Grow To Love You

Chapter 25: Clean Up

I pushed open the old, pealing basement door open. The whole room was pitch black apart from a very small dusty window, just a few inches from the ceiling, letting in a small sliver of light. Nobody had been down here in at least 5 years. It is just full of my old toys, old furniture we couldn't get rid off, boxes full of old photo albums, starting back from when my mother was a baby all the way up to when I was a young boy. It is just filled with junk and memories. I pulled on my gloves before pulling up my mask over my mouth and nose so I wouldn't choke on the dust. Taking a deep breath, I started sorting out everything in the room. Firstly I sorted out everything into different piles. I moved all the cardboard boxes, unknown to what was inside them, to a small clear space against the back wall in darkness. There really needs to be a working light in here. I thought to myself as I squinted up to the broken light. I continued moving all the boxes to one place for about 10 minutes, before carefully lowering myself into an old rocking chair. The rocking chair seemed very familiar as I sat back and lightly rocked myself.
Nicki's POV
I'd just woken up a few minutes earlier and was feeling terrible. My nose is all blocked up, throat so dry and sore and could barely breath without being in pain, my head feels just so heavy as if it's stuff full of gunk. My body just feels so weak, I just feel like going back to sleep.
"Morning, sleepy head," Jade smiled as she peaked in from my bedroom door.
"H-hey," I croaked painfully. I held my throat and swallowed to try make my throat any better but just making it worse.
"You sound terrible! Let me go get you some thing to help," She smiled before disappearing. I sighed, causing me to break out in to a coughing fit. Fuck sake! I hate this! Why can't I just be well? I turned my aching body and grabbed the remote to watch tv. It bleeped on and started playing the 10 o'clock cartoons. Flipping through the channels I tried to find something interesting on but ended up going back to the cartoons. I propped myself up against the pillows so I was sat up. a couple minutes later I quickly snatched a clean tissue and covered my nose.
"Aw bless you," I heard Jade speak as I wiped my nose clean.
"Thanks," I croaked. My eyes watered and I grabbed another tissue to dry them.
"Here, I brought you some tablets," She shook a little box. "Some throat sweets and some warm strawberry milk," she told me as she set them down beside my bed.
"Thanks," I smiled weakly.
"You're welcome Hun! So do you want me to stay keep you company? Aubrey ordered me to, the boss bastard, but thought I'd let you decided," she asked as she sat down on the edge of my bed.
"Oh I'm fine, just wanna sleep and watch TV really," I replied through my sore throat.
"Ok, well if you need anything, just text me and I hope you feeling better soon," She rubbed my hand before leaving.
Drake's POV
I'd just sorted everything out and was now taking all the things to be thrown away outside. Trekking up and down the stairs was a lot of effort and draining my energy. After moving about half the stuff out the basement, I went into the kitchen and found my mother sat over a hot drink watching TV.
"Hey ma," I waved as I grabbed a pack of crisps and a bottle of Pepsi.
"Aubrey, you know how unhealthy that is," She warned.
"I know, I need the energy though, I'm all drained out," I wiped my forehead with the hem of my shirt.
"How you doing anyway with the basement?" She questioned.
"Quiet well actually, moved about half the stuff out, which was mostly trash, just gotta move out the boxes and other little things. Where you want them boxes anyway?" I asked as I gulped down half my Pepsi.
"Ah, just put them in the garage for now and I'll sort them," She answered.
"Alright, well I'm gonna go finish up clearing out," I opened my bag of crisps and started back down the stairs.
4 hours later
I had finished clearing out the basement and had bought a new bulb to light up the room. Right now, I was cleaning up, getting rid of all the cobwebs and dirt. Maybe tomorrow if Onika is feeling a bit better she could come down since it's not so dirty anymore. The carpet down here is still filthy and the wallpaper almost all peeled off but it's as clean as it could be without getting a new carpet and redoing the walls. The whole room was bare. There was no furniture at all, just a filthy carpet, four walls and two doors. The basement was a very gloomy place with the weak lighting and eerie atmosphere. Although it wasn't a great atmosphere down here, it was warm which was good. Deciding I had been standing around too long, I began to pull up the old carpet, ready to put a new one down. Underneath the carpet were wooden floor boards covered in filth. I discarded of the dirty old carpet and got to sweeping and cleaning the floorboards which lay underneath. Once I'd finished, there was only one last thing I could do today which was strip the walls. Deciding I was too exhausted to do that right now, I dusted my self off and set off up to see how Onika was doing. I hadn't seen her all day apart from early this morning when she was asleep. Knocking on the door, I poked my smiling face in. What I saw couldn't have wiped the smile off my face any quicker. Onika, curled up in a ball, weeping quietly into her tissues.
"Hey, Nika? What's wrong baby?" I asked so so concerned. I rushed to her. Squatting in front of her, I gently grabbed her hand and tried to comfort her. "Why you crying beautiful?" She just wept even more, not able to stop shaking. I brushed all the tissues away and climbed in beside her to hold in in my arms, in hopes that would calm her. "Shh shh, it's ok, it's alright, I'm here baby," I kissed her forehead as I stroked her hair comfortingly. Her soaked face pressed against my dirty shirt. Gently, I let Onika go and quickly took off my dirty shirt and shorts, leaving me in just my boxers. As soon as I had took my clothes off I pulled Onika back to me. Her small curled body pressed against mine whilst her ready face buried in my chest. My arm wrapped around her back and a hand holding the back of her head. I closed my eyes and prayed Onika will feel better soon, physically and emotionally. Her cries seemed to have quieted but I could still feel the wetness building up on my chest. Still holding her in my arms, I drifted off to sleep.
