Plum Blossom | Completed

Chapter Five

Note: This is a short, but important chapter

***

It took almost another month before Mellisa was discharged. They had managed to uncover nothing else about the circumstance of her condition. If not for the rape kit and the bruises across her body, one would think that she had made everything up. There wasn't a trace of evidence to suggest she had been through such an ordeal, otherwise.

Mellisa was also almost at the end of her first trimester. For the last month, she had been going over her options in her head. She didn't know what she was going to do about her pregnancy, but Dr. Korsac had told her to hold off on a decision till she was better. Alex had assured her of his support, no matter what she decided.

But the way Alex behaved told her that he really wanted to raise her baby as his own. He had been nothing but sweet and attentive throughout, never leaving her side.

On the day of her discharge, she had pulled Alex aside.

"I want to keep the baby," she told Alex, and his face morphed into an expression of pure joy.

"Will you raise the baby with me?" she went on to carefully voice out. Alex had quickly agreed, making plans for their future.

"Mellisa, I am very happy to see you leaving this place," Dr. Korsac greeted her.

"I'm ready to get back to my life," Mellisa grinned, causing Dr. Korsac to frown.

"Things aren't going to go back to normal, you realise that, right Mellisa? Things have changed. You have changed. Even if you decide not to have or keep this baby growing inside you, there are still other things to bear in mind," Dr. Korsac enunciated slowly, as if talking to a five-year-old.

"Why do I feel like I'm not going to like what you're going to say next?"

"You're most likely not. But, please, understand that we're doing this for you."

"Spit it out, Doc," Alex spat.

"You went through a very traumatic experience. Your time at the hospital was about getting you physically healthy again. But such things leave lasting impressions," Dr. Korsac said cautiously.

"Yeah, you're telling me," Mellisa said, pointing to her stomach.

"That's not it," Dr. Korsac frowned.

"This suspense is killing me, Doc. Just rip the band-aid off."

"We have assigned you a case worker. It is my medical opinion that you will also need to go through counselling."

"For how long?"

"Till it is deemed safe for you to reintegrate back into your life."

"You're isolating me?" Mellisa screeched.

"No. Of course not. That would be detrimental to your recovery. You will just have to keep up with therapy and check in with your case worker regularly," Dr. Korsac paused.

"It doesn't seem too bad, babe," Alex commented, but Mellisa continued to keep her eye on Dr. Korsac, observing him.

"That's not all, is it?"

"You're too sick to travel. Given your ordeal and your current predicament, we think it is better for you to stay put in Boston till you're cleared for long distance travel."

Mellisa stayed silent, trying to process everything.

"We are prepared to offer you a nursing position here at Hillbrooke, with reduced house, of course. This will help me monitor your progress as well," Dr. Korsac offered.

"What? I cannot stay here to take care of her. I need to head back to California. My life is there. Is there no other way?" Mellisa was surprised at Alex's outburst, but Dr. Korsac seemed unphased.

"We're happy to keep an eye on her and offer her every support she needs. I'm sure you can find it in your schedule to come visit her whenever you can," Dr. Korsac said as he stared Alex down. Mellisa sensed that Dr. Korsac didn't hold Alex in high regard either.

It took a while for Mellisa to calm Alex down. Eventually, she convinced him to go cool off. She had to wait at the hospital for a while longer till release papers were processed. As she waited, she processed her shock over Alex's outburst. She couldn't figure out what caused him to react that way. Granted, they had only been dating for a few months, and she didn't expect him to uproot his life for her, but his tone really surprised her. She had never heard him speak like that. She didn't even know he was capable of it. But it had definitely scared her.

There was an edge to his voice. Anyone who didn't know him would think he was dangerous. But not her Alex. Her Alex can kind and sweet, and a total gentleman. There must have been something else worrying him. After all, he had come to her as soon as he heard about what happened to her.

Convincing herself that she was reading too much into it, Mellisa turned her attention to the door, where she heard the shuffling of feet.

"Well, Mellisa, you're cleared for discharge. Let's introduce you to your case worker, shall we?" Dr. Korsac said as he entered a room, a petite woman no older than thirty following him.

"Hello, Mellisa," the woman smiled kindly at her. "My name is Emmaline Hornsby."