Chapter 5: Care

Fiona pushed Paul Henry to the other side of the street. At a glance, the wheelchair seemed to be quite expensive.

Peter Helen’s car came very quickly, and a car covered the number plate.

The driver saw that Paul Henry’s legs were not convenient, so he got out of the car to help. Paul Henry lowered his eyes and said coldly: “No need.”

The driver was taken aback, before he had time to recover, Fiona leaned on the back of the seat with one hand, one hand on the back of the seat, both hands used strength, and lifted the person to sit in the back seat.

The driver applauded: “Your arm is strong…”

“The driver.” Fiona interrupted him, closed the car door: “Please help me put it in.” Fiona pointed to the wheelchair.

The driver hurried over to help Fiona put the wheelchair in the trunk.

Not long after starting the car, Derek Helen called again.

“Brother Paul Henry, where are you going? Let me tell Robin Mark to pick you up.”

“No need, you guys don’t interfere. Find a place without cameras and let us down.”

“If anything happens, you can help me handle it. Thank you, Derek Helen.” Derek Helen will not ask what happened, only knowing how to help him deal with the consequences. This is the harmony formed from all these five soldiers so far.

Paul Henry returned the phone to Fiona, casually asked: “Where are we going next?”

“Yes?” Fiona was surprised when asked by him, then quickly reacted, softly saying, “Uncle Paul Henry, can you come back to P City with me?”

“Ask uncle?” Paul Henry glanced at her: “Does that mean uncle has the right to choose?”

Fiona looked at him, holding the phone to call Regina Julia.

“Regina Julia, I have an urgent business to return to P city tonight. There is no bus at this time. Can you help me find a car to hitchhike back?” Regina Julia knows a lot of drivers, so finding her is the best.

This type of car can be a taxi or a black car, but the price is much cheaper than a taxi called outside, if you’re lucky, sometimes it’s just the price of a motorbike taxi.

If calling outside, it may cost ten to twelve times more than a motorbike taxi.

Moreover, the route is so far away, it is unlikely that a taxi will be willing to go.

Regina Julia also did not ask why she left so late. After more than ten minutes, she sent the driver’s contact number to Fiona.

Fiona and Paul Henry got off the car on a remote road, Fiona contacted the driver, and the driver came very quickly.

The two had left Paul Henry’s house for nearly an hour, perhaps Aunt Doris had discovered that he had disappeared. The place must have been in turmoil.

Fiona glanced at Paul Henry. He was sitting in a wheelchair, quietly looking at the streetlights in the distance, not knowing what he was thinking.

“Can I find a driver like that at will?” Just now, he also asked the camera operator to capture her in the urban area, not letting the people of the Henry family find him, now arbitrarily getting into a car. Is there any problem?

“It’s okay.” He just didn’t want his family to see who took him away. If he went out, the rest would be much simpler.

When Fiona saw that he said that with certainty, she also believed him in her heart, and her spirit became more relaxed.

Regina Julia found a taxi that wanted to go to P city tonight. After the driver arrived, checked with Fiona, determined that Fiona was the one who called the car, so she went downstairs to help.

Fiona silently shook his head at the driver who stopped. Paul Henry got into the car as before.

The driver put the wheelchair in the trunk of the car.

“Driver, wait for me for two minutes. I’ll be right back.” Fiona ran to the roadside drugstore to buy a first aid kit.

Soon, Fiona took a small bag out and sat in the car.

The car started to take off, running up the highway.

Fiona took out the antiseptic and medical cotton from the bag, then stretched out her hand, and when she was about to touch Paul Henry’s wrist, she called out: “Uncle Paul.”

Since getting in the car, Paul Henry always looked out the window, heard the call. He turned his head, looked at what she was holding in her hand, immediately knew what she wanted to do.

“It’s okay, it’s not a big deal, it’s just a small wound.”

Fiona didn’t say anything, one hand was holding the item, the other was on his wrist, not moving.

Just now, Paul Henry witnessed her stubbornness and reluctantly reached out her hand.

Fiona turned on the back seat light and put his hand on her lap.

Seeing this wound again, Fiona still felt afraid, the wound was deeper than she expected. Perhaps when the knife fell, it was dislocated, did not cut the artery but still bleed a lot.

Fiona glanced at Paul Henry’s black pants.

His wrists are always on his thighs, the other pants are afraid of being soaked with blood.

If she didn’t go tonight, at the wrong time to see the scene just now, would that knife cut his wrist, then…

Thinking of that bloody scene, Fiona shivered.

