Take Me Away novel Chapter 40

Spencer's head drooped slightly as bitterness crossed his features. "Grandpa, it is time for you to take a nap."

"I must say, that's the lamest excuse you have made to drive me away," Wayne smiled as placed a reassuring pat to his grandson's knee. "I was not done telling the most crucial parts yet!"

"As you wish, Grandpa. Who am I to stop you?" Spencer replied, humor glinting from his eyes.

"Please treat Fiona well, shower her with love and make her the happiest woman in existence," Wayne said softly. "You need to hold a grand wedding soon. That's one of my greatest wishes."

"Hmm," Spencer replied.

"Fiona tends to easily go down with a fever. Please keep that in mind," Wayne said. "She had a fever once, the worst she had. It was so severe that it lead to cerebral hemorrhage. I never felt so frightened my whole life!"

"Cerebral hemorrhage?"

"It did." Wayne's eyes were grim as the memory flashed through his mind. "Two years after that tragic car accident, I had a conference at a neighboring province. The project lasted more than a week. Once I was done, I returned to S City, only to find out that Fiona was hospitalized.

Her aunt, Jenny and the rest of her family members didn't care about her at all. Three days! Fiona had stayed in her room for three days, and yet none of them had discovered." Wayne's voice dripped with frustration and anger as he continued, "Without my constant presence, Fiona lost her only protection. They took advantage of that and mistreated her!

Her lips were chapped and bleeding, she fought to stay conscious and lost. It worried me to no end! I asked her if she wanted to come home with me, that I would manage the matters at hand and have everything arranged, but she never took my offer.

She resorted to selling bottles she collected from the streets for money. She wanted to learn how to play piano. When I offered to fund her, she turned down my offer. She was a lively child, buzzing with energy like anyone of her age. The accident seemed to have drained it all away.

I entrust you with her well-being. She lost her parents overnight Spencer, the mere thought of it pains me!"

As Wayne continued to unveil more of Fiona's past, several emotions flickered through Spencer's eyes. Never could he ever imagine what Fiona had gone through the past ten years of her life.

Anna had checked up on Fiona a couple of times ever since she was brought to her room. Fiona remained unconscious, barely stirring at all. Anna checked her temperature, relieved that the fever had broken after the injection and slowly exited the room.

"Uh..." Fiona groaned from her bed, sleep slowly draining away. She felt stiff and sore in her arms. Panic filled her and she snapped her eyes open, seeing nothing as the room was drenched in darkness. She took steady breaths of air as she calmed herself down. In and out, she breathed slowly, slowly regaining control of her bearings. After a moment when all was well, she reached out to flip the lamp switch on.

Click!

As light filled the room, Fiona squinted and raised one hand to shield her eyes. She blinked away the pain, adjusting to the glare of the lamp as her hand slowly dropped to her side. Her eyes swept through the room, stopping at the foot of her bed. Spencer sat there as he looked at her, his eyes blank, devoid of any emotion.

"Have you awoken?" Spencer asked, eyelids raised.

"I am," Fiona answered, eyeing a glass of water sitting at her bedside. Her throat was parched and she glanced at the glass longingly. The only thing she could think of was water. She feebly reached out for the glass, when a hand shot forth to grab it for her.

Spencer took the glass and gently tipped it to her lips.

Her hands reached around the glass as Fiona took a small sip. "I can do it, myself," she told him.

"Alright," he answered, as he loosened his grip from the glass.

Fiona gulped the water greedily, relishing the cool comfort it brought to her thirst.

A choked sound came from her throat. Fiona coughed up a little, having drank too hastily from the glass. She downed the water in seconds.

"Need more?" Scarce words left Spencer's mouth tonight, short and tapered.

"I'm fine, thank you." Fiona's gaze was fixed outside her window, her eyes flitting around the scenery of the house, searching for something.

"It's early evening. You've slept through the afternoon," Spencer said, answering her unvoiced question. "Eight in the evening to be exact."

"Oh, I see," Fiona replied, a little surprised that she had slept so long.