The Sun

Just You?

By the time I woke again the delicious aroma of stew filled the air. At least my nose still works I thought. His voice close to my ear startled me.

“I thought you might be hungry,” He said in a low whisper.

My stomach growled loudly in frantic answer.

“I guess that means yes” he chuckled.

I am glad that you find this amusing I thought sarcastically. I am in the most unlady-like position, I have no clue what I look like, and I can’t see a damn thing. I am sooo amused!  His strong hands went under my arms and pulled me up into a sitting position. One arm around my back held me there while his other hand adjusted pillows to help me stay that way. I lifted my shaking hand to my long dark hair. It was not the tangled mess that I had so vividly imagined. My surprise must have shown on my face because a hasty “I thought it would be best to brush it out” flew my way.

  I ‘felt’ rather than knew the moment the broth came close to my lips. The smell was so amazing that my mouth watered instantly.

“It’s hot,” he said.

I closed my mouth over the spoon as the full flavour enticed my senses. “Mmmmm…That is wonderful,” I said appreciatively. 

“Thank you” His deep voice rumbled. “It’s one of the only things that I can cook. So I hope you really like it, otherwise you might starve."

My brows flew up in surprise but immediately dipped down in a slight frown. A faint alarm started to ring in my head as his words penetrated the steady fog that had taken up residence in my brain. My voice didn’t quite work so I had to try a second time as I asked hesitantly “Doesn’t your wife cook”? Was that really my voice? I knew the instant the question left my lips that I didn’t want to hear the answer. As long as the possibility of a wife existed then I could convince myself that I was safe in this man’s care, this strange man… that I couldn’t see.

I could feel my panic growing in direct proportion to the prolonged, uncomfortable silence. 

“Uh… Well, I don’t have one. A wife I mean. I’m not married.”

His discomfort only alarmed me further. I opened my mouth to answer but he shoveled a spoonful of broth into it. 

“Listen,” he sounded a bit frazzled. “The roads are totally inaccessible. They’re iced over completely. You are seriously hurt. I mean, I’m no doctor but even I can see that. You’ve been in and out of consciousness for five days and you have had a raging fever most of that time.” 

I was shocked. I had been here five days?!  He was silent for a moment but when he continued, his tone sounded stubborn.

“Look. I’m sure you are feeling pretty damn vulnerable right now, but I couldn’t get you out of here even if I tried. I would only get us both killed. I have no idea why you were even out in that storm, but I hope it was worth your life. If I hadn’t found you when I did, you would have died before anyone else had a chance to…” He sighed a frustrated rumble. His voice became placating. “I’m a really nice guy, but I get that you feel like a deer caught in the headlights”. 

My own voice shook slightly as I spoke the only thing I could think of to say.  “If you’re such a great guy then why am I sitting here starving to death”? I was relieved to hear his chuckle.

He shoved another spoon of broth into my open mouth. “I have lived here for quite a while but I don’t know you,” he said. “Got a name?"

That made me pause. I was instantly incredibly confused. My name was on the tip of my tongue, but I couldn’t grab it.  Every time I opened my mouth to say it, it flitted away. I was too embarrassed to actually admit that I couldn’t remember my own name, so I replied. “Don’t I have a purse or something with ID in it”?  His voice was very concerned.

“Why? Can’t you remember your name? You have a nasty gash on the back of your head. Did you hit your head? Or did you fall? What do you remember?”

He fired questions at me without slowing to hear the answers. 

“Wait!” I cried, my head pounding. “Please just answer my question. Do I have a purse or anything?” I asked weakly, my distress evident in my voice. The enormity of my situation came crashing in on me all at once and I started to cry.

“Darn it!” he swore as the bowl of stew hit the floor.

Strong arms came around me and rocked me gently as I wept.

“I’m sorry. I’m such a Jerk,” He said in a gruff voice.

“It’s not that,” I sniffed. “ It’s …it’s j just that I don’t even know where I live… H-How will I get home? I can’t even see my house!” I burst into tears again. His voice deep and soothing washed over my frenzied senses.

“Shhh… It’s okay. I will help you find your way home. I promise.  Shhh…I Promise.”

  As the tidal wave of tears subsided a headache took its place. I felt his arms leave me, and a stirring chill crept into their place. The bed dipped and swayed under his weight as he stood. A strange prickly silence filled the room. I sniffed and felt a tissue being stuffed into my hand. I blew my nose and sniffed again.
“I’m really sorry. I don’t usually blubber like that”.

I wiggled uncomfortably. I moved my head away from where I guessed he’d be. My eyes were open but unfocused by blindness. It seemed strange to my mind not to be able to look around no matter where my eyes tried to ‘see’. I felt his hand on my chin as he turned my head to face him.

“If anyone has a right to a few tears it’s you,” He said in a quiet voice. “Now open up.” 

I sputtered as medicine filled my mouth instead of stew. He laughed. A full rich sound that sent warm chills right up and down my spine. It should be a sin to sound that sexy I thought as I lay back down on the bed. Tired sleep claimed me as soon as I closed my eyes. ♥️