Chapter 17

My heart beats hard against my chest as I step in, the silence so loud and heavy on me while I await for just about anything to happen, yet nothing does.

Closing the door quietly, I step in further, only to stop in my tracks at the sight of him laying soundly . Why am I here?

As if in immediate answer, my feet move on their own, leading me to him where I get a better look. He doesn't look too good, he's sweating.

Natural instinct takes over and I reach to the nightstand, grabbing an already wet cloth and placing it on his forehead as I sit on his side, being careful to not wake him.

" Kea." I think he murmurs but I'm not sure. 

Leaning close to hear, like I thought, he is calling my name.

" I'm here." I whisper out, cooling his face with the wet cloth, not wanting his temperature to increase.

Without another word, I attend to his needs, letting my heart take over and be there for him. 

" Kea." I hear someone call me, but I'm too comfortable to move.

" Akiandra!" I jerk awake and sit upright way too fast that I hurt my neck in the process.

" Ow!" I groan out, rubbing at it, to smooth the sore spot.

" Are you okay?" My eyes snap forward to Keith's bed, where a now awake Keith lays.

" Yes I'm fine." I say slowly, rising to my feet and carefully walking over to stand just a few feet from his bed.

"How are you feeling?" At my question, he starts to cough." Not good I suppose." I mutter, nervously rubbing at my arm.

" Uh can I get you anything - Oh my, what are you doing?" I rush forward, to push him to lay back down.

This crazy man tried to get up, in his condition."I'm trying to get ready for work." He answers, sitting up and against the headboard.

"No and no, you Mister are on bed rest, you aren't well." 

" I'm fine." He argues, frowning at me.

" Look here Keith Salvatore, you may be a boss at work or a big shot out there but not here. You are sick and a patient, and me? Well  I am the boss now, so stay in bed and be a good patient!" I whisper yell, my chest moving up and down as I try catch my breath.

Looking at him, I see him watching me stunned, eyes blinking in surprise. My own widen and I clamp my hand against my mouth, not believing what just happened.

We stay like this for a few seconds before I slowly remove my hand and swallow hard." I'll be right out." I say, rushing out and not waiting for anything else to be said.

After closing the door, my back leans back against it, my hand on my mouth.

What just happened?

I push off the door and make way to the kitchen  where  Sarah and Maria are at, chatting over a cup of tea. Upon noticing me, they stop talking and Sarah rises up to her feet, rushing over to me where I'm engulfed in her arms.

" It's so good to have you back." She murmurs.

" I didn't come back, I'll be gone soon." I tell her, where she releases me and takes a step back to look at me." Oh." She can't hide her disappointment.

" Come dear, sit down and I'll make you something ." Maria waves me over to take a seat.

"Oh I can't, I need to make Keith some soup for his cold and then have him drink his meds before anything." I say, already moving around to start.

"Oh no worries dear, I've made him something, it'll get him up in no time. I used to make for him when he was young. " Maria says with a proud smile.

" Oh okay, thank you Mrs Maria, it'll save me time and I can get back to him quickly before he tries acting tough, wanting to go to work in his condition." I mumble the last part with a frown, actually imagining him doing it.

Maria takes it out of the microwave after heating it up, she places everything for me on the tray. I thank her and walk out , returning back to Keith's room, to find Keith on his laptop.

" What are you doing?" I ask, walking in further.

" I'm just checking my emails." He says, clicking away and not even sparing me a glance.

" You're on bed rest, " I tell him, placing the tray on the nightstand. He nods, not really paying attention to a word I've just said, but coughing. Oh but he does that.

" Which means, no work." I say, shutting his laptop closed before snatching it away from him before he can grab a hold of it.

" Akiandra." He warns off but I'm not shaken.

" Threaten me all you want, but I'm here for one reason and that's for you to get better." I take a seat beside him, taking the bowl of soup in hand and getting ready to feed him.

" Is that the only reason?" He asks, pausing my movements as our eyes meet.

I break eye contact and continue with what I've been doing." It's okay, I've got it." He tells me, trying to take the spoon from me but I give him a  warning glare, earning a sigh from him and co-operation.

We remain like that, me feeding him and him letting me, until all is done.

About to rise up to my feet and take the dishes downstairs, a hand on my wrist stops my movements. I turn to look at him.

" Kea about yesterday - " I jump to my feet, forcing him to let go of my wrist.

" Drink your meds and just call if you need anything." I say before walking out.

I can't revisit yesterday, for his words still play in my mind and those events just might be the push for me to leave. 

Silence is around us as I sit on his mini couch, legs under me and a book in hand, while he rests up.

I don't know how to actually feel about being in the same room with Keith. Well his room.

I peek at him from above the book. So boyish and cute he looks , laying there and seeming to be oblivious to the world. That's the Keith I wouldn't mind seeing and just being around.

" You're watching me." He tells me, eyes still closed.

How can he tell?

" I can feel it." He says answering me.

I don't say anything but just look at him, forcing him to open his eyes and look at me.

I break eye contact and continue reading my book, not that I'm successful in getting back to the mood of the book when the feel of his eyes is so distracting.

" Stop." I speak up with my eyes on the book.

" What?" He asks, but I can feel humour in his voice, I glance up at him." Stop doing that." 

" Doing what?" Oh he's finding it hard to suppress a grin.

" That," I point at his face." The whole staring thing, it's creepy and distracting." 

" You were doing it just now." He shoots back, his brow quirked up.

"That was different. " I say.

"How so?" He challenges, now sitting upright.

"Well I was thinking." I defend myself.

" Well so was I," he says, pointing at his chest.

We stare at each other for a minute before we laugh at each other. Whoa, we're actually laughing together, the thought alone brings an easy smile on my face.

" I like your laugh." All together, I stop laughing and my smile slips off my face.

He likes my laugh.

A knock on the door takes me out of my thoughts. Keith answers and in peeks Mrs Maria." Mam, dinner is ready." 

" Oh, I'll be right there thank you." I tell Maria before she backs out of the door, leaving me once again with Keith.

" Well I guess I should bid you goodnight then." I tell him, avoiding eye contact.

" Akiandra." He calls me, stopping me in my tracks.

" Join me tonight. Stay." He says.

I stand there for a few seconds before walking out, having left my book on my spot.