Vino carried Skylar out of the car and walked to his house which he had vacated for weeks ever since he lost Skylar.
She was still sleeping soundly in his arms, he turned to Paula who was right beside him helping him with the door to the parlour where his doctor was waiting with his bag in his hands.
"Thank you for coming on short notice, Doctor Clinton, '' Vino told him, who nodded as he went to close the window blinds which were bringing in the breeze from the ocean. Coupled with the aircon, the breeze was too much for Skylar to handle.
"Anything for you, Mr. Thompson," Doctor Clinton told Vino as he stepped closer to the patient who was sleeping on the couch where Vino had dropped her.
"I assume she's the patient. May I see her?" Doctor Clinton said as he signalled to the woman lying on the couch.
"Sure. Allow me" Vino replied as he motioned him to give him some space which Doctor Clinton obliged as he stepped to the side.
Vino bent slightly and picked up Skylar effortlessly, balancing her in his hands, he strode up the stairs to the master bedroom where he dropped her and stepped back for the doctor to examine her.
"Are you going to stand there and watch me work?" Doctor Clinton asked Vino, eyeing him curiously with a slight tilt of his eyes.
"Of course, get on" Vino answered with a bored expression on his face as he waved him on with his work but Doctor Clinton made no move.
"Fine" Vino answered reluctantly when he saw Doctor Clinton was adamant about examining Skylar with him present in the room
"You are so hard" Vino commented scoffing at Doctor Clinton before walking out of the door.
"Thank you. I took after your father" Doctor Clinton called at his retreating back with a smile on his face. He had known the Thompson's children since they were kids, he couldn't believe they were already making a family of their own which shows him how old he was getting without any offspring of his own.
"Hmm" Doctor Clinton sighed heavily. If only he wasn't married to his job, he would have gotten a son of his own but alas!!
"Enough of your thinking and get back to work, Doctor Clinton" Vino shouted at the door which he had opened slightly to spy on him. No matter how he tries, he can't seem to leave Skylar alone. A part of him is scared that she might disappear again as she did before...
"I'm not touching her unless you leave," Doctor Clinton said, refusing to go back on his words.
"Fine" Vino scoffed as he strolled down a little bit but stayed back again.
"I mean for real this time" Doctor Clinton's loud voice carried his words to Vino who had hidden behind the door to watch him again.
Vino snorted as soon as he heard that and reluctantly stepped out of his hiding place, taking the stairs in twos, he went to meet Ernesto who had made himself comfortable on his couch while Paula stood glaring at him with her hands folded across her chest, ready for a fight.
Paula watched Vino walk down the stairs with a wave of anger she didn't know she had in her "Do you still love Elise?"
She watched as Vino paused, he turned to watch her, his anger mirroring her own. Well, that makes the two of them. Paula thought in her mind
"What kind of stupid question is that?" Vino's loud voice thundered across the room making Ernesto scared as he stood up to stand beside his wife. His protective stance is in place as he wouldn't want Vino harming his wife in any way.
"Just answer the stupid question, Vino. Are you still in love with her?" Paula repeated her question with a glare, she didn't know what to think anymore. Though Vino had confessed his love to Skylar in Hawaii but his attitude today shows he was still in love with Elise and Paula wouldn't allow him to toil with Skylar's heart, not after everything she has been through.
"I'm not in love with Elise and I will never be. Don't ever bring up that criminal name again" Vino said angrily as he warned Paula with a finger pointed at her face.
But Paula didn't know to back down. She ignored her husband's protest and stepped closer to Vino, with a hateful voice, she said to him "Criminal?" Paula laughed hysterically, before frowning at him while Vino looked at her in shock.
No woman had ever behaved in such a manner at him. He didn't know what to call it and he couldn't tell what he did to Paula to warrant her anger. He was at a loss here!
"Why can't I believe that? If you thought of her as a criminal, you would have gotten her arrested not giving her the free card" Paula continued her rants as she paced around the room in anger.
After she had left to make the phone call to Doctor Clinton, she was expecting to come back and meet Elise in handcuffs but that was not the case, rather he had given her the address to the hospital where her mother was recuperating from her successful operation.
Vino laughed as Paula gazed at him in shock. Didn't he hear what she had just said? Why was he laughing? Paula asked herself as she turned to Ernesto for help who only shrugged, signifying his own confusion.
"Pardon me," Vino told them after he had calmed down. "I never knew that's what you were implying" Vino paused to see that both Paula and Ernesto were looking at him with confusion on their faces.
"I never let her go free. I can never do that, not after she kidnapped my woman for weeks. She will be arrested soon, that I can promise you" Vino told them with confidence.
He smiled as soon as he remembered his conversation with Inspector Scott after his phone call with Elise. He laughed again when he imagined the shock on Elise's face when she will be welcomed by the police placed in her mother's room. No one touches his woman and goes scot-free, that he could guarantee.
"Doctor"
Vino came out of his thoughts as soon as he heard Paula say that. He rushed to meet Doctor Clinton at the step as they all waited for his observation...
