Chapter 46
Nancy dragged Todd out of Alex’s room, her face flushed with a mix of anger and anxiety. Once they were in the hallway, she pounded her chest dramatically. “It’s all my fault for not pushing him to get married sooner. Look at that idiot—he’s practically starving!”
Todd’s expression was stern, his patience wearing thin. “What an embarrassing scene. Go find him a doctor, now!”
Nancy’s heart sank, feeling a pang of distress. “We’ve all been there! He’s twenty, and he has needs—what’s so abnormal about that?”
Todd shook his head, the frustration evident in his voice. “Even if he has needs, that doesn’t mean he should be hugging a pillow like that.”
“Maybe he needs therapy,” Todd added, crossing his arms. “If he’s acting like that, either he’s mentally unstable, or he’s hiding some weird quirks. I don’t know which is worse.”
Nancy’s stomach twisted with unease. “Honey, don’t scare me like that. Sure, he’s a bit wild, but it can’t be that serious, can it?”
Before she could get a response, the sound of something crashing against the wall echoed through the house. Alex jolted awake from a troubling dream, his heart racing in confusion. He looked at the messy bed, immediately realizing what he had just dreamt about.
Frustrated, he slapped himself, as though trying to shake off the lingering thoughts. He jumped out of bed and rushed into the bathroom, where he punched the wall several times, the anger boiling within him.
How could he have dreamt about Ellie like that? He couldn’t shake the memory of the moment in the hospital hallway when she had thrown herself at him, their lips colliding in a kiss. That kiss—her smell, the softness of her skin, the way her body had pressed against his—it haunted him, making his breathing quicken. He clenched his fists, trying to push the thoughts away.
The next day, around noon, Alex came downstairs to find his parents sitting at the dining table, both unusually quiet.
He dropped into a chair, glancing between them. “Why are you guys staring at me?” he asked, not quite understanding the tension in the room.
Nancy, her expression softening with concern, met his gaze. “Son, I’ve decided it’s time to get you a wife. And fast.”
Todd, with a more serious tone, added, “You should see a doctor for that bruise on your forehead, too. Let your mom find you someone to check it out.”
Alex glanced between his parents, sensing something was off but unable to put his finger on it. “What’s going on?” he asked, a bit annoyed but still clueless about the gravity of the situation.
In the afternoon, Nancy went to visit Ellie at the hospital. In the lounge, Ellie nervously poured a cup of water, her mind still reeling from the events of the previous day. She had practically knocked Alex over, their kiss witnessed by so many. She hoped the Warren family wouldn’t get the wrong idea about it.
“Ellie, come sit with me,” Nancy said, pulling her toward the seat beside her.
Ellie, her heart racing with anxiety, looked at Nancy. “Nancy, is something wrong with Alex?” she asked, genuinely concerned.
“He’s not well,” Nancy replied, cutting her off before Ellie could say anything more.
Seeing the confusion on Ellie’s face, Nancy lowered her voice, as if to confide a secret. “Do you know a reliable therapist? I need a recommendation.”
Ellie nodded, though her frown deepened. “I have a senior who specializes in mental health. He just came back from abroad.”
Nancy sighed with relief. “Can you set up an appointment for him to see Alex?”
Ellie hesitated, unable to hide her concern. “Nancy, what’s wrong with Alex?”
Nancy waved her hand dismissively, as though the answer was too complex to explain in a single breath. “It’s hard to explain in just a few words. I think he’s been dealing with some issues from being single for too long,” she admitted, her tone low and worried.
Ellie’s concern only grew, but she knew she had to help Nancy. Despite the awkwardness between her and Alex, she couldn’t just turn her back. She agreed to help set up the appointment, though deep down, she wondered how this was all going to play out.
