All Chapters of Decisions I made : Chapter 81 - Chapter 90

141 Chapters

Relaxed

The soft glow of morning sunlight spilled across the suite, creeping through the floor-to-ceiling windows and stretching across the hardwood floors.Lela slowly opened her eyes.For a moment, she forgot where she was.Then she saw the skyline.The lake shimmering in the distance.The elegant suite.And the man sleeping peacefully beside her.She smiled.Jack had somehow managed to sleep on his back, one arm stretched across the bed and the blankets tangled around his legs. His hair was a mess, and without realizing it, he had somehow migrated onto her side of the bed during the night.She laughed quietly to herself."So much for staying on your side."As if he had heard her, Jack let out a sleepy groan."Mmm...""You awake?""Depends."She smiled."Depends on what?""Whether there's coffee."She laughed."I'll take that as a yes."He slowly opened one eye before the other and smiled the second he saw her."Morning.""Good morning."For a few seconds, neither of them said anything.The

The Texts

The drive home felt different than the drive to the hotel.On the way there, everything had been filled with excitement and anticipation.Now, there was a quiet comfort between them.The kind that didn't require constant conversation.Lela had kicked off her sandals somewhere along the drive and curled one leg underneath herself in the passenger seat, occasionally looking over at Jack before turning her attention back to the scenery rolling by outside the window."So..." Jack finally said with a smile."So?""Was the weekend everything you hoped it would be?"She looked over at him."It was better."He smiled without taking his eyes off the road."I was hoping you'd say that."She reached across the center console and slipped her hand into his."I don't think I've smiled this much in years.""I noticed.""You keep saying that.""Because it's true."He lifted her hand and kissed the back of it while they waited at a stoplight."You have a beautiful smile."She laughed."You're trying t

Monday Chaos

Monday morning hit like a freight train.By the time Lela walked into her office, her inbox already had over a hundred unread emails waiting for her.Ron was standing outside his office before she had even set her purse down."There you are," he called. "Conference room in ten minutes."She laughed."I haven't even had coffee yet.""You can drink it during the meeting.""I knew you were going to say that."He pointed a finger at her."And after that, we've got the vendor call, budget review, marketing recap, and Hannah's revised reports."Lela groaned dramatically."I knew I shouldn't have come back."Ron laughed."You had a nice weekend?"She smiled before she could stop herself."The best.""I can tell.""What gives it away?""You're smiling on a Monday."She laughed and disappeared into her office.The morning flew by.One meeting blended into another.She barely had time to answer emails before another manager stopped by asking questions.At 10:30 she was on the phone with a vendo

You Need Surgery

The room was quiet for several minutes.The steady beep of the heart monitor filled the silence while Lela tried to make sense of everything that had happened.Her knee felt like it was on fire.Every slight movement sent another wave of pain shooting through her leg.Jack never let go of her hand.Her father stood near the window, staring out at the parking lot with his arms folded across his chest. Anyone who knew Paul Moretti knew exactly what that posture meant.He was worried.Very worried.Paul leaned against the wall, his duty belt resting on the chair beside him.He looked exhausted.Lela looked from one face to another."You all look like someone died."Jack managed a small smile."You've still got jokes.""Barely."The curtain at the doorway slid open.A man in his early sixties wearing navy scrubs entered the room, followed by a younger resident carrying a tablet."Good afternoon, Ms. Moretti."Lela looked up."Hello.""I'm Dr. Harrison. I'm the orthopedic surgeon who revie

Next Morning

Sleep came in short stretches.Every time Lela drifted off, a nurse came in to check her vitals or adjust her medications. Between the unfamiliar sounds of the hospital and the ache in her knee, she never managed more than an hour at a time.Just after six the next morning, sunlight began filtering through the hospital blinds.Lela slowly opened her eyes.Jack was still there.Curled awkwardly in the recliner beside her bed with a blanket half falling onto the floor.She smiled to herself.He looked absolutely miserable sleeping in that chair.His neck was bent at an impossible angle, one arm hanging over the side while his suit jacket was folded into something that vaguely resembled a pillow.She reached over as far as she could and lightly touched his hand."Jack..."He woke instantly."I'm awake."She laughed."I can see that."He blinked a few times before looking at her."How's the knee?""It still hurts.""I'm sorry.""You don't have to apologize."He stood and stretched his bac

