by M. C. Vann
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Worried about what might ensue between Eve and Rick, I spent the night at my sister’s house. I wanted to make sure everything was going to be alright before I left, especially with Eason and Alexis. When they are a little older, I hoped they would understand a little more about how adults behave.
I called Nancy the next morning to inform her I couldn’t come in for my shift. I explained to her what happened between my sister and brother-in-law and since she knew Eve, Nancy was more than understanding of the situation.
Everything seemed to settle down between Rick and Eve as the day progressed. Though they barely spoke to one another, I could sense they both regretted the fight.
But I wondered what they were arguing about. What did Rick do that made Eve so furious? Their relationship wasn’t any of my business and I knew that. I wasn’t going to press my sister to tell me if she didn’t want to.
Before dinner time, I decided to go home. I was reluctant to leave their family, but I couldn’t hang around forever.
It was best for them to sort it out themselves, something my dad used to say to me.
I finally returned home to my apartment after a long weekend.
While making dinner, ramen noodles with eggs and vegetables, I checked my phone just in case I missed a call, but nothing. Henry didn’t ring me today. He must have been busy with work, I reminded myself. As I ate and watched the news channel, Lily walked through the door.
“Ay, mi amor, you’re finally back,” Lily exclaimed, setting her groceries on the kitchen table. “Where were you all weekend? I was worried. You were with Henry, right?”
I didn’t confirm nor deny the question and only smiled at her.
“I knew it.” She placed a few pasta boxes in the cupboard. “Now that you have a boyfriend don’t forget you have friends too.”
“You know I would never,” I assured her.
“So, did you guys ...” Lily trailed off, raising her brows with a curious look.
“What?” I blurted until I figured out what she had in mind, but didn’t refrain from saying. “Lily! Of course, not! You know me. We’ve only been dating for a few weeks. Besides, I didn’t spend the whole weekend with him. I was at Eve’s last night.”
“I was just curious,” she replied jokingly. “But between two lovers, it’s bound to happen anytime. Alright, I won’t ask anymore.”
Lily trotted off into her bedroom and in the meantime, I tried to focus on the news anchor and what he was saying. But her words wouldn’t leave my head.
It was bound to happen. Did she mean what I think she had in mind?
I suddenly recalled Henry’s message again and immediately shook it off. Nothing happened last night. I was sure nothing happened.
Henry was a gentleman.
The next week went by rather slow. Henry only texted me once on Tuesday. He asked me how I was doing and I replied with a simple message since I didn’t want to bother him too much. From what Adam and Lily advised me, men didn’t like clingy women.
It rained all day Wednesday from morning to night. Business was slow and not much happened. We did receive a special order for white tulips, but since we were out of them, it was quite disappointing. I also called Eve to ask her if everything was okay. Although she adamantly protested that it was, I had a feeling things weren’t, which slightly worried me.
On Thursday afternoon, I made up my mind to visit Henry at his workplace. He might have been busy, but I needed to see his face, even if it was for just a second. It would be quite interesting to see him in action again.
During the drive to the hotel, I pondered what I should get him for his birthday. Maybe a tie and a tie bar. Is that too common? Probably. Plus, he must have only wear super expensive styles and brand, things I could never afford. At least I still have some time to think about it.
As I walked through the grand entrance towards the guest counter, I imagined what Henry’s facial reaction would look like when he saw me. Would he be glad? Of course, he would. I tried to persuade myself.
“Hello, Miss, how can I assist you?” the receptionist asked.
“Hi, I’m here to see Mr. Pearce.”
“Do you have an appointment?”
“No, I don’t have one.”
“Okay. Let me check with his secretary.”
“Thank you,” I told her. For some reason, I felt so inadequate. The thought of someone telling me whether I could see my boyfriend or not, it was weird.
“He’s not in the office today,” she informed me. “Did you want to leave him a message?”
“No, that’s okay. Thank you for your help,” I said. I couldn’t help, but the disappointment settled in as I walked away from the counter. I knew Henry was a busy man. From the very beginning, I knew what I was getting myself into. I knew it would be hard to see him at times.
I met up with Adam for lunch at a Red Robin nearby since my plans of seeing Henry went down the drain. Lily was right. I shouldn’t disregard my friends just because I had a boyfriend. I wanted to avoid that the most.
“What’s with that face?” Adam asked.
“What?”
“Your eyes tell everything,” he said. Seconds later, he busted out chuckling, pointing a finger at me. “Nah, I’m just joking with you, Ally. I was never good at reading people. You know that.”
“Ha-ha, right.”
“Lily told me you went to see Henry today. How did that go?”
“I didn’t see him,” I answered with a smile, trying to hide my despair. “He wasn’t there.”
“Why don’t you go see him at home?”
“I’m not sure if he’s going to be there. Besides, I don’t remember the way to his place. And didn’t you say that men don’t like clingy women?” I reminded him.
“True, I did say that,” he retorted, nodding. “But we like to know we’re wanted too.”
“That’s so confusing,” I mumbled as my fingers played with the straw in my drink.
