Chapter 3  Debts of Kindness

Lucas walked toward the room where Eleanor had been admitted. He felt both hope and fear in his heart. He took a deep breath and crossed his fingers as he stood in front of the door. This was a superstitious act that he had always found strangely comfortable. In a setting full of doubt, it was a small act of hope. Before he got up the nerve to knock on the door, he let out a sigh and tilted his head from side to side to relax his muscles and make himself feel better. Lucas was aware that he needed to be allowed to enter the room, but no one there answered right away. In an effort not to make a sound, he slowly opened the door. His worry grew. He looked into the room and saw Eleanor sitting in her bed, her eyes fixed on an empty wall. She seemed to be lost in her world and not aware of what was going on around her. Lucas was mesmerized by her, and his heart skipped a beat as he watched her. As he lost himself in her beauty, time seemed to stop. The world around him faded into the background, making it seem like she was the only thing around him. At that moment, he could only see her, and everything else stopped. He felt a profound link that pulled at his soul and held him spellbound and out of breath when he was with her. Lucas shook his head and gently knocked on the door, all the while keeping his eyes on Eleanor. He stood in the narrow space between the wall and the partially open door. Eleanor remained unresponsive, lost in her distant thoughts. Lucas realized that she might be in some sort of trance or deep contemplation, and he didn't want to startle her. So, he took a deep breath, pushed the door open wide, and cleared his throat to draw her attention. The sudden noise and the sight of the door opening startled Eleanor. She jolted in her bed and finally looked toward the door, her eyes meeting Lucas's concerned gaze. Lucas, still feeling a bit uneasy, entered the room and tucked his fingers into his pants pocket, his nerves evident in his voice as he greeted Eleanor. "Hi, I hope you are feeling better now." Eleanor nodded, putting on a facade to mask her true feelings. "Yeah, I am okay now." Lucas scratched his temple, his guilt weighing on him, and he continued, "Actually, I am sorry. I shouldn't have shouted at you." Eleanor shook her head, trying to alleviate the tension between them. "No, don't be sorry. It was my fault. I should have seen where I was going." Lucas squinted his eyes, taking a deep breath before getting to the reason he had come. "Umm, I have a favor to ask." Eleanor, her curiosity piqued, wondered how anyone could be asking her for a favor in her current condition, feeling like the most powerless person on the planet. She replied, "I'm all ears." Lucas began to explain, "I want you to state to the police, the same statement I gave to the hospital." Eleanor raised her brows in confusion, not quite understanding his request. Lucas clarified, "I told them that I found you unconscious on the sidewalk, and technically, I didn't hit my car into you. The moment I saw you, I immediately changed my course, and I was so close to hitting my car into a traffic signal pole because of you..." Eleanor interrupted him, her expression shifting as she realized his intentions. "So, you want me to return a favor." Lucas looked perplexed, "Return a favor?" Eleanor straightened herself in the bed and met Lucas's eyes with a determined look. "Yeah, because you didn't hit me. You did me a favor by avoiding the accident. So, now it's my turn to return the favor because nothing in this world is for free, right?" Lucas was taken aback by Eleanor's response. He hadn't expected her to interpret his request this way. “No, it's not like that...” Eleanor once again interrupted Lucas, her voice tinged with frustration. "No, actually, I just got to know about this side of the world..." This time, Lucas interrupted, confused. "What side of the world?" Eleanor continued, her words tinged with bitterness. "The side of the world that takes advantage of a person until they need them, and the moment they realize that person is no longer beneficial, they humiliate and throw them out of their life." Lucas squinted his eyes, realizing the weight of her words. "Oh, damn, this is pathetic." Eleanor didn't back down and confronted Lucas with her feelings. "Didn't you just do that to me?" Lucas, his irritation growing, asked, "What exactly did I do to you?" Eleanor explained with a pointed tone, "First, you screamed at me because you thought I was a powerless person whom you'd never need in your life. And now, you apologized not because you felt you were wrong, but because you want me to give the statement you need." Lucas, now more agitated, responded, "First, I've never met anyone more wrong than you in my life. Lady, I screamed at you because I didn't want to get into any more trouble due to someone's negligence. Second, I said sorry because I genuinely thought I should not have shouted at you. Third, I want you to give that statement because I'm already on parole, and I can't afford anything complicated tied to my name while I'm on parole." Eleanor immediately sensed her mistake, and just like she showed her anger without any hesitation, she showed her gesture to Lucas that she realized her mistake and understood him. Eleanor bit her lower lip in atonement and shook her head. Eleanor explained. “I am sorry. I should not have jumped guns. I vented out on you. I was already upset about something.” Lucas responded. “Yeah, it clearly shows.” Eleanor smiled and extended her hand. “I think we should start all over again. I am Eleanor.” Lucas shook hands. “I am Lucas.” He refrained from telling his full name because he recalled his dad’s warning. The moment they exchanged their names, the doctor approached Eleanor with a warm smile and a reassuring tone. "Eleanor, you're good to go," he said, his words carrying a sense of relief. Eleanor felt a mixture of emotions. She was relieved to hear that she was fine, but her mind raced with questions. She had no recollection of when the doctor had asked about the hospital fees, and her concern began to mount. The doctor, still addressing Eleanor, continued, "We did some tests, and your blood pressure was quite high when you were brought in. It's possible that the fainting episode was related to that. It's essential to maintain a healthy lifestyle to keep your blood pressure in check. Make sure to follow up with your primary care physician for a more comprehensive check-up. And of course, take it easy for a while." Eleanor nodded, trying to hide her anxiety in the doctor's presence. She appreciated the advice, but the financial aspect of her situation weighed heavily on her mind. She waited for the doctor to leave the room, and as soon as he did, she turned to Lucas, her voice tinged with concern. Eleanor's worry intensified as she inquired, "Who paid the hospital fee?" Lucas's face displayed surprise as he raised his shoulders in a shrug. “You didn't have your bag with you when you fainted in front of my car. Who else would be responsible for paying the hospital fee when I brought you here?”