A warm bathe
A WARM BATHE
Rubys Pov;
I scurried behind him like a lost puppy, grinning from ear to ear.
I couldn’t get the look on Ella’s face out of my head.
It was so interesting.
“Are you okay? How you feeling?” he turned swiftly and asked, taking me by surprise.
My breath seized for a moment and all I could do was stare at him.
” Yeah… I’m… I’m fine” my voice came out weirder than I had expected.
Why do I always seem to stammer around him?.
He nodded and moved to the wardrobe. He brought out a shirt from it and walked into the bathroom.
I gritted and bit my lower lip in pain as soon as he was gone.
The pain came nudging at me and I fell to the bed, grabbing and holding the bed sheet tight like it’s the cause of my predicament.
I tried hard not to cry.
No… he can’t see me cry. He definitely can’t. Not after I’ve told him I’m okay.
I seem to be better when he’s around.
I heard the bathroom door creaking open, and I had to quickly adjust and put on a smiling face.
He dropped his towel and walked out, without turning to take a look at me.
Huh!.. Is he mad?.
I laid silently on the bed, trying to fight the pains.
I shut my eyes close to see if I could fall asleep, but sleep seem to have eluded me at that moment.
I could do nothing. I couldn’t think straight, or do anything. I tried distracting my mind from it but it was impossible.
” Argh!” I yelled silently, grabbing the bed sheet tighter.
Oh, goodness!! Lord! What did I do to deserve this?. I just wish there’s a way I personally can stop experiencing this. Mine always hurt like hell.
” Hey!” I heard his calm voice which immediately forced my eyes opened.
I jumped up on the bed in a sitting position, to see him staring at me and I stared directly into his eyes also.
My heart skipped a beat.
I could’ve sworn I didnt hear him come in.
He didn’t say anything and just stared at me and I was starting to feel uncomfortable.
He brought his palm closer to my forehead and placed it there, then placed the other on his.
” You’re burning up” he enthused, taking his phone out of his pocket.
He stared at it for a while and got up, walked to the bathroom to do only God knows what.
I was pretty sure he had nothing to do in there again because he recently just got out.
” Come on, I prepared a warm bath for you,” he said, making my jaw drop in shock.
Okay! What’s going on?. To say I was shocked was an understatement.
Why’s he acting all sweet and kind? . He hasn’t been harsh or rude either. Something’s definitely up.
He stretched out his palm and I placed mine in it, then he helped me up to my feet.
I got into the bathroom and took a comfortable spot in the bathe he had prepared.
Woah!! It was heavenly. Why hadn’t I thought of this?.
The warm water soothed the pains for a while and I felt sore also.
I was planning to spend forever in it, but I knew I had to get out and eventually I did.
But as soon as I stepped out of it, the pains returned… in a thousand fold.
I literally had to hold the wall for support to walk.
I got back to the room to find a tray of whatever on the bed. It was covered with a lid.
I smiled happily.
How sweet!
Why’s he being so caring? I doubt it’s because I’m in pains.
I slowly walked to the bed and undid the lid, coming face to face with some pancakes and tea.
” I got that for you.. Thought it would help” I heard his voice at the door and raised my head to it, to see he was right there.
I nodded, smiling inwardly.
I picked up a pancake and had a bite. It was splendid.
He stayed there and watched me till I was done. The only time he went out was when I went to change into something.
He helped me get into bed when I was done and sent a maid to get the plates and tray after that.
I tried so hard to fall asleep but it was impossible. The pains increased as the seconds went by.
Oh, my! I can’t believe after all the efforts he’s put into this. I obviously couldn’t let him see me like that.
I laid on the bed, tossing from one side to the other.
Mine always comes with the worse set of cramps.
If I had known it would come so early, I wouldn’t have bothered going to school. I would have stayed at home and take care of it.
I wrapped the duvet around my body, but it wasn’t helping matters.
It’s like my whole body was on fire and st that point, I struggled to keep my eyes close in hope of falling asleep.
” Hey!” I heard him cooed.
” You okay?” he asked and all I could do was nod, but I was pretty sure he saw for himself and knew I was lying.
” What about drugs, have you taken them? Heard pain relievers could go…”
” I already had enough of them, so they don’t seem to work anymore”I cut him off, but not rudely tho.
” Still, you should try – take some and see what happens” he said in a convincing voice and I had to comply.
I waited for about 30 minutes and a maid brought the drugs to me on a tray.
I didn’t know when I dozed off after taking them.
Guess it decided to work because I haven’t taken them in a long while.
*
*
Michael sat in the sitting room, watching his favorite cartoon.
His new maid , Mona, came to him to help him get changed.
” Aunt” he called as he usually does, but this time, not in a cheerful tone, which is so unlike him.
