Chapter 200: True Love

Avery stares at the closed door with a heavy heart. Though most of the pain from the helicopter has faded, she feels as if something has shattered in her chest. Slowly she returns to the bed and pulls the quilt over her head. Without meaning to, she falls asleep. She wakes to a soft knocking and reluctantly sticks her head out from under the covers.

"Mrs. Howel, do you mind if I come in?" the young nurse asks.

"No, what's going on?" Avery asks.

"Mr. Howel asked me to take special care of you," the nurse says. "He's had a dinner sent over, and I was wondering if you were hungry."

Avery has no appetite, but she knows she needs to eat. She sighs, "Fine, and you can bring it in."

The nurse opens the door wider and pushes a large cart into the room. The cart is piled high with thermoses, bottles, and plastic containers—Avery counts at least 20 different foods. The nurse wheels the cart next to the table and smiles gently at Avery.

"Mrs. Howel—" the nurse says.

Avery flinches at the reminder of her crumbling marriage. "Please, just call me Avery," she says. 

"Okay, Avery, what would you like to eat?" the nurse asks. "It looks like your husband wasn't sure what you wanted and had his cooks make just about everything. Of course, everything here is healthy and safe for a pregnant woman."

The nurse giggles slightly, and Avery sigh. It may seem like Evan is an adoring husband, but she knows better—he's probably just worried about the child. Avery examines the food, but it all looks the same to her.

"I guess I'll have some soup first," Avery says.

The nurse selects a labeled thermos and opens it carefully. She reaches under the cart and produces a white china bowl, and carefully pour some chicken soup from the thermos. Avery takes the bowl, but she doesn't eat any of it.

"What's your name?" Avery asks the nurse.

"My name is Madeline Smith, but you can call me Maddy," the nurse says.

"Well, Maddy, why don't you take a bowl and eat some dinner with me?" Avery says.

"Oh, Mrs. How—I mean Avery, that's such a kind offer," Maddy says, "But I've already had my dinner."

"Oh well, would you mind keeping me company while I eat?" Avery asks.

Maddy nods and pulls a chair up next to the bed. After a brief but awkward silence, she reaches under the cart and takes another bowl, helping herself to some of the steaming chicken soup. Avery stirs her own soup listlessly.

"So, is your husband busy working tonight?" Maddy asks brightly.

"Probably," Avery sighs.

"Ah, well, even the best men have to work sometimes," Maddy says. "To tell you the truth, we all thought he might never leave. He stayed by your side the entire time you were unconscious, you know. I can tell you, us nurses have never seen such a devoted husband before."

"Really?" Avery asks, sadly.

"Of course," Maddy says, lowering her voice to a whisper. "You know, just today, a man came to the hospital with his wife. His wife was having an abortion, but she didn't want to. She told us his jealous mistress was forcing her to do it. Apparently, the mistress found out she was pregnant and blackmailed the man into bringing his wife to the hospital. Can you believe it?"

Avery sips her soup quietly, wondering if Leonie has enough power over Evan to do the same. Eventually, she realizes that Maddy's babbling has stopped. The woman is holding her cell phone and looking at the food.

"Avery, can I take a photo and post it on Twitter?" Maddy asks. "My friends will flip out."

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Avery shrugs, and Maddy snaps a photo of the cart piled with food. She reads the caption aloud as she types, "The dinner Mr. Howel prepared for his wife in the hospital. Hashtag true love is real. Hashtag fairytale."

Maddy continues to scroll through her phone, and Avery forces herself to finish her soup. Suddenly Maddy frowns and looks at Avery with an uncertain expression. "What's wrong?" Avery asks.

"It's nothing," Maddy said, shaking her head and tucking her phone back into her pocket.

"Is it about me?" Avery asks.

Maddy hesitates, and Avery sighs. "Just tell me," Avery says.

Reluctantly, Maddy opens Twitter and gives Avery the phone. "It's probably nothing," Maddy says. "You shouldn't read too much into it."

Avery looks down at the screen and sees a selfie. Leonie smiles charmingly in the front of the picture while Evan sits in the background holding his phone to his ear. The caption on the photo reads, "Having dinner with the lovely Mr. Howel!" The selfie has already been retweeted by dozens of gossip accounts, and there are thousands of comments and likes.

She returns the phone to Maddy. Well, now I know why Evan was in such a hurry to leave, Avery thinks bitterly. He was clearly worried he'd be late for his dinner date. I was such an idiot to let myself believe that things could be different.

"Tell me, Maddy, can a concussion change a person's personality?" Avery asks. 

Maddy seems confused by the question, but she answers quickly. "Not really," she says. "I mean, in severe cases, it can cause amnesia, but I've never heard of it changing someone's personality."

Avery sighs heavily. There's no other possible explanation—Evan's hot afternoon with Leonie changed things. His new coldness has nothing to do with the concussion-like Robert said and everything to do with his affair. Avery pushes the bowl aside.

"Can you give me some pills?" Avery asks.

"Feeling unwell?" Maddy asked worriedly. "I'm sorry I showed you that picture. Really I'm sure it's nothing."

"It's not your fault," Avery says. "I'm just feeling a little weak and want something to revive me."

Maddy nods and rushes out of the room. When she returns, she's carrying a plastic tray with a water bottle and a little paper cup with two small blue pills. Wordlessly, she offers the tray to Avery. Avery swallows the pills and gulps some water. Then she gets up and walks to the en suite bathroom.

Clumsily, she strips off the hospital gown and takes a warm shower, taking care to perfume her hair with rose water. Wrapped in a soft robe, she looks through a suitcase of clothing in the room. Finally, she selects an indigo silk dress. The skirt is long, but the lace-lined V-neck is cut low. It seems like an odd choice for someone in the hospital, but Avery is grateful it's there.

The deep color of the dress makes her skin look even paler and lovelier than normal. When she moves, the thin skirt clings suggestively to her long legs. Avery arranges her hair in the mirror, letting it cascade over her shoulders in natural waves. Finally, she applies some mascara and a light layer of lipstick.

"Avery, are you going out?" Maddy asks, with an admiring look at Avery.

Avery nods and smiles at the young nurse. The woman seems to have forgotten her medical responsibilities. Instead, she's enraptured by Avery's beauty routine.

"Where are you going?" Maddy asks.

"The Castle in the Air," Avery says.

Maddy's smile vanishes. "But—but that's where Leonie and Mr. Howel are," she says. "You can't go out now. Not in your condition."

"I feel fine now," Avery says. "And I've taken the medicine you gave me. Don't worry."

Avery walks out of the hospital, determined to learn the truth. If Evan still loves me, I swear I'll do everything in my power to keep him, she thinks. But if he genuinely cares for Leonie, I'll cut him out of my life once and for all.

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