Chapter 53 - Care
She started the car's engine and raised the speed of the car as she sped out of the compound and onto the road. Her hands trembled on the steering wheel and she sniffed as uncontrollable tears fell from her eyes, which had become red as a result of crying hard.
Her body shuddered, and she turned her head to glance at Adrik when she heard a low, painful groan from him. Her heart squeezed within her as she saw the amount of pain he was going through. This was all to protect and save her! She cursed herself in her heart and reached out her hand to grab his while controlling the steering wheel with her left. "Please do-don't leave me." She whispered and returned her eyes to the road ahead of them.
*****
The gate to the mansion pulled open, and she hurriedly drove in and parked the car. She stepped down and yelled for the bodyguards to give her a helping hand, and they rushed to her. They assisted her haul Adrik out of the car, and with both his hands placed on their shoulders, they helped him walk into the mansion.
They entered the elevator, and Adrik sweated more profusely as the pain started to become unbearable. The elevator took them up to the second floor, and Leia hurriedly took him to their room with the help of the bodyguards.
They gently laid him on the bed and walked out, leaving only Leia and Adrik inside the room. Leia glanced at Adrik and hurriedly stood up to get some water and a towel, but he grabbed her by the hand and stopped her on her track.
She turned around to stare at him and more tears fell from her eyes when she glanced at his stomach, which was still bleeding non-stop despite having a cloth wrapped around the wound. She reached out her hand and took off the mask on his face, then gently caressed his cheek. "I need to call the doctor for you." She smiled at him and wiped off the tears in her eyes, then snatched her hand and rushed out of the room.
Per her order, the maids made a call to the doctor who had visited her before, and she scurried back to the room with a bowl of water and a towel in her hand.
Leia climbed into the bed and sat down beside him, then soaked the white towel in the water and began to clean the sweats on his face.
Adrik's eyes, which looked almost as though they had lost their usual brightness, stared at her, and he raised his hand to touch her wet face. Leia broke into tears yet again and gently grabbed his hand that was touching her cheek. She placed it on her lips and planted lots of tender kisses on it. She positioned it back on her cheek and gazed at his pale face. "Please do-don't leave me. I am sorry... " She shut her eyes and tears flowed down her face. "Stay with me..." She nuzzled his hand and caressed his cheek with her left hand.
A knock came at the door, and she picked up Adrik's mask and latched it on his face, then hastily stepped down from the bed. She rushed to the door and pulled it open.
Mr. Robert walked in, and his eyes fluttered in shock when he saw the amount of blood that was oozing out of Adrik's stomach and how pale his face looked.
He scurried to the bed and dropped his suitcase, then untied the piece of clothing around Adrik's belly and took a deep breath. He turned to Leia, who was sobbing and smiled at her. "Don't worry, he will be fine."
Mr. Robert opened his suitcase and grabbed a roll of bandage and other crafting materials, then wrapped up his hands in a glove.
He wiped off the blood that flowed out of Adrik's stomach and injected him with a drug that would help reduce the pain. Then, with the use of the pituitary rongeur and slotted cannel, he removed all the bullet fragments.
He then proceeded with the direct pressure and covered the wounds with clothing, preventing any more blood from flowing out. He did the occlusive dressing and finally bandaged the wound.
Mr. Robert removed his hand gloves and checked Adrik's heart rate. His eyes blinked in complication, and he tried once again, and his brow creased in utter confusion.
Leia, who saw the expression on his face, couldn't help but ask. "I-is there something wrong?"
"No, he is perfectly fine... I just can't comprehend why his heartbeat is faster than normal." Mr. Robert glanced at her with a complicated expression on his face.
"What do you mean? Does that mean that he's not okay? " Leia's heart skipped a bit as she asked and moved closer to them.
"No. As I said, he is fine. He is no longer in danger." Mr. Robert stood up from the stool after cleaning his hands. He packed his tools back into his suitcase and turned to Leia. He smiled at her with assurance apparent in his eyes. "Change the bandage every morning and night and make sure he doesn't do anything that could result in the wound bleeding again or him feeling discomfort. Also, make sure he eats a lot of fruits and vegetables. He lost quite a lot of blood, and he needs it to recover."
Leia sniffed as she nodded and smiled at him. "Thank you very much."
"Take good care of him." Mr. Roberts nodded at her and ambled out of the room. Leia saw him out and shut the door, then slowly walk to the bed and climb into it to sit beside Adrik. Her eyes stared at his face, and she took the mask off. She gazed at his sleeping face, and her hand caressed his cheek. She slowly lowered her body and planted a soft, tender kiss on his forehead, then brushed his hair, back with her hand.
Leia took a deep breath and glanced at his body. She can't let him sleep in these, right? She flickered her eyes and took his shoes off, then unbuckled the belt around his waist and gradually dragged down his white pants. Now he was left only in white boxers.
She thought of dressing him up in a robe, but that might suffocate him, so she dismissed the idea and just covered him in a sheet.. She gently laid down beside him and her eyes stared at his pale face.