The Dragon General's Vengeful Return

8

Stephanie throws her head back and laughs so loudly that everyone is stunned by this.

“Regain my ability to walk? Oh, Doctor, don't flatter me!” she holds her hand over her nose, trying to stop herself from laughing.

Roman immediately goes down on one knee in front of her, gently cradling her face in his hands.

“This is not a joke, my love. I worked in the army for years, and I have seen many hopeless situations given hope to by people like Doctor Jenkins. He is the best doctor in the world, so let's have a little faith.”

Doctor Jenkins clears his throat. “Mrs Croft, not to toot my own horn, but the General is right. From my little examination of your feet, this is not even a critical case.”

“Please, Doctor, enough!” Stephanie raises her voice. “You are not giving me hope, what you are giving me is false belief! Look at my daughter, she has never seen me walk since she was born. How do you think she is going to feel if this treatment fails?”

“Stephanie, this is not false hope.” Roman tries to assure her.

“Please, Roman,” she shakes her head as tears roll down her face. “I have been a cripple for seven years, and I don't think anybody can do anything for me. I am content with having you back, and at least Athena doesn't have to live the life of a dog anymore. I am very okay with my life now.”

One of the servants rolls a wheelchair in, and Stephanie immediately knows that it's hers.

She pulls herself onto the seat, and pushes it away. “Come on, Athena. Let's go and explore the rest of the house.”

Athena reluctantly lets go of her father's hand, before she goes with her mother.

As soon as she is gone, Roman sinks into one of the chairs with a sigh.

“It's alright, General, you are a good husband for even loving her in such a state.” Doctor Jenkins says. “It's hard for people like her, I have seen it so many times.”

“How do I encourage her to get the surgery now?” Roman complains. “Being in a wheelchair will reduce her life expectancy, and I won't want that for her or our daughter.”

The Doctor smiles. “There is no need for surgery sir. I don't even need to examine her. Here is a balm that I made after ten years of careful research.”

The small container sits right in the middle of the palm of his left hand. “Is this going to cure my wife?”

“Yes, General. Just rub it on her legs twice throughout the night and by morning, her back pain will be gone, and she will be able to walk.”

Roman looks at the seemingly ordinary balm. How is it supposed to heal such an ailment?

“Doctor Jenkins, I don't play games with my wife. If this doesn't give her back her ability to walk by morning–”

“Then I will drop my certificates and resign from being a Doctor.” Doctor Jenkins picks up his briefcase again. “I would never give it to you if I wasn't so sure that it would work. Not after the General saved my life five years ago.”

Yes, Doctor Professor Jenkins was kidnapped by the most dangerous cartel in the world, and they were trying to force him to create a bioterrorism weapon for them.

His family and the world medical organization offered his captors over a five hundred million, but they refused.

The mighty Dragon General was immediately contacted, and within fifteen hours, the cartel released Doctor Jenkins and their boss personally delivered him to Roman, and even bowed down to apologize.

Doctor Jenkins has been very grateful for what Roman did, and he is happy that this day has come, so that he can pay Roman for that good deed…

“How much do I owe you, then?” Roman asks.

Doctor Jenkins raises his hat slightly as he walks out through the door. “It's on the house, General. Thank you for being a blessing to this country, and to my family!”

*******

Athena feels her heart jittering as she walks into her pink themed bedroom.

She never thought a day would come when she would own a better room than Pumpkin’s.

Oh, if only her cousin could be here right now, she would burst with envy!

“How did you know that pink is my favorite color?!” She wonders with her mouth a gap.

“Your mother slipped that to me.” He smiles. “Look around, are you sure you like your new room?!”

“Are you kidding me, Daddy?! It's the best room in the world! Thank you, thank you!” She jumps into his arms, hugging him as tightly as she can.

Roman finds himself smiling. The joy of being a girl's dad.

“Hey, I want you to look carefully and point out whatever it is that you don't like. I will get it changed tomorrow.”

“This room is perfect, Daddy, thank you.” She grins.

She already took a bath in her parent's humongous bathroom, so she can go straight to bed right now.

Roman tucks her in, and even kisses her forehead.

“Wait, daddy.” She holds his hand as she whispers. “Can you promise me that this is not a dream? I don't want to wake up in the doghouse again. I want to wake up in this room everyday.”

“My princess, this is now your life, Athena. No one can take it for you.”

“Not even grandma and granddad, or Aunt Finna?”

Roman leans close, until he can kiss her forehead again. “Not even if they tried.”

“Then, good night, Daddy.”

“Good night, my Athena.”

Roman quietly leaves the room. He joins Stephanie in their bedroom, and she can't stop smiling as she runs her hand over and over the soft bedsheets.

“Can you believe this is my first time sleeping on such a soft bed and going to bed with a full stomach in seven years?”

“I should have come back earlier.” He murmurs, shaking his head. “I sent you so much money, I had no idea that it wasn't getting to you.”

“Hey,” she placed a finger against his lips. “You coming back today is the most perfect timing ever. You don't have to apologize for anything.”

She placed her head against his shoulder and two minutes later, she has slept off.

He just chuckles, she didn't lie about missing a soft bed after seven years.

He feels for the balm in his pocket and slowly takes it out.

Time to give Stephanie back her ability to walk….