A Deal With The Billionaire

EPISODE THIRTY ONE

THEME: A kiss with the billionaire

CONNECTICUT, UNITED STATE OF AMERICA

HARTFORD MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

When the doctor came out of the operating room with a solid smile plastered on his face, Raven heaved a sigh of relief. It was evening already and they had been waiting outside the operating room for more than eight hours.

Eva and Raven had no idea it was going to take so long and it had taken two nurses to convince them that everything would be fine and they needed to sit at the waiting room reserved for all the patients family.

“How is my boy doing?” Eva was the first to speak up.

“Good job for holding up, the surgery went well.” He announced, leaving both women to embrace each other for the good news.

“Thank goodness.” Raven breathed in and out heavily.

Eva withdrew from the embrace. “This is such a relief.” Eva said, her face beaming with a wide smile.

“Yes I am so happy my baby is fine now.” Raven sniffed as tears clouded her vision. She couldn’t help the emotion washing over her. It seemed like a heavy load has been lifted off her shoulder. And she was beyond glad that her son fought through the storm of brain tumor and came back alive.

“I am so thirsty.” Eva mumbled.

“Then we should get something to drink.”

Eva and Raven went to the dispenser at the reception room to get water.

“Family of Rowan McKenna?” A nurse called out after some minutes passed.

Raven gulped down the liquid in her throat. “Right here!”

The nurse informed them that Rowan has been transferred to the children’s ward fifty three and they went ahead to check on him.

Rowan was still unconscious but his face finally looked at ease and he wasn’t so pale anymore like when he was rushed to the hospital from school. The pains were gone. His mother and grandmother held both of his hands respectively as they sobbed silently in appreciation.

The doctor came back to check his board after making few notes on his progress. He called out to Raven.

“Miss McKenna, do not worry, he would be awake by tomorrow.” He reassured them.

Raven shook her head in understanding. “Thank you, doctor.”

“Can I speak to you for a moment?” Doctor Benson requested.

Raven looked from the doctor to her mother who gave her a short nod and urged her to go with him.

“Doctor Benson, please whatever it is, just tell us. I don’t need to hide anything from my mother.”

Deep down in Raven’s heart she was worried that the doctor had some disturbing news to share but she braced herself up for it while looking straight at him.

“Okay.” Doctor Benson cleared his throat. “Like I said earlier, the surgery went well but I am afraid that the little boy might be restricted from now on. The case here is your son won’t be able to indulge in any rigorous activities such as sports anymore. This might weigh him down a lot so it is advisable that you make him see a child therapist to enable him understand that he can be more aside just playing sports.”

Raven had explained to the doctor how much Rowan loved the football game and was also a popular player at his school and even his dream of becoming a footballer. So it was not a surprise that the doctor felt Rowan might need therapy to forge ahead without feeling less of himself or fall into depression.

Eva looked from Raven to the doctor then to her grandson laying still on the bed. Her heart ached badly at how heartbroken and dejected the little boy would feel if he gets to know his current situation.

Raven and her mother thanked the doctor and each of them lapsed into silence after his departure.

Talking about it was not going to be of any advantage so it was better to just let it be till Rowan regains consciousness.

Raven gazed at the door expecting to see her best friend. She had informed Tiana of how the surgery went via text messages and she had replied that she was just getting off work and would be at the hospital shortly. And it had been about an hour since they last texted on phone.

Some minutes later, Tiana made her presence known as she ran towards Raven and Eva hugging both of them respectively.

“I am glad you made it Prince Charming.” Tiana mumbled as she rubbed Rowan’s right palm gently.

“Thanks for your support, Tiana.” Eva said.

“Oh come on, Eva, you know how much I love Rowan. I love your family. As a matter of fact, you, Raven and Rowan are part of my life now and I would do anything to support those I regard as family.” She smiled heartily at the sight of Rowan. She could feel it that the little boy was getting better and the colors were slowly coming back on his handsome face.

“What’s in that box?” Eva pointed at the box she has been holding tightly even as she exchanged pleasantries with them.

“I brought dinner. I know you both must be really hungry after waiting outside the operating room for several hours.” Tiana replied.

“Tiana, that’s so sweet of you.” Eva commended as she took the box from her.

She and Raven haven’t had anything in their stomach all day because they were worried about Rowan and anxious about the outcome of the surgery.

Tiana noticed Raven wasn’t saying too much. She was too quiet so Tiana decided to distract her for a moment.

“Hey Raven, do you want to go with me to get drinks at the cafeteria?” Tiana asked.

Raven looked straight at her. She didn’t want to be away from her son anymore but at the same time Raven knew she needed some fresh air to relief the tension within her.

“Come with me, Raven.” Tiana pulled her up from the chair she sat on. “Do you need anything, Eva?”

“Yeah. A chilled bottle of water should do for me.” Eva answered as she munched on the food in her mouth.

“Alright.” Tiana held on to Raven’s hand and dragged her out of the ward. “Why are you staring into space like a zombie?”

Raven sighed. “I feel so helpless, Tiana.” She replied causing her friend to stop on track.

Tiana let go of her hand and turned to face her. “Hey! Come on, Raven, what’s wrong this time again? Rowan’s surgery went well and he is doing just fine. Is that not enough reason to at least have a smile on your face?”

