Page 8 of Kaine

Chapter Four

HIM

I watch the clock asit ticks over to 5:30 a.m. and reach for the alarm button just as it is starting to sound. I wonder why I even bothered to set it. I haven’t gotten a wink of sleep all night, third night in a row. ‘Ever since you saved that woma-‘

“Shut up,” I cut off my inner voice. I know exactly when my insomnia started.

I throw off my duvet and climb out of bed, carrying my water bottle into the adjoining gym room. Pulling on a pair of boxers and tracksuit pants, I click the TV onto CNN and climb on the treadmill. Setting it on the hardest program, I start the 45-minute steepest uphill run. If I don’t sleep tonight, it won’t be because I’m not tired.

Usually, I zone the news out, and focus on my breath. Even now, just turned 33, I can feel my body change with the intensity of my workouts. The breathing from my yoga helps my endurance, and I welcome the clarity that it gives me at the beginning of each work day. At least the day can start out that way. The end is always another story.

But today, all I can think about is her. That woman. Jade.

I haven’t gone into her room since she woke up yesterday morning. She should have her time and space to heal, I tell myself, even while I sit staring out my office window all afternoon, wondering if she is okay.

Fuck! This is ridiculous. Why can’t I stop thinking about a woman I’ve never even spoken to? Who doesn’t even know I exist except that I have saved her from two thugs.

Get it together, man, I tell myself again. But something tells me it won’t be the last time I will have to remind myself.

***

“To Lenox Hill, Henry, before we go to the office, please,” I tell the driver, as I settle into my seat. “I won’t be long, just going in to grab some paperwork.”

“Of course, sir.”

I’ve decided to stop by and get the hospital invoice for Jade’s treatment. It’s on the way to the office, anyway, I tell myself. Saves me from going at some other time.

The hospital is in chaos when I get there; the accounting department office is unsupervised, with no clue when someone will return. I take the elevator to Jade’s floor, pulling my hoodie around me, just in case she is up and about. I don’t want to see her, and I definitely don’t want her to see me.

“Excuse me, do you know if someone has left an envelope here for me? It should have Ms. Sinclair’s invoice in it. It might be addressed to ‘K,’” I ask the nurse at the station. She stares at me for a moment and just shrugs. I sigh and try again, “Please, I’m in a hurry, do you know someone who might know?”

“Sugar!”

Oh, thank God. Someone with sense. I turn around to see Ruby, standing there with her hands on her hips, glaring at me.

“Ruby. Do you know where Jade’s invoice paperwork is? I’m on my way to work and just came in to grab it... quickly.”

She just shakes her head at me.

“You don’t know?” I ask, getting frustrated.

“No, I know. I just don’t know YOU, boy. You sit a vigil by her bed waitin’ for her to wake up, and the minute she does, you disappear!”

“Ruby, the paperwork.” I want to get out of there before Ruby makes a scene and calls attention to me.

“Yeah, yeah, I hear ya, Mystery Man.” She waves her hand at me dismissively and leans over the nurse’s station and grabs a large yellow envelope. “Here,” she shoves it into my hand. “Dunno why you’re in such a hurry anyway, she’s gone.”

I look at her, surprised, “Gone? Gone where?” I ask, my voice louder than I expect.

“Gone home! Doc gave the okay and she left about an hour ago. She couldn’t just wait around for you, Sugar!” Ruby grins.

“Who’d she go with?”

“Her friend, Harriet. She’s staying with her for a few days, as far as I could tell. Gotta go, angel,” she winks at me and turns into a nearby bed bay.

I stand there clutching the envelope for a second before someone rams my leg with a hospital bed.

“Beep beep, sir!” the orderly calls out.