Silence. Chapter 31
Leroy slowly blinked awake, the sterile white ceiling of the hospital coming into focus. Zoe leaned over, relief mixed with frustration in her expression. “You’re finally awake!” she said, her tone sharp. “Leroy, what were you thinking, going out drinking? You know your health issues, yet you still don’t take care of…”
Her voice wavered with anger, but Leroy didn’t respond. He simply stared blankly at the ceiling, his expression devoid of emotion.
“Leroy, I don’t know what’s going on with you, but you can’t keep doing this,” Zoe continued, her voice trembling. “If that bartender hadn’t gotten you here in time, do you even realize what could have happened?”
Tears welled up in her eyes, one slipping down her cheek.
Leroy’s voice was raspy when he finally spoke. “I need some water,” he said.
Zoe sighed but brought him a glass. The cool liquid soothed his parched throat, bringing a flicker of life back to him.
The door to the room swung open, and his mother, Olivia, bustled in, her face pale and her eyes red-rimmed.
“Leroy, thank God you’re awake!” she exclaimed, her voice trembling with emotion. “Why on earth were you at a bar? Do you know how worried…”
Olivia’s hands shook as she clutched her purse, tears threatening to spill over.
Leroy’s chest tightened at the sight of her distress. “Mom, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you worry,” he said softly.
Olivia sighed heavily, her worry etched deep into her features. “You can’t keep doing this, Leroy. You need someone in your life—someone who can look after you. If something happens, who’s going to take care of you?” She paused, dabbing at her eyes with a tissue before continuing, “Do you know how worried Yvonne was when she heard you were in the hospital? She dropped everything to check on you…”
Olivia’s tone hinted at her hope that Leroy might consider Yvonne, someone she clearly preferred over Scarlett.
Leroy shifted uncomfortably, torn between his frustration and guilt.
Zoe, who had been quietly listening, finally spoke up. “Mrs. Olson, don’t worry too much. Relationships take time, and Leroy is still young and accomplished. There’s no shortage of women who’d want to be with him,” she said, trying to lighten the mood.
Olivia let out a dry laugh. “If that were true, would I be this worried?” she said pointedly. “This boy never listens and always keeps me on edge.”
Zoe glanced awkwardly at Leroy, unsure how to respond.
“Leroy, maybe your mom has a point,” she said after a moment. “You can’t keep putting this off. You need someone by your side.”
Leroy remained silent, her words echoing in his mind. He wasn’t thinking about starting a new relationship—he just didn’t want his mother to worry anymore. “Mom,” he said finally, his tone firm but calm. “I see Yvonne as a sister. There’s nothing more to it.”
Olivia’s face lit up. “That’s fine! If it’s not Yvonne, I have another idea. A friend of mine has a single daughter. I’ll set you up on a date with her. Who knows? You might hit it off.”
Leroy’s lips twitched in irritation. He’d underestimated his mother’s determination.
“Alright, Mom,” he said, letting out a resigned sigh. “Set it up. I’ll go meet her.”
Olivia beamed, satisfied with his response. “Good! Now, you focus on getting better. I’ll handle the rest,” she said as she stood. “Zoe, I’ll leave him in your capable hands for now.” With that, she left with a smile, already pulling out her phone to make arrangements. Leroy watched her go, his expression a mix of amusement and exasperation.
“Can you believe her? I just woke up, and she’s already planning a blind date,” he said, glancing at Zoe with a rueful smile.
Zoe shook her head with a wry laugh. “Honestly, Leroy, I think she’s right. You should start fresh,” she said gently. “You can’t stay stuck in the past, holding onto everything with Scarlett.”
Leroy’s jaw tightened at her words. He wanted to protest, to say he wasn’t dwelling on Scarlett, but the words wouldn’t come. Somewhere deep down, he wasn’t sure if he believed it himself.