She took a medical cotton swab soaked in disinfectant and then wiped him, then wrapped a bandage around his wrist a few times. Only then did Fiona let go of his hand.

When he pulled his hand back, she couldn’t help but touch his leg.

“Hmm?” Paul Henry glanced at her.

Paul Henry felt his fingertips wet, smiled reluctantly, and looked away.

Paul Henry lowered his head and glanced at the white gauze bag wrapped around his wrist, slightly panicked.

If Fiona didn’t come just now, would that knife really cut it?

The car ran like flying on the highway. It was difficult to see the scenery on both sides, it left only the darkness behind, along with the faint light of the residential area in the distance.

I don’t know how long the car went, Fiona glanced at him quietly, Paul Henry leaned his head on the back of the seat, turned his face to look out the window, did not move.

After experiencing the chaos earlier, this time Fiona had a chance to look at the person in front of her eyes.

He was much thinner than the year she met him in the army, at that time he was not fat, he was strong, his whole body was full of strength, but at this time, it made Fiona feel thin.

The man standing on the training ground attracted all the eyes and applause of the soldiers. He stood there, against the sun, with a look of contempt in his eyes, it filled his face with arrogance, not allowing anyone to see him. …

Men’s mettle, that’s right, that’s manly mettle.

At that time, he was over twenty years old, his face was very handsome, his body was full of manly spirit. When she called him uncle, it was clearly very uncomfortable, but tried to endure without rebuttal, Fiona had never thought before. One day, he will commit suicide again.

Of course, Fiona did not expect that he and she would meet again in this situation, whom she always had to look up at. Now she had to lower her head, even squatting down to talk to him. .

This kind of despair is very destructive to a person.

The corner of Fiona’s eyes was red, and she tried very hard not to let the tears fall.

“Girl, how come it’s so late at night? You two still go back to P city. You can take the bus tomorrow morning.” The boring night made the driver feel bored, so he started chatting.

“I still have to go to school tomorrow. If I ride a motorbike taxi, I won’t be able to make it in time for the first two periods.” Fiona quietly rubbed her eyes and lied.

After saying that, she remembered that tomorrow is the weekend, not school.

The other driver liked to talk very much, Fiona could not answer the question. Paul Henry did not move, Fiona could not see if he was asleep or not.

Today, Fiona has been wandering around all day. Her spirit is always high, now sitting in the car, the body of the car bouncing has a hypnotic effect, her eyelids cannot help but close.

The driver saw that Fiona was not interested in talking and turned on the music.

Although Fiona was very tired, she quickly fell asleep, closed her eyes and began to dream. In the dream, all were wrists and blood, and Paul Henry’s pale face.

Fiona was about to go up and press down on his wound, but he couldn’t do it, watching him get further and further away. Fiona wanted to call him. His voice sounded like something was blocking it, no sound either.

Fiona’s head was drenched with sweat. I startled her awake. She sat up, the shirt on her body followed by the movement of sitting up and sliding down.

“Did you have a nightmare?” Paul Henry asked her.

Fiona, still immersed in the dream scene, stiffly turned her head to face Paul Henry’s eyes.

In the dark of night.

A very calm eye.

Calm, no ripples, no sadness, no joy.

Not at all like the shining eyes that even carried the frenzy in her memory.

He sat there, like he was in another world, vaguely and far away, making other people unable to reach out their arms.

Fiona picked up her shirt, not only hers, but also his.

Fiona gave him his shirt, his voice hoarse: “Please put it on, it’s early autumn, it’s very cold at night.”

Paul Henry said nothing, took the jacket and put it on.

Fiona looked at the clock. It was 1 am.

“Driver, how long will it take to arrive?”

“It’s less than half an hour before you get off the highway. Wherever you two go, I’ll take you to the door.”

“K apartment building.” Fiona said the name of the apartment complex.

Fiona did not sleep again, took out a bottle of mineral water from his pocket and gave it to Paul Henry: “Uncle Henry, drink water.”

“Thank you.” Paul Henry took it, but didn’t drink it, just held it in his hand.

“Now we go to my house, I can’t say it’s your house, the apartment in the apartment complex was previously uncle Frank, but then you gave it to me, I will stay there, uncle temporarily…” Fiona paused for a moment: “Can we live here for a while?”

“Okay.” Paul Henry nodded: “Thank you, Fiona.”

“Uncle Henry, don’t be so polite.”

