She frowned. “Where did this come from?”
“Uh, the fridge.”
“You don’t drink ginger ale.”
“Yeah but you do when your stomach hurts.”
Nina stared at the glass.
It was the little things.
She picked it up and took a careful sip. Her stomach was so sensitive these days that she had to tread lightly.
“Thank you.”
Jio nodded but watched her closely enough to make her uncomfortable.
“I’m okayyyyyyy,” she stressed.
“You keep saying that.” Now, he was the one sounding irritated and frustrated.
“Because I am.”
“You sure?”
Nina sighed. “Yes. I have been stressed, tired, drinking and smoking every day. I haven’t smoked in a year. My body is trying to fight off something.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t drink OR smoke anymore until you go to the doctor,” he finally addressed the elephant in the room.
Nina softened at the edge in his voice. Jio wasn’t scared of many things, at least not openly. But when it came to her health, her safety, her breathing too hard, her walking too fast in heels, a cough that lasted too long, or a headache that didn’t pass fast enough, the man lost his entire mind.
“I’m alright.”
He nodded but he still wasn’t convinced. “You have to go to the doctor,” he said gently.
The way he said it was too certain, as if he had already made the decision somewhere between midnight and morning. She was fragile and needed to be handled with care.
“I need you to acknowledge that this is complicated.”
“What you want me to say?”
“Exactly what I just said.” Shit wasn’t rocket science.
Nina looked down at his shirt on her body. At her bare legs. At the ginger ale in her hand. At the breakfast he made. And lastly, at the man standing in front of her, flaws and all.
“I have to get dressed,” she said, although work was the last thing on her mind.
Jio stepped back. “You need me to get your clothes out for you?” He was stylish and enjoyed dressing her whenever she allowed him to.
“Yes I would like that, baby. Thank you, and I want you to dress me for the Broadway play too.”
Jio rubbed his hands together. “I’ll get started on that today. I’m thinking deep plunge dress. High split. Gold heels…”
η
Nina spent most of her life believing that her accomplishments were attached to her personality. The same went for how she measured success or a productive day. The more she did, the better she felt.
If she wasn't building, fixing, leading, or chasing something, she foolishly believed that she was wasting precious time.
