“Okay.” Cesare carries me into the bathroom. He hits the lights and only now do I realize the lights were off and Cesare was asleep in the bedroom. He sets me down gently. “You don’t try to stand. You pee then you call me back.”
After what happened last time I don’t even consider arguing. “Yes, okay.” It’s nice to talk again without pain, only I still sound scratchy. When I’m done, I call Cesare. “I want to brush my teeth and wash my hands, please.”
“We can do that. I’ll set you down, my arm around your waist.”
I nod. Even though I was sure I would be able to stand on my own, his arm tightens around me when I sway the second I’m on my feet. Dang it. I’m clumsy as I brush my teeth. I’m exhausted by the small task. Cesare picks me up again. This time he puts me on the edge of the bed. He puts a straw up to my mouth, several deep gulps are needed before I’m satisfied.
“Are you hungry, sweetheart? You haven’t eaten anything all day.”
I am but I don’t know what I want. I nod.
“How about some soup? Claudine got some chicken soup with noodles, then there is beef and barley. Which one sounds good?”
“Chicken, can I have some toast with butter?”
“Anything you want. I’ll be right back.” With a kiss on my forehead he’s gone.
With a happy sigh I lean up against the headboard. Curious about the time I look down at my phone. Holy shit, it’s three in the morning. Immediately I’m hit with guilt at waking Cesare up so early. Memories come back in small flashes, Cesare wiping my face with a cool wash cloth, Cesare on his cell phone talking above me as he held me, small kisses pressed against my forehead.
“You stayed with me all day.” It’s not really a question, the words come out as Cesare comes into the bedroom with a tray holding a bowl of soup, a glass of orange juice and a small plate of Italian bread toasted with butter.
He nods as he settles the tray over my lap. “You got upset every time I tried to move away. Soon enough I realized I didn’t really want to leave you, anyway.”
I open my mouth for the spoon he has at my mouth. I’m pretty sure I could feed myself only I like Cesare doing it. I chew slowly and thoroughly even though my throat doesn’t hurt it’s still sore. I’m offered a bite of the toast. “I’m sorry you missed work.”
“I’m not. You scared the hell out of me. I was beginning to wonder if your fever would ever break. Dante was more than happy to cover for me and I was able to cancel the few appointments I have today.”
The spoon is back before I can ask a question. I open my mouth but a glass of orange juice with a straw in it is offered to me. Sipping carefully, I sigh with relief, it’s slightly watered down. “I’m sorry it’s three in the morning and you have to be up in a few hours for work.”
“I’m working from home today. I want to keep an eye on you and make sure you’re okay.”
“Really?” Cesare has always been sweet and taken care of me in small ways, like refusing to let me cook every night of the week, ordering dinner in some evenings or Dante and Enzo cooking others. Then there was the time I took a tumble because of Grover getting overexcited and tripping me. Even though all I did was hurt my knee, my bum knee and my hand Cesare acted like I should be in a wheelchair carrying me all over the place while he yelled at Grover. After finally talking him out of the need to have my knee X-rayed I gave in to his insistence of a knee wrap which he put on himself every morning then checking on during our lunch for a week. He was so sweet I might have exaggerated the pain for a day or two.
“Yes, really. Stop looking so wide-eyed and adorable. I can’t kiss you right now.” Another spoonful of soup is almost thrust into my mouth. Fighting a smile my eyes go down. Ah, he’s wearing pajama bottoms. Cesare hasn’t slept in pajamas the six months I’ve been here. It reminds me of the long nightgown I’m in. Huh, I forgot I even have this. It was a gift from Bethany one year. Normally I slept in an oversized shirt and panties, this was for when she came to visit to protect her delicate sensibilities, so she didn’t have to see my ass hanging out of my panties. The material is cotton but stiff from lack of use, it’s a Victorian style buttoned up to the neck, thankfully someone had unbuttoned it so I could breathe. When I’m standing it goes past my knees to my shins. Now that I’m feeling a little better I hate it. “Stop tugging on the nightgown, it stays on.”
“I hate it. Why does it have to stay on? Why can’t you kiss me?” I ask after dutifully taking a sip of my juice.
His forehead wrinkles as if he can’t believe I asked him the questions. “Because you’re sick. You need rest. That nightgown is the equivalent of a cold shower. And when I kiss you the last thing I want to do is, let you rest.”
Oh, okay. There’s a goofy smile on my face but I can’t stop it. I open my mouth for another spoonful of soup. Cesare kisses my nose. He is being so sweet I’m getting all gooey inside. “I really am sorry for waking you up in the middle of the night.”
“You don’t have to say you’re sorry. You’re going to thank me by taking care of yourself and getting better, so I can return the favor by replacing the hours we should have been sleeping with fucking you mercilessly.”
Hmm... yes please. Those eyes are hungry, heavy, and as needy as I feel as they run over me. I swallow my juice in one gulp. “I’m feeling better.”
He smiles. “Don’t tempt me, witch. No, another day or two. The waiting will make the payoff so much better.”
I forgot how cruel he could be sometimes. When I try to argue, bread is stuffed into my mouth. Dang him. With a kiss on my forehead he’s up, taking the tray with him.
***
Alicia
When the alarm goes off I startle. What the heck? I don’t even remember falling asleep. One moment Cesare was walking away with the tray he fed me with and now it’s... six in the morning. I wonder where Cesare is, he had to have reset the alarm from his usual five o’clock wake up time but he must have woken up around the same despite being awake at three. I consider getting up, but my eyes make the decision for me and I fall asleep again.
This time I wake up with a happy sigh. Opening my eyes, I find Cesare on the edge of the bed. A finger runs down my cheek.
“I’m sorry I woke you. I wanted to check on you, but I can’t keep my hands to myself with you in the same room.”