Now They Want My Forgiveness - Chapter 232: Chapter 232

Stella jumped in to explain. "Oh, the pipes in my bathroom were clogged, and Jordan called someone to fix it, so he said..."
She trailed off as she saw the knowing, gentle smile spreading across Eleanor's face. Stella was at a complete loss.
"Relax, honey. I know," Eleanor said, her voice warm with amusement. "I've known since you two first filed the paperwork that this wasn't a love match. But that's alright. Sometimes you have to fake it until you make it, don't you think?"
'Thank God Jordan isn't here to hear this,' Stella thought.
She leaned in close to Eleanor and whispered, "Grandma... honestly. Do you think a guy like Jordan could ever be into someone like me?"
"Be into you? Honey, why wouldn't he be? You're an amazing catch, honey," Eleanor said.
"I mean, sure, I'm good at my job," Stella mumbled. "But what else am I good for? I don't even know if I can be a wife... in that way. Or if I can even have children."
"Don't you dare talk like that," Eleanor said, her voice firm but loving. Your body's getting better every day. You didn't lose your ability to have babies.
"There's a reason they say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. You are living proof of that, my girl. You will be whole again. It's just a matter of time."
Eleanor's quiet prayers had shifted. For so long, she had only asked that Stella find a good man to protect her.
Now that Jordan was here, she found herself daring to hope for more. 'If I'm lucky,' she thought, 'I might just live long enough to hold my great-grandbaby.'
"Grandma..." Stella whispered, completely overwhelmed and unable to say anything else.
Eleanor's smile softened as she watched her granddaughter's cheeks turn pink. 'There she is,' she thought. 'She's so flustered. She and Jordan are good for each other. Now, I could leave this world with no regrets.'
The plumbers had already come in and looked over at Jordan. "Mr. Erwin, are we cleared to start?" one of them asked.
Stella looked around and realized Jordan had been there the whole time. She just hadn't spotted him since he was on the other side of the room.
"Yeah, go for it," Jordan said. The crew gave a quick, polite nod to Stella and Eleanor and disappeared into the bathroom.
"Breakfast is ready," Jordan announced.
Stella still felt a little awkward, but she quickly told herself it was no big deal and led Eleanor to the dining room.
Stella turned to Jordan. "Where did you end up sleeping?"
"In my room," he said simply. "Like I said. You had the bed, and I took the couch."
"But I told you that you could have the bed," Stella sputtered, feeling a spike of guilt. "You should have woken me up when my room was done. I would've gone back."
"You were sound asleep. I wasn't going to wake you," Jordan said with an easy shrug. "It doesn't matter. I slept just fine."
Stella opened her mouth to protest again. Then she caught the amused, knowing smirk on Eleanor's face, and she snapped it shut.
Stella's usual breakfast was waiting for her: a boiled egg, toast, and a small bowl of cereal.
Her doctor had put her on a strict diet. Given her condition, it was best to stick to these simple foods long-term. She had to eat it, whether she was in the mood or not.
Stella had stuck to the plan strictly, and her body was responding in a way that felt like a small miracle every day.
The first thing she did every morning was step on the scale in her room. Watching the number tick steadily upward filled her with a triumphant joy.
Besides, she never thought of the food as bland, not after those days in Dusty Pines. After starving for so long, every single meal, no matter how simple, tasted like the finest food on earth.
"Mrs. Hayes," Jordan said, turning to Eleanor. "You have a follow-up appointment at the hospital today, right? I'm free this morning, so I'll come with you."
Stella froze. "Oh my God, I-I completely forgot. Grandma, how could I have forgotten that? I have that big conference call this morning."