Julia
I'm taken aback by his question and honestly left a little speechless. Why would he ask me that? There's no reason for it. I know it's not something that I've ever asked someone before, especially someone that I barely know. While my mind whirls, he just stands there staring at me waiting for me to answer, but I don't have a clue what to say. This doesn't make any sense.
As if angels are watching over me, the door to the room opens, and in comes the doctor, and boy am I glad to see him. "Good afternoon, Miss Willow. How are you feeling after your little walk?" Bolocks... looks like he's come here to give me a telling off, but to be honest, right now, I'd take a telling off from him over answering Riley.
"I'm sorry about that, doctor. I just wanted to see my daughter." he gives me an understanding nod, but it's clear to see that he's still not very impressed. He walks over to my bed and starts reading my chart in between checking the machines beside me. "Well, luckily for you, it seems that you weren't affected by it, but please don't do that again until I tell you to, you are still quite poorly, and you may not come out as lucky next time.
"I promise, Doc." I cross my fingers underneath my blanket, as I'm not sure that it's a promise that I can keep, and I don't like to lie, especially to people who are helping me... like Riley. Shit... I'm a crap human! The look he gives me shows he's not too convinced that I'm telling the truth, but still, he nods. "OK, everything is looking good, but I still want to keep you overnight to observe you."
As he speaks, I take notice of the folder in his hand, and I'm instantly sent into a panic. 'Saint John's Hospital' is printed in bold black writing across the top of the folder. "Wait, this is Saint John's Hospital?" the doctor gives me a confused look as he nods, and I swear I instantly feel sweat run down my back. "I can't be here!" this hospital doesn't provide any help with medical expenses, God only knows how much I have already cost myself being in here. I can't afford to pay for the time I have already been here, never mind an overnight stay!
I quickly start removing the wires from my arms but only manage to fully remove one before I feel a tight grip on my wrists as I'm stopped from doing any more. "What are you doing?" I look up at a pissed-looking Riley but ignore him as I once again try to remove the wires. "Miss Willow. Please stop." the doctor walks around the side of my bed and starts pressing buttons on the machine while Riley continues to hold my wrists.
"Julia, stop!" I try to pull my wrists free, but it doesn't work. He's not hurting me, but he has a firm hold on me that I can't get out of. "I can't be here, Riley. I need to leave!" I can feel panic rising in my chest as my breathing starts to get erratic, but I can't let that stop me right now. I need to get out of here.
"Julia, look at me." I look at Riley and notice that he's now sitting on the bed. When did that happen? "Julia, look at me, sweetheart. I want you to copy my breathing. Don't think about anything else other than copying me. While part of me is fed up with his bossiness, a bigger part takes comfort in his help, and so he spends the next few minutes calming my ass back down exactly the same way as he did not so long ago at his mom's shop.
"Are you ok now?" I nod as I feel the last of my body relax. "Wait, where's the doctor?" How did I miss him leaving? "I asked him to leave a few minutes ago. Julia, what made you panic?" I tug a little on my writs, and finally, he lets go. I can't waste any more time, so I quickly get out of bed and move towards the bathroom. I need to use the bathroom, then get Nina and get out of here. "Julia, stop ignoring me!" Riley's harsh tone has me spinning around to face him.
He lets out a long sigh as he runs his hand through his hair, leaving me feeling slightly distracted for a moment. "Talk to me. Please." embarrassment creeps through my body at admitting the truth, but the reality is, he already knows that I'm homeless, so surely he wouldn't be surprised at the fact that I don't have insurance, although he probably won't be too impressed with what I plan on doing.
"Riley, I'm homeless, homeless... I don't have any money or insurance... I can't pay for this. I've already been here too long, already run up a bill that I can't pay, so I need to go, and I need to do it now!" I can't stand around to see the disappointment on his face or to hear the horrid words that he will say, so I turn around and once again head for the bathroom.
And once again, I'm stopped only this time it's by Riley wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me back over to the bed. I feel us bump up against the bed, and then he turns me around and gently pushes me until I'm once again sitting on the bed. "I know you're homeless Julia and I know that you can't pay for any of this... Wait, you were going to run, weren't you? Run away from the hospital because you can't pay the bill?" Yep, he's caught me out just like I knew he would.
I don't speak, just nod as shame washes over me. "I don't want to, but I have no choice." I look down at my lap feeling defeated, but I don't get to wallow in self-pity for long, as I soon feel gentle fingers on my chin then my face is pushed up until I have no choice, but to look at Riley. "Don't be embarrassed, I know it's probably easier said than done but please, don't be. And you don't need to run either, I've already told the doctor that I am paying for your bill."
"You done what?" What else has he told the doctor? "Don't look at me like that, I haven't told him that you are homeless. I just said that you didn't have insurance and that I was covering the bill." his words leave me speechless. I'm torn between wanting to hit him for interfering and hug him for helping all at the same time. "But why would you do that?" Since the moment that I met him he's seen nothing but shit coming from me and yet not once has he caused any trouble for me.
He could have called the cops when I stole from his mom, but he didn't. He could have told the workers in the chemist that I had stolen, but he didn't, and now he's here offering to pay for my bill and has even been looking after my daughter. This guy is a Goddam angel but is also too good to be true, and if there's one thing that I've learned in life, it's, that if something seems too good to be true, then it usually is. Joel was too good to be true and fuck did that end me in hell!
"Julia!" Riley's voice pulls me from the painful memories, and I'm pretty sure that he's been calling me for a while. "Sorry." he steps closer to me and takes one of my hands in his, the move is small, and yet, at the same time feels like so much more than it is. "You can't pay for me Riley, it's not fair, and it's not your responsibility."
"It's my money and I can spend it how I want and this is how I want to spend it!" his words are firm and no-nonsense, but still, I'm a stubborn cow and always like to push things. "Riley you can-" he puts his hand out, stopping me from speaking and making me slightly frustrated. "Julia, get yourself back under the covers, and then we will talk."
"Why are you such a bossy ass?" the words slip out before I can stop them, but I don't regret them, even more so when I see the look of amusement on his face. "Because I can be so just do as you are told." yeah that ain't gonna work with me. Instead of doing what he said I push myself up off the bed. "Julia, so help me, God!"
"I need the bathroom, and I'm pretty sure that's aloud!" I don't wait for him to say anything I just head straight for the bathroom and make sure to lock the door behind me. He is incredibly frustrating and bossy and hot as fucking hell. I imagine he can have any woman he wants, so why is he here? Why is he being so kind to me? I don't get it, it doesn't make sense.
Once I've finished my business in the bathroom I head back into the main room and straight for the door. "Where are you going now?" It was so quiet in here that for a moment I thought he had left, clearly, I was wrong. "I told you I want to see my daughter." he walks over to me and places both of his hands on my shoulders. "And you will. You go get yourself back into bed, and I'll go see if she's back yet." Wait... what? "What do you mean see if she's back? Back from where? Where the hell is my daughter?"