Before embarrassment could cross Natalie’s mind,she was startled by the sight.Her eyes widened as tears began to flow unchecked.
Brandon applied pressure on the wound to stem the bleeding.Seeing Natalie’s horrified expression,he instructed her in a low voice, “Please hand me the gauze and antiseptic.”
Snapping back to reality,Natalie tried to maintain her composure and hurriedly passed Brandonthe required medical supplies.
Her hands trembled as she handed them over.She averted her gaze,too afraid to look directly at his wound.
Brandon couldn’t help but find her timid demeanor amusing,which even alleviated a bit of his pain.
“Don’t be scared.”His voice came out hoarse, indicating he was straining to bear the pain. “I’ll finish treating it soon.Don’t worry.”
Hearing the tremor in his voice,borne out of the effort to suppress his pain,she felt a wave of sympathy for him.
Unaware of her thoughts,Brandon focused on not alarming her further.He skillfully and swiftly bandaged the wound.
By the time he was finished,his forehead was slick with cold sweat,his usually vibrant face drained of color.
“All done,”he whispered,his tone tender,as if worried that any louder noise would startle Natalie.
She turned to inspect his handiwork. Noticing the fresh white bandage neatly wrapped around his waist,she breathed a sigh of relief.”How do you feel now?”
“The wound’s been treated.I should be fine after a good night’s sleep.Thank you for looking after me tonight,”Brandon said, managing a weak smile.
Caught off guard by his gentle gratitude, Natalie stammered,”I…I should be the one thanking you….I’ll be leaving then … “
Brandon chuckled lightly.”It’s quite late now. It’s not safe for you to venture out alone.This place is secure for now.You can use the next room to rest for the night.I’ll have someone take you home tomorrow morning.”a As he spoke,he seemed to accidentally brush against the wound.A slight grimace crossed his face,followed by a sharp intake of breath. Seeing him in pain,Natalie found herself unable to abandon him.
Looking at his frail form and the blood- soaked bedsheet,a sharp pang of distress twisted in her heart.
His eyes,heavy with exhaustion,dropped wearily.Brandon was too weak to speak, having lost too much blood and drained both physically and mentally.Yet,upon seeing the concern etched in her eyes,a small,content smile spread across his face.
Natalie found herself in a conundrum,rooted to the spot.
Her instincts were telling her to leave.This stranger didn’t seem trustworthy and had been consistently attempting to detain her under one pretext or another.If she didn’t leave,she might be getting herself into a problematic situation!
On the other hand,he had saved her life, sustaining an injury in the process.His condition looked precarious,and he could potentially lose consciousness at any moment.Was it not utterly heartless of her to abandon him in such a state?
Torn,Natalie remained indecisive,unsure of the right course of action.
It was only when Brandon coughed several times that she reached a decision,sighing deeply.”I’ll stay and look after you tonight.” Hearing her words,Brandon’s eyes shot up to meet hers,alive with elation and ardor.
Seeing the way he was looking at her,a blush crept up her cheeks.
“I.….I’ll change your bed sheet.”Flustered,she averted her gaze,breaking eye contact.
She quickly retrieved a clean bedsheet from the closet,replacing the one stained with blood.She fetched some warm water to clean off his bloodied skin.Remembering he hadn’t eaten anything since his heroic deed,she headed to the kitchen to prepare a simple sandwich.
By the time she finished all the tasks,it was already late.
Resting against the headboard,Brandon watched Natalie as she bustled around, nibbling on his sandwich.A tranquil smile graced his features.
He wished time would freeze at this moment, allowing him to share these peaceful instants with her uninterrupted.
Snapped out of his daydream by Natalie,he found her gaze upon him.”Have you finished eating?”
He quickly polished off the rest of the sandwich.”Thank you.It’s delicious.”
Natalie wiped the perspiration off her forehead.
“I’m glad you liked it.”
Seeing the fatigue etched on her face and remembering the ordeal she had been through today,he expressed his concern, “You should get some rest now.I’m okay.”
She,however,shook her head,retaking her seat on the sofa next to his bed.”Your wound looks infected and you seem feverish.It’s better if I stay here to monitor your condition. What if your fever spikes in the middle of the night?”
That was when Brandon remembered Garrett.He suggested nonchalantly,”You could ask Garrett,the man from before,to come in and keep an eye on my condition tonight.”
Raising an eyebrow,Natalie tilted her head, confusion apparent on her face.”Didn’t you say that you barely know him?Will he take good care of you?”
