Build And Break novel Chapter 50

Angela turned to Steven. She wanted his opinion. Though he had the same helpless expression on his face as hers.

"He should stay here." Steven offered his thought to Angela.

Angela nodded her head, agreeing with him. "Yea." She looked back at Dr. Gibbs. "He'll stay."

"That's a sensible choice. Daniel will be back with you at your home in no time."

Their home. Steven's place wasn't Angela and Daniel's home. Home wasn't with Steven. At least for her, it wasn't. As for Daniel, she wasn't sure.

"Can we see him?" Steven inquired.

"Absolutely. Follow me." Dr. Gibbs said before leading the way down the corridors to reach the room where Daniel was admitted.

As if on instinct, Steven and Angela's hands locked in each other's. Somehow, they needed each other to get through yet another tough moment revolving around their son.

Angela and Steven had stayed by his bedside until the sun had set down past the horizon again. In the long hours they'd been there, Daniel hadn't stirred once. Lying in that bed, he was like a sleeping angel. So innocent and peaceful.

The next time a nurse had come into the room, Angela was hunched in a chair nearby Daniel's bed, her hand over the boy's while Steven sat on the edge of the bed trying to pass the time by immersing in his phone communicating with his office. They both looked tired. Their eyes were red, their foreheads were wrinkled with worry.

"Why don't you go get some sleep in your bed?" The sweet nurse suggested as she offered the two plastic cups of coffee she brought to Angela and Steven.

"Thank you." Steven spoke for himself and for Angela as well. "We prefer if we stay here."

"The boy is heavily sedated with the medicine we gave him. He's going to have a long sleep. You should get some rest too in the meant time."

Angela turned to the nurse with her glassy gaze. "He's not going to wake up?"

"Most likely not for a few more hours. When he wakes up, he's going to be better and if you stay here, you will be the ones needing nursing then. He'll be fine here. Go get some rest."

Angela and Steven looked at each other, then at a sleeping Daniel. They didn't want to leave Daniel yet.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Both Angela and Steven sat at the dinner table, playing their chopsticks through their noodles. Their hungry had disappeared. Their mind was still inside that hospital room, with their son. They both missed Daniel. The apartment without him seemed empty.

The aromatic candle that Angela had lit in hopes that the scent would soothe their minds wasn't doing anything. The smell was more causing her a headache than helping her. It usually worked in her favor. But that day, it didn't.

For Steven, the candle and its scent was messing with his brain. It was evoking memories he had seemingly forgotten about. The scent of lavender had always reminded him of Angela. The house he had shared with her, every room smelled of lavender. Every single thing she owned was of lavender. Her body wash, her shampoo, her fragrance. When she was gone from his life, he had started to loathe the smell. That day, he was relishing it.

Angela caught Steven staring at her. "What?"

"Nothing." Steven said. But Angela's raised brow told him she knew he was up to something. He shrugged one shoulder. "I'm just remembering it would have been our anniversary next week."

Oh, dear. Angela wouldn't have even realized hadn't he reminded her. "I..."

"Don't feel bad Angie. I'm not going to take it against you for not remembering."