Confused

I felt warmth all around me, drawing me in. As I leaned into it, I sensed something firm and rod like against my lower back, just above my butt. Just then, a voice whispered near my ear, "We fit perfectly together." Startled, I jolted upright, trying to make sense of where I was and who was speaking. Elijah? It seemed absurd. "What did you do, you sicko?!" I blurted out, my mind reeling with disbelief. Even though I knew we were in a hospital, the idea of having slept with Elijah felt completely out of place. I wasn't someone who just hooked up with random guys.

Elijah's puzzled response made me question my reaction. Eh, I may have overacted in my confused state. "What happened?" I demanded, trying to gather myself. "Are you okay?" His concern softened my tone, though I still felt guarded. "Yeah," I replied shortly, trying to shake off my confusion as memories flooded back.

I remembered crying myself to sleep in Elijah's arms, finding comfort and safety there. It dawned on me that we must have both drifted off to sleep. As I moved to return to the bed, I heard a surprised gasp from behind me. "Oh my goddess." I turned to see Elijah looking stunned and distant. What did he just say? Maybe he wasn't a sicko, but he was a weirdo, for sure.

"What's wrong?" I asked, turning back to face him, but he seemed lost in his own thoughts. As I reached out to touch him, his reaction was sudden and unexpected. Before I knew it, I was pressed against the wall, trapped by Elijah's strong arms. Despite the intensity of the moment, fear didn't grip me; instead, I felt a strange mixture of excitement and confusion.

With Elijah so close, I struggled to keep my thoughts in check. "Snap out of it, Kat," I scolded myself, resisting the temptation to give in to the moment with his lips so close to mine. To just tilt my head up and kiss him. Suddenly, his forehead against mine, eyes closed, I briefly felt a sense of calm wash over me before it was shattered.

Elijah pulled away abruptly, leaving me breathless and bewildered. He left. 

I stood there, waiting for him to come back. Did I want him to? Yeah, definitely. I was starting to feel comfortable around Elijah, and it felt good. Sure, I didn't know him or anyone here all that well, other than fact that someone tried to poison me, but everyone else seemed nice. Turns out, Elijah's ex got jealous, thinking we were on a date. Ridiculous, right? It wasn't a date at all! Just a dinner of thanks.

I lounged back in the bed for a while and flicked on the TV. Nurses bustled in and out, checking my IV and making sure I was okay. I drifted off for a short nap as the day slowly drifted by. Then, there was a soft knock on the door, and I called out, "Come in." The door creaked open, revealing Earl in a wheelchair. "Earl?" I said, puzzled.

"Hey, Kat," he greeted me. "How are you feeling? I heard what happened, and I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologizing?" I asked. "You didn't poison me!" We shared a chuckle, and he rolled over to my bedside.

"How did you recover so quickly?" I asked, amazed.

"I think things looked worse than they were, and you were in a coma, remember?" he nudged me. "Yea," I replied, looking down.

"I'm just glad you're okay. That was pretty scary," I admitted.

"I know, Kat, and I'm really sorry you had to go through that. But everything's okay now. I'll be out in a few days and will need to take it slow when I get back to the ranch," he explained. We sat in silence for a moment.

"Kat?" he said, breaking the silence.

"Yes?" I responded.

"Will you be leaving after you get discharged from the hospital?" he asked. I stared up at the ceiling, pondering his question. He gave me some time to think.

"I haven't decided yet, Earl," I said with a heavy sigh. "I don't have any family around here, or anywhere really. So, I'm not exactly tied down. And this wasn't my final destination; it just kind of happened during a visit, you know?"

There was another pause before Earl spoke again. "I know we're not your family, but family doesn't have to be blood," he said earnestly. "Kat, I feel a connection here. I care about you, and I know others in this town feel the same way, even in the short time you've been here. Try not to dismiss it too quickly, okay? Just think about it."

I smiled, acknowledging his words. "Thanks, Earl. And I'm really glad to see you're doing better. I'll be discharged today and will head back to the ranch, but I'll wait for you to return before making any decisions," I promised.

A few hours later, after finishing up all the paperwork, I was finally released from the hospital. I gathered my belongings from my bag, only to find my phone was dead. "Great... just great," I muttered, frustrated. Without a charger in the hospital, I was left without any means of communication. I threw my hands down in exasperation, contemplating asking the receptionist to use their phone to call a cab. But before I could turn around, I noticed Elijah stepping out of his car and walking towards me.

I barely managed to lift my hand in a half-hearted wave of greeting, and I saw him respond with one of those charming, side-smirk smiles that made him look like he belonged on a magazine cover. "Hey," I greeted him.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, puzzled by his sudden appearance. He gave me a confused look, cocking his head slightly as he scanned me from head to toe. "

"How else are you going to get back to the ranch?" Elijah said confidently. I gestured towards the hospital building. "I was going to borrow a phone and call a cab," I explained innocently.

He chuckled softly. "No, you're not," he stated firmly, placing his hand on my lower back to gently guide me forward. We walked in silence to his car, and he opened the door for me. "Thank you," I muttered, feeling a bit awkward since I wasn't accustomed to such gestures, although they seemed natural to him.

As we pulled out of the hospital parking lot, I sat nervously with my hands clenched in my lap, staring out the window. Finally, I mustered the courage to speak. "Thank you for everything, Elijah," I said sincerely.

"Of course," he replied simply.

"No, really, you've done more than anyone should for someone they barely know. I genuinely appreciate you," I stumbled over my words. There was no immediate response from him, so I looked down at my clenched fists.

Suddenly, a hand appeared in my line of sight, reaching over the top of my clenched fists. The warmth of his touch was comforting. He gave my fist a gentle squeeze and said, "It's everything I should have done, Kat. Everyone matters. YOU matter... I'm here," he reassured me, before returning his hands to the wheel and focusing on the road ahead, leaving my hands feeling empty but my heart a little fuller.