” What dear? Is anything the matter?” Mona asked, seeing the sad look in his eyes.
She wondered what could possibly be wrong with him that he was that sad. She knows so well that he’s a cheerful kid.
” When is Ruby coming? I miss her” he pouted, his shiny round eyes clouded with tears.
” Oh dear! I’m pretty sure she would come see you soon. Don’t worry about it, okay” she told him in a comforting tone.
Just then, Mr Staffers came in. Michael’s mood brightened up a little as he ran to his Dad.
” Good evening sir” Mona greeted him.
” How are you dear?” he asked her.
” Fine sir” she replied, taking his briefcase from him.
” And how’s my little cutie doing?” he turned to Michael and ask but was stunned to find him unhappy.
” Whatsup boy? What’s the problem?” he asked, taking him back to the couch.
” Ruby, I miss her” he said in his childish tone.
Mr Staffers heaved a sigh.
” But I told you she would come visit when she has the time” he said frustratedly, not knowing how to explain the situation for a five years old.
” Okay Michael, I promise she would come see you” he reassured him.
” When?” Michael asked because that’s all that seems to matter to him.
” As soon as she can, and if she doesn’t, then I’ll take you to her” Mr Staffers said and Michael beamed immediately.
” Really?” he asked happily.
” Sure” his Dad replied, glad he had finally be able to put the kids mind to rest.
He called on the maid to take over while he go freshen up.
******
Somewhere not so far away in the same city, stood a magnificent building. It’s beauty supercedes all that was before and around it.
The house which was painted in white and gray was a sight to behold.
It wasnt just beautiful exteriorly but interiorly also.
The water fountains, German tiled floor, flowers, green grasses, art designs were some of the unique features of the house.
Inside here was Louis, who was having a serious argument with his mom.
” I told you I don’t wanna go to that school, Mom!” he yelled at her, curling up under the duvet again.
She dragged it away from him for the upteenth time, and he groaned.
He really hated her attitude that morning and there was no way to send her sway. Nothing he did or say seem to get to her.
” Mom!!” he whined, sitting upright on the bed.
” Why? Why? Why dont you want to go, huh?” she asked, moving closer to him.
She attempted to touch him but he pushed her hand away from him.
” Do I really need to tell you why? Do I have to spell it out for you?” Louis asked through gritted teeth. Anger and resentment burning deep inside him.
Andorra – his mom, took a deep breath and sat close to him on the bed, ignoring the murderous glares he was sending her way.
She knew she had to talk to him. She might not have been the best mom, but she cares deeply for her son and wants the best for him, and his inability to see this was what hurts her most.
” Son!” she called and touched him by the thigh, but the look on his face made her have a rethink and she had to keep her hand to herself.
She wondered what she had done to make him turn this way against her?. He’s so mad and bitter and it’s because of her.
He’s back after so many years and and she can’t seem to get a normal relationship with her son.
It was disheartening or perhaps, she had hoped for too much.
” Just say what you want to and leave!” he barked, bitterness echoing in his voice. His eyes spitting fire were murderous and they blaze through her skin, sending shivers down them.
” You have to be there son. There’s nowhere else you need to be than that school. Going there will help you get closer to him”
” Here we go again. I can’t believe you’re already saying this. I can’t believe you’re actually saying this.. Is this really all you care about? Do I mean nothing to you at all?” he shuddered, taking in deep hot breaths.
His breath wavered and his eyes were clouded with unshed tears.
” No son, don’t say that. You know you mean alot to me, but if you would just listen and try to understand, then you’ll see what am trying to…”
” I don’t want to!!” he yelled at her and she flinched.
Lady Dora, as she was fondly called , got up from the bed feebly. She knew there was nothing she would say that would ease him at that moment, so she decided to let him be for the meantime.
” I never should have come back. I should have just stayed back there” Louis shivered, his face sweaty and his breath rattling.Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.
It was hard for him… so hard. How could she not see it? What kind of a mother is she? Is wealth all that really matters to her?.
Has she never thought of his wellbeing? How could she think of sending him back there? She knows more than anyone how he doesn’t want to be close to them… to that family.
” You’re unbelievable mom” he said his last words before running into the bathroom, leaving her rooted to the spot.
The tears he had been trying to hold still came pouring down and he did nothing to stop them.
He had tried to be strong for a long time and knew he still had to be, but he doesnt know for how long he would be able to go on.
It keeps getting harder and tougher for him.
He has absolutely no one by his side… no one
No friend, no father, no mother – because he can’t say he has one,
no sister and no brother.
Maybe someday he’ll finally get to find what he truly wants, but for now… he just have to stay strong and hang in there… not for anyone, but for himself.