Willow
“What are you girls doing? Why is Chloe not taking my calls? Am I interrupting your girl time?” My mom’s call wakes me up.
“No, Chloe is probably asleep.” I try to ensure that she doesn’t sense my confusion.
“Probably? I thought that your dorm had only one bedroom.”
“We decided to sleep at a hotel. Didn’t she tell you that?”
“No! She just told me that she is out of the hospital and you two decided to spend some time together. I wanted to come.”
I chuckle in realization. “She’s okay, mom. I’m glad that the two of you patched things up.”
“Me too,” she sighs. “You girls are all I have.”
“And you are all we have. I have to go, we’ll call you later.”
“Just forget to eat healthy food.”
“Forget?” I laugh.
“Don’t forget,” she titters, making me laugh more. “I love you,” she says.
“We love you too.”
I take a quick shower, and I prepare myself for what is probably going to be a long day ahead.
I grab a cloth and delicately pick up the 1 kg pack of limbicus from Liam wrapped in a transparent plastic bag. I glare at it as if it would say something in its defence, or probably just laugh at me. I place it in my handbag before running out the door.
“I have found a home for Asclepius. It’s a forest.” Professor Malino says when I sit on the couch in her office.
“Wow! When did you arrange this?”
“When everything was happening, your kidnapping. I wanted to do something that would cheer you up when you got back... How are you? It seems like you haven’t even had time to breathe a little.” She eyes me sympathetically.
“I’m okay, so much has been happening all at once, professor. It’s one thing after another and it doesn’t seem to stop.”
“Well, you need to take a little time to focus on yourself, don't forget that you also have a big project coming up.”
I sigh at the mention of my upcoming project. “Thank you for the herbs you provided for my sister. Where did you find a home for Asclepius?”
“You should thank Leo for the herbs. As for Asclepius, I’ll show you when we take him to live there forever, I have been taking him, he seemed happy with this pack.”
“I hope his wicked pack won’t hunt him down.”
“Unfortunately, you can’t protect him forever, he was okay before he met you, and he will still be okay. He’ll find a way.” She brushes my arm to comfort me, this time, her touch makes me recoil, but I keep the smile plastered on my face.
“Are you not interested in research about these wolves? They seem smart.” I say to her.
“They seem smart and dangerous. They are also very protective of their territory.”
“You are right about that. I’m just curious.”
“You and me both. I went to see Leo and Chloe earlier. They seemed almost recovered. He will be leaving the hospital later today. I need to make him something to eat, he seems to be deliberately starving himself.”
“Speaking of which...” I hold up my vibrating phone. “It’s Liam. We have to go to the hospital.”
When we arrive at the hospital, Liam and I find Chloe asleep. “I think I’ll go and cook something for her, and we’ll come during the next visiting hours.”
“Are you not going to see Leo?” Liam raises his eyebrows.
“For what? I said we shouldn’t let him die, that doesn’t mean we are best friends.”
A smile tugs at the corner of his lips that he struggles to fight. “You need to go to his apartment to execute this plan.”
”Ugh!” I groan. “I’ll go to his apartment when he gets discharged, I hope it will be the last time I set foot in his apartment.”
“Well, he is going to be away for some time.”
The walk to Leo’s room is quiet as my rage comes back. Leo betrayed me.
I take a deep breath before knocking, and I prepare to force a smile when a voice on the other end orders us to get in.
His jaw clenches when he sees Liam. “Hi Willow, how’s Chloe?” He looks up at me, sitting in bed, with dark circles under his eyes, and my heart breaks for him a little.
“The doctor said she’s okay, but they are going to keep her for the next two nights. I think Professor Malino’s medication worked.”
Leo nods.
“Thank you for bringing her here on time. How about you, how are you feeling?” I try to sound caring.
“No, it’s nothing. The doctor said I need to rest, that’s all. I’m leaving.”
“What happened? Why do you both have the same symptoms? Do you think it was the air or the food at the restaurant?”
“No, I don’t think so,” he shakes his head. “But the doctors took some tests.”
“I can drive you home, and come back to check on Chloe during the next visiting hours.”
“Thank you.”
I eye Liam. He gives me a brief nod, and my heart slams against my chest.
Leo and I take a cab to Preston restaurant where the owner who is friend has kept a close eye on his car.
The drive to his apartment is quiet, and I glance at him to find him asleep, and that sinking feeling returns.
Even in his sleep, he looks distressed, his skin is pale and his cheekbones are too visible. How do I send him to jail in this state?
A police car appears out of the blue, seemingly following us. My hands shake as I try to keep a steady hold on the steering wheel. I sigh with relief when the car passes, suddenly impatient to arrive at the apartment.
“Leo,” I whisper when I pull up in the parking lot of his apartment building.
He opens his eyes and looks at me with his sunken eyes, the usual light in them gone.
“I’m sorry,” he breathes.
“For what?”
“Everything. Your kidnapping because of me, and...” he breaks eye contact.
“And?” I raise an eyebrow.
“And all that stuff.”
“Let’s go to your apartment,” I exhale, caught up between sympathy and rage. “Would you like something to eat?”
“I’m not hungry. Just a bottle of water.”
“You have to eat something.” I open the fridge and hand him a bottle.
“Your hand is shaking,” he points out.
“I think I must be worried about Chloe. I feel guilty. If I didn’t leave the restaurant, maybe this wouldn’t have happened.”
“Even if you stayed, I think this would’ve still happened.”
“Thank you for everything,” I force a smile. “You are always here for my family and for me when we need you.”
“It’s a pleasure.” He fidgets with his watch. “I’m going to take a shower and I’m going to take a nap.”
“Take a bath, it’s more relaxing.” I try to buy myself time. “You can show me the bathroom and I can run the bath for you.”
He shakes his head. “I can do it myself.”
“Okay,” I shrug.
“I don’t deserve your kindness,” he says quietly as he walks away.
I take a few vegetables that I find, his veggie rack surprisingly almost empty. I make him a simple one-pot lentil stew and rice.
When I’m done, I head to the living area, and I take gloves out of my bag. With shaky hands, I place the limbicus pack on his sideboard.
I quickly close it at the sound of footsteps, then I stand in the center of the living area, my heart pounding.