Chapter 5

At Night

Amelia's P.O.V.

Distractedly, I pushed the door open of his bedroom and we both stepped inside.

I brought him near his bed. He moved his arm from my shoulder and sat on the bed, still massaging his forehead.

"You lie down. I am getting a wet towel" As I said this, he raised his head at me giving me a confused look.

I was about to leave only to get back with a towel but got stopped as he managed to utter, “Don’t bother. I am okay. You should go and get some sleep. It's pretty late.”

I turned back to him.

Few questions crossed my mind hearing his words and seeing his condition but I chose to shut, not daring to utter anything and left from there.

For once I thought of really going back to the cottage and getting some sleep but my conscience didn't let me and got supporting my obstinate mind.

Getting a wet towel, I got back to his room. He was still sitting on the corner of his bed, holding his head.

When I got near, he may be sensed a presence and looked up at me.

I saw a faint smile appearing on his face but covering that within moments, he spoke up, “You didn't leave?”

I didn't answer his question but got uttering, “You should lie down." and reached his arm to help him.

He didn't make any fuss but took the help, I offered and laid down. Finding nothing to bring near his bed and sit, I chose the floor and sat on the carpet.

As I kept changing the wet clothes on his forehead, he kept staring at me in confusion.

I uttered while smiling a little, “Close your eyes. Try to get some sleep.”

He tried to speak up something but sensing his trouble in uttering words, I uttered softly, “Please.”

Giving me a slight nod, he closed his eyes. I kept putting wet clothes on his forehead until the fever got down.

I kept staring at his sleeping face for a while. He looked tired for some reason which made me got an urge to trace my hand on his face and was about to give in to my urge but my hand got stopped in the mid-air.

Holding my breath, I tried to calm my heavy heart and then tried to stand up putting my hand on the corner of the bed as support.

But I got stopped feeling a touch on my hand getting me all shocked. I turned to Nathan immediately.

Though he seemed to be in deep slumber, his hand was on mine getting me unnecessarily nervous.

I tried to get my hand free only to get him tightening the hold on my hand.

Being somewhat sleepy, I couldn't get myself to think of anything else. Sitting on the floor, I kept my head on the corner of the bed and closed my eyes letting sleep to engulf me.

Early in the morning opening my eyes, I got somewhat shocked to see myself in Nathan’s room but the memories of last night got registered in my mind within seconds and I turned to Nathan.

I was about to reach his forehead but stopped midway getting shocked, he was all awake, staring at me. I immediately looked down and kept looking here and there avoiding his gazes. I forcefully stopped myself from reaching his forehead to check whether he was still feverish.

Without uttering anything when I was about to get up and leave the room, he held my hand and spoke up, “Wait.”

I felt a tingling sensation on that mere touch but stopped myself from uttering anything.

But right then the door to his room got wide open and I heard my Mom uttering my name in disbelief, “Amelia?”

Nathan left my hand the very next moment and I got up. Mom entered the room staring at me whereas I got my head down. Nathan immediately got down from the bed and tried to utter, “Ma'am, don't”. Mom was shocked at Nathan, hearing him addressing her like that so was I.

But interrupting him at that point, Mom spoke up, “We are sorry, Mr. Edward.”

And holding my hand, she got me out of the room and forwarded towards the cottage.

I didn't utter anything until we reached our room. Entering the room, she locked the door behind and turned to me.

I got uttering then, “Mom, it's nothing like that. Nathan was ill last night. I happened to see him wobbly walking and was just helping him.”

“It’s Mr Edward, Amelia. Don’t forget that. All our life, we just had one thing. Dignity. If someone else saw you instead of me, will they believe you given our position here? The answer is a big No. Our dignity would get finished and we would get called gold diggers. Do you want that?”

Hearing Mom, I got my head down again and spoke up, "I am sorry Mom. I will keep that in mind afterward.”

Mom again spoke up getting near me and touching my cheek, “I am sorry dear. But they gave us shelter when we badly needed one. So we should be grateful to them and just do our job properly, right?”

I uttered with a little bit of a smile, “Right, Mom.” and hugged her.

I always knew whatever I was feeling was not right in any possible way. Still, I got ahead like a fool, making my mother feel sorry which I wanted the least. I really hated myself.

I got muttering again under my breath, “I am sorry, Mom.”

Nathan’s P.O.V.

Amelia left with her mother without turning back for once. I didn’t know why but I always kept wishing that she would turn back to me for once but she never did.

Not even for a single time.

It didn’t happen for the first time that I fell sick but it was for the first time, that someone was by my side. She could have left me alone like others always had done, even my Mom.

I was neglected by my parents since childhood. I don’t remember a single day spent with them. They were always busy extending their business leaving me behind with my nanny. I felt ignored and unattended but couldn’t get myself to be demanding of anything as I was scared of their response.

I didn’t get along with people, and didn’t make friends as I was busy trying my best not to make any trouble for them. Wishing in return, that they would give me attention, care, and love but no. