Chapter 4 - Decision

Eric laid around in the hospital bed, restless for the entire next day. His stomach was in knots as he waited for Charlotte to show up. Anytime the door to his room opened, he jumped slightly.

It's still not her. She is actually coming back, right? She wasn't just messing with me. That'd be a cruel joke...

“Are you alright?” the nurse asked. “You seem to be jumpy and tense whenever I show up,” she handed him a pill to swallow.

“I… uh… I’m expecting someone and I'm quite nervous about it,” he swallowed the pill. Who wouldn't be in this situation? A gorgeous, powerful woman like her wants me to... be her pet, or something akin to that, anyway. Maybe she really was kidding, and I'll never see her again. But if that's the case, then what do I do now? My landlord is probably already looking for me, and I don't even know if they paid me my last paycheck.

“Is that so? Is it a lover you’re waiting for?” she winked at him, giggling. "I'm sure she's worried about her handsome boyfriend."

“No, it's nothing like that…" At least I don't think she's looking for a lover, just a pet. "But she does potentially hold my fate in her hands.” Her place or out on the streets.

“Oh my, that sounds serious.”

The door to his room opened again. “Is now a bad time?” Charlotte asked as she peeked in.

The nurse smiled at her. “No, I was just giving him some pills. He’s all yours,” the nurse left, snickering.

“H-hi,” Eric swallowed hard, gripping the blanket with shaking hands.

“Good afternoon,” Charlotte took a seat beside him. “You don’t have to be so afraid of me; I’m here to help you, not eat you.” She patted his hand, hoping he'd relax.

“I know… it’s just… you’re offering me quite an unusual arrangement. I'm still finding it hard to believe it wasn't a dream or a hallucination. I guess since you came back, the offer was real?”

“Of course; I’m trying to help you—”

“I know. And honestly, staying with a woman I don’t know is kinda terrifying, but seeing as it’s better than what I’d be walking home to,” he took a deep breath. “I accept your offer.”

Her face lit up, eyes sparkling. “I was hoping you’d agree. Timo,” she called out to the clean cut man in a business suit waiting outside the room.

He came in pushing a wheelchair.

“This is my butler and assistant, Timo.”

She has a butler? I shouldn't be surprised, should I?

Timo bowed. “Sir.”

So formal. “I don’t think I’d need a wheelchair; my legs aren't really injured.” Stiff and achy, but not injured. My wrist and ribs are a different story, though.

“It might surprise you how much it hurts to walk with broken ribs. Just go with it for now,” Charlotte swayed her hand towards the wheelchair. "It'll be much easier on you, trust me."

“Uh… Okay, I guess,” Eric agreed, sitting up and swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. Ugh, I need to remember not to do any sudden movements like that. “Am I actually allowed to leave yet?”

“Don’t worry about that; it’s all been settled. Oh, right; I’ll let you get changed first. Timo can help you with that, too,” Charlotte left the room, closing the door behind her.

Timo approached Eric, holding onto the clothes that he was wearing on the day of the accident. They had actually prepared something else, but figured it might be a bit too much too soon.

“Uh, I can get changed on my own,” Eric reached out for his clothes and they moved out of reach. Pain spiked in his ribs, but he held back from yelling out.

“I insist on helping you. You don’t need to be shy. It’s my job to help people, and I used to be a doctor.”

“A doctor? Then why are you her butler-assistant now?” Isn't that a massive downgrade?

“Circumstances change, and I no longer wish for the life I had.”

“Did she save you, too?” Maybe she collects people or something… People have all sorts of weird fetishes...

Timo smiled, his face finally showing emotion. “In a way, she did. She saved me and my wife.”

“You’re married?” Eric’s eyes automatically went to the wedding band on his finger.

“Yes, happily, for seven years. My wife is Charlotte’s best friend, but they rarely see each other these days. Charlotte is so busy all the time, so she has no life outside of work.”

“But if she’s that busy, aren’t you, too? Do you even have time to spend with your family?”

“Yes, actually, I do. While I do live with Charlotte, she insists I stop work at six o’clock sharp most of the time. I don’t normally listen since I know she needs me, and I stay until much later. She also forces me to take vacations. I am able to go home whenever I please, though.”

“So her work finishes at six?”

“No, only I do. If I try to stay and help, she usually kicks me out. She has other assistants at work, though she's a bit short-staffed at the moment, and helpers at home, but I’m the one who normally stays beside her. With you around, though, I suspect I’ll be getting a massive amount of overtime. At least she always pays me well, and she cares.”

“I see…”

“So, are you going to let me help you get changed, or are you going to wait until her patience runs out and she forces you to get changed herself?”

“She’d do that?!”

Timo shrugged. “I wouldn’t put it past her. She's not always the most patient woman.”

“Okay, okay; I’ll get changed.” I guess she's used to being the boss...

It took a few minutes for Eric to change with Timo's help, and he sat in the wheelchair with his bag of things. Okay, I'll admit that was harder than I expected.

There was a knock on the door.

Charlotte peeked into the room. “Are you ready to go?” she smiled, seeing him in the wheelchair.

“Yeah.”

“Good, let’s go to your new home,” she opened the door fully, swaying her arm to the side, motioning for them to leave the room.

Please let me survive this. Eric gulped.