Cold Feet (COMPLETED)

Anthurium

Hello my dears, wonderful night we're having aren't we? I had a great day today, did my final turnover for my current job and will be resting tomorrow till month-end. Whoopee :) 

Anyway, my chapter now talks about selflessness and how we can sometimes get caught up in our own problems to the point that we don't notice the neglect for our loved ones. Dei is so focused on her issues, unmindful that she has been neglecting Richard. So this chapter shows that realization and how she makes up for her shortcoming. 

This chapter has SPG elements, so please be sure you are of age to read it, ok? Won't say much, please have a fun weekend and share with me your thoughts on this, ok? :) 

The next five days were tough for Richard. Dei took her mother's answer badly, and had another episode of Lupus flares. This time was not as bad as the first one Richard witnessed, but she was unwell for several days and couldn't report for work. Richard had to shuffle his time between work and taking care of her and it exhausted him.

On the third day of her absence from work, Richard's resistance broke down and he himself suffered from the flu. Dei found him asleep on the couch, with a blanket covering him.

"Babe, wake up. Why are you sleeping here?"

"Dei.....sorry, did you need anything? I was feeling cold, it's warmer to sleep here.

"I'll turn off the aircon, so you can sleep with me. Wait for me here."

She got him some medicine for the fever and filled a basin with lukewarm water. After having him take the medication, she started trying to bring his temperature down by giving him a sponge bath. She helped him change into fresh and warmer pajamas. But when she was pulling him up to go to their room, he suddenly pulled her to sit on his lap. He seemed half asleep but spoke to her anyway.

"Dei.......I miss you. I don't know why but I do. We've just gotten married in church, we're always together........but.......I don't know why I feel like this........."

His head rolled to rest on her shoulder, his arms wrapped around her. She realized they have just been wed but never had a decent honeymoon. They got sidetracked by her personal issues, and she never considered it might be affecting him, he was just too nice to say anything. She knew he was speaking out of delirium from his high fever, but what he said was true.

She felt so guilty and remorseful for being so selfish. She kissed his warm cheek gently, feeling so much love for her unselfish husband, vowing to make it up to him once he felt better. But for now, her concern was to make him feel better.

Her joints still hurt, and he was too heavy to carry. She decided to just make him comfortable in the couch, getting s fresh comforter to drape over him. The couch was big enough to accommodate them both, and she squeezed herself into the space between the backrest and his body that was now lying sideways.

In a short while, she fell asleep, her arm around him, her body snuggling against his.

-----

Richard woke up feeling sweaty and thirsty. He was disoriented, wondering why he and Dei were sleeping in the den on the couch. She stirred, wrapping her arms tightly around him. Gently, he tried to pry her arms away from his body, not wanting her to get sticky with sweat.

He stood and took a shower in the bathroom within the den, thankful that a towel was already ready for use. Wrapped in towel from the waist down, he got out of the shower and gathered his clothes, leaving Dei in the den to change his clothes. He changed into a cotton muscle shirt and shorts, went back down in the den and found Dei slowly waking up.