Flowers Galore

Lela woke again sometime that afternoon.The haze from the anesthesia had begun to wear off, replaced by the dull ache in her knee and the steady rhythm of machines quietly beeping beside her bed.She blinked several times before her vision came into focus.At first, she thought she was still dreaming.The room looked...different.Brighter.Colorful.She slowly turned her head.Flowers.Everywhere.Yellow roses.White lilies.Hydrangeas.Orchids.Sunflowers.Beautiful arrangements lined the windowsill, every available countertop, and even the small table in the corner. More bouquets sat on the floor because there simply wasn't anywhere else to put them.She stared for several seconds."What..."Jack looked up from the chair beside her bed and smiled."Welcome back."She looked from him to the flowers."What happened?"He laughed."I was wondering how long it would take you to notice."She looked around again."There has to be thirty arrangements in here.""Thirty-four."She blinked."

A Few Nights Stay

The laughter from everyone admiring the flowers slowly faded as another knock came at the hospital room door.Dr. Harrison stepped inside with a clipboard tucked under one arm.He smiled as he looked around the room."I see we're going to have to start charging rent for all these flowers."Even Lela laughed."I'm beginning to think my dad bought out every florist in Ohio."Her father shrugged innocently."I support local businesses."Dr. Harrison chuckled before walking over to the foot of Lela's bed."Well, Ms. Moretti, how are we feeling this afternoon?""Sore.""I expected that.""My knee feels like it's the size of a basketball.""It probably feels that way."He gently lifted the blanket covering her leg and carefully examined the surgical dressing."Any numbness in your foot?""No.""Can you wiggle your toes?"She did."Good."He nodded approvingly."The circulation looks good."Jack stood quietly beside the bed while Paul and Mr. Moretti listened carefully.The doctor pulled a r

What Else Could Go Wrong

By the time visiting hours were officially over, the room had finally grown quiet.The flowers filled every available surface, the lights had been dimmed, and the steady hum of the hospital at night had replaced the bustle of the day.Jack glanced at the recliner beside Lela's bed and sighed."I think this chair gets less comfortable every hour."Lela smiled."I've been watching you try to get comfortable for the last twenty minutes.""I think I've found at least twelve new muscles in my back."She laughed softly."You don't have to stay."He looked at her as though the thought had never crossed his mind."I'm not leaving.""I know."She watched him try to fold the blanket around himself again."Jack.""Hmm?""Come here."He looked up."What?"She patted the empty side of the hospital bed."Get in here."He immediately shook his head."Absolutely not.""Why not?""This is your hospital bed.""It is.""And you're recovering from surgery.""I am.""So I'm staying right here."She smiled

Surgery Again

The hallway outside Lela's room filled with hurried footsteps.A moment later, the door swung open.Dr. Harrison strode inside wearing navy scrubs covered by a fleece jacket, his reading glasses still hanging from the collar of his shirt."What do we have?" he asked as he walked directly to the bedside.The charge nurse gave a quick report."Approximately twenty minutes ago she woke with sudden, severe pain. Ten out of ten. Breakthrough pain medication hasn't helped."Dr. Harrison immediately began examining Lela."Lela."She opened her tear-filled eyes."It hurts...""I know."He carefully checked the color of her foot, compared both legs, and gently felt along her calf.When he reached one particular spot, Lela cried out.The room fell silent.Dr. Harrison looked up at the nurses."Who did you notify?""The orthopedic resident on call.""And what was the recommendation?""He recommended additional pain medication and observation."Dr. Harrison slowly stood."No."His voice was calm,

The Problem

The hallway outside the operating room became a blur of motion.As the surgical team wheeled Lela toward the double doors, Jack stayed beside her as long as he was allowed, his hand wrapped around hers until the very last moment."I'll be right here," he said.Lela managed the smallest nod."I know."The doors swung closed.Jack stood frozen for a moment, staring at the words AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY printed across the glass.Then he heard someone shouting."Lela!"Paul came running down the hallway, still in his police uniform. His duty belt bounced against his hip as he hurried toward the waiting area.He stopped in front of Jack, breathing hard."They already took her?"Jack nodded."Just now."Paul looked through the small window in the operating room doors before rubbing both hands over his face."I drove straight from a call."Jack could tell.Paul's shirt was untucked on one side, and there was still dust on the knees of his uniform pants."You okay?" Jack asked quietly.Paul

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