Chapter 14 #2
“But… But I wanted to see everyone.” She held out her hand, urging me to give her a moment. Then she sneezed. Three times in a row.
“Bless you.”
Olivia sniffled and reached for the tissue box. “Thank you. I wanted to go and see everyone. And I wanted our last day of the year to be special.”
After she blew her nose and dropped her head back, her eyes red-rimmed and puffy, I said, “Our last day of the year will be special for me because I’m with you.”
“But I had to go and get sick. And now we can’t go out and meet your friends at Lou’s. You told me it was a tradition.”
If I had known several days ago when I’d told her about the yearly tradition of going to Lou’s for his big New Year’s Eve bash that she’d wake up this morning feeling so utterly miserable, I never would’ve mentioned it.
“That’s the thing about traditions,” I said. “They come around every year. So, we can go next year.”
She rubbed her eyes. They’d been itching her all morning. “It’s not the same. You go every year. You should go. Just take me home, and go out with your friends. You shouldn’t have to miss it because my body is stupid.”
Olivia was certifiably insane if she thought I was going to take her home to be by herself while she was sick, doing it only so I could go out and have a good time.
“First of all,” I started. “Your body is not stupid. Your body is perfection. It’s just sick right now, which means you need to rest, so you can get better. ”
“But—”
“No, buts. You need rest. And fluids.” I reached for her cup and held the straw to her lips. “Here. Drink.”
She took a drink and returned to her former position against the pillow I’d propped up behind her when she insisted on being on the couch instead of in the bed. “I’ve ruined your plans,” she mumbled.
“My plan was always to spend the night with you, baby. Other than you not feeling well, I don’t care that we’re going to be here on the couch watching movies or napping instead of being out with the crowds.
Either way, I’m starting the new year with you beside me, and that’s all that matters to me. ”
Olivia broke into a coughing fit, and when she stopped, she said, “I don’t know if I should be grateful for that impeccable timing, because I might have burst into tears otherwise. I swear, you’re the sweetest, kindest man I’ve ever known.”
What I was doing for her didn’t feel like anything but the right thing.
I couldn’t understand how anyone could’ve had this woman and her bright personality in their life and not want to do everything they could to make her happy.
How could she think that me caring for her when she was sick was some chivalrous gesture?
The life I lived had taught me that it was basic human decency.
“No crying today. Just rest and relax. That’s all. ”
“What are you going to do?”
“What do you mean?”
“This can’t be fun for you. What are you going to do if I fall asleep?”
I chuckled. “I always enjoy myself whenever I’m around you, so don’t assume the worst. And if you fall asleep, I’m still going to be right here, in case you need me.”
She stared at me in silence for a long time before she murmured, “I must’ve done something right at some point in my life.”
I didn’t respond.
There was no need to say anything.
I didn’t think Olivia should’ve felt like there was some good deed she’d done to deserve to be cared for when she was sick, but with her not feeling well as it was, upsetting her by pointing that out didn’t seem wise.
Since her legs were draped over my thighs, I squeezed them through the blanket and stroked my hand along them. A few minutes later, she’d drifted.
I spent a while just watching her, feeling an unbearable ache take hold in my chest at the thoughts of all that she’d endured. How long had she lived feeling so alone?
Even now, she’d been here for a month, and to the best of my knowledge, the man she was supposed to have married hadn’t sought to contact her beyond a handful of calls or texts immediately after she fled on her wedding day.
It wasn’t that I wanted her to have to deal with any sort of drama with him, but how could that man have claimed to love her and just given up?
She didn’t appear to be distressed about it, but she had to have some thoughts.
She had to realize, at the very least, that she’d dodged a bullet by not walking down that aisle and marrying a man who wouldn’t even fight for her.
I could only hope that time would show her I wasn’t like him, and that I’d always seek to put her happiness above my own.
Needing a distraction from the thoughts, I reached for the remote and turned on the television. I kept the volume low while Olivia slept.
And when it was time for dinner, I ordered some soup for her. We ate together on the couch, and Olivia couldn’t contain her verbal appreciation for everything I’d done for her, which didn’t seem like much to me.
We settled in to watch a movie afterward, and she’d been cuddled up beside me when we did. At some point in the middle of it, she drifted off again.
Wanting her to be comfortable, I carefully scooted to the side and lowered her head from my shoulder to my lap. The jostling woke her.
“Oh. Oh, I’m sorry,” she murmured. “I fell asleep.”
“It’s okay, baby. Just rest,” I said, urging her onto her side.
Olivia hesitated for a moment, but she eventually dropped her head onto my lap. After covering her body with the blanket, my hand went into her hair and massaged her scalp.
“Mmm,” she moaned. “That feels nice.”
I smiled triumphantly and continued the massage. Olivia stayed awake a little bit longer, but the exhaustion eventually took over. Sleep pulled her under, and when I spent far more time watching her instead of the movie, I had to admit the truth.
I’d fallen so hard for this beautiful woman. She’d been concerned about us not going out, but I didn’t care. I wouldn’t have changed this night with her for anything.