Temptations

Chapter 14

For days, Clinton never left Jean's side. At night he cried until he fell asleep and even when he woken up, he was still in a nightmare. The doctor informed Clinton that Jean was in a medically induced coma and would slowly wake up on her own. Every morning before school Rue would come and sit with her sister too.

"I don't want Jean to die," Rue bawled as she walked closer towards Jean.

"She's not going to die. Your blood gave her the best chance to survive," Clinton answered.

Rue sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed her bandage, "What if she never wakes up? What if I lose her too!"

"You won't. Jean's a fighter and her spirit won't rest until she knows you're in good hands!" Clinton insured.

As soon as Rue reached to grab Jean's hand, her body started twitching making Rue jump off the bed and run to Clinton. "I, I didn't mean to do that!" Rue responded.

"NURSE!" Clinton called out as he pushed the button on the side of the bed.

Jean's body started to squirm around in the bed and she started coughing due to the tube in her mouth. When she started pulling on the tube, Clinton grabbed her hands to calm her down as he continued to shout for a nurse.

When the nurse entered the room, she explained to Clinton and Rue that they needed to leave. Confused they both obeyed and watched as the doctor rushed into Jean's room.

Jean's eyes rolled open as she gradually started waking up. She scanned the room as Jean became aware more than the doctor and nurses were speaking to her. After a few moments, the doctor realized she had no collective memory of the incident. He informed her that she was attacked.

She looked down at her stomach and noticed her bump had gone down, "Did I have to deliver the baby early?" Jean asked as she placed her hand over her stomach.

...

Jean was in excruciating pain during her entire recovery. When she took her first shower, the pain became unbearable, the longer she stood the more the pain increased.

After three days, Jean was released from the hospital. Clinton forced Jean to move back in and he limited her physical activities.

The first few days were rough but after three weeks, she was feeling better. However, some days were harder than others and she still had some restless nights.

Most days, she didn't even eat, she just laid in bed all day. Clinton became concerned and often tried to check on Jean's mental health.

"You need to eat!" Clinton said as he brought Jean's favorite meal from Bellanico.

"I'm not hungry," she answered as she scrolled through Netflix.

"Well, whenever you become hungry the food will be right here," he placed the box on the bedstand.

"Okay," she said.

Clinton stood in the doorway and stared at her, "Jean, can we talk for a minute?" he asked as he sat on the edge of the bed.

"What is it?" she asked still looking at the T.V.

"I'm worried about you. You've been in this room for three weeks and the doctor said you should've started walking!"

"I walk to the bathroom every day," she answered as a frown instantly went across his face.

"You know that's not what the doctor recommended. It's a beautiful day today, let's take a walk," he insisted.

"No, I'm fine!" she said.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Clinton, if I said no then no!" she snapped.

He took a deep breath, "Fine! Are you at least coming to the grave site with me and my mom tomorrow?"

"No," she quickly stated.

Clinton rubbed his face with his hand and sighed, "You know Jean, I'm trying to be understanding because I know everyone grieves differently but you've been acting as if I'm the only one who lost a child. I mean you have been brushing our child off like he was nothing to you!"

"I'm not grieving Clinton!" Jean said seriously. "I can't grieve for it when I have no emotional attachment." When Jean learned what happened to her child, she didn't cry, she didn't want to hold the baby, or even look at him.

He looked at her puzzled, "Jean, I know that is not true!" Clinton assured.

Jean shook her head, "It is! And you don't have to look at me like that! I'm not a monster! I've tried to feel something but I have no love for the baby!"

"I refuse to believe that!" He huffed.

She sighed, "Clinton if I go on the walk with you can we change the subject please?"

"Sure," he answered.

...

Their walk was awkward since no one was talking. He could tell Jean was still upset about earlier but he was happy she was being more active again.

Within a couple of minutes in, he noticed Jean's breathing becoming heavier and she was walking slower than usual. "Do you want to take a break?" Clinton asked concerned.

"No," she shook her head. "I can make it Clinton! You don't have to keep treating me like a child!" Jean declared.

"Okay," he said in a sad tone. "I just don't want you to overdo it!"

They walked for another five minutes until Jean tightly gripped his shoulder. He watched as her knees buckled and she fell to the ground.

"JEAN!" he yelled as he tried to help her up but she stopped him.

"No, don't help me! I can do it!" she pleaded.

He watched as she struggled from the pain, "Are you sure you don't want my help?" Clinton looked at her knees they were bloody from the number of times she fell.

"I said I can do it!" she rudely said.

Clinton threw his hand up, "Sorry, I won't ask again!" he sighed.

After she struggled for a while, she just stop trying and laid down on the ground, "I know you blame me for his death! If I haven't moved out none of this would've happened. And I know you resent me for not showing empathy for the situation but ever since his body was removed from me. I feel disconnected."

"Jean, you went through something traumatic and you need time to process everything. And I do not blame you for his death," he said before he paused, so, he could think before he spoke. " But you were right to move out. After me and Kellie kissed I started to develop a crush on her," he admitted.

"Wow," she shook her head in disbelief.

"If I'm being honest, I guess I've always been attracted to her. Her looks were the main reason I chose her as my new assistant."

"Your dad was right to tell me to never get involved with you! What is it?" she asked as she raised one of her eyebrows. "Huh? Is this some type of power fetish you have? Do fucking assistants make your dick hard? You know how that makes me feel?" she asked staring into his soul. "Makes me feel like I was being used. Like I'm nothing to you but something to cum in!"

"You are everything to me, Jean," Clinton said sincerely. "You changed me, I'm a different man because of you."

"You're still the same," she disagreed. "You're having a baby on me. And if I'm being honest, I won't play stepmom to your other child. I can't raise her child when my child never will experience me as his mom."

"Yes, sometimes, I thought about having sex with Kellie but I swear to you on our dead son. I never acted on those thoughts because I knew how much it would hurt... JEAN!" Clinton yelled grabbing her hands, Jean's slap had come out of nowhere.

"DON'T YOU EVER LIE ON MY CHILD AGAIN!" she yanked her hands out of his grip and slowly started limping away from him.

Since that day, Jean started to walk unsupervised without Clinton. He was happy she was becoming more active. However, he knew this was just another way for her to push him away.