How To Love✓

24.

Amara

"Excuse me Miss? Sir?" My eyes flew open at the feeble voice.

"Mr. Chester's awake, if you'd like to see him," the nurse says to us and leads us the way to where the old man stayed.

The smile was weak on his features when he saw us. Lucien absentmindedly intertwines our fingers together.

"You have to eat something, Mr. Chester," the doctor informs him, who was laying fully bandaged across the small bed.

"It's the only way you're going to get better," he adds but the stranger didn't seem to drift his weak but cold eyes from mines.

"I'm old. I've had a heart attack...a hip replacement...surgery in both knees. How much better am I going to get?" his voice was stiff and hoarse, maybe from the lack of water and oxygen.

The place went silent after that. I cleared my throat, thinking that it was the best time to talk.

Unfortunately, he beat me to it. "Who are you?" he asks coldly.

"I came to drop this off," I say politely and push the necklace closer to him.

"How'd you get that?"

"From your car," Lucien answers for me and the stranger glares at him who, isn't even offended by the look.

"You asked us to get it for you and this young man here rescued it when he rescued you," I add and hesitantly walked closer to place it next to him on the bedside table.

The stranger's features soften.

"Oh, you...You pulled me out?" he asks, weakly raising an arm to point to Lucien.

"You don't remember?"

"No. But thank you. Thank you very much."

"He seems to like you, which is a first because he never showed us any sort of positivity to me or the nurses. See if you can get him to eat something, would you?" the doctor pats me on the back and leaves the room.

"W-W-What's your name?" he calls out and I turn my head to the old man, his face crinkled in all places.

"Amara, Amara Belle," I reply and smile softly.

"And your boyfriend?" I turn to Lucien who was stifling a laugh.

Turning my head, I turn red and clear my throat in hopes of covering up the taste of embarrassment.

"This is Lucien sir and we are not together."

"We don't need silly labels to pinpoint our strong feelings for each other. It's more than that," Lucien says casually and place a simple kiss to my hand that was intertwined with his.

Not surprised, he has a big ego for a reason.

I go to the edge of the bed and take a seat, frightened that he would feel or express contempt or disdain towards me.

"Do you remember anything?" I spoke slowly.

"All I remember....I-I-I don't know," his response was puny and frail and I decide not to strain on his fragileness no longer.

"You really should eat something," I bring up the subject once more.

He flared his arms around and huff in haughtiness. "I'm done."

"Is that what Josephine would want?"

He widens his eyes at the question, in a split second they squint towards me. "How do you know about Josephine?"

I noticed that he was getting aggravated so I took a stand and moved away from his personal space.

"Why do you care? Y-Y-Y-You're done," he stammers forward and pass a hand over his bruised face.

"The locket on the necklace, I saw at the back that a name.... Josephine... is engraved. Though I didn't open the locket because I know that's invading your privacy," I cover up.

"I apologise if I offended you in any way, for I only wanted to discover more about you and the moments before such a tragic accident," I spoke softly and the tone gave him a sense of relief and contentment.

"She was a beautiful woman," he speaks up, "in every way. It was love at first sight," the corners of his mouth twitched slightly upwards. I look over to Lucien and he looks to me as well. We both give each other a smile.

"Do you want me to tell you the story of how we met?" he suddenly offers.

I look over to Lucien again for confirmation if we could stay a bit longer but he reminds me about school.

I know he was right.

I turn back to Mr. Chester again. "Are you going to be okay without us?" I ask.

He shoots a weak smile and nod. "Listen to the young fellow. He cares about you. I'll be alright. Thank you.....for saving my life, both you of you. I owe you it all."

I go to give him a hug and this time, he didn't resist. Lucien pats him on the back gently and scolds him about eating.

"You go on before you strangle me," he jokes and I hug him one last time before taking Lucien's upper arm between my fingers and follow him out of the room.

***

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