Chapter 16: I hurt my wrist

Sean’s pondering was interrupted by his mobile phone ringing. Glancing at his phone, he realised it was Claire calling him.  After the day she came to his office professing she was his girlfriend and him rebuking her for making an untrue statement, he hadn’t heard much from her apart from a few text messages asking what he was up to and if he could come over and keep her company. Sean just wanted to keep the relationship clear.  He only had gratitude towards her.

Picking up the phone, he asked “Hi Claire, what’s up?”  All he heard was Claire crying which made him stand up from his chair. “Claire, tell me, what happened?”, he yelled with a concerned tone.  “I fell down the stairs, I think I have broken my wrist.  Please take me to the hospital, it really hurts me.”  With concern and exasperation, he calmly said to her, “Claire, calm down.  I’ll get Leo to arrange someone to take you to the hospital right away. Leo could have someone there in 15 minutes.  If you wait for me, it will be about 30-40 minutes.   “No Sean, I don’t want Leo or anyone else.  Every time I need some help you always send someone else.  I risked my life for you when I saved you.  I have a very bad back injury because I saved you from those thugs”, she said to him in between her tears.  When Sean heard those words, his heart melted.  She was right, even though she lived a life of luxury which he afforded her, she deserved some of his gratefulness in helping her in her time of need.  “It’s ok Claire, I’ll be leaving in in 5 minutes, so I should be there in about 40 minutes”, he said to her in a soft voice. “Thank you, Sean.  I only want you to take me to the hospital, so I will wait for as long as it takes”, she replied in between her muffled crying.

Sean called Leo and told him what was going on.  He then asked him to arrange with his secretary to reschedule the meetings he had for the rest of the day.  Leo nodded and assured Sean he’d get onto it right away. In reality, Leo was sceptical of Claire.  In his eyes, Claire was always pestering Sean with lots of unnecessary needs. If she wanted the latest Versace bag, she would call Sean and it will be in her hands within a matter of days.  Most of the time when she brought up the fact that she saved him, Sean would give in.  The only times he had not given in was when she wanted to be seen in public with him for lunch or dinner.  Leo knew that Claire was trouble and indeed wanted a relationship with Sean, however Sean being so blinded with his gratitude to her for what she had done, didn’t see her intention.  Leo knew that Claire will surely be trouble if any female came into Sean’s life.

Back at Claire’s House, as she ended her conversation with Sean, she whispered to herself, “Well done to me, Sean is so concerned for me and he is rushing here to take me to hospital.  Maybe if I am lucky, he will keep me company tonight and who knows what else will happen tonight”, she laughed and cackled.  Earlier that day, she had purposely hurt her wrist by banging it repeatedly on the side of the marble kitchen bench.  Whilst her wrist was bruised, it really only hurt a little but it was well worth it, if it meant having Sean look after her with tender care and maybe not going to breakfast with that girl that spilt coffee on him, then it would be worth it.  All the crying she had just done on the phone was all an act.  It was an act that she would need to continue when Sean arrived.

A little while later, Sean’s Ferrari roared into the driveway of the house Sean had purchased for Claire to live in.  As soon as Sean put the pin code at the front door, he opened the door and rushed over to Claire who was sitting on the stairs still crying.  He gently grabbed her wrist and could see the bruise and swelling that had formed. “Come on Claire, he said to her gently as he led her outside to the car.  Ten minutes later they were in the hospital.  As he had taken her to the VIP department, there was no waiting.  The Doctor reviewed her wrist while Claire grabbed Sean’s hand for comfort and although he didn’t feel comfortable with her doing this, he didn’t pull back as he knew she was in pain and needed some comfort. “I do not think it is broken but it is best we do an x-ray just to be sure” the Doctor told Sean.  “Very well”, said Sean.  Thirty minutes later, the x-rays had been carried out and the Dr came out to discuss them with Sean and Claire.  “Miss Miller, you are very lucky, it is just a sprain.  I will have one of the nurses here bandage it up. Just keep it elevated and don’t lift anything heavy for a week. Within 2 weeks, your wrist will be back to normal”, the Dr said to her. “That is great news Dr Floyd, thank you very much and I’m sure Claire will listen to your instructions. Alright Claire, stay here while I go and settle the bill and then I will take you home”, Sean said to Claire in a gentle and caring manner.  

Sean led Claire into the house.  He ordered some food for her and then told her that he would check on her in a few days. Claire clearly was not pleased that he was leaving right away. She ran into his arms and with her fake tears cried to him. “Sean, why are you in such a hurry to leave.  Please can you stay the night in one of the guest bedrooms, my wrist hurts, I don’t want to be left alone”. Sean’s felt guilty, so he decided to compromise.  Afterall, if it wasn’t for her, he would not be alive.  “Claire, I can’t stay here tonight as I’ve got to catch up on the work I missed in the last few hours that I have been attending to you, however how about I stay and have dinner with you”, he suggested.  Claire was happy with his response, at least she got to spend more time with him.  Sean reached over and with a tissue wiped away her tears and asked her to sit down and relax as he knew she had a traumatic day.

Dinner conversation was awkward as they had nothing in common. Most of the time, he could feel Claire just staring at him as she fluttered her eyes at him.  Dinner was short as Sean had to head back home to finish off some work he had missed out on whilst he was attending to Claire.  He bade Claire farewell and told her that he would have a Doctor come by every 2 days to check her wrist.

On the drive back home, Sean couldn’t help but be excited at the coffee date with Grace. He believed in fate and he strongly believed that bumping into Grace in the morning was indeed fate. Just like it was fate that Claire was in the right place at the right time when she saved him.