Feeling the bed around me I couldn't feel anyone there, just cool bed sheets. I opened my eyes and looked around the room. It was getting dark and the only light came from under Onika's bathroom door. After getting out the bed and stretching, I made my way over to here bathroom door, assuming she was in there.
"Nika? You in there?" I asked, pressing my ear to the door to hear her quiet voice.
"Yeah," She attempted to call back to me but came out as a quiet croak. "One minute and-" She coughed. "And you can come in," I barely heard her say.
"Ok," I called back. I went and sat on her bed before she let me in. If it wasn't for me picking up a book that had fallen on the floor near her bathroom door, I doubt I would of head her call me.
"Aubrey?" I heard faintly.
"Yeah?"
"You can come in now," I pushed the door open slowly and looked around. Instantly I was hit by the string smell of vanilla and honey. The bathroom was surrounded in candles lit, wafting their sweet aroma. Onika was laid in the bath, surrounded by bubbles rising high like clouds, almost reaching heights above her head. She looked so beautiful laid there, hair tied back, no make up, a gorgeous glow even though she was sick. I just fell in love with her all over again. Shutting the door behind me, I went over and sat on the chair in the corner facing Onika. Her whole body except her head and shoulders were submerged in the bath covered in bubbles.
"How you feeling?" I asked, resting my arms on my knees.
"Um...still ill, just feeling really drained all the time though to be honest," She sighed, looked down at the bubbles.
"Well, you will be fine very soon, just gotta fight off this bug and you'll be back to you crazy old hyperactive self," I smiled reassuringly.
"I hope so, I can't stand feeling so helpless..."
"What do you mean 'helpless'?" I questioned.
"Like, I'm so ill right now I can't do anything, also so many things are going on right now that I'm so out of control of. I know I can't control everything, but I feel as if I can't control anything, not even myself. I keep breaking down for stupid fucking reasons and just feel so shit and want to sleep for ever," A single tear dropped down her rosy cheek.
"Hey, that's fine, that's totally normal to feel like that. Many people feel like this all the time. Me personally, no. But I do know that it is very normal for anybody to feel the way you do right now. You will get better, trust me, you will. Plus, I will be here, right by your side all the time, I will never leave your side. You just gotta push through this like the strong, powerful young woman I know you are, you can get through this," By this time, I was kneeled over her bath whilst her eyes filled with tears.
"I love you Aubrey, I really do, you always know what to say," She placed a wet hand on the side of my face and rubbed her thumb on my cheek, staring deeply into my eyes.
"I love you too Onika, with all my heart and more," I smiled down to her. Not caring that she was ill and most probably would pass it on to me, I lowered my lips on to hers. She lightly pushed my head away either wet hand.
"I'm ill, you'll get ill too," She almost whispered.
"I don't care, you deserve this," Before she could say anything else, my lips returned to their place on top of hers. My hand slid over her cheek and held her face up to me, as she brought both her hands up to my face. Onika pulled away a few seconds later due to her lack of being able to breath properly with her cold. "You ok?" I asked. Noticing she had sat up a little, the bubbles had slowly dropped down her chest. Knowing how uncomfortable she was either naked body, I discreetly pushed the bubbles toward her, to cover her up. She nodded. Her small wet thumb glided across my lips as she held my face.
"I'm good," She smiled.
"Good," My voice catching in my throat due to how lost I was just gazing at Onika's beyond beautiful face. After a while, I found my voice. "You know, that vanilla scent is very strong," I informed Onika.
"Really? I actually can barely smell it," She blushed. "My nose is so blocked up," She sniffed.
"Aw, you'll be better soon," I kissed her forehead. "You getting out soon?" I asked.
"Maybe, I'm not sure. I'm so relaxed but I don't wanna like fall asleep," She answered, raising her knee.
"How about I stay here with you and if you start to drift off, we'll get you out the bath?" I suggested.
"Uh...yeah sure," She smiled. We went on talking and enjoying each other's company for about an hour or so before Onika began drifting off.
"Nika, we'll get you out now, yeah?" I rubbed her arm.
"Mmmm," She mumbled something. I shook my head and began to drain the bath. Once it was drained enough that I could pick Onika up without the towel getting wet, I grabbed a towel and skilfully lifted her out the tub whilst keeping the towel dry.
"Don't fall asleep just yet, we still gotta get you dried and put clothes on you," I spoke, hoping she hadn't fallen asleep just yet. She just let out a short 'mmm', not opening her eyes or attempting to stay awake. I laid her on the bed in her towel and lotioned her legs and arms. Now for the tricky part, getting clothes on her. First, I will need clothes, some boy shorts and a shirt will do I think. I went venturing around her closet looking for some boy shorts and a shirt. The underwear was easy but the shirt, all I could find suitable was a bunch of mine that had some how ended up in here. I shrugged and returned to her sleeping body. Carefully, I slid on her underwear easily under the towel, then pulled the shirt over her head and down her body whilst removing the towel. Well, that was easier than expected. I lifted her up and slid her into her bed. Feeling accomplished and proud of myself for being able to manage that, I put my dirty clothes back on, glancing at the clock. 7:12. That'll be enough time to strip the walls. I placed a small kiss on Onika's forehead, before disappearing down into the basement to strip the walls.

Sorry it's been so long, I have my exams right now so it was hard to get anything done. I hope you enjoy it, not the most exciting but hey it's an update, I'll try update quicker next time but no promises sorry x