Page 31
She had no idea how long she'd been gone but she needed not to be told she'd been unconscious for a day or two.
She felt numb for the first ten minutes, barely able to open her eyes.
"Dad?"
That was Annie.
Hazel forced her eyes open and regretted it immediately. The bright lights from the chandelier made her wince.
She must have been gone for a week then. No doubt.
"Dad!!" Annie called
She was right beside Hazel, her face looking so bright in relief. Was it that bad?
Were they that worried?
And DID THAT SAGE INCIDENT HAPPEN?
Hazel drew sharp breaths as she felt her heart race in panic.
"Hey, slow down. It's okay now" Vincenzo assured.
He had her head on his lap, drawing her hair behind her ears.
"I was so worried about you" Annie cried
"Could you give us a minute Annie?"
Annie nods and gives Hazel's hand a gentle squeeze before walking out of the room.
"Wh..what happened to me?" She asked as he helps her to sit up on the bed
"You'll have to relax first. Then you'll get your answers " he assured
"Just tell me! I can't keep feeling like a crazy person!" She snapped
"Hazel, calm….."
Hazel yanks her hand from his in annoyance.
All this while, she thought she was losing her mind, going crazy or that her hallucinations were getting worse….
Heck, she called her therapist! Trued to fix an appointment and get this thing over with…But all that happened! Right before her very eyes!
It only made her wonder if the incident in the bathroom happened…
Where she drowned…
And the shadow, the whispers, the huge white bear…
"Which do you want me to answer first?" He asked
Hazel glanced at him, her eyebrows arched.
Can he read her mind?
"Yes. Yes, Hazel, I can read your mind" Vincenzo replied
Hazel stared at him in silence. It is either he is so good at guessing or she is finally losing her mind.
"You're not losing your mind, Hazel. You've never had a hallucination. All the things you hear, feel and see… are all true. It all happened" he offered
"T..that's impossible" she muttered
"It is. With me and…you. You should be able to read mine" he offered
Hazel chuckled at the absurdity of those words. It looks like she's not the only crazy one here.
Vincenzo chuckled.
"If this is your definition of crazy, I wouldn't agree any less" he shrugs
Hazel looked horrified …he could read her mind….
Does that mean he could hear every one of her thoughts? To him and others?
And how on earth is he able to read minds? What is he?
"I know you have a lot of questions and you think so fast it gives me a headache. You say whatever you can out in words" he asked as he settled on his couch, right in front of the bed.
"What is going on? Everything that I hallucinate…"
"No. You didn't hallucinate Hazel, you saw them. With your own two eyes" he offered
Hazel shook her head, it doesn't make sense.
"How could I have seen things like that? It's…it's not naturally…"
"Possible? Realistic?Sensible? Nothing about us makes sense to an on-looker Hazel. To a human, none of this makes sense" he offered
"A human? What…what are you talking about…."
"The ability to read minds, its not humanly possible. Would you consider yourself human if you could do something an average human couldn't?" He asked
"You read minds" she repeated
He raised his finger to correct her.
"I can read yours. Only. Without me trying to control it, your thoughts slip in to become mine" he said with such tenderness and closeness to her…
That explains why it's so easy for him to touch her, to hold her….
Maybe?
"The…the incident in the bathroom….." her headaches slightly as she tries to remember what happened…
"You need to rest" he moves toward her
"No! You promised to tell me the truth!" She snapped
"And I'm doing that. I saved you, back at the bathroom and that's that" he casts her a look that makes her seal her lips shut, not boring to ask any more questions.
"You need to rest Hazel. Please" he adds, a look of worry in his eyes.
"What about the park? What happened…with that man?" She asked
"Adam handled it"
"Could Adam see what I saw too? The sage turned to a man? And the shiny water he gave Annie after the ice cream…'"
Vincenzo moved into the bed, earning a gasp from her. He moved fast, so fast she could have thought she imagined it.
"If you don't keep quiet and rest a bit more I am going to kiss you till you can't take it anymore" he threatened
Take it anymore? Does he mean….
"Yes. I mean that. I'll make you beg, trust me" he assured
"Why on earth could you have thought a threat would work on me?" She asked in amusement
"Want to give it a try?" He asked, running his finger on her thighs.
Just one touch and Hazel felt her whole body burn with pleasure…
Is that even normal?
"Nothing about us is normal" he replied in her ears.
"Us?" What do you mean?" She asked, her voice barely audible.
"You're more like me" he offered
"How…" Hazel gasped in shock when his fingers went around the hem of her pant line…
"I know today was a bit shocking to you…" he said, his eyes showing how sorry he was.
"Vincenzo…" Hazel gasped.
He had found her secret spot, stroking her gently as though showing her his affection in a different way.
"I'll make you forget all about today. I promise" he muttered
Hazel could barely utter a word of complaint, she felt so good despite having a million questions to ask of him.
It was like he was trying to avoid her questions in any way he could.
"Stop…please" Hazel cautioned
He was the perfect gentleman, letting her go when she asked.
Although a tiny part of her didn't want it to end she knew this was the right thing to do….
"Rest a little Hazel. I won't say a word if you don't rest well" He said
Like a magic pill, his warmth wrapped around her and she soon zoned off into a deep sleep…
************************
Chole paced the room, she was completely worried about Hazel. It's been three days now and she's never seen a soul step out of her room.
Even Annie couldn't walk into her father's room to check on Hazel. Something is going on and it is more than obvious!
The atmosphere in the house has been rather grey and barely anyone worked without glancing over their shoulders at the slightest noise or sound.
Chole was even more after seeing Vincenzo yelling at the driver when they returned home with Hazel unconscious.
Is there something about those two she didn't know? Not to talk about the silly gossip that has been going on around the staff.
Some said Hazel was now Vincenzo's mistress. Some said she was Annie's missing mother which Chole knew was a lie. If Hazel was pregnant, she would have informed her and why on earth would Hazel abandon a baby?
Orna hurried into the room, short of breath.
"Why are you always running?" Chole asked in annoyance
"I. I need to catch my breath" Orna leaned on the wall, breathing heavily
"I'm here, trying to figure out how to see Hazel and you're busy running around!" Chole scolded
"So I am" Orna replied
"Really?" Chole snapped
"I just served Hazel her meal! Mr Vincenzo stepped out for a second and I was able to serve her dinner. She looked so pale!!" Orna said in worry
"My goodness. Is she going to be okay?" Chole asked in worry
"She's fine. I watched her eat the whole plate of steaming soup from the kitchen and she was okay" Orna assured
"Did she tell you what happened?" Chole asked
Orna shook her head
"I couldn't get her to talk. Mr Vincenzo stepped in and I had to excuse myself immediately. That man can be intimidating. I wonder how Hazel could look at him without shivering in fright" Orna shook her head.
"But you're sure she's okay right?" Chole asked
"She's fine" Orna chuckled "she's staying in the same room as the boss, on his bed and you think she's not going to be okay?" Orns giggled in excitement
"How could you think of such in a situation like this?" Chole snapped
"Come on! She's doing great! I bet he wraps his arms around her to warm her up" Orna sighed.
"What do you think happened? To her and Annie? No one knows what happened that day except Mr Vincenzo yelling at someone and Annie crying about Hazel…." Chole recalled
"I don't know Chole, but whatever it is, it's not good at all" Orna replied
"I just want her to be fine." Chole sighed