He thought she won't be coming back. Instead, she came back and even sat with him. 'You are so unpredictable.' Arlo thought to himself looking at her.
Both sat silently and worked slowly till dinner time. Ryan came with dinner and ate with them. Doctors told them Arlo could go home and rest but Sky insisted on keeping him in hospital for three more days till his cast removed.
Ryan stayed in the hospital but a different room. Sky slept on the couch informing Arlo to call her if he needs anything.
Three days passed like that. Sam and others visited him but it was to bring take away to Sky as she didn't like hospital food.
Sunday after Arlo's cast was replaced with a splint and knowing his recovery was good, Sky agreed for discharging and took him back to the Harley mansion.
What Sky didn't know was Arlo was only behaving weakly in front of her and other times he would do everything alone without Ryan's help. The latter was pissed off about it as he got chided by Sky when she saw he wasn't helping Arlo.
After dinner, they sat in a living room watching business news. Ryan who was tired left to his room early as he wasn't interested in the news. Sky was watching because the news was related to GenX.
It was showing GenX entering the international market and opening its first branch in country Y and would be extended to other countries in the coming years.
After finishing, Sky was about to leave and realized Ryan left a very long back. Having no option, she supported Arlo towards the elevator and to their room.
She got fresh and filled the tub for him before leaving him in the bathroom. Arlo was enjoying her personal service with their rare talk.
Sky finished her leftover office work in the bedroom before he exited the dressing room. She quickly got up and helped him towards his bedside.
Once he leaned back on the headrest and pillow, she pulled the quilt up for him and was leaving he stopped her as he made her sit facing him.
"Need anything?" Sky asked as she saw him opening his bedside drawer.
He took out a white porcelain bowl that had golden haphazard lines making it look like an exquisite piece of art. She froze realizing it was the same bowl she asked him to break and apologize.
She clutched her sheathe tight and looked at him. She couldn't understand why she was tearing up hence she bit her lip and heard him.
"You said it was difficult to patch the broken pieces. Indeed, it was difficult but if the broken pieces are patched up, you know how beautiful it looks."
His gentle and pleasant voice repeated in her head as she started crying. He started to wipe her tears but she cried more making him feel helpless, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry"
"108" Sky said and started sobbing.
Arlo didn't understand why she said 'one zero eight', "Why are you crying? Sky" As he continued to wipe, she was crying more.
"Because of... You. You... You... are very... bad. I was so scared... and... and you still... hurt me. You are very... bad. I tried to under... understand you but... you got even... more vexed. You... didn't... even stop... when I... tried to stop... stop you. You... You didn't realize... I was crying... ... ..."
Sky said everything how she felt, what she did and how she managed. Arlo who was wiping her tears hugged her and let her finish as he patted on her back. He knew if she finishes saying it, crying it out, she would be alright than holding it in.
After hearing her, he felt the pain and heartache he went through was nothing compared to what she went through.
He got to know she was sleeping separately or ignoring him was because she was frightened, not to punish him. But when she got to know he wasn't sleeping and she decided to sleep in the room.
As she continued on, he regretted his every action on that day. Once she finished, she started to calm down. He continued to stroke her head until her breathing became normal.
"Sky! I'm sorry. I will never hurt you again." His gentle and sincere voice heard.
"109" Sky said she sniffed.
Arlo was confused again, "What one zero... Is it a number of times I apologized?"
Sky nodded and wounded her hands around his waist. Arlo was stunned, he thought she ignored whatever he said excluding about work. "You heard me every time?"
Sky nodded and Arlo hugged her tight. A muffled voice sounded, "Are you killing me? And your shirt is wet."
He released her saw white and red panda even nose had started to drip. He pulled a tissue from the drawer and wiped her face holding her hands in another.
"If you make me cry again, I will ask everyone to beat you up." Sky threatened as she let him do.
"Sure! But they will never get a chance." Arlo replied holding her red nose.
Sky shrugged his hands off and brought him a shirt. Seeing her turn away for him, he changed quickly and pulled her to his arms but Sky flipped back on the bed to stand.
"I still have to settle a few accounts." Sky said as she stood with arms akimbo.
Seeing him raise his brows to question. Sky kicked him, "Who gave you permission to bring her to my home? I only gave permission to meet her? Did you forget who manages everything at home?"
Arlo was dumbfounded. Whenever she kicked she did on his legs below the knee but she kicked on his buttock.
'When did you turn so brazen?' He badly wanted to ask.
He knew who was 'her' but he didn't want to talk about her. He effortlessly pulled her on the bed as he asked, "Why do you manage both office and home? Let me also do something."
"You?" Sky chuckled, "You can't even look after me, are dreaming about managing so many and home? Daydreaming isn't good, Go to sleep."
She took the bowl and went to her bedside. "Sleep!"