"How is she, Doctor?" Vino rushed to ask; his fist clenched together as he struggled to hide his nervousness but that wasn't lost on the knowing eyes of the doctor who refused to comment on that.
"She's fine. She's responding to treatment. A very strong woman she is" Doctor Clinton told them with all honesty. He could see the happy smiles on their faces, showing how proud of the lady they were.
"That's good, Doctor. What should I look for? Any long-lasting trauma or illness?" Vino asked him and he walked him to the door.
"None for now. She might be prone to nightmares but that is normal considering what she's been through. And, she needs a lot of rest" Doctor Clinton opened the door, he paused and turned to Paula who was looking at him with curiosity on her face.
"Miss, can you walk me to the door?" Doctor Clinton asked Paula who was happy to oblige as she stepped forward and showed the doctor out.
Vino and Ernesto did not find any meaning in the doctor's weird request, rather they went up the stairs into the room to check on Skylar.
"How is she, Doctor? I mean with the baby" Paula asked Doctor Clinton as soon as they were out of earshot. She didn't want to risk Vino finding out about the baby which is why she had instructed Doctor Clinton to keep it a secret from him.
"The baby is fine. I could hear the heartbeat but you need to bring her to hospital for an ultrasound, that will tell us if anything is wrong with the baby internally" Doctor Clinton told her as he paused in front of his car. He paused to open the door and dropped his bag before turning fully to Paula.
"Thank you so much, Doctor Clinton," Paula told Doctor Clinton with all sincerity and a smile on her face. She couldn't explain how excited she was knowing the baby was in good health.
"The pleasure is all mine, Mrs. Cruz," Doctor Clinton replied with an equal smile of his own. He paused as the smile disappeared from his face, he turned all serious gazing at Paula.
Paula noticed the change in Doctor Clinton's body language which prompted her to ask "Anything the matter, Doctor? Is there anything you are not telling me? I can handle it, Doctor?" Paula pleaded with Doctor Clinton to tell her while secretly praying that this won't affect Skylar as she had been through a lot. Skylar deserved a chance at happiness and Paula was going to do everything to make sure she had it.
Doctor Clinton noticed the implication behind Paula's words, he rushed to dispel the notion that something might be wrong with Mrs. Evans "No, nothing. I don't mean it that way. I'm just curious about something"
Paula relaxed as soon as she heard that but rather prompted Doctor Clinton to ask her "Ask away, Doctor. I'll be happy to help"
"Tell me, does this child not belong to Vino? Why the secrecy?" Doctor Clinton asked in a quiet voice. He was sceptical of continuing with the secret as he wouldn't want to do anything that could harm Vino.
"No, Doctor. Vino is the father of the baby but he isn't aware of that. I don't want him finding out this way. Moreover, it isn't in my place to tell" Paula replied as she relaxed knowing that nothing deadly was wrong with Skylar.
"Okay. You're a good friend, Mrs. Cruz. I hope Miss Evans appreciates that" Doctor Clinton told her with a smile as he stretched forth his hands for a handshake.
"Thank you so much, Doctor. I couldn't have done this without your help" Paula told him as she accepted his handshake with a broad smile on her face.
She stood back and watched Doctor Clinton get into his car, he started the ignition and pulled out of the parking lot, speeding off while Paula waved him goodbye until the car disappeared into the night before she turned and walked back into the mansion to meet Ernesto and Vino.
"Is she awake?" Paula asked the two men who stood side by side watching Skylar sleep on the bed as soon as she stepped into the bedroom.
"Not yet but she's breathing fine" It was Ernesto that replied while Vino merely shrugged. He was getting anxious for her to wake up. He can't wait to talk to her.
"She has been sleeping for four hours now. Do you think this is normal?" Paula voiced out after some time. She had come to stand on the other side of the bed watching the rise and fall of her chest.
Vino nodded "I think so. Let's just watch her until tomorrow morning" Vino answered as he signalled them out of the bedroom. They both stood outside the door gazing at the sitting room below them.
"Can you bring her mother when you are coming over tomorrow, please?" Vino asked Paula as she was getting ready to leave with Ernesto.
"Sure. Though I doubt she'll be happy to see me considering what I did to her daughter" Paula sighed heavily as she told Vino. Ever since Skylar was kidnapped, Paula had dreaded meeting Mrs. Evans because she was scared about what to tell her.
"I'm sure Mrs. Evans won't hold it against you. She will be glad that her daughter is back safe and sound" Vino told her, patting her lightly on the shoulder as he pushed them down the stairs.
"Goodnight, guys" Vino called to them as soon as they opened the door while he looked down on them.
"Goodnight, Vino" Paula and Ernesto both reply with smiles on their faces as they step out into the night, rushing to their car to get home.
Vino turned back to the bedroom, shedding his clothes, only leaving his brief, he climbed onto the bed and gathered Skylar in his hands.
He kissed her forehead and brushed her hair to the back while whispering to her "I love you, Skylar Evans." He told her before closing his eyes to sleep. A broad smile appeared on his lips as he finally relaxed, glad that his woman was safe in his arms.