Recaling his previous effort to distance himself from Garrett, a hint of embarrassment flashed across Brandon’s face.”Perhaps…”he said,trailing off uncertainly Noting Garrett’s lack of dependability,she frowned and stated,”He left so hastily,even though you were severely injured.He doesn’t seem reliable.I should be the one to look after you.”
Recalling how Garrett had reluctantly departed earlier,Brandon experienced a pang of guilt for the first time.
He attempted to defend Garrett.”Perhaps he had an urgent matter to attend to … “
Natalie interjected,”What could possibly be more pressing than an injured patient who was bleeding?IfI hadn’t been here today,you would’ve been left alone!”
Yet,Brandon couldn’t bear to see her so worn out,thus he responded ambiguously,”Don’t worry.I have ways to ensure he takes proper care of me.You should rest.”
Upon hearing this,Natalie scrutinized him with furrowed brows and queried,”Are you planning to bribe him into taking care of you?”
This reminded her of how he had bartered his million-dollar watch for a second-hand taxi ride.Even though the watch wasn’t hers, she couldn’t help feeling a sense of loss.
The thought of him being grievously injured yet having to pay someone for care, strengthened her resolve to stay.”Don’t worry.I won’t let you be exploited by your unprincipled friend while you’re vulnerable!”
Natalie spent the entire night vigilantly caring for Brandon,without a wink of sleep.
She tried to take short rests at the edge of the bed,but was alarmed when he developed a high fever in the middle of the night.Despite administering antipyretic medication,his condition didn’t improve.She found herself hydrating him and frequently changing his damp towel to reduce his fever every half an hour It was only at dawn that Brandon’s body temperature finally normalized.
Upon confirming that he was unlikely to suffer another fever,Natalie allowed herself to relax.
Exhaustion overtook her.She rested her head on the edge of the bed and fell into a deep sleep. Brandon slowly opened his eyes,awakened by a faint rustling sound at the edge of the bed.
The first sight that greeted him was Natalie, deeply asleep
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Observing her peaceful slumber,Brandon found himself smiling softly.
He looked at her affectionately,and his hand instinctively moved to caress her face.
In her sleep,Natalie felt a tickling sensation on her face and turned her head away.
Brandon,assuming she was about to wake up, reflexively pulled back his hand.However,she merely shifted her face and continued to sleep. Relieved,he carefully held her hand,silently watching her as if he were beholding a precious gem.
He fell back asleep,his hand still entwined with hers Early the next morning,Laney and Garrett prepared breakfast and came to wake Brandon up.As they opened the door,they were greeted by the sight of Brandon and Natalie,hands clasped together They froze for a moment,unsure whether to enter or retreat.
The sound of the door opening stirred Brandon awake.His first instinct was to check on Natalie Confirming that she was still by his side,he relaxed
Raising his gaze to meet Garrett’s awkward stare at the door,he inquired in a low voice,
“What is it?”
Garett managed an awkward smile,shaking the food box in his hand while saying softly,
“I’ve brought you breakfast.”
Brandon’s demeanor didn’t soften.He glanced at the coffee table,signaling for Garrett to place the food box there and promptly exit the room.
Garrett sighed internally,grumbling about how Brandon prioritized his significant other over his friend.However,he quietly placed the food box on the coffee table,attempting to avoid disturbing the couple.
Distracted by his thoughts and Natalie’s presence, he inadvertently kicked over the washbasin on the floor,causing a loud crash.
The abrupt noise startled Natalie awake.She opened her bleary eyes and looked towards the source of the sound.”Was that thunder?”
Garrett flushed with embarrassment and quickly apologized,”I’m sorry…I was just bringing in breakfast.”
Brandon shot a chilly glance at him,then turned to Natalie with a gentle expression.”It’s still early.Would you like to sleep some more?”
Garrett couldn’t help but feel aggrieved, witnessing Brandon’s starkly different attitudes towards him and Natalie.
Just a second ago,Brandon had given him a frosty look,but now he was showering Natalie with affectionate attention.
Rubbing her sleepy eyes,Natalie shook her head. “No.How are you feeling now?Are you still in pain?Does your wound still hurt?”
As she spoke,she reached out to touch his forehead,checking for any sign of fever.Seeing that his temperature was normal,she let out a sigh of relief.
Noticing her concern,Brandon was touched.He looked at her fondly,replying in a soft voice, “Thank you for looking after me.I’m feeling much better now.”