Five Years, A Fading Love

nses as she slowly woke up. She was in a hospital

His posture was rigid, his silhouette cutting

his face

"What were you thinking, pulling a stunt like that? D

her throat was raw. A dr

clear, Cayla. I don't love you. I never will. A

sten? About the promise? He wouldn't believe her. He would just see it as another desperate pl

Mcleod," she said

confusion?-in his eyes. He seemed thrown by her

t imperceptibly. "Take

e didn't understand, he pulled a

of light appeared in Cayla's eyes. It wa

y?" Grafton asked, g

ch like Justen's. "Just... ha

tion he couldn't identify. He was about to

anicked. "Grafton, darling, I... I fell. My a

He saw the flicker of hope in her eyes die

" Cayla said, her voic

of a second, a war raging

e clipped. He turned and w

mile vanished. Her eyes burned, but no tears came

side her door. Nurses w

just booked the entire VIP

ned ankle? He mus

mask of indifference. She

came. Grafton had paid for the room, but his attention, and the a

and tended to the wound herself. She fo

applied the antiseptic. It

tant slipped from her grasp,

movement pulled at the stitches on her head, sending a fresh spike of pa

ning crack. A new, sharp agony erupted,

g the blood now seeping through her hospital gown. She pains

lk the halls for exercise. On one of these walks

ng an apple for her, his movements gentle, his ex

lly lo

she could help them, make them happy to

As she stepped out of her room, she came face to face with

y moved to the sid

d pitched herself out of the wheelch

nkle!" sh

eyes landed on Cayla, then on Cherrelle sob

ng around Cayla's wrist like a vise.

la said, her voice steady d

f magnanimity. "Grafton, don't blame her. I'm

low growl. He refused to listen.

d her entire body, and the wound on her head, just beginning to h

mask of fury. "Don't you ever touc

oncern. He gently scooped Cherrelle into his arms, h

back over his shoulder at Cayla. Her lips

ing position on the cold floor. The fresh b

felt an exhaustion so profound it settled