Chapter 23
Finally, she plaited her hair and Emily helped her into the bed.
“Get some rest, Pandora,” she ordered as she moved out of her room.
Pandora closed her eyes, hoping Nina was right and sleep would make everything better.
“Pandora,” she heard someone singling. As the voice stopped, she felt someone touching her face. She slapped the hand away and she heard the person chuckle. “Pandora,” they sang again and she frowned because the voice sounded a lot like Ron, Kiera’s boyfriend.
She opened her eyes and sure enough, he was smiling at her.
“What?” she asked slowly, sitting up.
“Keira got stuck at work with an emergency. Sia is also booked all of today, so I came instead. I’m the only bum you know, girl.” Before Pandora could say a word, he was speaking again. “I brought you some clothes and a real nightgown… None of these hospital things,” he said, passing her the bag.
She was surprised to see that none of it was hers. It was all new with tags. “Thank you,” she said, smiling at him.
“I know your night clothes are falling apart and you don’t want these people seeing you in a miserable state. I refuse to acknowledge you in those clothes.”
Pandora narrowed her eyes at him but he just smirked at her.
“I would insist you put on some skincare, but I don’t think there’s much point. Nothing could hide that rough look you seem to be rocking.”
“Pandora,” a harsh voice called, cutting her off before she could snark back at Ron and his usual commentary.
Ron turned around just as Dr. Parks came into view, but strangely he was glaring at Ron. “I see you are busy at the moment; I will come back later on to check on you,” he said, still sounding angry, “I brought you some juice to sip and hard candy to suck on.”
He placed a bag down on Pandora’s bed and he gave her a smile.
“Thank you,” she whispered, but it was too late as he had already walked out of Pandora’s room.
“What was that?” she asked, looking at Ron, who had an ‘oh shit look on his face.
“I think he thinks I was meaning what I said to you about looking rough.” Ron chuckled, shaking his head. “But, in my defence you do look like shit, and I really don’t think makeup would help.”
Pandora shrugged and then nodded at him. “I have to agree, not that I feel up to putting any on, anyway. Give me a few minutes to change,” she said, holding up the bag.
She pulled out the nightgown and smiled. “Thank you, God, for giving Ron the understanding of what I like, and what Kiera likes, is on the different ends of the spectrum.
She loved her friends deeply but she knew there was no way they would have bought her a plain nightgown if they had the chance.
Even with her sick and in the hospital, they would have tried to have her in a baby–doll nightie of some sort, she was sure.
She walked out and Ron was sitting on her bed with a chair in front of him. “Come on, Pandora, and I’ll fix that knotted mess of yours.”
She smiled and a light chuckle broke out of me.
“I tried to braid it,” she told him and he rolled his eyes. “I know that Kiera has excellent hairstyle because you learned how to do it for her.”
Ron chuckled lightly and beckoned her over. “I’ll give you the royal treatment. Only one time, okay?”
Ron brushed her hair and then pleated it. Even with him being the one who did all the work, Pandora couldn’t help but yawn.
“Okay, back to bed with you. You’ll need your rest because the girls are all coming up tonight,” Ron said as he helped her back to bed. “I will see you later, babe, he said before patting her head.
Pandora mumbled a goodbye as her eyes drooped. She was brutally awoken when someone roughly shook her.
“What?” she mumbled, opening her eyes and seeing Miriam, Derrik’s mother, glaring down at her. She pulled back from her and tilted her head.
Miriam, what are you doing here?” Pandora questioned, still unsure if she was there or if Pandora was dreaming.
“Yes, it’s me, you bitch! I really can’t believe you got my little boy arrested!” she yelled at Pandora’s face.
“What are you doing here?” she asked as she tried to wake up all the way.
“The whole community knows about your whoring ass, getting pregnant and trying to trap my boy.”
Pandora held back her glare by pressing her lips together as the door opened behind Miriam.
“Mrs. Preston, you have to leave,” Emily said as she walked into the room.
“I’ll do no such thing!” Miriam yelled.
“Leave, Pandora hissed out at her.
“You’re nothing without my boy. I intend to make sure your life is hell, for what you’ve done to my baby boy. You and the bastard inside of you will know the meaning of the word hell,” she yelled at Pandora again.
“What the hell is going on in here?” Dr. Parks asked, making Pandora cover some of her face with her hands. How many times was she to be embarrassed around this man?
“I’m just trying to get this woman out of here,” Emily said as she pulled on Miriam’s arm.
“Let go of me, you’re nothing more than a floozy, too. If anyone should leave this respected hospital, it should be this low–life whore. She isn’t worthy of this place, and I’m sure she’s faking it for sympathy like always. This is just another one of her games. I bet she’s not even pregnant!”
“She is, and you have been asked to leave,” Dr. Parks hissed out.
“You’re not good enough, and will never be good enough for my boy,” Miriam spat out at her, then turned around and stormed out of the room.
Chapter Comments
♡ 5
