Formidable Devotion

XXVII

JULIET HARRISON'S POV

The evening was seemingly longer than usual.

I couldn't get any sleep mostly because of the soars on my body and my never ending thoughts.

Nathaniel is by the living room probably pacing on the bed infinitely as he always does. Something is tormenting the man and I can feel it. The markings in his bathroom, the sleeping pills, his temper. I know there's a problem but he buries it.

It's not my business and I know that.

But it's sad.

He spends most of his days under the sun in the fields, rarely rests and goes out. What kind of life is this?

And I can understand that he needs to work for a living but then he's working and missing out on the living part.

He's so conservative.

Exercising control above all things but sometimes people need to let go, lay back and relax.

God, the itching in my body is notorious tonight. I can sense the aching on my back more than ever.

The nurse smeared my body with the anti-inflammatory creams and anti-hypertensives before she left but I think I'm gonna need another round or something.

It's almost like a burning sensation is spreading on my skin.

Christ!

I hate this.

Should I call Nathaniel?

Will he care to help me? He should, it's his fault I'm in this situation to begin with.

This kinda itching isn't normal. It's getting a bit worse by the second very quickly. It's almost similar to the burning I felt on day one.

I shouldn't panic.

It's probably the medicine working differently but for good. The doctor said I'll be cured by day four which is tomorrow, the day I should be healing completely so may this is the process.

But it's so irritating.

I take the initiative to lay on my side to perhaps ease the pain but it progressively gets worse.

Nathaniel walks into the room and turns the lights on.

"Juliet ....Are you alright?"

Was I being loud?
I'm sure I barely made a sound.

I looked up at him, "yeah....why?"

Nathaniel's hair was messy but in a James dean kinda way. His torso unclothed revealing that curvature made from farmer's toil. I couldn't bring myself to gaze lower least he thought I was checking him out.

"You've been making low cries." He moved closer to the bed. My body is fully covered in the sheets except for my eyes that were poking over the edge. "Can I take a look at your skin? Does it hurt?"

"Yes." I nodded.

"Sit up if you can." He said and I obeyed.