“Just call him. Did you hear from Chris yet?” Adam asked, changing the subject.
“Not yet,” I sighed. “I’m trying not to get my hopes up. I don’t want to have any expectations.”
“You don’t want to be disappointed.”
“Yeah.”
“Just think positive, Ally,” Adam said with a soft sincerity as he reached over the table to place his hand over mine. “Good things will come eventually. We just have to be patient.”
“Thank you, Adam.”
After lunch, I decided to take Adam’s advice and call Henry. Maybe I could even go to his place. Even if he wasn’t home, I might be able to see Nana. Or would that seem too clingy also?
As I waited for someone to pick up on the other end of the line, I began to worry a bit. Just as I was about to hang up, I heard Nana’s voice answer.
“Nana?”
“Ally, I’m so glad you called,” she said from the other end.
“Why? Is something going on?”
“It’s Henry.”
Henry? I suddenly had a bad feeling in my stomach. “How is he? Is something wrong?”
“He hasn’t been feeling well. He’s been running a high fever since last night.”
“Can I come see him?”
“Of course, dear. That’s why I was just about to call you.”
I quickly asked Nana for the address of Henry’s place and sprinted out of my apartment to my car in the garage. I was so frantic that I could barely stick the key in the ignition of my beat-up car.
The entire way to Henry’s house, I couldn’t think about anything else other than Henry. How did he get sick? Did he overwork himself?
As I pulled into the driveway of the grand building, I didn’t even bother taking my purse with me.
“He’s upstairs in his room,” Nana told me as she led me down the similar-looking hallway. “Henry rarely gets sick, so I don’t think he’s used to feeling this way.�
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“Has his fever gone down?”
“Just a little,” Nana answered with a frown. “I wanted to call you earlier, but he insisted on not telling you.”
So, this was why he hadn’t been reaching out to me. He was ill the whole time. But why wouldn’t he want to tell me?
“He’s in there. You should go to him. I’ll leave you two now,” she said.
“What did he do that made him sick like this?” I uttered, but Nana was already walking down the stairs.
I took a deep breath and slowly opened the door to Henry’s bedroom. The room only had one lamp on, but the dim light was enough for me to see him sleeping on his king-sized bed with his back facing me.
His room was lavishly decorated with black furnishings. The walls were painted black and there was a long wall of windows revealing the night sky. A large flat screen TV hung on the wall adjacent to his bed. There was only one other door in the room. My best guess was either a walk-in closet or the master bathroom.
My eyes never left his still body as I walked around his bed and sat next to him. My heart ached at the sight of his pale face and the visible beads of sweat. I slowly reached over and placed the back of my fingers on his forehead and cheeks. He flinched in his sleep, but thankfully, he didn’t wake up. I could tell he was still running a fever. I noticed the towel and the bowl of water Nana must have used.
I stood up to get another fresh bowl of water but stopped when I felt a gentle tug on my wrist. I glanced down to see Henry’s fingers loosely wrapped around it. His touch was incredibly weak from his lack of strength.
“Ally?” he weakly whispered. My name sounded so unfamiliar with his sick voice.
Carefully, I sat back down next to him and placed my hand in his, giving it a gentle squeeze. “I’m sorry I woke you.”
“No, it’s okay. I wasn’t asleep anyway. Just closing my eyes.” He took a deep breath while his eyes remained closed. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m here to see you, silly,” I said with a pitiful smile. I grabbed the towel from the nightstand and folded it into a square. I lightly dabbed the towel around his face, wiping away the sweat. “You look miserable.”
“Thanks.” He laughed at my comment which relieved me. At least he could still laugh in this state.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were sick?”
“I didn’t want you to worry.”
“Are you stupid?” I asked him, feeling slightly annoyed. His surprised eyes opened to look at me, studying my expression. “I’m your girlfriend. It’s kind of my responsibility to worry about you.”
Henry chuckled. “Ally, I’m not dying. It’s just a fever.”
I guessed he had a point there. Was I overreacting?
“But you’re right,” he said, interrupting my thoughts. “I should have told you. I apologize. I’ll tell you next time, okay?”
“Good. Have you eaten anything?” He shook his head and I sighed, ignoring his weak smile. Henry was just like a child. “You should at least eat something. I’ll be right back.”
As I tried to remember my way back to the kitchen, I debated on what to make for him. Nana was cleaning the kitchen, and when I told her I was making something for Henry, she helped me locate the ingredients I needed. As Nana helped me prepare it, I told her it was soup my father used to make for my siblings and me when we were younger. I used to hate it before, but now that I was older, I actually missed the taste of it.
“Mine doesn’t taste the same as my father’s,” I told her as I poured the liquid into a bowl. Then I scooped a little into a spoon to taste it. “But it’s close enough.”
“I’m sure Henry will love it,” Nana reassured me.
Placing the bowl of soup and glass of water on the tray, I went back up to Henry’s room. When I entered, he was sitting up in bed with his back resting against the headboard.
“It smells fragrant,” he commented with an evident curiosity.
