I didn't return to Sam's office as promised, giving her the time to rest until the sun drew down, signaling the end of the workweek. As it was now the weekend, Noi, Yha, and Chin invited me to dinner to celebrate my employment.
Noi suggested, "We should go now so we can go home early after our dinner." Chin and Yha agreed. Before leaving, I checked on Sam to say goodbye and reminded her to go home now and get a full rest at home.
As I entered Sam's office, Chin playfully teased, "Isn't she your boss, or is she someone else?" Chin added, "Why does Mon need to check on Sam before leaving?" I chuckled, signaling with my hand for them to go ahead.
Noi whispered to Chin and Yha, "I think something is going on between Sam and Mon." The three of them left, waiting for me outside as I took a moment to say goodbye to Sam before leaving.
As I entered the room, I saw Sam resting her head on her couch. "Sam," I called softly. Sam turned her head to me, attempting to get up, but I gently stopped her.
"You don't need to get up," I reassured her. "I'm just here to let you know I'm leaving. You should go home too." Sam nodded quietly, telling me to take care.
Feeling worried, I left the room, glancing back at Sam until she disappeared from my sight as I closed the door behind me.
At the cafe, I was having a good time with Yha, Chin, and Noi. Our table was full of food and alcohol as we celebrated our one week of hard work and my one week of employment.
Noi offered a toast, and we all replied with a cheerful "Cheers!" Chin jokingly told Noi to stop from standing up; it seemed that Noi was already a bit drunk. We laughed and continued enjoying our celebration.
Noi, being a bit drunk, turned to me and asked if I knew anything about Sam's past. Her question caught me off guard, and I hesitated for a moment before replying, "I don't know much about Sam's past, Noi. How would I know?"
Noi replied that she heard Sam and me talking in the staircase. I quickly responded, trying to downplay the situation, "Noi, you're just a little drunk. Don't worry about it." I attempted to dismiss her comment, not wanting to delve into any sensitive topics while she was inebriated.
Yha suggested that we should leave since Noi was already drunk. Chin agreed, and I chimed in, saying that I needed to go back to the office because I forgot something.
In her drunken state, Noi replied, "Did you really forget something, or are you going back for Sam?" She chuckled, her words slurred from the alcohol.
Chin reassured us, "Don't worry about Noi, she's just drunk." He then added that he would drop Noi off at her house. After settling the bill at the cafe, Noi, Chin, and Yha left.
Meanwhile, I returned to the office. As soon as I found what I had forgotten, I noticed that Sam's door was slightly open, with the lights still on inside.
Sam was hunched over her desk, her usually vibrant energy replaced by a pallid complexion. She appeared weak and unsteady, her breathing labored and shallow. Sweat glistened on her forehead, and her hands trembled as she tried to focus on her work.
Concerned, I rushed towards her, calling out her name aloud.
"Sam!" I scolded, my voice tinged with frustration and concern. "You should have gone home! I've been reminding you all day to take care of yourself, but you insisted on staying here despite not feeling well since morning."
I shook my head in disbelief, my worry for Sam evident in my tone. "I told you to prioritize your health, Sam. Work can wait, but your well-being cannot."
Despite her weakened state, Sam pushed me aside slightly as she attempted to stand. She made her way unsteadily towards the printer to retrieve the printouts of her presentation. However, before she could reach it, she suddenly collapsed to the floor.
"Sam!" I called out in alarm, rushing to her side once again. My heart raced as I knelt beside her, reaching out to gently support her and check if she was alright.
Shocked by the heat emanating from Sam's body, I quickly helped her to stand so she could lie down on her couch. My hand recoiled slightly as I felt the intense heat radiating from her skin.
"You're burning up, Sam," I exclaimed, my voice filled with concern. "Come on, let's get you to your couch." With gentle yet firm assistance, I guided Sam to her couch, making sure she was comfortable and propped up.
As soon as Sam lay down, I rushed to grab my bag to check for any medicines that I could give her for her fever. Not finding any, I hurried back to Sam and told her, "I'll be back, Sam. I'm going to buy some food and medicine for you."
Sam groaned weakly in discomfort as I wiped away her sweat before rushing outside. In my haste, I gave Sam a kiss on the forehead without realizing it. Sam weakly grinned and looked at me as I hurriedly left the room.
Moments later, I returned to the office to find Sam finally fallen asleep. Quietly, I placed the food and medicine on the table beside the sofa. Kneeling down beside Sam, I watched her sleeping form, a mixture of relief and worry washing over me.
Moments later, I returned to the office to find Sam finally fallen asleep. Quietly, I placed the food and medicine on the table beside the sofa. Then, I went to the pantry to get some ice for the ice bag.
Returning to Sam's side, I kneeled down beside her on the floor. While I gently, I brushed Sam's hair away from her forehead and carefully placed the ice bag on her forehead, Sam groaned weakly telling me "Mon, please don't leave me. I really need you now. Please.."
As I watched Sam's slumber, a whirlwind of internal thoughts raced through my mind. "Sam, why do you make it harder?" I whispered softly into the quiet room, hoping somehow my words would reach him in his dreams.
As I gazed upon Sam's sleeping face, I couldn't help but appreciate the delicate curvature of her cheeks and the way her eyelashes gently brushed against her skin. Her lips, slightly parted in sleep, held a subtle grace that I found captivating. Reminiscing about those features, I recalled the countless times I had traced the lines of her face with my fingertips, each curve etching itself into my memory like a precious work of art. Every freckle, every contour held a story of its own, a testament to the beauty that was uniquely Sam's.
Deciding not to disturb Sam's sleep, I let her rest peacefully. Alternating between placing the ice bag on Sam's forehead and her burning hot arms, I couldn't help but hold Sam's hand in my own. Feeling the heat emanating from her skin, I gently squeezed her hand, silently wishing for her fever to break soon. Sitting by her side, I remained vigilant, hoping that my small gestures of comfort would help ease her discomfort as she slept.
As I watched Sam sleep, exhaustion caught up with me, and I couldn't help but feel drowsy myself. Holding onto Sam's hand, I leaned against her shoulder, resting my head gently against it. The rhythmic rise and fall of Sam's breaths, the warmth of her presence, and the comfort of her hand in mine lulled me into a peaceful slumber. In that moment, as we both slept, I felt a sense of calm and serenity envelop us, knowing that we were there for each other in our time of need.
My slumber was abruptly interrupted by the persistent ringing of the phone. As I stood up, my legs tingling from the prolonged kneeling, a sense of dread washed over me. I frantically searched for the source of the sound, fearing it might disturb Sam's peaceful slumber.
Finally, my eyes landed on Sam's phone, its screen lighting up with an incoming call. A surge of shock coursed through me as I realized who it was: Kirk, Sam's husband. The implications of his call left me frozen in place, torn between answering and protecting Sam's rest.