46

Amina

Midnight.

I woke up feeling like a heavy load had been placed on my back while I slept. My back was aching so badly. You will think I should be used to the pain of a this by now but I wasn't.

When I was back home, it didn't hurt this much. I had my phone and other devices to distract me from the pain and if that didn't help, I could have my nanny give me a good massage and heavens know that her hand were magical when it came to massages.

My mind went back to Ivan and his tempting words. I should have just been okay with not getting a ‘you are welcome’. Why did I have to ask? Why did I even go to him, I should have just stood where I was till he left.

I suddenly felt a splitting headache and had to rub on my face like that could in any way reduce the ache I was having. I stretched my arm to reach for one of the bags Ivan had returned with. I took one of the packs of chocolate and unwrapped a bar and started to chew.

****

Morning.

Ivan's Pov.

It was thirty minutes since I woke up and made pancakes for myself and Jewel. I thought she would be awake by now. Did she not remember the time she had classes scheduled for?

I sighed when I got to her room door. This was surely going to be hard. I hope she has forgotten about yesterday. I knocked and waited for an answer but none came. Was she asleep like yesterday? But she couldn't be asleep by this time. I knocked again and when I didn't get an answer, I had to go in.

Once again, to be precautious, I kept my eyes on the floor when I walked in. When I later looked up, she was still asleep. I couldn't believe it. Was she seriously sleeping till now?

I went over to her bed so I could tap her and wake her up but when I touched her, I realized that her body was hot.

"Jewel?" I placed the back of my palm against her forehead to be sure that I was sure of what I assumed. I panicked at first and wanted to pick her up and leave for the hospital but that would be implicating. I also couldn't leave her like this. I touched all of my pockets to see if I had my phone with me but I didn't so I hurried to the kitchen to check if I left it there.

After placing a call to my doctor, I returned with a bowl of cold water and a short towel. I wasn't sure of what I was about to do but it felt like the utmost right thing to do.

I kept the bowl down and lifted her head to a pillow. She opened her eyes slowly after and stared at me without words for some seconds before shutting them again. I soaked the towel in the cold water; I was going to try and calm her body temperature before the doctor arrived. After I had squeezed the water out of the towel and was about to placed it on her forehead, she suddenly opened her eyes.

"What are you doing?" She asked in a weak voice.

"Trying to help? Hopefully, this should cool your body a little before the doctor arrives." I told her and touched the towel against her forehead but she immediately pushed my hand away.

"It's cold, Ivan..." She was panting now, her eyes fully open but still looking weak and dull.

"I know. It's supposed to help in moderating your body temperature."

"No. Don't do that." She said and dragged her body to the other side of the bed to avoid my reach, then she laid back her head on the pillow on that side and I watched her close her eyes again.

I don't like to see her like this, sick and laying around, I wanted the bubbly Jewel, who was ready to argue and oppose anything I said unless she didn't want to. I smiled watching her go back to sleep, returning the towel to the bowl. I was just going to hope the doctor came as soon as he said she would.

Few minutes of sitting and watching Jewel later, I heard my doorbell ring and hurried over to the door.

"You said you would be here in twenty minutes," I told her after I let her in.

"I guess my calculation of when I will get here was wrong then. Where is the patient?" She asked me so I lead her fi Jewel's room.

We went in and Jewel was no longer on the bed. The doctor looked at me like I was crazy for asking her to hurry over just to meet an empty bed.

"She was here," I walked past her and went into the room first,"Maybe she is in the restroom." I explained and the doctor went and kept her big bag on the bed and started taking out things.

"You said the patient is running a fever?"

"Yeah, I think so." I wasn't sure so I replied with my left hand rubbing the back of my neck. The door to the bathroom opened and we both turned our heads to see Jewel leaning on the wall for support as she stood and looked back at us.

"She is the patient," I informed the doctor and went to Jewel.

"Hey," I said when I got to her because her eyes were closing while she still stood. She opened them when I called to her.

"Who is she?" She asked after a sniff and looked at the doctor who was getting out a thermometer.

"A doctor, she will help you."

"But I'm not sick," Jewel said before wincing her eyes in pain. And she was saying she wasn't sick?

"You are in pain."

"Just a headache, and a backache too, that's all."

"We will let the doctor determine if you are sick. Come on," I took her hands to help her walk back to the bed while the doctor watched.

"Please hold her more carefully," the doctor told me so I put my arm around Jewel but she pushed me away with the little strength she had then she walked the little distance remaining all by herself. I felt embarrassed that the doctor had to see that.

"Hi sweetie," the doctor went closer to her on the bed."how are you feeling? Tell me how your body feels right now."