Winning Back His Wife (6 page)

PRESENT DAY

The sound of raised voices outside Neela’s hospital room
drew Caleb back to his surroundings. He didn’t know how long he had been lying
there but at some point he must have stopped crying.

Looking up at Neela’s still sleeping form, he smiled. She was
here now, and he would fight to keep her this time, both her and Melody.

Despite protesting muscles, Caleb rose from his sitting
position. Brushing his wife’s cheeks with a tender kiss he went outside to see
what all the noise was about.

From the moment he saw her, he knew who she was. It was
Kaylee. This was the woman who had befriended his wife and after so many years
was only a phone call away. Circumstances had never allowed them to meet
personally five years ago. Neela had enough pictures of her to last a lifetime.

Kaylee was the exact opposite of Neela. Hair cut short and
obviously professionally maintained, her skin was almost as pale as his. She
did not have Neela’s high cheekbones or pouty lips. She had that heart shaped
face that most men adored and her thin lips were turned down with worry.

She too, knew who he was, because she walked right up to him
and before anyone could speak, her hand connected with his face. Caleb put a
hand to his stinging skin but did not move.

“I have been waiting five years to do that, you bastard.”
Kaylee fumed. But how could he blame her? He deserved that and so much more
after what he had done to Neela.

“You must be Kaylee.” He stated the obvious.

“How is she?” the tiny woman asked, glaring at him. She paid
no attention to the nurses who stopped to witness the public confrontation.

“She’s okay so far. Daphne, that’s my sister, said that we
will not know for sure until she wakes up…”

“Aunty Kay!” Caleb was interrupted by an excited Melody, who
whisked past him to embrace Neela’s pregnant friend.

Kaylee knelt, gathering the child in an awkward hug.

“Oh my sweet baby, are you okay? Let me look at you.” She
put her away a little and surveyed the tiny girl. She then gathered her into an
embrace again, feathering kisses over her face.

“Kaylee...” She turned at the sound of her name and Caleb
looked at a man almost running up the corridor, a sleeping child slumped over
his shoulder.

“Kevin…she’s okay,” Kaylee assured him. Kevin! ‘You had poor
Kevin worried.’ That’s what Kaylee had said. Was this Neela’s lover? Caleb felt
a sudden pang of jealousy at the sight of the man which was quickly replaced by
the need to punch him square in the face.
He
was Neela’s husband.

Relief quickly flowed through him when Kevin embraced Kaylee
and she clung to him. He was not Neela’s lover; he belonged to Kaylee.

Both his sisters stood beside him, ready and willing to
offer their much needed support.

“Kaylee these are my sisters KC and Daphne. Daphe, Kace this
is Neela’s friend, Kaylee.”

Melody was sitting with Kevin who was still holding the
sleeping child; she leaned her tiny body against him and once again Caleb felt
that stab of jealously. Melody was
his
daughter, not Kevin’s.

Kaylee’s eye’s followed his and then she looked back at him.

“You know, don’t you?” He knew what she was asking, and he
nodded.

“Caleb, there is something else you should know.” Her voice
softened. Maybe she was aware of what he felt. Something in her tone made him
shiver and he looked away from his daughter to Kaylee.

She turned to Kevin and the man must have understood her
silent look, because he got up and came to where they were standing. Angling
his body, he positioned himself so Caleb could see the sleeping child and he
knew what Kaylee was going to say before she said it.

“This is Adam, Melody’s twin. Caleb, this is your son”

Caleb felt as if the world had tilted on its axis. He
stumbled against his sisters as recognition dawned. Both Daphne and KC reached
out to steady him.

He could see the same mop of curly hair that Melody had. The
same straight little nose, the same sun-kissed skin tone.

All this was too much to take in. He had only learnt that he
had a daughter a few hours ago, now he was hearing that he had a son. Twins!
Neela had birthed him twins and he didn’t even know until now. His feet felt
like jelly beneath him. Fearful that they may not be able to support him much
longer, he blindly stumbled to one of the nearby chairs, sinking into it.

His sisters came to sit beside him. Raising hollow eyes to
Daphne he attempted to speak.

“Daphne…” But his brain could not seem to form what his
mouth wanted to say. Squeezing his eyes shut, he tried to block out the
throbbing in his head. Daphne embraced him while KC rested her head on his
back.

“Caleb it’s going to be alright. We’re here for you. Just
tell us what to do.” Daphne was reassuring him again. She seemed to be doing
that a lot today.