Raven huffed. “I am happy Rowan is doing okay now. But this is not really about him this time.”

Tiana pulled her in for a hug. “What is it, Raven?”

“My mystery already began since morning.”

Tiana released her. “There is more than I expected. Would we be needing a place to seat to have this conversation?” She asked.

Raven stomped her feet lightly. “Of course! And definitely not here because mom might hear us.”

Without wasting another minute, Tiana guided her friend to the cafeteria and secured a seat for the both of them.

“Spill it, Raven. I am all ears.” Tiana said.

“Christopher was here this morning.”

Tiana gasped dramatically and it earned her a glare from Raven. “Sorry. Why did he visit you at the hospital?” She asked.

“Christopher played the perfect son in law character without a flop. And to top it all, he said that he needed to take me shopping because we would both be having a dinner date with his family on Sunday!” Raven explained.

“You say what?! You mean… you are having dinner with the Crawford this Sunday?!” Tiana asked with a surprised look on her face.

“Yes… right there… this expression right now was my exact reaction.” Raven inhaled.

Tiana tried to control herself. “Well, I don’t think this should come as a surprise if you and Christopher are set to get married in probably two weeks time. It is normal to meet his family since he already met your mom too. So my dear best friend, expect more of this shocking news.”

Raven groaned. “I really want to shove some dried shaft up that Crawford’s guy ass. He is so full of himself. He is so stuck in his head.”

Tiana winked. “Or do you mean your lips on his manly shaft?”

Raven rolled her eyes. “Can you be reasonable, Tiana?”

“How can I be reasonable? No, just tell me. Here you are complaining when you should be thinking of how much your wardrobe would be worth by tomorrow. You could go as far as asking for a black card as the wife of Christopher Crawford be it fake or real… it doesn’t matter.”

Raven shook her head in disagreement. “I am nothing like you, Tiana.” She laughed.

“I never said you are me.” Tiana air danced but soon relaxed her look as she observed her friend again. “Tell me it is not just about this contract marriage.”

Raven sighed deeply. Her thoughts were jumbled up. “You know me too well, Tiana. The doctor said Rowan can’t play football anymore.”

“Oh my God! How on earth are you suppose to tell Rowan that he can’t play football anymore?!” Tiana gasped out.

“I have no idea, Tiana. You do know how obsessed Rowan is with football. I doubt it if he would ever come to terms that he can’t play football anymore. Well if I am to be sincere, I am glad he is off that and he would do away with watching matches or dream of being a footballer like his father. But that makes me sound selfish and I don’t want my son to feel left out and depressed at such a young age.” Raven’s voice sounded so downcast.

“Don’t worry, we would find a way out of this, Raven. Trust me.” Tiana assured her.

They both ordered a drink and sipping on it gently. Raven played with her drink before deciding to make the big announce that she has been contemplating on.

“He kissed me.”

“Wait, what?” Tiana exclaimed, spitting out her drink all over the table and even on a part of Raven’s face.

“Tiana!” Raven called out with a disgusting look on her face.

“I… I am… so sorry, Raven.” Tiana reached for a small face towel in her bag.

“This is so gross.” Raven closed her eyes while Tiana wiped her face clean.

Tiana called out to one of the cafeteria attendants to help her clean up the table while a napkin with a cup of water was handed to Raven to clean up properly.

“Now repeat what you said earlier on.” Tiana requested.

“Christopher kissed me.” Raven said.

“Now tell me do you mean French kiss or just a peck?” Tiana questioned anxiously with her tongue sticking out of her lips in emphasis.

Raven shrugged. “It is not a kiss… kiss… like a deep one… it was a kiss on the full lips. So does it count?”

“Oh my heart! Deep or light, when last did you get kissed?” Tiana demanded.

“That should be before I found out I was pregnant.” Raven gulped down the water.

It gave Tiana enough time to have a good laugh which caused other occupants to stare at their way.

“Tiana… Keep it down.” Raven seethe her teeth.

“Okay. Forgive me.” She leaned forward with a curious look on her face.

“How did you feel afterwards?” She asked.

“For some seconds or maybe minutes I stood immobile because I wasn’t expecting him to kiss me! I made it so obvious that I didn’t know when he left so mom thought my fake husband’s effect on me is really cute. Practically she is happy I have a man in my life.” Raven sighed.

“So?”

“The kiss felt tingly.” Raven admitted, unconsciously feeling her lips on her fingers. The kiss had truly made her feet jelly and she couldn’t get over it for hours.

“I agree to what mom said about him having a great effect on you. Do I also need to remind you that you would be doing that more often as a result of your fake marriage?” Tiana informed her friend as she grinned from ear to ear.

“That must be a joke!” Raven blurted out.

“I am not joking this time around!” Tiana gloated knowing Raven has never thought about sharing more kisses with her fake husband judging by the shocking look on her face.

Raven tried to ignore the tingly feeling that was traveling through her body again. She grabbed the cup of water again and gulped down the whole liquid like her life depended on it.

“We should get a bottle of cold water for mom.” Tiana stood up and went to the counter.

Raven made sure she was under control before standing up. This was going to take a whole lot more than she could imagine.