Betrothed (currently being edited)

Chapter 89-Rest and Recovery

Dimitri had dozed off when he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder waking him up.  It was the nurse.  He rubbed his hands on his face and stood up.  "She's resting comfortably.  Dr. Malikov wants to keep her overnight just for observation and then we will help you get her to the main house tomorrow.  She took two stitches to her lip, four to her collar bone, twelve to her cheek bone, eight to her abdomen and ten to her chin.  The reason for the quantity of stitches to her cheek bone and chin was to get the stitches as small and close together to minimize scaring.  I'm afraid she will scar but it will not be bad.  She has two IVs.  One with heavy antibiotics to fight any infection from the knife that was used and the other is administering the pain medication."  She finished and let the information sink in.  "Do you have any questions for me?" she asked kindly.  "When can we see her?" Dimitri asked.  The nurse said now if we liked no more than four at a time and that she was on some pretty heavy duty pain killers and might not be able to communicate.  Dimitri thanked her and went off to let the others know.

Dimitri filled his men in on her condition.  Even though she did not know each of them personally yet, they had all come to respect her and felt protective of her and they were grateful for the update.  Dimitri took Mattias, Marco and Liam in with him first.  They could hear the steady beeping of the heart monitor that she was hooked up to and the two IVs the nurse told him about.  She had a thin bandage covering the chin wound and a thicker bandage on her cheek.  Her lip was swollen and her wrists were bruised and raw from the chains.  Dimitri blew out a breath as he took a chair and pulled it up by her bedside.  He took her hand and ran his thumb over her wedding rings; remembering the night of their engagement party when he gave her the ring.  The look of joy on her face and the smile she gave him, hugging him like it would be the last time.  He lowered his mouth and kissed her ring and then the top of her hand and let his head fall on the bed.  He was so tired but he would rest when he got Carina home.

Carina was hearing bits and pieces as she drifted in and out of consciousness.  I can't believe she had the state of mind to get a message to him one of the voices said.   Another one said what she endured would have crumpled the average man.  Someone else said Dimitri you need to try and rest, stay here but rest.  You need to be 100% when she's brought home.  That was Marco, she knew that voice.  She heard Dimitri say something but couldn't quite make it out, she was still zoning in and out from the medication.  She tried moving her fingers and found, quite to her joy, that she could move them and searched for Dimitri.  She felt something; it was his hair.  She moved her fingers through his hair as much as she could.  He jumped at the movement as his eyes found hers on him.  He stood up and leaned over her, kissing her gently on the forehead, moving some hair from her face.  "Hey baby" he said gently.  She smiled slightly.  "You look tired lover" she said.  He couldn't believe her, but had come to love how she always thought of everyone but herself.  "Doc tells me we are going to have matching love marks" she joked wryly.  He shook his head.  "How are you feeling Car?" he asked.  "High as a kite" she said laughing slightly.  "There are some people that want to visit.  Are you up for that?" he questioned.  She nodded.  Liam went first; he kept it short and sweet not wanting to tire her out.  Mattias went next.  He was a little more open with his emotions.  "You are one tough chic" he said clearing his throat trying to hide what he was feeling.  She patted his hand.  Lastly was Marco.  "I know" Carina said.  He shook his head.  "Between you and him" he said pointing at Dimitri "I'm going to have gray hair by the end of the year!"  Carina tried to laugh but stopped short due to her bruised ribs.

The rest of the men came in and paid their respects as Dimitri stood watch by her bedside.  He was proud of the men that stood by him and had his back; they were good and loyal.  His phone rang and he told Carina he would be right back and stepped out to take the call.  It was from Adriano.  He was letting Dimitri know that they would be there in about 4 hours.  Dimitri gave him the update as he heard Lana in the background begging for one.  They talked a few more minutes and then hung up.  Marco came over to his boss and said "I know you are going to stay here but try and rest.  When you notice her sleeping you need to sleep.  When we get her home tomorrow you need to sleep when she does.  You both have been running on pure adrenaline lately.  I don't need you collapsing on me."  The man knew what his friend was saying was true, thanked him and went back in to see Carina.  All of the visitors had tired her out so she was sleeping; he sat in the chair and gratefully pulled up the blanket that had been left for him in the chair, closed his eyes and drifted off.

He felt someone shaking his shoulder gently trying to wake him up.  He felt like he'd just fallen asleep.  It was the nurse.  "Your friends are in the waiting room" she said softly.  He nodded, got up and stretched and went out of the room.  Lana and Ana looked like they'd been crying the whole time and Adriano and Alessio were solemn in their expression.  Dimitri took a hug from the girls and hand shakes from the men.  "You can go in, she's on some pretty heavy pain meds so she might be in and out.  Don't make any remarks about what you see.  Try and keep the conversation light okay?  She's been joking and trying to laugh but you know Carina.  She tries to keep a stiff upper lip."  The girls nodded in acknowledgement and started towards Carina's room while Dimitri stayed behind to talk with the Costas brothers.