A sudden series of piercing screams filled the hospital
floor and Caleb, together with everyone, turned to where it was coming from -
Neela’s room!

****

Heart wrenching fear had him pummeling out of his seat and
into the room, Daphne following closely behind, as fast as her pregnant belly
would allow.

Neela’s hands were at her side, her eyes open, her head
flaying from side to side. Her deafening screams echoed through the room
causing Caleb’s steps to falter.

Daphne was standing close to her trying to calm her down.

“Neela, Neela, what’s wrong? Tell me what’s wrong.” Her
screams continued to pierce the air. “Neela, tell me where it hurts.” Daphne
turned to where Caleb stood at the door.

“Caleb I need you to wait outside.”

“Daphne…!” he protested.

“No Caleb, stay with your children.” Something in the way
she looked at him told him this was not good.

With one last hesitant look, he stepped out of the room.
Kaylee and KC were both pacing the corridor. Kevin, Melody and Adam were
nowhere in sight. He must have taken them away from the commotion. Kaylee
confronted him as he came out.

“What is it? What’s wrong with her?” she demanded.

 He shook his head; a hand went up to massage the back of
his neck. “I don’t know, I don’t know.”

They all sat quietly, observing the nurses hustling in an
out of the hospital room, but none of them brought him any news.

Neela’s screams could no longer be heard and Caleb sent up a
silent prayer. He wondered if God was punishing him for his past sins.

What seemed like hours later, a weary looking Daphne came out.
Caleb knew from the look on her face, that she didn’t have good news. She put a
hand to her back and Caleb felt a twinge of guilt. His sister was almost six
months pregnant and it was after ten in the night and she was still on her
feet.

He went to her, taking her hand and guided her to a seat. KC
following his cue, brought her a cup of water.

“How bad is it?” he reluctantly asked.

“The impact caused more damage than I expected. She can’t
move her legs or her arms. The fact that she is feeling pain is a good sign.
I’m taking her down to x-ray now, but I suspect that there is a pinch or
swelling in her spinal cord.”

Concentrating solely on Caleb, she waited for him to absorb
what she was saying

“Are you saying she’s paralyzed?” Kaylee asked the question
no one wanted to.

“Yes!” she continued before anyone could react. “But it may
not be permanent. As I said earlier, the fact that she’s feeling pain is a good
sign.”

“How long do you think she’ll be…like this?” He was afraid
to say the word. Saying it would only make it real.

“I don’t know. After the x-rays we’ll be able to give a
proper diagnosis. I want you to know, I’ll do everything in my power to see
that she gets the best care, whatever the outcome.”

“Thanks Daphne. I know you will.” She got up and kissed her
brother on his forehead. The hospital room door opened and Neela was wheeled
out by two male nurses.

“Give us a second, will you, Josh?” Daphne signaled for one
of the male nurses to stop and the gurney came to a halt. Stepping back Kaylee
allowed Caleb to go to his wife’s side.

Daphne had obviously given her something to for the pain
because when her gaze settled on Caleb it was through hazy eyes.

One broken word escaped his dry lips, “Neela”, but she
continued to look at him as if she didn’t know him. Still he pressed on,
needing her to know that he was there.

“I’ll take care of our babies until you get better, I
promise.” The words were only a whisper.

She did the most amazing thing then, she smiled. Tears
spilled through her half closed eyes and Caleb brought a finger up to wipe
them. Oblivious to the people scrutinizing his every move, he lowered his head
to press a tender kiss to her closed lips.

‘Please, God, don’t take her from me again.’ he silently
begged a God he had not spoken to since he was a little boy.

Kaylee waddled closer to her friend’s side. Unable to bend
over, she too, placed a gentle kiss on her friend’s cold cheek.

“It’s going to be okay, chica. I’ll be here when you get
back.”

Caleb and Kaylee stood side by side and watched as Neela was
rolled further and further away. Neither of them knew what the next day would
bring but they both was sure of one thing. They could not lose Neela.

****

Neela lay on her hospital bed, staring at the ceiling. The
last couple of days were just a blur to her. Most of it she spent doped up with
medication for the pain in her back.

She was paralyzed from the neck down and may never walk
again, but yet the only thing on her mind was the man who had been standing
outside her hospital room when they wheeled her off to get her x-rays done.

She had been so strung out on pain killers, she didn’t know
if he was real or a hallucination.

Kaylee visited everyday and brought updates on the twins.
Several times she had tried to bring up Caleb’s name but Neela had cut her off.
She didn’t want to talk about Caleb yet, or to Caleb for that matter.

