not see him anywhere and panicked.  The door opened and Julian came in.

"Where am I, Julian?" I asked.

"You were moved to a different unit after you collapsed.  They want to keep a closer eye on you until you get better," he answered nervously.

"What are you doing here?"  I was feeling inexplicably anxious about his presence in my room.

"Making sure you are cared for," he responded with a smirk.

I cringed inside, feeling queasy about his presence.  I needed him out of my room.  "Please call the nurse Julian, I don’t feel well."

He ran outside to call the nurse, who came immediately.  She sent him out so that she could examine me.  

"How are you feeling? Your husband said you were feeling sick," the nurse said.

"He is not my husband, he is my ex and I don’t want him in my room.  Was he here before?"

"He's been here for about an hour," the nurse responded.  The feeling in my stomach just got worse; I gagged and felt like throwing up.

"I'm calling the doctor," she said.

"Please don't let him in," I whispered and began to doze off.

I woke up to the sight of Kayden by my side.  He had forced his brother to wheel him to my room.  His hand was on mine, his eyes exhausted.

"Ellie, please tell me you are okay" he said with a sound of desperation.

"I am fine my love, just a little lightheaded.  It will go away after some rest," I said to him in an effort to reassure him.

"Oh baby, I thought I lost you," he told me with tears in his eyes.

"I am more worried about you, you need to get back to your room.  Your injuries were very serious."

"I am not going anywhere.  I am staying by your side.  What good is it to be alive if you don't make it?"  I understood his apprehension.  After losing his wife Kayden was now afraid of losing me.

Kayden's company had donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to the hospital and the university, now that donation was helping him get some concessions.  The head of neurology came in accompanied by Carmelo.  They closed the curtain for privacy while I was examined.  Dr. Sounders asked, "Are you okay if I speak in front of others?"

"Yes, but not my ex-husband."

"Of course. After examining your MRI I think it's safe to say you are okay.  You suffered a mild concussion so we need to keep you another twenty-four hours for observation.  You have a couple of bruised ribs so you will need at least three weeks to recover but you can do that at home.  I'm recommending that you're released tomorrow."  I sighed with relief at the news.

"Mr. Hale, on the other hand, needs to return to his room until he is released by his doctor," continued Dr. Sounders.

"Doctor, I'm not going anywhere. If I have to release myself I will."

"Dr. Hale, you can deal with your brother."  Dr. Sounders was truly aggravated now.

"Do you think anyone can tell him what to do, other than our mother? Besides, who am I to stand in the way of love?" Carmelo responded.  "But he'll need a couple of hours for additional tests."

My kids were outside waiting for the doctor to finish.  Damien had come from Urbana and was surprised to find Kayden in the room given the condition he was in.  The girls gasped when they saw him and then kissed him on the cheek.  The orderly took Kayden away for an ultra sound. I explained to my children the situation, that I was going to be released tomorrow but was to refrain from physical activity.  I also explained the reasons for Kayden's reluctance to let me out of his sight.  Their hearts softened after hearing the story and they felt sympathy for him despite their loyalty toward their father.  I was honest with my children, treating them with the respect they deserved, after all they were adults and they deserved to know about my love for Kayden.  I wanted them to know this wasn't a passing thing.  They appreciated my honesty and respected Kayden's dedication to me.