Edna feels like she is in a state of unconsciousness that is separated from death by a thin line.
A kind of nothingness that makes one question one's existence. She was lost in her head and yet she thought she was in another different world. Not heaven or hell.
he finally blinks and when she opens her eyes, she sees herself in a hospital room. She is so weak that for the first minute that she wakes up, she just breathes in and out calmly.
She gathers her strength and turns her neck. She feels someone holding her and when she turns around, it's Malik.
He is slanted on his chair and his head is resting in his free hand as he sleeps. The fact that he can sleep in such an odd position only shows that he is so tired.
" Malik.." That voice is hardly hers. It's so small and weak.
She has to call him again and again, stopping after everyone tries to gather her strength and then calls him again. He is so deeply asleep.
He finally stirs and rubs his eyes before opening them. They set on Edna's, but it takes some time for him to be sure that he is not dreaming and that she is truly awake.
"Edna, oh thank God. " He pushes himself up from the chair and wraps his hands around her.
"What happened?" She manages to ask. " How long have I been out?"
"Shush. " He whispers. " You are alright, that's all that matters. "
He is running his fingers smoothing her hair. He bends and drops a kiss on her forehead and then the side of her lips.
The door opens and the doctor walks in. He is surprised that she has woken up, but he quickly walks towards her and starts examining her, Malik has to step aside for some time.
"Wow, you are healing fine and you will soon be out of here. " The doctor says. " We were worried that you were out for some days, but it's fine to know that you are now okay. "
"What happened to me?" Edna adjusts her back on the bed, and her face turns into a painful grimace when she moves.
Malik rushes towards her and holds her hand again.
"I'm fine. " She assures him. " It hurts like hell sometimes, but I am going to be fine. "
" You will be fine. " The doctor says. " I am going to prepare some medication for you. Rest in the meantime. "
He leaves them to themselves again. Malik sits beside her and raises her hand to his nose and feels her against his face.
His skin feels so warm and Edna presses her hand against his face and closes her eyes.
"I was so scared when you didn't wake up. " Malik sighs.
"I'm sorry for giving you a scare. " Edna says. " I didn't mean to. "
He nods, knowing well that she shouldn't apologize because it's not her fault at all.
" The man who shot you has been arrested too. " Malik tells her. " Somehow Dad was able to turn the situation around again and now Tidal is getting sued by him. "
"What?" Edna looks at him in surprise. " But they are broke. "
"True. " He runs his finger over her hand. " He is claiming that they hired those men. "
"Did they?"
Malik shakes his head negatively.
"Those men are just poor workers who got laid off. They were bitter and made drastic decisions and now Dad is going to use it against them. "
Edna lays her head back against the pillow and sighs. Poor men, if they had known, they would have just let it go.
Now they have no jobs and they are in jail now. This is so messed up right now.
" Did Mister Jackson come to see me?" She is looking at the ceiling.
"Once. "
Edna nods. Probably shouldn't have asked, he doesn't care about her even though the reason why she got shot was because of him.
It seems that Malik notices that she is deep in thoughts, he raises her hand to kiss her lips and plants a small kiss on them. She exhales loudly.
" I'm going to have to travel out. " He announces to her.
"What?" She is not happy at all.
" I should have gone the evening of the day you got shot by fate had other plans. " He smiles. " I have to go now that I am sure that you are okay. "
She sighs, not pleased by the news that he has just delivered to her. She reaches and touches his face.
" I'm sorry I made you postpone your trip. " She apologizes again.
" Come on, it's not your fault. " He says. " The good thing is that now you are fine and I am going to be okay knowing that. Dimore and Kim will stay with you while you recover. "
She nods as she listens attentively to him.
" Thank God I didn't lose you. " He says.
He kisses her again on her forehead and his eyes rest on hers. It's too much for him to resist and he kisses her again.
She kisses him back even though she doesn't know why she is doing such a sinful thing.
His lips are as addictive as water after a long run, she just can't get enough of it.
The door suddenly opens and she immediately tries to break the kiss, but Malik doesn't stop, he doesn't care who that person is.
It's Kim and Dimore, they don't notice that their bosses are kissing until they have gotten into the room and shut the door.
When they do notice that they can't turn around and leave, they look away and pretend to be blind.
Malik finally lets go of her lips and both of the sniffle laughter.
" I'll call you. " His and fondly caresses her hair. " Be well. "
With that, he takes up his phone and jacket as he walks out of the door.
Dimore clears his throat and walks towards the bed and Kim follows suit.
"Thank God you are awake boss. " Kim smiles awkwardly.
"How are you feeling?" Dimore asks.
"I feel tired and my abdomen hurts, but the doctor said I am going to live so I guess that's good. " She rubs her eyes.
*****
All Edna has been doing for the past week is sleeping. The doctor has been coming in to check up on her since she came back home and he said that her stitches are healing fine and she will soon make full recovery.
Malik has been out of town, but he has been calling every day to make sure that she is fine.
She is in bed every time, but Dimore and Kim take turns to attend to her needs.
Mister Jackson has strict orders for her to be well-taken care of and she is not to work till she returns to the office.
Edna is sure that it's only because he wants her to get back to being healthy so that she can take bullets for him again. Perks of being Edna Jackson, huh?
Like the other times, she is lying on the bed. She has just woken up from a nap, but she is just lying there.
She hears approaching footsteps and she looks up. It's Kim walking into her room with a tray of food for her.
A cup of steaming up tea, some grapes, some toasted, and even some bacon.
She sits up with a smile and Kim sets it before her. Kim pulls out her medication from the drawer and hands them to her too.
Edna takes them from her and pushes them down her tummy with the aid of water.
After that, she pulls the tray closer to herself relishing the tantalizing food before her. How she wishes that her mouth is as hungry as her eyes.
" This is so nice, Kim. Thank you so much. " Edna smiles.
"I hope that you eat well. "Kim bows.
Edna takes the small spoon and stirs her coffee before taking up to her mouth. Hmm, just the right amount of cream, the way she likes it.
" Um, ma'am, I have to tell you something. "Kim's face is serious. The smile is gone, her brows furrow.
Edna steps the cup back down, wondering what is going on.
" Is something the problem? " She questions.
"It's about Mister Keith, your husband. "
Edna drops her head and sighs.
Keith came back a few days after she came back from the hospital and he is so nonchalant about the fact that she almost died.
He goes around ignoring the fact that she is lying in bed, trying to recover, and just goes about with his bottle of liquor in his hand.
She is worried that he would start to brew trouble with Kim and Dimore, and she knows that he would do that. She is not happy that he has finally started it.
" Did Keith try to get you to get him drugs or something?" She tiredly asks.
" Trust me, ma'am. It would have been better if he asked that. "
Edna looks up in confusion. What can be worse than that?
"Ma'am, your husband saw me in the kitchen days ago and tried to touch me. " Kim states. " He forced me to kiss him and wanted to have sex with me right there. "
Edna's heart is shredded. This is not what she thought she would hear.