***

When the taxi arrived at K apartment complex, it was two o’clock in the morning. Fiona paid and pushed Paul Henry into the apartment complex.

The apartment has one floor, more than one hundred square meters, two main rooms, two bedrooms, and a small yard.

That year, Peter Frank planned to buy it for herself. The apartment was well decorated, all household appliances and electrical appliances were very complete, but then he joined the army and did not live anymore.

For the past few years, although Fiona has stayed at school, on weekends and holidays, she has come here to live, and will sometimes come back for two days in a semester.

Although she doesn’t live here, but the electricity, water, gas and internet fees, Fiona still pays in full, uncle told her to treat this house as her own, if so, how could there be no electricity or water in the house? 

This is the only place that belongs to her, and the only place she can set foot.

Fiona pushed Paul Henry in, turned on all the lights in the room, and saw the house being lit up, and Fiona felt at ease.

“Can we stay here?” Fiona couldn’t help but ask Paul Henry again.

Paul Henry also replied to her: “I’m bothering you, Fiona.”

“I don’t mind.” Fiona smiled at him, pushed him into the master bedroom. “You stay in this room.”

Paul Henry did not refuse her good intentions, just now he had a glimpse of this room. The master bedroom has its own bathroom, it really suits him.

Paul Henry left in a hurry. He did not bring anything, not only clothes, not even his phone, wallet, but only that stick.

Something you don’t want to carry around can’t help but carry.

Fiona found a white t-shirt and shorts in the closet: “These are uncle Frank clothes, although they have been stored for several years, they can still be worn. Uncle Henry will wear them for a night.”

Fiona looked at the toilet, then looked at Paul Henry to think for a moment, then smiled slightly: “Then Uncle Henry will take a bath by himself. I’ll go boil the water.”

In fact, Fiona really wanted to ask if he needed her support, but when this word reached his mouth, he couldn’t say it, just afraid that he would fall and bleed and don’t want others to help.

Fiona went to the kitchen to boil water, thinking that he had not eaten at night.

She stayed here for a few days during the summer vacation. After school started, she didn’t come back. The refrigerator was empty, but fortunately there were two packets of instant noodles.

Fiona boiled water in the pot and, really uneasy, went to the bedroom door to listen to the movement inside.

The WC room has the sound of water, there is no sound of falling.

Fiona leaned against the wall. She couldn’t imagine how he’s been living these past few months, thinking about it made her feel short of breath.

Fiona leaned on like that, looking at the wall lamp. I don’t know if it was due to fatigue or sleepiness. The whole person was a little lightheaded.

I don’t know how long it took, the door to the room opened, and Paul Henry pushed the wheel to roll over.

Fiona looked at the lamp for a long time, turned his head, suddenly felt blurred, blinked for a moment to see clearly.

Paul Henry has changed into a T-shirt and shorts. There is still water on his hair, and his exposed arms and thighs are also a bit wet.

The time the sound of running water in the WC room sounded quite short, not enough for bathing, perhaps just wiping people.

If you need to take a shower, what should you do?

If you want to go to the toilet, what should you do now?

Fiona thought so, the feeling of shortness of breath just now became more serious.

“Actually, my legs aren’t completely without feeling powerless, but my right thigh is better than my left. If I’m on a cane, some things… I can still do it myself, so don’t worry too much.” It seemed that Paul Henry had seen through her thoughts and calmly opened her mouth.

Is that true? So carry a stick?

But you seem to really hate that stick.

Fiona didn’t know how to answer, and straightened up: “Uncle Henry, there are only instant noodles in the house. I will cook for you.” Her intuition told him he didn’t like discussing his legs with others.

“Okay, thank you.” Paul Henry had not eaten for almost a day, and did not intend to refuse.

Fiona poured more water, then went out and asked, “Uncle Henry, how do you like the noodles?”

“Does it take that much attention to cook instant noodles?” Paul Henry turned the wheel and walked to the kitchen door to look at her.

“Of course it is.” Fiona tore the packet of noodles and dropped the noodles into the pot.

“So what kind of food do you like?” Paul Henry asked.

“I like to eat chewy noodles, the broth is richer.”

“Let me be like you.” This is the first time Paul Henry knows how to cook instant noodles with such variety. In the army, when eating instant noodles, it directly cooked them with boiling water, cooked for a few minutes and then eaten.

Paul Henry’s heavy feelings were reduced because of her smile. It’s been more than half a year since he has had an appetite, but at this moment he suddenly looked forward to a bowl of noodles. The package hasn’t come out of the other pot yet.