Chapter 13
1186 Words
Author's Note: This chapter has been revised for clarity and improved flow.
Chapter 13
Elise POV
“Come on, get it!” he teased me, his grin evident even behind his face mask, especially with those slanted eyes of his.
“Okay, fine. You started it, so I’ll finish it,” I muttered to myself. I slipped my hand into his side pocket where his phone was tucked away. I noticed him stiffen in surprise, probably thinking I wouldn’t dare engage with him. But he didn’t expect it when my fingers danced up his side. I couldn’t help but grin as he jumped at my playful pinch. “Thought you could get away with that, huh? You cheeky man,” I said, my smile devilish as he almost yelped in pain. I finally let him go.
“D*mn,” he muttered softly, cradling his sore side. Before he could retaliate, I dashed away from him.
****
The delicious aroma of the food being cook attracts me to the kitchen.
There's a feast being prepared, much more than our typical dinner."What’s going on, ‘Nay?” i ask Nanay Meding wondering who is busy cooking.
“Oh, this child! It’s Christmas Eve!” she replied.
I pulled out my phone and checked the calendar—it was indeed December 24th. I smacked my forehead. “Sign of aging, haha,” my mind teased.
“I forgot, ‘Nay,” I said, scratching the back of my neck. "You need help, Nanay? I can lend a hand," I offered, stepping closer.
Nanay Meding smiled, "No need, Elise. Mona will be here soon to help me with everything." She gestured towards the kitchen, clearly referring to her daughter.
"Is that right, Nanay? Well, that's good news! We'll have more hands to feed then," I said, a playful grin spreading across my face. “By the way, have you seen that bottle of bugnay wine?” I asked her.
“Marie put it in the fridge,” she answered.
With a smile, I walked over to the fridge, pulled out the wine, and grabbed a glass.
“You’re going to drink wine without eating first?” Nanay Meding scolded me.
“Just a little appetizer, ‘Nay,” I replied.
"You take care, just take it easy with the drinks," Nanay Meding warned, her voice laced with concern.
“Thanks, ‘Nay,” I said. “Call me when it’s time to eat,” I added as I slipped out the back door of the kitchen to avoid drawing attention from the folks in the living room.
I settled onto a wooden bench, opened the wine, and inhaled the rich aroma of the bugnay. I remembered how delicious it was from twelve years ago. I poured some into my glass, savoring the scent before taking my first sip. The wine had a delightful taste and aroma. I took another sip and another until I finished my first glass. Bugnay wine isn’t strong; it felt more like drinking juice. I lost count after six glasses but felt perfectly fine, not even a hint of dizziness. I poured myself a seventh glass and continued sipping until, without realizing it, I had polished off an entire bottle.
“Can you blame me, self?” I chuckled to myself. I just couldn’t get enough of this wine; every sip was pure bliss, and I craved more. “I’ll stock up next time,” I said, giggling.
“ELISE… ELISE…” someone called my name. I was about to stand when suddenly, I felt dizzy and collapsed back onto the bench, knocking over my wine glass. The glass shattered on the concrete floor of the garden, creating a loud noise.
Reuben POV
“ELISE… ELISE…” I called out to her. Nanay Meding had asked me to find Elise for dinner, but I didn’t hear a response.
Then I heard a sound—something breaking followed by a muffled scream. That was Elise’s voice. My heart raced in fear as I rushed toward the source of the noise.
To my shock, I found Elise crumpled on the floor, clutching her injured hand, her face pale.
“Elise, you’re bleeding,” I said, panic rising in my chest as I knelt beside her.
"This is nothing compared to what the two most important people in my life have done to me," she said, her voice cracking with pain.She tried to stand but kept collapsing. “Damn it,” she cursed, pounding the ground in frustration, each hit driving shards of glass deeper into her hands.
“Stop it, Elise, please,” I pleaded, tears welling in my eyes as I tried to grasp her bloodied hands. “I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry, Elise,” I said, pulling her into a tight embrace.
“Why are you apologizing? Let me go!” she demanded, struggling to free herself.
I was too worried, so against her will, I lifted her in a bridal carry and shouted for help. Luckily, Marie knew how to stop the bleeding, but Elise needed to go to the hospital to remove the glass shards from her hands to prevent infection. She fainted when Marie was cleaning her wounds; knowing her, she was terrified of her own blood.
“Give me your keys; I’ll drive,” said Eliot, Elise’s cousin, who had just arrived from the fishpond.
“Thanks, but I can manage,” I replied, carefully settling Elise into the passenger seat and fastening her seatbelt. Bu Eliot still insisted and quickly hopped into the driver’s seat and started the engine.
****
They were at the hospital now, and Elise lay peacefully in the hospital bed. The glass shards had been removed from her hands, but she had two stitches on her palm because the cut was deep.
“Sir, I’ll just inject an antibiotic and a painkiller into her IV,” the nurse said to me. I nodded. “And please give her this when she wakes up; it’s for her hangover,” she added, handing me a small tablet before leaving.
I sat by her bedside, gently caressing her face. I was watching over her when the door opened, and Elise’s mom and aunt walked in together.
“What happened?” they asked almost in unison.
I had no choice but to recount the events in the garden.
“This child never learns,” her mom sighed. “In fact, her father banned her from drinking wine.” She paused for a moment. “...because she treats wine like juice,” she added.
“It’s a mild wine, but it packs a punch,” Aunt Malou chimed in.
Her mom shook her head and spoke again. “Thank you, hijo, for taking care of my daughter,” she said to me. “We’ll leave now; you take care of her.” She smiled at me. “Merry Christmas, hijo.”
“Merry Christmas to you too,” I replied.
Once they left, I carefully adjusted her blanket and kissed her forehead. “Merry Christmas, dunngo.”
HAPPY READING ♥️
_TAGAiLoCosNak
- Writer
