Cristofer asked, “How about you? Going up and down might be inconvenient for you. I can manage to get to the dining room on my own.” He tried to lift the blanket to get off the bed, but he was so dizzy that he almost fell before even touching the floor. Estelle swiftly caught him, preventing him from hitting the table’s corner.
With anxiety in her voice, Estelle said, “Alright, stop trying to get up.” She gently helped Cristofer lay back down, then hurriedly prepared a tray with chicken soup, toast, and a vegetable salad. She placed it on the bed.
As Cristofer observed her efforts, he felt a warmth in his heart. He expressed his gratitude, saying with affection in his eyes, “Estelle.”
Still arranging the plates and bowls, Estelle didn’t look up and simply replied, “Yes?”
“Thank you.”
Estelle was at a loss for words, responding with a simple, “Oh.”
Cristofer smiled weakly, appreciating Estelle’s words. However, when he tried to take a spoonful of soup, his hand suddenly felt weak, and the spoon slipped from his grip, clattering onto the floor. He looked at Estelle with a hint of embarrassment.
Trying to comfort him, Estelle said, “The spoon must be too slippery. Let me get another one for you.” She handed him her spoon, assuring him, “I haven’t used this one yet, so you can use it. I don’t want to go downstairs again, and I can drink directly from the bowl.”
Cristofer accepted the spoon bashfully, but to his dismay, it slipped from his hand once more, landing on the floor and collecting a bit of dust. Estelle, not wanting to upset him, reassured, “It’s okay. Sometimes, muscle weakness is a symptom when you have a cold. Don’t worry; I’ll take care of it.”
Cristofer felt disheartened and muttered, “I feel so useless.”
Estelle sympathized with him and stood up, saying, “You used to be very healthy, so it’s normal to feel this way when you’re unwell. Just lie down and let me take care of you.”
Estelle swiftly removed the bed tray and retrieved the dropped spoon. Cristofer watched her work diligently, unable to take his eyes off her.
After a few minutes, Estelle returned with two new spoons and placed a pillow behind Cristofer to make him more comfortable. She asked, “Is this better? Are you feeling dizzy or uncomfortable?”
Cristofer replied, “No,” but he still looked quite weak. “I think it’s fine now.”
Estelle gently touched his forehead and noticed the heat. She sighed, saying, “Don’t try to act tough. Keep your hands under the blanket, and let me feed you. Mrs. Moorsum’s chicken soup is delicious and easy to eat, especially when served with toast.”
Despite Cristofer’s initial reluctance, Estelle placed the spoon by his lips. To his surprise, he opened his mouth almost involuntarily and sipped the soup. As Estelle had mentioned, the soup was well-prepared, and it went down easily. Cristofer thought to himself, ‘It’s the perfect meal for someone with a cold and a dry throat, though I wish it were a bit cooler.’
Cristofer calmly sipped the spoonful of soup while exchanging a concerned glance with Estelle. When their eyes met, he quickly averted his gaze.
“Ouch.” Cristofer suddenly winced and took a deep breath. Estelle, who was about to feed him another spoonful of soup, immediately asked, “What’s wrong?”
Cristofer weakly shook his head, resembling a delicate flower in the rain, and said, “It’s a bit too hot….”
Estelle finally realized that she hadn’t tasted the soup herself before offering it to him. She worriedly took a sip from the same spoon and thought, ‘It is indeed hot. I shouldn’t have made such a mistake.’
She then scooped up some soup, blew on it to cool it down, and gently fed it to him, saying, “Try this. It won’t be hot this time.”
“Okay. Great.”
Cristofer was surprisingly cooperative today and seemed to have a good appetite. He didn’t stop eating until he finished the bowl of soup. Looking at the empty bowl, Estelle felt a sense of accomplishment. Then she pushed the toast toward him and asked, “Would you like more toast?”
“Yes,” Cristofer replied. He was so pleased with how Estelle was taking care of him that he would willingly accept whatever she offered, even if it were poison. He smiled as Estelle fed him small pieces of toast. The sweet, crispy toast slowly warmed his stomach and heart.
After Cristofer finished eating, Estelle rolled up her sleeves and asked, “Feeling better now?”
Cristofer nodded and said, “Much better. Having you here with me is wonderful.”
Estelle then asked, “Can you sit up on the sofa or stand for a moment? I need to change the sheets now. Once that’s done, I’ll help you change your clothes.”
Estelle understood that Cristofer was very particular about cleanliness, so she made the decision to change the sheets without consulting him. She wanted to ensure he could sleep comfortably, even though he might not admit to any discomfort.
Cristofer was surprised by her suggestion and grabbed his walking stick, attempting to stand up without Estelle’s help. He did have a cold and felt unwell, but he might have slightly exaggerated his symptoms. After he managed to stand up, he felt dizzy and had to lean against the closet to avoid falling.
Estelle quickly found a clean set of pajamas and handed them to him, saying, “You can change in the bathroom or here, whichever you prefer. I’ll be busy making the bed, and I won’t peek at you.”
With that, Estelle turned around to remove the sheets and blankets, leaving Cristofer standing there with flushed cheeks.
After Cristofer quickly put on his pajamas, Estelle was still busy putting the sheet on the bed. Weirdly, the sheet wouldn’t cooperate with her today. She tried hard to flatten it, but it still lay ripped on the bed.
“Never mind. I can sleep well like this.” Cristofer suddenly bent down to stop her. He said worriedly, “You need to have lunch now. I can take care of myself. Besides, I will sweat after I fall asleep. You don’t need to go to all this trouble.” Cristofer felt good when Estelle took care of him, but he didn’t want Estelle to be too busy.
Estelle was thankful for his concern, but she helped him sit down and answered, “You’re a patient now, so you need to worry about nobody but yourself. Cover yourself with the blanket. I’m only changing a sheet. I can even take care of three children on my own. And taking care of a patient like you is as easy as pie for me.”