Wonderland [WWE] [Shawn Michaels] {Book 1}

Chapter 30: Thank You

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Stephanie's POV
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I was reading one of the magazines the hospital provided while Kat was sleeping. It was all this-celebrity-did-this and she-said-he-did-this. Boring, really, especially when Dad knew some of them and they weren't half as entertaining in professional meetings. Still, I flipped through the waxy pages, trying to keep my mind off of things.

Paul shut the door as quietly as he possibly could when he walked in, trying not to disturb us. He held a coffee in each hand, sitting in the chair to my right. He offered me a cup, which I accepted.

"I got one for your mom, too," he told me.

I shook my head before taking a sip of my own. "She won't take it. She's particular."

He shrugged and began drinking it himself. He probably needed it more than her anyway. "Where is your mom?"

I flipped my boring magazine closed. "In the bathroom."

I shivered. You would think a hospital, which was supposed to be comforting, would be a bit warmer. Paul saw me and draped his own coat across my shoulders. I thanked him, probably blushing.

He nodded, staring in Kat's direction. "There's something I kinda want to talk to you about... just you."

My heart starting beating a little faster. What could Paul want to talk to me about? Just me?

"So, as you know, I'm going to have to go back to work soon," he explained. "And there's no way Kat is coming on the road with me and Shawn. I was hoping you would have a better option of somewhere for her to stay when she's released."

It wasn't what I hoped he would ask. Really, I wasn't sure what I wanted him to ask, but it wasn't that. I pushed my feelings aside to focus on my big sister.

I racked my brain for an idea. "I don't have a house. The last place she wants to be is at home, I'm sure." Kat and Dad weren't speaking, currently. And I knew she wouldn't want to be waited on by Mom.

"That's why I didn't ask your mother," he said.

An idea popped into my head, almost like a light bulb appearing. "Sarah!" When Paul looked at me quizzically, I jumped to explain. "Sarah McKinnon. She's been our friend since we were kids. She has a place and I'm sure she'd be more than happy to let Kat stay." I hoped she would, at least. Sarah had a full house, last I had heard. She and her husband had a young daughter, as well as her husband's mother staying with them.

Paul broke into a relieved smile. It was probably only the second time I had seen him smile since we got to the hospital. "Great," he exclaimed. I grinned back.

"You might be even better at coming up with ideas than Kat," he joked.

I shook my head, giggling. "Kat has always been better than me in that department. I learned it all from her."

Kat was starting to wake up from her nap. "Learned what from me?" she mumbled.

"My thinking skills," I replied.

She nodded into her pillow. "You got that right." She gave us a small smirk.

Paul shifted in his seat so he was facing her better. "How are you feeling?"

"The same as the last time you asked," she commented. She squinted in the brightness of the room. "Can we turn off the lights? They hurt my eyes."

I got up to flip the light switch at the same time Paul did. We both froze, awkwardly insisting that the other do the honor. Only when Kat whined again did I finally skirt past him and shut off the blinding lights.

I got seated again and picked up my coffee to take another sip. I had never been a big coffee drinker before, but I was sure I would be after this.

"That's better," Kat muttered. She glanced around the room before her eyes landed on the two of us. "Where's Shawn?"

This question confused me. I distinctly remembered Paul telling me she had asked not to see him. I supposed with what was happening in her brain, everything was very rattled up.

"He's working," Paul answered.

It hurt both of us to watch Kat's face fall. "Oh," was all she breathed out.

I was not too oblivious to notice the ring on her finger, meaning Shawn had proposed to her. I noticed the ring right when we were first brought in to see her, but I didn't tell Mom. There was nothing good that could come from that.

I grasped my sister's hand and gave her my best reassuring smile. "It's okay. He was just calling and asking about you."

"Really?" The excitement in her eyes was almost too much.

Paul nodded, on cue. "He hasn't stopped calling," he chuckled.

"And we're here with you," I declared. "We aren't leaving." Yet, I thought. Soon Paul would have to leave, and eventually even I had places to go. I didn't want to, but I knew Mom would drag me with once she decided to go home. There was only so much we could do, in Mom's eyes.

Kat replied with a sad smile of her own. "Thank you," was all she said. She reached out with her other hand for Paul's. "Thank you."

We both nodded. I hated seeing Kat like that, mostly because I knew she didn't like to burden people. She liked to be independent solely for the sake of not wanting to inconvenience others. Sometimes it couldn't be avoided, however.

"Mom has been gone for a really long time," I realized. I used it as an excuse to leave, so Paul and Kat wouldn't see the tears that threatened to drop from my eyes. "I'll go check on her."

I stood, and Paul did as well. "I'll come with you," he offered.

I declined, shaking my head. So sweet. "That's okay, thank you." I remembered his coat, which was still draped around my shoulders. I handed it to him. "Here."

I stepped into the hall just as I felt myself crying. I just wanted Kat to get better. She didn't deserve to be sleeping her life away in a hospital room. She should have been out living life.

I wiped my tears as quickly as they had come before pulling out my phone to call Sarah. If Kat was going to need to recover, it had better not be at home.

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-A/N-
I am weak. So very weak. Listen, I could have just gone ahead with the next chapter and left all this hospital stuff behind us, but I NEEDED MORE STAUL.
Also, it's Christmas Eve!! I HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS AND IF YOU DON'T CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS I HOPE YOUR HOLIDAY IS/WAS GOOD!! AND HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Update: I had to fix something, because I'm kinda dumb. Lmao