CHAPTER ELEVEN

Josh.

Josh leaned back on the hospital bed, the taste of Josie's rice and beans still lingering in his mouth. She can really cook, he thought with a small smile. It had been ages since he'd eaten something other than his mother's food that made him feel this… comforted. For someone who claimed she wasn't running a restaurant, Josie sure knew her way around a kitchen.

He glanced at the empty container on the bedside table, chuckling softly. "She's full of surprises," he murmured to himself.

A knock on the door pulled him from his thoughts, and two doctors walked in, charts in hand.

"Good morning, Mr. Adebayo josh," one of them greeted. "Let's take a look at how you're healing."

Josh nodded, sitting up straighter as they examined his arm. He winced slightly when one of them adjusted the bandage, but the doctor quickly reassured him.

"Your wound is healing remarkably well," the doctor said with a smile. "If everything continues like this, you should be ready to go home tomorrow."

Josh blinked. Tomorrow? The news hit him harder than he expected. He'd been counting down the days to leave this place, but now that it was happening, the thought of not seeing Josie anymore left an odd weight in his chest.

"That's great news," he said aloud, masking the swirl of emotions inside.

Josh blinked, letting the doctor's words sink in. "Ready to go home tomorrow." That should have been a relief, but another thought immediately took over. "How soon can I get back to work?"

The doctors exchanged glances. One of them, a tall man with a calm but firm demeanor, adjusted his glasses before answering. "Mr. Adebayo , your wound is healing well, but you'll need to take it easy for the next few weeks. We'll put your arm in a cast tomorrow to prevent you from overusing it."

Josh's brows furrowed. "A cast?"

"Yes, to ensure the injury doesn't worsen. You won't be able to lift or strain the arm for a while," the doctor continued. "We strongly recommend avoiding any strenuous activities until you've fully recovered."

Josh let out a frustrated sigh. "Doctor, my work isn't exactly optional. I can't just sit around doing nothing."

The other doctor, a younger woman with a no-nonsense tone, chimed in. "Mr. Adebayo, I understand your concerns, but if you push yourself too hard, you'll risk a setback. That means even longer before you can return to full capacity. Is that what you want?"

Josh pressed his lips together, the truth in her words annoying him. Sitting around doing nothing wasn't just frustrating it was unbearable. His father's company was constantly running at full speed, and there was always something demanding his attention.

"I'm not saying I'll be lifting heavy machinery," Josh muttered, "but surely I can handle desk work or...…."

The taller doctor cut him off, his tone firmer this time. "We'll discuss your recovery plan during your discharge tomorrow. But let me be clear: recovery isn't negotiable. If you ignore our advice, you'll only prolong the healing process."

Josh leaned back against the pillows, scowling. "Fine," he muttered, though the rebellious part of him was already thinking about how to work around this "take it easy" nonsense. He wasn't made to sit still, and he definitely wasn't going to let a little injury derail him for long.

As the doctors left, he exhaled loudly, running his good hand through his hair. "Take it easy," he scoffed. "Easier said than done."

His mind drifted back to the mountain of tasks waiting for him at the office. Meetings, production schedules, contracts his absence was probably creating chaos by now. And his father wasn't exactly known for patience when it came to delays.

Josh grabbed his phone from the side table, hesitating for a moment before opening his email app. His injured arm throbbed faintly, reminding him of the doctor's warning. With a resigned sigh, he tossed the phone back onto the table.

For once, work would have to wait.

But even as he closed his eyes, trying to relax, his thoughts kept circling back to the unfinished projects and looming deadlines. Maybe I can just supervise remotely, he thought. It's not like I'm going to be doing any heavy lifting.

*****************

The morning sun streamed through the blinds, casting golden stripes across the room. Josh sat on the edge of the hospital bed, his freshly bandaged arm resting in a sling. He barely heard the doctor explaining the discharge process as his thoughts wandered. Today, he was finally going home.

And yet, a strange pang of disappointment settled in his chest. Josie was off today. He hadn't seen her since that meal she'd cooked a meal he couldn't stop thinking about, no matter how hard he tried. It wasn't just the food, though. It was mainly her, her calm yet sharp, warm yet professional that left a mark on him.

