As Ophelia walked back to her room, she could feel shivers being sent down her spine. She did not know if it was the information that Cade had thrown at her or if it was the cold she was feeling, but she was not herself. With each step she took, she felt herself only getting closer and closer to the ground.
“What is happening?” She murmured to herself when she could understand why it felt like her knees were giving way and felt like jelly.
“Ophelia?” she heard his voice but it sounded like it was coming from a different dimension. She tried to turn back and tripped on herself, and she was falling to the ground. She let go of the cup in her hand, and it splattered to the floor, spilling the contents in it. Luckily for her, the cup bounced off but did not break into pieces. She closed her eyes as she could believe that one marriage was enough for her with Cade. She was definitely falling through a spiral of self-embarrassment, and this might go on and on for a very long time.
She opened her eyes because instead of a cold, hard floor, the only thing that was touching her was strong, firm hands. His golden brown eyes were staring right at her and she felt hot flames surge through her entire body. Cade held her like a falling bridle, and her breasts perked up at him through the flimsy nightdress material, with the light robe falling by both sides. He could not help but glance at them. He coughed and tried to keep his eyes on her face, but they were not working; this was the first of its kind where she was this physically exposed to him.
“Are you okay?” he asked, finally able to focus on her face.
“Never been better,” she said and held onto his hand with so much force. “Do you want to let me go now?” she whispered.
“Huh? What was that?”
“I am asking that you let me go, but not in a way where I fall to the ground and hit my head and die, but in a way where I am still standing on my feet.”
“Oh yeah,” he said, releasing her waist. She smiled and stood still with his help but fell on him almost immediately. “Are you fine?” this time he asked as he searched her face.
“Never been better; I guess I am just a klutz.”
“A klutz? You are everything but a klutz; I have never seen you knock down anything since we have been living together.”
“Oh then, I guess this cold is turning me into one,” she said and sniffled.
“You have a cold?”
“Yeah, you did not notice? I have had one for six days now; it has been terrible,” she said, sniffling again.
“For six days?”
“It is bad that you did not know.”
“How would I have known that you were sick? You have been ignoring me so badly that I had to wake up extra early just to see you today.”
“I was not ignoring you,” she said in defence. She wanted to put her foot down but she could not do that since her entire body felt like it was melting away.
“Yes, I understand. Just let me help you to your room.”
“Help me?” she scoffed at him and rolled her eyes. “Do not try to help me; I refuse any of your help; it makes me uncomfortable and indebted to you,” she said in a drowsy voice.
“But you are sick, and if I leave you out here, it could get worse.”
“Oh, please grow a ball. Have you ever heard of anyone who died because they did not treat a cold?”
“I am sure tons of people have died from not treating colds.”
“I will be totally fine,” she said, wiggling from his grip around her hand. He let go of her hand, and she staggered. He wanted to hold her, but she stood on her own very well, even though she was shaking like a tree that had been thrown back and forth by the wind.
“You are not okay; we need to get you to bed and some medications.”
“Just a bit of sleep and I would be fine,” she added as she continued to stagger to her room. She felt a strong hand grab her and hold her up in bridal style. It was then that he discovered that she had not even moved an inch with her swaying.
“If sleep was going to get it done, then you would not still be sick after six days.”
“It is because you did not take care of me,” she said, feeling the cold take her out. She kept convincing herself that the conversation she was having was not because of her but the CLD that was now deep in her system.
“I am sorry,” he murmured.
He took her to her room and dropped her to the bed, tucking her in with a blanket. He went down the stairs to get a cup of hot tea, a bowl of oatmeal, and some cold medicine after cleaning up the mess she had made with the spilt coffee. He got back and made her eat the oatmeal and take the drug before tucking her in once more.
“Cade,” she called out in a low voice. You could tell that the drug was working because she was already very sleepy. “I was sick, but I did not take any medication, not because I did not want to but because you did not give it to me,” her voice slurred, but he was still able to hear what she meant so perfectly.
“And I am sorry for making things awkward between us; from now on I will not talk about my feelings for you, and we will fight together to finish what we started,” she added. This time her voice was all distorted, and she was drowning in sleep.
“About your trip though, I do not want you to go.”