Chapter 25
Mona refused to stay in the hospital taking care of Ted like a fool.
She’d thought it over. If she continued down this path, Ted would eventually grow to resent her just as he’d done to Nydia.
She hadn’t won over Mick’s heart yet, so losing Ted as a leverage point would leave her at a disadvantage.
Gia cautiously asked, “Where should we go now, Ms. Poole?”
Mona yawned and stretched lazily. “Let’s take a nap, and I’ll go to the audition in the afternoon.”
Gia hurried off to make the arrangements.
Mick consulted the doctor and sighed in relief after learning it was just pneumonia. When he returned to the room, Ted had woken up.
Looking utterly confused, he sat on the bed and rubbed his eyes in a daze. When he saw Mick, he called out in a hoarse voice, “Dad.”
A faint smile appeared on Mick’s face. “Get up and have something to eat.”
Ted tried to get up, but the needle on the back of his hand tugged painfully at his skin. Realization hit him, and he suddenly burst into loud heartbreaking sobs.
“I don’t want to stay in the hospital! I don’t want injections! Dad, fire that nurse! It hurts!” Ted’s cries were even more piercing now that he’d slept and regained some energy.
Mick frowned.
“Ted!” he chided, but Ted didn’t stop. Instead, the cries grew louder as if oblivious to the fact that Mick was brimming with anger.
“I don’t care! I want to go home!”
Ted looked around and saw no signs of Mona. “Where’s Ms. Poole? She said she’d stay with me! You all lied to me! You’re all liars!”
This was the first time Mick saw Ted behave so unreasonably. In his mind, Ted had always been a well–behaved and sensible kid.
Even when Ted had been hospitalized, he’d been cooperative and quiet whenever Mick visited. So, the latter had always assumed his friends had been overreacting when they’d complained about how difficult it was to deal with kids.
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Chap 25%
Now he realized they were right. A child’s cries were deafening enough to tear the roof and shatter one’s patience.
He rubbed his temples. “Stop crying.”
But Ted only wailed louder.
“I said stop crying!” His low growl stopped the noise instantly.
Tear–streaked, Ted eyed him in terror. The needle on his hand had caused a bluish lump with traces of blood pooling beneath the skin. The pain was unbearable.
Ted dared not cry out any longer. He continued to sniffle and sob quietly.
Seeing his pitiful state, Mick called for the doctor and nurses.
Ted’s cries resumed at full volume the moment he saw the medical staff in their white coats. The ward soon became an arena of shrill screams and wails, and Mick felt like his head was about to explode.
He couldn’t bear it any longer and stepped out of the room.
Royce quickly followed. “Is there anything you need, Mr. Wilcher? I’ll get it ready.”
Mick took out a cigarette, but when the “No Smoking” sign on the wall caught his eye, he irritably shoved the cigarette back into its case.
“Find two caregivers with experience in taking care of children. Make sure they’re good.” Royce nodded and left to make arrangements.
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