Chapter 18.2 – Nurse Scarlette

Pierre Kinsey’s Point of View

 

Cold. That’s what I’ve been feeling since Cecilia left me here abruptly. She should’ve at least let me eat first. I hug my arms around myself in hopes that it will be enough to warm me up and keep me alive. I could’ve felt my feet getting numb too. Might as well ask her to get me some socks later.

 

I rocked myself back and forth, my eyes darted against the door. “What’s taking her so long?” I questioned myself. Feeling the inside of my nose itch, I knew I was about to sneeze. Now I was waiting for it more than Cecilia, having my whole attention all for it, but when I was about to blow, the door opened. I immediately had to suck it in, and it was the worst. 

 

Having sneeze interrupted or not having to go through bothers me, do you feel the same too?

 

“Before you scold me or anything, I am already here and we will do this as quickly as possible.” Cecilia says in defense even if I was not even uttering a word yet. It must be all over my face.

 

“Quickly. It’s too cold.” I demanded, feeling my teeth chatter together. It was enough for her to almost made a cautious run towards me. Mhmmm. She might be the most beautiful in the world, but the second time she gets me drenched over cold water, it will eventually make me flip out. 

 

“I’m sorry. Sorry.” She said, taking a soft cloth dip against the basin of water she was holding earlier. She’s pretty indecisive right now. I must say that I am having fun watching her make expressions of various such. As well as those when she is a bit unsure of what she was doing- it feels like she is not as untouchable as everyone thinks. 

 

She squeezed the cloth into a whirl. I watched her with a deadpan expression even if all I want to do is praise and coo her for doing all of these things for me. “Make sure not to wet the sheets, Cecilia. I think I’ve moved too much already.” I whispered. 

 

“I-yes. I am really sorry about what happened earlier… And to have you clean up after me too.” She said before handing the cloth over in my direction. 

 

“I told you before, it’s oka-” I cut myself off as I was just about to reach out for the cloth in her hand. 

 

What am I doing? I should be enjoying myself as Cecilia takes care of me. It’s as if a light bulb has been lightened up above my head, I withdrew my hand almost immediately.

 

“Hmm? What’s wrong?” Cecilia already picked up. 

 

“What am I to do with that?” I asked, tilting my head to the side. I could only hope she would call my bluff. Else, this won’t work. I am willing to sit here frozen cold for more minutes if it meant that Cecilia would be wiping my body to store refreshment. Ha. That sounds a little bit perverted, but it sits right with me on so many levels. 

 

I am already aware that she is already blushing hard once again. I live on teasing her whenever she makes that adorable expression of hers. She can’t get mad at me. Being sick has its perks as well, how could I not tell before?

 

“I-you’re supposed to wipe yourself?” She stuttered nervously. She must’ve realized where this is going already.

 

I sulked into my bed deeper with a long hefty sigh. “Mmm? If that’s the case then I do not want it. I’m sick, Cecilia. I couldn’t even barely move from all the cleaning I did downstairs.” I said like a whiny kid before bedtime. Just a little bit of seasoning to persuade her as well. I even forced myself to let put two sounding coughs to the side before tucking myself under the blanket. Ahhhh it really is starting to freeze my fingers too.

 

“Oh no. Don’t worry. I could do it. Here, let me help you. Up… Up.” She said, helping me back up. I smile at her weakly. Bingo.

 

“I appreciate it, Cece. Thank you.” I whispered even if this is the output I’ve been aiming for a while now.

 

Her blush became more evident as she averts her gaze from me while she’s fluffing down the blanket. Maybe getting sick today is not that bad after all. I not only get Cecilia to take care of me, but I’d like to think that we are having those small moments we’d be able to look back with small smiles and embarrassed shrugs. 

 

“What are you looking at?’

 

I was so caught up with my imagination that I hadn’t realized that I was staring at her for so long now, enough for her to notice. 

 

“Watching you how’d you do it. I’d never know if you are planning anything else with this body.” I chuckled at the thought before eventually getting followed by a cough.

 

Her eyes widen a little. Sure enough, she was ready to shoot back, but it soon faded and disappeared to a worried look after I coughed. “Stop teasing me and focus on resting first, Kinsey. I am not a pervert.” She said. 

 

I saw this as a golden chance.

 

“How would I know? It’s not like we two are close… You still address me in my family name. What are you, my student?” I asked, raising my brow. It’s inappropriate to compare her to a student when she’s in my bed while I am half-top naked, but she’s a slow one in this type of conversation. I really have to push the idea out to her.

 

“I am not falling for your tricks.”

 

“It’s not like I am telling you to.”

 

I smile weakly, tilting my head to the side to follow her reaction she badly wanted to hide by looking down. “So, can we please start now? It’s only getting colder out here for me.” 

 

For a corporate woman such as hers and an iron lady like she proclaims she is, she’s oddly sensitive in times like this. I was hoping it’s for the reason that it’s because it’s me she is conversing with. 

 

I heard her soft huff before she slowly reached for my arm. I feel like my body is going to collapse anytime soon. I hummed, gently grabbing her hand to guide her in myself. 

 

“You’re warm…” I whispered before sighing softly. 

 

“H-huh?”

