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“Ha!” she simply responds before mumbling about how I have never changed the toilet roll, let alone sheets on a bed. The comment makes me snigger, but the action of it hurts my insides too much.
“The useful thing you can do is get something to eat and drink inside of you. Your face looks whiter than these walls… and that’s saying something.”
She certainly has a point about these walls, but I keep that opinion to myself. Instead, I do as she asks, placing myself down on the seat by the tray and cautiously nibbling on some toast. My stomach twists with the unwanted food, but I persevere with a couple more bites. Normally, I would be downing that coffee, but my stomach is telling me that I need to take it easy.
“Do you want me to leave this?” Eleanor asks, motioning with her head to the tray.
“No, but thank you. I don’t think I can stomach any more for now.”
Concern flashes in her eyes before she picks up the tray. “Get some rest and I will check on you later with some lunch. Eli should be back soon.”
I smile sweetly at her, although I have a feeling Eleanor is not one for sweetness. It sounds very much like I’m the same, too, after all that I have learnt so far.
“Thank you, Eleanor. I appreciate it.”
She averts her gaze, her head snapping up like a schoolmarm’s. “Well, yes. Just don’t scare us like that again.”
She doesn’t look; simply stands, holding the tray, her fingers fidgeting, and her lips pursing with an unwanted emotion. She’s trying so hard not to shed a tear, and the thought of that has my own tears forming. As much as she doesn’t want to admit it, she has a heart of gold.
“I promise I won’t.”
With that, she simply nods and scurries off with tray in hand, leaving me on my own again. I sigh, slipping back into bed as exhaustion hits once more. My head dizzies and my stomach churns, but I try to ignore it as much as I am able as I curl up into a ball under the fresh-smelling new sheets. I grab the edge of the comforter, pulling it under my chin and inhaling its flowery fragrance as I close my eyes and attempt to let my mind go blank. At some point, I must doze off, because Eli wakes me to make sure I take my tablet before quietly leaving me to sleep some more. I don’t know how someone can sleep this many hours, but I do, with the stomach cramps eventually easing and so too—thankfully—the nightmares.
When I do eventually wake, the day has turned into early evening, and my mind and body are feeling a little better. I stretch, yawning as I throw the covers from me, grab a cardigan to keep warm, and gingerly make my way down into the kitchen. No one is there, so I peek into the fridge, my stomach rumbling from missing food for all these hours. There’s plenty in here to eat. Ready-cooked meals, pastries, cheeses and fruit, but I’m at a loss at what to have.
“Are you feeling better?” Eli’s unexpected soft voice causes me to jump as I slam the fridge door shut like I’m guilty of being caught with my hand in the cookie jar. Eli’s amused expression causes my heart to flutter. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“It’s okay. I thought I was alone in the house.”
He glances around the room. “No, I’ve been here, quietly reading in the living room. It’s been a nice change from everything lately. I didn’t realize how much I needed that R and R.” He studies me a moment and then says, “But the main thing is you’re okay?”
I nod my head, feeling better. “Yes, I’m feeling much better, thanks. In fact, I’m famished.” An idea springs to mind, so, going with it, I open my mouth to talk. “Hey, I got a question.” He silently awaits, his eyebrow crooking up, which I perceive to be a good sign. He wants to engage. “Have you ever had someone make you a grilled cheese sandwich?”
I don’t know where the hell that came from as I have no idea if I’ve ever made a grilled cheese sandwich. A huge part of me, however, screams at me that I know what I’m doing.
Eli cocks the other eyebrow, his mouth twisting up slightly, unsure. “Errr… I’ve had them in restaurants, I guess.”
I bounce up from the heels of my feet, not knowing what the hell I’m doing, but rolling with it nonetheless. “Yes, but have you ever had someone make it for you… homemade?”
He glances away from me at the wall like it will give him the answers. “I guess not,” he finally replies.
Delighted, I clap my hands together. “Excellent. Okay, then. It looks like today is going to be your lucky day.”
It doesn’t stop his slight frown and pursing of his lips with suspicion. “But you’ve never made a grilled cheese sandwich in your life.” His voice goes up an octane at the idea.
Hand on hip, I point at him. “Well, I’m changing that today.”
He places his head in his hands. “Oh God, I’m going to get food poisoning, aren’t I?” He whispers it, but he’s not hiding the fact that I was supposed to hear that. It makes me smile. He’s… joking with me? It’s certainly a start.
A giggle escapes my lips. Eli glances up, confusion on his face. Is this the first time he’s heard me giggle?
So many questions I wish I knew the answer to.
“Stop being defeatist and let your wife make a grilled cheese sandwich, for crying out loud. I might surprise you.”
I walk back to the fridge door, pulling out the butter and grated cheese. I place everything on the counter, aware now that I’m looking down that my top button is hanging off.
“Huh.” Without a thought, I grab some scissors, cutting off the top button and placing it in the same jar, adding it to the other button that’s in there.
