enemy to doctor - the hating game

8 - nausea and preparations

I wake up from another wave of nausea hitting me. I manage to keep the food inside of me but shift to sit a little more upright. Josh immediately awakes and jolts up.

"What is it?"

I take a few deep breaths trying to control the burning feeling in my stomach and throat but he seems to have noticed and out of nowhere snaps a bowl in front of me. Just in time for me to fill it up with last nights soup.
I immediately check but can't spot any signs of blood. Thank god.

"That's okay Luce. Don't worry, this is normal."

He takes the bowl from my hands and puts it on the ground. Then he pushes me back down. Im laying on top of his chest, sideways, my body between his legs.

"Good morning"
I attempt a grin and Josh huffs a laugh at my failure.

"Morning Shortcake. Were you able to sleep?"

Oh and how I was.

"Yes. I didn't wake up not once."

"Good. Let me detach the bag from the tube real quick. I changed the bandages a few more times so we're gonna do that again at my brothers office."

Right, I almost forgot about that. Unease starts spreading through me again.

"Josh?"

"Hm?"
He starts detaching the tube from my arm, though leaves the IV inside.

"I think I need to use the bathroom."

I haven't peed since yesterday and even though I'm still exhausted and feel pain from all over my body I really need to use the toilet.

"Sure, I'll help you."

I'm about to question his statement but he already slings a hand around my upper body and pulls me up with him. Then he gets up, while not letting go of me and takes the blanket from my body. The fresh air is cool but welcoming. I turn and place my legs on the floor. Josh bends down and pulls me up by heaving me towards him. Then he turns and slings an arm around my back and waist, taking the weight off my body.

"Thank you."

"Slowly, Luce. Take small steps and leave your weight on me."

"Okay. Like this?"

I lean into his touch a little more and feel like he is basically carrying me towards a door next to the kitchen.

"Yes. I'm going to come inside with you."

Like hell he would.

"Josh I can handle this by my-"

But he had already pushed the door open and the both of us inside. The bathroom is vast. Mahagoni and a dark sand stone build a beautiful contrast not to mention the window with a further beautiful look over the city.

"Wow."
Josh chuckles and leads me towards the sink where he directs me to hold onto the ceramic.

"And you haven't even seen it at night. When it's all dark and only the stars and city lights."

Haven't even seen? I can almost hear the silent "yet". But no- this is still Joshua. Templeman. I gotta keep myself together.
So I just say,

"I can imagine. I wish my apartment had such nice views over the city."

Silence envelops us for a few seconds.

"I'm going to turn around and you are going to do your - thing. No discussions, I'm staying inside of the room."

I look at him, he has let go of me and is standing two steps away, but his eyes are strict so I just let out a long sigh and tipple towards the toilet.
Josh turns around and stars onto the wall. Fuck this is so embarrassing. How can I ever see him as my business enemy again when I pee while he is in the same room?!
Luckily I finish quickly and the sitting down and getting up process goes easier than expected. As soon as I press the flush, Josh already turns around and walks toward me to slide an arm around me again. Then he guides me towards the sink and I wash my hands. My eyes move up and I look into the mirror.
Oh god.
"Oh god", my words escape my mind. Josh's eyes shoot up.

"What." he demands.

"My eyes and- my hair... I look like a zombie."

"As everyone would after a night like the last one."
With his free hand he slides a lost strand of hair out of my face.

"You'll recover. And you're over exaggerating. You do not look like a zombie Luce."

Our eyes meet and for a second I can feel a few butterflies in my stomach. Pictures of last nights horrors flush through my mind and I need to close my eyes.
Fear coats my tongue when I speak the next words.

"What is going to happen now?"
My voice grows quieter with each word.

Josh inches closer.

"We're leaving to my brother's place in a few minutes. I'm just going to prepare you and me something to eat real quick. Do you like scrambled eggs?"

And so it happens that five minutes later we are sitting, well me half-laying on his couch eating the best scrambled eggs I ever tasted. Scallions, cherry tomatoes, even little cubes of bacon and a peace of bread.
I don't speak a word, trying to swallow the fear together with my breakfast down. Thinking about it, I'm sure last night will leave some trauma for the upcoming time.

"Are you ready?"
Josh comes back out of the kitchen where he just placed the dirty dishes. He is wearing dark blue jeans and a thick grey sweater. Simple has never looked so good on anyone else before. I look down at my "outfit" and realize that I'm still wearing leggings and an oversized T-Shirt from Josh. He seems to realize what I'm thinking about and disappears into another room, most likely his bedroom. He reappears seconds later with a fluffy pair of socks, a black hoodie and a grey blanket.

"Here, it cooled down over last night and you didn't bring a jacket to yesterdays game. These are my sister's, she left them here a while ago."

He kneels down in front of me and pulls the white fluffy socks over my feet. What a view.

"Can you put your arms up? Slowly."

I lift my arms above my head and immediately feel the skin tensing at my stomach. Josh quickly pulls the hoodie over my arms and head and adjusts its hood. Then he leans down and heaves me up, as if I were a feather. Next thing I know is that he wraps the blanket around me.

"It's September, Josh. Not January."
I frown at him but he remains serious.

"Your body is weak. Anything could lead to a pneumonia right now. Ready?"

"I guess so."
And then he lifts me up. He literally lifts me up and walks to the door.

"Before you ask, we're on the 7th floor and no the elevator is not working at the moment. Walking down these stairs will probably rip your stitches open again."
With one hand he opens the door and lets it fall shut behind him before he starts walking down the stairs. I immediately cling to him as I feel like he could drop me any second.

"Don't worry. I got you."

A shiver rolls down my spine and my muscles relax a little bit. The next time he puts me down is when we get to his car, a black E-class Mercedes, to open the door before he slowly guides me into the seat.
Then the door falls shut and a few seconds later he sits next to me.

"Let me check the IV and bandage real quick."

His hand finds it way under my sweater and lifts it up. There is no red spots on the bandage to be seen so he pulls the fabric back down and then carefully rolls up my sleeve.

"Ah shit. The IV kind of slipped out halfway. We'll have to adjust that when we get to my brothers office. Don't worry, I don't think we need to lay a new one though."

Our eyes meet and as soon as he rolls down the sleeve again he gives my hand a squeeze.

"It's going to be alright. My brother has way more experience and sedatives and pain killers."

I nod and attempt a light smile.

Josh starts the engine and by the time he drives out of the street, my eyes are shut and I drift off into a deep dream.

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Next chapter will finally introduce Josh's brother!

Hope you're as excited as I am ;)

Also, how do you like the relationship development in this last chapter?

They're slowly getting closer...