Corporate Bride

28.

Sydney woke up the following morning with a headache and hazy memories of the previous night. Squinting from the sunlight in the room, she recalled what happened. Her heart thudded, as the horrible dream she had, flashed through her mind. A chill run down her spine and she knew that she had to go and see her mother today. As she moved to get off the bed, something stopped her in her tracks. Unsure what was holding onto her waist, she looked down and saw an arm.

Sydney glanced backwards and was surprised when she saw Anderson in her bed. Her eyes swept over him, admiring his sleeping figure. He looked very cute at that moment, with golden locks falling over his forehead. His lashes, thick and unbelievably long, swept over his cheeks, while drawing attention to his beautiful lips.    

A sigh escaped her lips as she stared at him. She felt some peace settle within her and she smiled. “There’s nothing hotter than watching a man sleep, isn’t it?”

Sydney, who was not expecting the sleeping man to speak, got startled at his words. Then felt her cheeks flush. She tried to get off the bed. However, Anderson fastened onto her waist and drew her back. She fell beside him, to her previous sleeping position, and buried her face into the pillows out of embarrassment.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were awake?” She said, into the pillows and then a throaty laugh echoed through the room, making her stomach churn.

“And, miss the beautiful moment my fiancée was checking me out, no way.” Her cheeks burned even more. This was it! She would not be able to look him in the eyes again without feeling embarrassed. She heard him heave a long sigh, and then she asked.

“Is something the matter?”

“Tell me Sydney, what made you cry last night?”

At the mention of it, she tensed up. Anderson felt it and then questioned. “What is it?”

“It’s mother.” She said, recalling Mary’s words in the dream.

“Sydney,” Anderson sat up. “Your mother is fine. The doctor says she is making progress. Do not worry too much about her. She is in good hands.” He tried to make her feel better. However, she was not. She was more worried about what his mother might do, than her own mother’s health. “Will seeing your mother make you feel better?”

“Yes,” she forced a smile for him for his effort to make her feel better, although she was not.

“Alright, we will leave after breakfast.” He left the bed and moved to the door. Before her left, he said to her. “And please do make your delicious pancakes for breakfast.”

Sydney chuckled after the door closed behind him. Anderson had grown quiet fond of her pancakes, more like he really loves them. She had no one except her mother to thank for that. She had once told her that that recipe would win over a special heart- and it did. Her boyfriend loves them!

A smile was on her face when she got into the shower and later when she was making breakfast. Breakfast was lovely too. However, her smile disappeared when they got to the hospital and the doctor told her that she could not see her mother.

 “Why?” She asked.

“Last night, the patient attacked a nurse.” That came as a blow to Sydney. “The nurse sustained serious injuries and is currently at the intensive care unit. We put the patient under sedatives.”

“Can I see her?” Sydney asked.

The doctor was reluctant for her to see her mother, but she promised not to take too long and he agreed. Sydney entered her mother’s room and saw her curled under a blanket, on the bed. As she approached the bed, she braced herself for the worst. However, when she got there and saw her mother’s condition, she felt more than worse.