“It’s garlic and kale soup,” I explained, placing the tray table over his legs. “It’s still pretty hot.”
Henry took a spoonful of the soup, and his eyebrows furrowed together as he swallowed.
I held my breath, fearful that he might throw up. “Does it taste bad?”
“I’m joking.” He chuckled deeply. “It’s good. I didn’t know you could cook too.”
“Yeah, I’m full of surprises,” I teased, earning me more chuckles from him. I prompted him to eat some more since he looked so fragile. With each bite, a little color returned to his face, easing the tension in my chest.
“You aren’t leaving yet, are you?” Henry asked as I stood up to bring the tray downstairs.
I noticed the despondency in his voice and the uncertainty uncovered in his eyes. I honestly thought about it for a second, unable to deny that I didn’t want to leave his side — especially when he was in this condition.
I shook my head. “No, not yet.”
“Will you stay here? I mean … not here in my room. If you’re not comfortable,” he sighed, trying to sort his thoughts. “I just want you here.”
“Sure,” I said. “I’ll be right back.”
For the rest of the evening, I stayed by Henry. When he rested his head on my thighs and laid an arm over my legs, a wave of electricity surged throughout my body. Never did I imagine that I’d have this man seeking me for comfort. Imagining him going through this alone, it oddly pained me.
Nana’s words rang in my head. Fragile. Pitiful. Lonely.
I wanted to change that.
“Ally?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m glad you’re here.”
I smiled happily as I gazed downward, the back of his head facing me. I nimbly ran my fingers through his black hair strands. “Me too.”
“Ally?”
“Yeah?”
“What is the one thing you want most in life?” Henry suddenly asked.
I pondered the question thoughtfully before answering him. There were many things I wanted at the moment. A better car. A puppy. A good-paying job. But ultimately, more than anything, I wanted…
“So?” he prodded.
“To have someone by my side who loves me as much as I love him,” I replied, confessing the truth in my heart. “Was that too cheesy?”
“No, I think that’s nice.”
“How about you? What do you want most in life, Henry?”
“I don’t know. I’m still trying to figure that out,” he spoke, his voice strangely distant. “I’ll let you know when I do.”
“I’ll remember that,” I said. “Anyway, it’s getting late. You should get some rest if you want to get better.” I attempted to move, but he held onto me tighter, refusing to let me go.
“I already feel so much better with you around,” he mumbled casually, and I chuckled. “Just being around you gives me strength.”
“Come on, I’m serious. You need rest, Henry. I’m sure you have tons of work to catch up on,” I insisted, not wanting to give into him. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Just one more minute,” he mumbled again, moving closer to me.
When Henry finally fell asleep about half an hour later, I carefully freed myself from him. I placed a quick but gentle peck on his forehead before I snuck out. I walked to my room located down the hallway.
As I closed my bedroom door and leaned my back against it, a feeling of euphoria swelled in my chest.
The thing I wanted most — I finally found it.
Being with Henry, I was completely, immensely, and sincerely happy.
After a moment of deep thought, I entered the closet and grabbed a pair of pajamas. There were too many choices, but I settled on a silk gray set that caught my eye.
By the time I climbed into bed, I was engulfed with exhaustion.
In the middle of the night, I woke up to knocking at my door. It took a while for me to return to my senses and as I opened the door, an ag
itated Henry greeted me.
“Ally ...”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
“What is it, Henry?”
“Can I come in?” he asked. His eyes stared deep into mine, and it was only now that I noticed how sullen he looked.
I took a moment to answer, a moment too long as his hand landed gently on my cheek.
“I don’t want to be alone,” he whispered as he looked down to the ground. “Of course, we don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”
That phrase … I had heard him say it before. The roller coaster. Before we flew off to Colorado.
Henry was so thoughtful and considerate of me and my feelings.
“That’s not what I’m worried about,” I assured him. Mustering a smile, I leaned into the palm of his hand. I softly placed my hand over his on my cheek and removed it, lacing our fingers together as I led him into the room. With the bedroom door closed, I couldn’t ignore the loud pounding in my chest again.
But halfway to the bed, Henry pulled me into him. His arms firmly embraced me. He nuzzled his cheek into the side of my neck. His slow breaths tickled against the skin of my shoulder. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried hard to focus on something other than that.
“Ally ...” he whispered again.
“Yes?” I answered, too shakily.
“Don’t you ever leave me,” he mumbled under his breath.
“What’s wrong, Henry?” I wanted to see his face. I wanted to know what the root of this strange behavior was. As I moved to pull away, his arms tightened around me and he refused to let me go.
“Promise me,” he pressed assertively and desperately.
“I promise,” I said, sighing into his chest. “I’ll never leave. I’ll be by your side as long as you need me.”
He held me in silence for a moment longer before loosening his arms around me.
“Why are you suddenly like this?” I asked out of concern. “Did something happen?”
He shook his head side to side, but I knew he was lying. He was definitely lying. He held me with such urgency and unequivocal fear like I was going to leave him.