He adjusted the sling, biting back a grimace as a sharp twinge ran up his arm. His mother's voice broke through his thoughts.

"Joshua, are you even listening?" she asked, her brows furrowed in that disapproving way only mothers could manage.

"Yeah, Mom. I heard," he replied, even though he hadn't caught half of what the doctor had just said. "Next appointment in a week, outpatient clinic, no heavy lifting. Got it."

His twin sister, Joanna, snorted. "Like that'll stop you. You were emailing clients with your good hand two days ago."

"I wasn't emailing clients," Josh said defensively. "I was checking production schedules."

"Same thing," Joanna shot back, crossing her arms.

"Joshua," his mother cut in, her tone sharp enough to silence them both. "The doctor said no work until you're fully recovered." She turned to the doctor for confirmation. "Didn't you?"

The older man nodded, adjusting his glasses. "That's correct. Mr. Adebayo, your arm needs time to heal. Overexerting yourself will only delay the process."

Josh resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He'd heard this lecture before. "I'll be fine. I can supervise from home."

His older brother, David, who had been silent up until now, finally spoke. "Supervise, huh? That's what you said last time, and you ended up working a 12-hour shift from your laptop."

Josh smirked. "What can I say? I'm efficient."

His mother wasn't amused. "Efficient isn't the same as healthy, Joshua. If I hear you've been working too hard, I'll come over myself and confiscate that laptop."

The room fell silent for a beat, and then his younger cousin Hailey, burst out laughing. "She means it, you know. Don't test her."

Josh shook his head, a reluctant smile tugging at his lips. His family could be a lot, but moments like these reminded him why he loved them.

The doctor cleared his throat, drawing their attention back. "As I was saying, your next appointment will be at the general outpatient clinic. It's just for wound revision and to ensure everything is healing properly. You won't need to return to the surgical floor."

Josh nodded, though a part of him felt oddly disappointed. No more surgical floor meant no more chance encounters with Josie. Unless…

He pushed the thought away. It wasn't like him to dwell on something or someone like this. He'd see her again, he told himself. Somehow.

By the time the paperwork was sorted, and he was ready to leave, Josh found himself standing awkwardly in the middle of the hospital room as his family bustled around him.

"Is the car ready?" David asked, glancing at his phone.

"Driver's downstairs," Joanna replied, her tone clipped.

"Great. Let's get him out of here before he starts taking notes on hospital operations," Joanna said with a smirk.

Josh shot her a look but didn't argue. He was ready to go. Yet, as he glanced around the room one last time, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was leaving something behind.

The ride home was filled with the usual family chatter. His mom asked about his meals and rest schedule. Joy teased him about being a workaholic. David brought up some updates about the company, which Josh was all too eager to hear.

"Production's on track," David said. "But there was a delay with the new shipment of parts. I handled it, but you'll want to look over the contracts when you're up to it."

"Send them to me tonight," Josh replied automatically.

"Tomorrow," David corrected. "You're supposed to be resting today, remember?"

Josh sighed, leaning back against the car seat. "You're all acting like I broke both arms. I can still think, you know."

His mom reached over and patted his good hand. "And that's exactly why you need us to keep you in check."

By the time they reached the house, Josh was already plotting ways to sneak some work into his schedule without anyone noticing. He knew he shouldn't, but the thought of falling behind made his skin crawl.

As he stepped into the familiar space of his home, he felt a wave of relief and restlessness all at once. Home was comfortable, but it wasn't the office. It wasn't where he thrived.

Still, he couldn't help but glance at his phone, half-hoping for a notification that would give him an excuse to dive back in. Instead, his thoughts drifted back to Josie.

Would she think he was crazy for wanting to go back to work so soon? Probably. And yet, he couldn't shake the memory of her soft smile or the way she'd fussed over his wound with such care.

He'd see her again, he told himself. Maybe at the outpatient clinic. Maybe somewhere else.

For now, though, he had to focus on healing. Or at least, that's what he'd let everyone think.