The tube that the doctors inserted into her neck was
uncomfortable and she wished she could yank it out. Daphne had been a regular
visitor, even when she was not on rounds. It was so good to see her again. In
the four short months she had known her, Daphne had always been a delightful
person to be around. She was married to Stuart now and they were expecting
their first baby.

KC had dropped in once. She smiled at the memory of a
fourteen year old KC commenting on how “rad” her hair was. She was all grown up
now, and looked nothing like the teenager Neela knew five years ago.

She had deliberately refused Caleb’s visits. She didn’t know
what she would say when she was face to face with him. She wasn’t prepared for
the emotions she knew she would feel when she saw him. There was so much they
needed to discuss. Would he want to be part of Adam’s and Melody’s lives? The
thought scared her. She was completely out of her element.

Five years ago he had made it quite clear what he thought of
her. Would her children suffer the same fate? Would they, too, be an
embarrassment to him?

What if he decided he wanted them? He had the money and the
power to take them away from her. She was crippled now; she couldn’t care for
them. Panic began to rise within her but it was quickly suppressed by the door
being flung open.

“Good morning, chica!” her pregnant friend beamed. Kaylee
was in her final trimester and was huge. She didn’t let that stop her. She was
always up and about and poor Kevin worried himself to death.

She envied the relationship between Kaylee and her husband.
That is what she and Caleb were supposed to have. Closing her eyes, she willed
the thought to go away.

“Hi, Kay.” Was that her voice? She sounded like a chicken
being strangled.

She loved Kaylee as a sister and she knew her friend felt
the same way about her. When she left Caleb all those years ago, she had
nowhere to go. There was nothing left in Trinidad to go back to. She had given
everything up to be with Caleb. She had been young and foolish.

She had contacted Kaylee, crying hysterically; it was a
wonder she was able to understand a word Neela was saying.

Kaylee had jumped into action and arranged a one way ticket
to Florida for Neela. She listened as Neela cried over Caleb’s cruel treatment
of her and his infidelity. And when they thought Neela had cried her eyes out
and there was nothing left to shed, Kaylee had quietly informed her why she had
been sick all those months. She was pregnant. That started a fresh onslaught of
tears.

Two months after that, Kaylee had moved from Florida to
Washington to be with Kevin, dragging Neela along with her.

The three had become inseparable. Kevin adopted the role of
big brother and Kaylee continuously fussed over her like a mother hen.

When the twins decided to make their entrance into the
world, Kevin and Kaylee had been right there with her - right where her husband
was supposed to have been.

When the twins had been old enough, Kevin had gotten her a
job at ‘Mount Glory Home for the Aged.’ Menial as it was, it paid the bills.
Now she rented a little apartment not far from her friends who played a
constant role in the life of her children. Neela often wondered if Caleb ever
looked for her.

“How are you feeling?” Kaylee’s concerned voice made her
smile.

“No different. Still can’t feel anything. How are my
babies?”

“Adam and Melody are fine. Kevin had to work so KC offered
to babysit. I hope that isn’t a problem.”

Neela shook her head lightly. “No, it isn’t. She is their
aunt. How are you doing? You look as if you’re ready to pop any minute.”

Kaylee put her hand to her stomach and giggled like a silly
little girl. “I
feel
as if I’m going to pop.”

Pulling up a chair, she carefully lowered herself into it.

Neela found herself asking the question before she could
stop herself. “How is he?” Kaylee knew who she meant.

“Caleb’s wonderful with Adam and Melody and they enjoy being
with him. He wants to see you Neela, and before you say anything, let me say
this. You are my best friend and I love you. I know he hurt you but he deserves
to be with his children. They deserve their father. Fate has worked to bring
you two together again. I don’t know what it is, but there is a reason Neela.”
Neela didn’t interrupt her and Kaylee continued to speak. “He loves you, Neela.
I see it when I look at him. I am not saying that you should forgive him, but
give him a chance. Maybe someday you might be able to forgive him and who knows
someday you may even be able to love him again. But you’ll never know unless
you give him that chance.”

“I’m scared, Kay. I’m scared because I do still love him.
But I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to forgive him. He cut me down and then
cheated on me. That is a wound that I don’t think will heal.” She paused,
sniffing. “I’ll never fit into his world, Kaylee. He made that clear five years
ago. Nothing’s different now” Damn, she thought she was all cried out over
Caleb Wilder.

Kaylee dried her tears and in an effort to comfort her
friend she offered, “I know you’re scared honey, but do you really want to give
up before you try.” Why did Kaylee always have to be right? “You know I’ll
always be here for you, but now you need more. You need medical care and I
can’t give you that. He can,” Kaylee reasoned.

