25 - Natalie
1664 Words
“Will you please turn the aircon off?” I whispered softly, my voice was hoarse and I knew I was thirsty.
“Oh, thank God you’re awake!” A voice broke out as I heard immediate footsteps towards me. “How are you feeling?”
“It’s cold.” I added as I shivered, feeling the cold reaching the ends of my skin and bones, my muscles aching everywhere. “The AC.”
“There’s no AC, Natalie. Are you still cold?” A baritone voice answered and I know that voice is familiar.
Then I felt a warm hand on my forehead.
“You’re still having a fever. Sh*t!” He blurted out like he was seriously annoyed.
I tried my best to open my eyes and but it was too heavy. I did have a glimpse too but it was all too blurry and my mind was all clouded. So what I did was just to grab the hand and placed it on my cheek as if it is the only thing that could warm me. My head is terribly aching and it’s so freaking cold. Between my chills, I felt the warm hand had started to caress my cheek and I was comforted by the gesture.
“Hey, I got to go grab another blanket for you, okay? Plus, it’s almost time for you to take another paracetamol. I would just go and grab it quickly.” He gently explained, his voice somewhat soothing to my ears.
“B-Brian?” I croaked as I was finally able to recognize his voice.
“Yes, it’s me, Natz. Just hang in there. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” He replied and then he pulled his hand from me.
I then grabbed the blanket covering me and engulfed myself more with it to try to lessen the cold that I was feeling. After some time, I felt his presence once more and I tried to turn to his direction. Everything was all blurry until I felt him gently pull me up so my back could lean on the headboard.
“Here, take this.” He said.
I suddenly felt him push a tablet into my mouth and the sudden bitter taste from it made me want to spit it out. Good thing he was quick to press a glass of water right off my mouth which forced me to take a gulp of it, finally swallowing the tablet.
“You will feel much better soon.” He cooed as he assisted me to lie back in bed.
“T-thanks.” I muttered as I felt myself drifting to a deep sleep.
***
I woke up feeling lightheaded but at least much better than earlier. I felt my own temperature and sighed knowing that the fever had gone. My then roamed around the room until it landed on the sleeping figure beside me, holding my hands. I immediately smiled and hope within overflowed.
He still cares.
No matter how many times he says that he hates me and even though I know that he is angry, still he cares for me.
Maybe I do have a chance to really change his heart.
His anger will subside soon and I can wait.
And I will do my best to be a good wife to him, so when his anger for me subsides, then maybe he will also learn to love me.
I softly chuckled and moved towards him, making sure that he doesn’t wake up.
But wait…
Remembering how I almost drowned, I stared at him.
He saved me?
Did he follow me to the river?
My last memory was when I tried to swam up take in some air but the water current was too strong and it pushed me as I lost balance and swirled. I grinned right after, knowing that Brian had saved me.
He followed me and saved me from drowning.
My heart swelled with the surreal feeling of joy.
I am not hopeless.
“Now I truly want to get sick all the time so I can be this happy. Seeing how you take good care of me makes me really happy.” I said softly and slightly brushed his hair.
After sometime, he suddenly jolted and I immediately pretended to be asleep. I thin felt his hand on my forehead and heard him sigh. That’s when I slowly opened my eyes and he retracted his hand right away.
“You’re awake.” He said and cleared his throat. “Your fever is gone.”
“Thank you.” I answered and smiled.
“How are you feeling?” He asked.
“I’m feeling better.” I replied.
It is true. My joints and muscles are still a bit aching but it is tolerable. Plus, my dizziness had now gone though I still feel a little lightheaded. He breathed out a deep sigh.
“I will just go and reheat the porridge that I made.” He suddenly blurted out and even without waiting for my replay, he got out of the room.
I was then left alone in the room with my thoughts. A part of me is now truly thankful that I got sick once again because if not, then maybe we’re just here fighting again. Or, maybe he’s here and I’m all by myself somewhere outside.
A few minutes later, he came into view once more with a small tray on his hand. He then walked towards me. Automatically, I tried to get up and sit down, my back on the headboard for support. Then he placed the tray with a bowl of porridge on my lap.
He really made a rice porridge for me.
“Thanks.” I said softly before I started to dig in.
As soon as a spoonful of porridge touched my tongue, I immediately knew something is wrong. Not wanting to offend him and his good gesture, I tried my best to swallow it. It didn’t taste so good. Knowing that my taste buds are not working fine and it still tasted this bad, I can’t help but chuckle inside. The flavor is indescribably bad and had a burnt aftertaste.
“Finish that and drink your medicine.” He said which made me look at him right away.
He wants me to finish all of this?
I might recover strength after but I’m afraid it will make my stomach upset.
What the hell did he put here and how did he make it?
“Okay.” I answered which is not what I really wanted to say.
This is the first time ever that he made something for me.
Even though it doesn’t taste good, I’m still happy.
He is sweet.
With all my best, I ate a couple more spoonful and he just quietly sat beside me, observing me.
“Does it taste that bad?” He suddenly asked.
“N-no. It’s okay. Thanks.” I said and to my surprise, he scoffed before pulling the bowl from me and eating a spoonful.
“Urgh.” He said before spitting it out. He then looked at me with his accusing eyes. “What the hell, Natalie???!!! Why didn’t you tell me it tasted this bad???!!!”
Seriously?
He was the one who cooked it.
He should have known how it tasted.
“You can’t eat this anymore.” He declared and placed the bowl and tray at the bedside table. “You should have told me that it was disgusting.”
“It’s tolerable.” I lied and he suddenly became stern as his eyes began to glare at me.
“Why do you always lie to me?” He asked, a look of hurt and disbelief is seen in his eyes but it was gone as soon as I blinked.
“I wasn’t lying.” I contradicted.
Yes, it tasted bad but it’s tolerable.
“You’re unbelievable.” He commented.
“But-“ I stated only to stop when he stood up and paced in front of me. The soft features that he had earlier when I woke up had gone.
“How many times do you have to be so careless, Natalie?!” He yelled all of a sudden. “How many times to you have to make all the people around you worried?!”
“Sorry.” I whispered and looked down.
“Sorry? Sorry? That is all you can say?!” He continued and paced more in front of me. “You almost died for goodness sake!!!”
He stopped in front of me and looked me straight in the eyes.
“What were you thinking???” He asked sternly. “Did you even consider that there is no stable coverage here to let you call people in case of emergency and that there’s no nearby clinic or hospital???”
I wasn’t supposed to be shocked of his outburst but I was.
He’s right.
He might have been so worried when I lost my consciousness and got sick and here I was thinking that it was a good thing.
He took care of me all night long and all I thought about was getting sick more often, not even considering how he must have felt.
“You’re always like this!!!” He blurted angrily. “Always!!!”
“Sorry.” I said once more.
What else could I say?
It is really my fault.
I was careless.
I know clearly that I get sick easily but still I do things carelessly, making people around me worried all the time.
“let me be very clear. I don’t care about what you do and what you want to do. But don’t ever put yourself in danger nor die under my watch!” He avowed loudly.
Then he took the tray of food and stormed out of the room leaving me flabbergasted. All the hopes that I had earlier crashed instantly.
What am I thinking?
***
- Writer
