Chapter 22

CHAPTER 22 Sterling’s family doctor did the necessary treatment and said, “It’s only a minor fracture, but since it’s at the ankle, don’t try to put that foot on the ground for at least two weeks. If the recovery is fast, you’ll be able to do your regular activities from the fifth week.”

“Can’t even put my foot down for two weeks?” Rebecca’s face lost a lot of glow. “What should I do in bed for so long?”

The doctor smiled almost hysterically because Benjamin was also standing next to him. “Your ankles are strong for a woman.

You might have done some physical training when you were young. Otherwise, this same injury would have forced you to stay on the bed for fifteen to twenty weeks.”

“That’s...” Rebecca didn’t know what to say. Even though it was only a fracture that would heal in time, she had never been in this situation, and she looked tense like an anxious little rabbit.

The doctor patted Rebecca’s shoulder. “Don’t worry. It’s important to stay positive in these situations so your recovery will speed up. And your husband and your family will take care of you, so what’s there to be afraid of?” After prescribing some medication, he looked at Benjamin and said, “Don’t let your wife down during her tough time, young man.” He patted Benjamin’s shoulder on the side a couple of times and then left.

Rebecca hated the fact that Jacob had told the family doctor about her marriage long ago, giving the excuse that one shouldn’t hide anything from their family doctor, so there was nothing she could do. However, everytime he called Benjamin her husband, she wanted to slap him.

Benjamin went back to his bed, as though he didn’t really care what the doctor had told him.

It was already nine at night. Others had dinner. She and Benjamin didn’t. She was feeling quite hungry, but she didn’t want to shout and call for a maid in front of him. Shouting like she needed someone’s help, she couldn’t even imagine herself doing it.

“Where are these damn maids? They are not available right when I need them! What is Kathy doing? Doesn’t she know that I’m hurt? Shouldn’t she have allocated a maid to tend to my needs?” she could only talk to herself out of frustration. Time passed.

At 9:30, she was rubbing her stomach. Why didn’t anyone come to check up on her? Did they think an ankle injury was nothing to be worried about? She wasn’t even able to move properly while lying on the bed. Even slight movement of her injured leg brought stark pain in the ankle and made her cringe. As if completely unaffected by her situation, Benjamin was sleeping on his bed, fully covering himself with the blanket. “I’m sure he didn’t eat. How could he sleep on a hungry stomach?” she wondered.

“And he didn’t even ask me if I ate anything. I wish Jane was here. She would have helped me with anything.”

She tried reading a magazine, but she didn’t feel like reading anything. Hunger was one thing, but the lack of mood was another thing.

Just one little accident completely changed her situation. She didn’t care about what his parents or brothers were doing in their carriers until today, but now she wondered what exactly they were doing. Her parents weren’t home right now. Bella was a hairdresser, but she didn’t talk with Bella all that much. Her brothers stopped talking casually with her after she began to earn more than them, or that was what she believed.

As for the children, she didn’t talk with them often recently, either.

All the recollection made her realize that she stopped talking much with anyone from a few years ago. Even she wasn’t sure what exactly brought such a change in her. Again, her stomach grumbled. “There should be some snacks in the fridge, right?”

she hoped, but how was she going to get to the fridge? She didn’t even have a walking stick or a walker for support. Skipping on one foot wasn’t an option, either. Was waking up the one and only son-in-law of the Sterling family the only way? She put her pride aside and raised her hand “U-Uh, B-B-Be...”

Bam!

The door was kicked open, and Veronica barged in, wearing pink pajama shorts. There was a packet of chips in her hand.

Rebecca was startled initially, but seeing her sister with a potato chips packet in her hand, her heart fluttered a bit. (Veronica, you remembered your sister...) As she got a bit emotional, Veronica began eating chips as she walked forth, and Rebecca’s jaw slackened. (She didn’t bring those for me?) “I thought you suffered some serious injury, but you look fine,” Veronica said, bulging a vein in Rebecca’s face. “It seems like it’s just a simple fracture. The maids sure know how to exaggerate things.” “What brought my little sister here?” Rebecca asked, trying not to get angry. “Surely, it’s not just to check up on my insignificant injury, right?”

“What?” Veronica’s brows furrowed. “You know, I’m the one who should be angry because my only sister doesn’t remember that today’s my birthday!” The annoyance in Rebecca’s face fell flat. She did remember that it was Veronica’s birthday a few days back, but then she forgot about it.

“But I don’t blame you because even our mom doesn’t seem to remember it. I don’t care about dad or Louis, but even Brother Shawn didn’t buy me any gifts this time. He promised me he’d buy a costly watch, but he didn’t. He only sent a message through the mobile, and he didn’t even come home today,” Veronica’s voice was filled with disappointment. “I can see everyone’s avoiding me because I’m unemployed, right? I don’t have a job, and so nobody gives a shit about my birthday anymore. Even the kids completely forgot about it. And the maids...” she pursed her lips emotionally, “only the maids wished me happy birthday! No one else in this house did!”

“I-I’m sorry, Veronica,” Rebecca patted her bed. “C’mon, sit here. Let’s talk about this.” Veronica was quick to sit down, but she was still pouting. She wasn’t putting the chips into her mouth anymore, so Rebecca plucked the chips packet first and put it aside. “You are what? 24 now? You shouldn’t get angry when people don’t wish for your birthday anymore,” Rebecca said. “You think I’m acting like a child for birthday wishes?” Veronica barked back. “That’s not why I’m like this.” She took out an envelope and handed it to her sister.

“Happy Birthday Veronica, From Akash.” Rebecca read the words written on the cover. She opened it, and there were hundred dollar bills inside. “What’s this?” Her heart skipped a beat.