Chapter 5 Obligations and Deals

An hour later, Marcy headed out, leaving Karen alone with her thoughts. It was evening now, and Karen was tired, but she could not sleep, her mind was replaying Taylor's visit.

She closed her eyes, breathing slowly and deeply, fighting to control the emotions running through her – anger, confusion, irritation – at Taylor, at his family, at the hospital, everything and everybody.

Broken body, in pain, and unable to even go to the bathroom on her own. Her livelihood at risk, and for what? Why? Thanks to some rich kid with no concept of what it meant to struggle for something?

She had missed a great event, what should have been another star on her chart, another win, in her favor. Now, not only had she missed one, but she also had to stop all work for the rest of the year.

Karen wanted to scream, but she was too tired.

She fought to control her breathing. She fought to clear her mind.

Just as she was getting the hang of it, there was a soft knock on the door.

Her eyes darted angrily toward it. A small part of Karen's mind feared that it was Taylor. She did not want to see him, ever again.

The door opened and a nurse entered with Karen's evening medication, and she sighed with relief that Taylor Grey wasn't at her door again.

The next morning, Karen woke up to find the very person she did not wish to ever see again, seated on the sofa facing her bed, asleep.

She stared at Taylor., watching him sleep. His long legs stretched out in front of him, arms folded across his chest, jacket on the side of the sofa. His light blue polo shirt unbuttoned at the top.

Suddenly, he jolted awake, sitting up and grabbing his upper left arm tightly. His blue eyes were wide and his breathing was labored. His jaw clenched as he stared at the space in front of him.

He sat that way for a full minute, then put his hands down, forearms resting on his knees, shoulders slouched as he sat leaning forward, bent at the waist. His gaze shifted toward Karen's bed and his eyes widened slightly as he met her emerald gaze.

"Why are you here, Taylor?" Karen asked, her voice scratchy.

"You can just pay the bills and stay out of my face. Why go so far as to sleep here?"

Taylor sighed loudly and covered his eyes with his left hand.

Before he could respond, a nurse and a young doctor, whom Karen had not seen before, entered the room.

"He slept here last night doctor, watching over Ms. Preston. I don't think he slept till the sun came up this morning." The nurse informed the doctor as they walked into the room, her tone neutral. Clearly continuing a conversation that has started outside.

"Why did he sleep here? He could have stayed in the next room, or you could have brought a cot in here." The doctor responded, gazing at the nurse, his brow slightly furrowed.

"We gave him both options, but he said the lady would not like him sleeping in her room. He said he would just watch over her," the nurse replied gazing worriedly at the doctor.

Both the nurse and the doctor turn concerned faces toward Taylor as they walk toward the patient's bed, the doctor eyeing Taylor carefully while reaching for Karen's chart that was hanging from the foot of her bed.

Taylor silently stood up, facing them, a small, apologetic smile on his lips.

"He never listens." A deep voice said from the doorway.

The young doctor snapped his head toward the sound and gazed at the man who had come in unnoticed and was standing at the doorway, gazing calmly at Karen, hands in his suit trousers' pockets.

Two senior doctors and two other men in suits were standing behind the imposing man.

It was Marshal Grey.

Marshal turned his deep blue eyes to the young doctor. "This is?" He said, without looking back at any of the men behind him.

"Doctor Mason, a promising orthopedic surgeon who joined us about three months ago. He has great potential to go very far." The first doctor replied, gazing directly at the young doctor as he finished his sentence.

Doctor Mason looked taken back by this response and, before he could react, the second doctor stepped forward, "As you can see, Sir, we are taking the best care of Miss Preston here." He said conversationally.

"Where is Doctor Spencer?" Karen nervously asked the room, thinking about her Doctor Bear, as she looked from one doctor to the other, growing increasingly uncomfortable with all the men who were now in her room, and all there without her permission or consent.

"He's on leave this week. I'll be taking care of you in the meantime." Dr Mason replied reassuringly, a small smile on his face. She turned her head to him and instantly thought Baby Bear.

She smiled lightly at him and glanced back uncertainly at the intruders in her room, looking at each man in turn. Her emerald eyes rested on the blue-eyed dragon – Marshal Grey – and they stared at each other for a long moment.

Something flickered in Marshal's eyes and finally, he stepped forward, further into the room.

"I really must apologize, but let me not take up too much of your time. My name is Marshal Grey, the gentlemen behind me are Connor Simpon and Bradley Jane" he said smoothly, his voice clear and authoritative as he indicated the two men in suits, standing behind him.

"Connor is a lawyer, and Bradley is our press secretary."

Karen looked at the two men in turn as she tried to process what was happening.

"Connor will come by over the next few days, and he will have some things to say. You can have him meet with your own lawyers if you prefer, but I advise that you listen first, and then ask questions."

"Bradley here will update you on public sentiment and any news in the media, traditional or otherwise, concerning this terrible incident."

"I am aware of your gallery events that have been interrupted and I am well aware of the strong following you were growing before this..." he pulled his right hand out of his pocket and gestured, making a small semi-circle with his hand toward the room and everything in it.

"Happened, and," he put his hand back into his trouser pocket, "there is a bit of a buzz in the social media space that we will need to take care of."