 

“I don’t bite, Cecilia. If you insist on doing it then please move faster.” I said, getting a little bit impatient from my seat just so I could mask the fact that I am enjoying this much more than I am supposed to. 

 

I saw the way she chewed onto her lip before nodding. “Yes. Don’t move too much.” She said before leaning closer to me and moving her hands to wash my upper half. The lukewarm water didn’t help me expel the cold that much, but it did help me feel much more comfortable and refreshed. 

 

I smile weakly as I watch her. I’m not thinking of anything bad, but I like watching Cecilia up close, especially if she is way focused on her work. I like admiring her that way. Quietly and undetected. 

 

I coughed again, and I sensed her tense a little. 

 

Her hands now wrapped around my shoulder as she was just finishing up. “Are you feeling a little bit better?”

 

I smile weakly even if she wouldn’t see me at the moment. “Mhmm. I feel much lighter. Thank you. Make sure you eat porridge with me, okay? I can’t have my nurse turning hungry inside my house.” I joked a little, hoping that would dispense the heavy awkward atmosphere a little. We have been having that more frequently now, which I greatly dislike. If ever, I feel like Cecilia and I are conversing on borrowed time. We live in different worlds and circumstances that as much as possible, I want to keep our time together fun and worth looking back on in the future when we once again parted. I am not naive enough to think that this is forever.

 

Cecilia pulled herself away with a pout now displayed on her face. Even pouting suits her if I say so myself. 

 

“Did I say something wrong?” I asked as she kept staring at me with that expression. 

 

She lets out a sigh as if the whole world is sitting upon her brittle shoulders. “No. I should be the one making sure you’re well-fed, though.” She said, a little bit embarrassed as she pushed her hair away from her face. 

 

Another soft sigh from her, and then she looks back at me. “I’ll get you a shirt, and then we can proceed into eating.” She announces. I was about to tell her that she didn’t have to do that, but she was already sprinting to my cabinet when I found my voice.

 

I could only hope she doesn’t find anything weird. I shook my head, wishing my boxers were well kept and out of her sight. We do not need another awkward moment such as this. Well, lucky for me, she didn’t seem to mind as she went on skipping back to face me.

 

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

 

“Nothing.” I answered and took the shirt from her. She helped me to get in with it before we eventually started eating. Ahhh. This will make me feel so much better. Feels like something a wife would do for her dear husband. 

 

…

 

I may have not noticed this, but I was so tired that after getting prepped and eating, I slowly fell asleep as soon as my head landed on the pillow. It must’ve been the best, but Cecilia would be alone with nothing better to do. That’s not a good thing, considering what had happened after my first nap- she almost set my kitchen on fire. It would’ve been if I hadn’t appeared before her. She could be pretty careless. 

 

I let my gaze dart over at the ceiling before I take a deep breath. I stretched a little before ever so slowly turning my body to the side. I feel better now. My body doesn’t seem to be heavy or sore at all. I guess a nap is really what I needed with a couple of pop-in medicines. 

 

The first that became visible to me was an arm. The second that occurred to me is that Cecilia was sleeping while sitting on a chair. Her upper half was sprawled onto my bed beside me, leaning on her left, eyes closed and lips parted. That must’ve been uncomfortable, but she made it look otherwise. 

 

I sat up slowly, my eyes not leaving her. I slightly trinkle my finger against her hair to push strands off of her face. “Did I worry you too much, Cece? I’m sorry…” I whispered as I continued watching her. 

 

We always do our adventures in the morning so that we could maximize our afternoon naps. Kids don’t like sleeping after all. We would sneak into the forest, and run around until we are dead tired. It was the most exciting part of the days as I get to take her out from that ghost of a mansion of theirs. 

 

I couldn’t help it as my pointer finger soon started following the outline of her face. This beauty is in my room, sleeping in my bed because she was worried about a sick nobody. I’m very lucky, aren’t I?

 

“K-Kinsey… I’m sorry. I’m sorry for being a burden as always.” 

 

I almost jerked away from her when she suddenly talked. I blinked back in surprise before eventually cracking a small smile. “Well, that was new.” I commented softly. 

 

Unfortunately, even in her dreams, she calls me by my last name. I wonder how I’d overthrow that and bring us to the way it was. I’ll never forgive myself for letting that happen too. If only I could turn back the clock and be everything but a coward. I would’ve been able to protect her. 

 

My face softens as my fingers find a strand of her hair to loosely play with. “Marriage… I’m sorry if I won’t be able to give it to you right now, Cecilia. I am… If you’re still not able to move on from then, then the same goes for me as well. You’re not a burden at all. If ever, I should be carrying all the burden of all your troubles because they’re all mine, to begin with.” I sighed, slowly inching my face to hers, crouching beside her sleeping figure.

 

When our noses were about to touch, and when her breath fans against my face a little. That’s when I know I have to tell her the reason at some point. I must come clean why I can’t go on. There’s a lot of reasons, to be honest. But the most important one is that I’m not rejecting marriage because of not loving her. I’m rejecting marriage because I’ve ruined everything for her. 

 

Cecilia, I am aware that she had never thought of me nor looked my way unless told upon to. I am simply remnants of rocks under her shoes.