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She opens her mouth to say something, but she quickly thinks better of it and clamps it shut.
When she slowly walks to the door, I block her way. She subtly pushes back, but I can see the slight jerk in her shoulders before she schools the movement.
“Now what?” she asks in a careful tone.
“Now, I need you to be natural. No jerking or acting uncomfortable. Remember your favorite married couple and act like them.”
She pauses for a moment, then nods once.
“I mean it, Sasha. If we’re kicked out of here, I might be able to get through the storm on my own, but you won’t survive.”
“Got it. Natural.”
It’s far from a good sign that she even needs to say it out loud, but if there’s anything I trust about her, it’s her strong determination to survive.
Someone else would’ve lost the battle during the time it took me to get here.
She didn’t.
Despite the fever, she held on to life with everything in her.
We leave the room side by side, and although she attempts to seem strong, Sasha walks slowly.
I grab her by the elbow for support, and she starts to wiggle free, but I shake my head.
Her struggle wanes, but she breaks eye contact. Almost as if she’s avoiding me.
Well, well, well.
Once we arrive in the living room, Sasha stops to inspect our surroundings.
The space is small but has character. A vintage green sofa and matching chairs form a circle. A plant with small white flowers sits in the middle of a glass coffee table. There’s also a dark green antique teapot and two cups.
The couple obviously loves green, because their carpets and wallpaper also have green in them. Even the mantle over the fireplace that’s blazing with the wood I chopped for Nicholas yesterday has Russian dolls dressed in green sitting on it.
Upon seeing us, Doctor Nicholas abandons watching a rerun of an old show.
He’s older than Nadia and has a wrinkled face but a surprisingly straight posture for someone his age. He’s not overweight like my father, who wheezes and turns blue after walking a few steps.
“Do you feel better, child?” he asks Sasha.
Her expression softens as she nods. “I do. Once again, thank you so much. I’ll make sure to repay you one day.”
He throws up a dismissive hand. “There’s a saying I believe in. It’s about doing good and forgetting about it.”
“We’re still thankful, Doctor,” I say.
“It’s Nicholas, I tell you. Come, come, sit by the fire.”
“I’m going to see if Nadia needs any help.” Sasha starts to walk, but the woman in question appears in the kitchen doorway.
“Nonsense. I need no help. And what are you doing out of bed?” She fixates Sasha with a stern motherly expression.
“I can move.” Sasha pulls from me and does a small turn. “It’s good to walk around instead of staying in bed all day, right?”
“Not if you strain yourself.”
Sasha completely ignores her and steps toward the kitchen, a small smile painted on her lips.