Neela lay there hours after Kaylee left and thought about
their discussion. She wouldn’t fool herself; they could never go back to the
way they were. Too many bridges had been burnt.

She knew she needed special care and Caleb had offered to
pay her medical expenses but that meant that she and the twins would eventually
have to move in with him. Was she ready to do that?

As much she wanted to say no, she knew that sometimes life
made choices for you and this was one of those times. She had no choice.

****

Two weeks after the accident, Neela was ready to see her
children, and her husband. Kaylee had visited earlier and helped her tidy up.
Her black curls were pulled back in a ponytail and her face was powdered a
little to bring some life to her cheek. The tube had been removed from her
throat, so she sounded more like herself now.

She heard the excited chatter of the twins in the hall and
she was sure if she could feel her hands they would be sweaty. She was going to
tell the twins that Caleb was their father. She spent days rehearsing what she
would say and even now nothing seemed right.

A soft knock interrupted her thoughts and then the door
burst open. Adam came charging in, Melody in tow. Caleb entered quietly behind
them, a bouquet of flowers in his hand.

“Mummy, Mummy, I missed you,” Melody announced.

“Me too. I missed you more, Mummy,” Adam chimed in.

“I missed you too, babies.” She knew her eyes were filling
up and wished she could wipe them away.

She noticed Caleb moved closer to the bed, reaching down, he
raised the twins, one at a time to place a kiss on her cheek. He then put them
each to sit on the bed where she could see them.

“Have you guys been enjoying your time with Aunt KC?” She
still had not decided how she was going to tell them about Caleb.

“We love Aunty KC and Uncle Caleb. They have the same name as
us.” Melody was always the chatterbox. She said what was on her mind and didn’t
care what people thought. She was so much like Caleb.

“I know honey and there is a reason for that. Do you
remember when I told you that your daddy lived far away because he had to work
and that’s why you didn’t see him?” They nodded in unison. “Well, I have
something to tell you.”  Melody was touching one of Neela’s hands and she
wished she could feel it.

“Mummy..?

“Yes baby…?

“Are you going to tell us that Uncle Caleb is our daddy?”
the curious little girl asked without even looking at her mother.

“Melody…How do you know that?” How could her almost five
year old possibly have guessed that?

She got her answer when Melody reached into her pocket and
pulled out a piece of folded paper. She unfolded it and showed it to her
mother. It was a picture of a younger Caleb and Neela. It had been taken on
their wedding day.

“Where did you get that?”

“I found it at Aunt Kaylee’s.”

“Melody…”

“I’m sorry Mummy; I didn’t mean to take it. I just wanted to
know what my daddy looked like,” the teary-eyed little girl explained.

“Oh, it’s alright, baby. I’m sure Aunt Kaylee wouldn’t mind”

For the first time since he entered the room, Neela stole a
glance at Caleb. She felt her breath whoosh out of her chest. He was looking
straight at her, not flinching once. Her husband was still the best looking man
in the world. Unable to hold his steady gaze she turned her attention back to
her children.

“Does that mean we are going to be a family?” Adam asked
looking at his mother. How could she possibly answer that? What if Caleb didn’t
want them?

Caleb moved swiftly to stand next to his son. Passing his
hand through the little boy’s curls he answered, “Yes, Adam. We are going to be
a family now.”

He reached out for the lifeless hand that Melody held
earlier and Neela’s closed her eyes as the warmth of his touch penetrated her
flesh.

Her eyes flew open. She felt his touch. She could feel his
hand on hers.

Caleb, noticing the change in her expression, asked, “Neela,
are you okay?”

“I can feel your touch. Caleb, I can feel your hand on mine.”

Releasing her hand he ran out into the corridor. She could
hear him calling for the nurses. Concentrating on her hands, she tried to
wiggle her fingers and smiled when she saw the thumb bend slightly.

He was back in the room removing the twins from the bed when
Daphne came bursting through the door.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” she asked, her voiced laced with
worry.

“Daphne, I moved my finger and Caleb touched my hand and I
felt it,” she willingly explained.

Daphne pushed opened the door and yelled something to the
nurses. “Caleb, will you take Adam and Melody outside?”

Neela watched on as Daphne did all the things that she had
done over the past two weeks but unlike all the other times, when Daphne
touched her hand she felt it.

The first thing she had been able to feel was Caleb’s touch.
Life was really making choices for her.

****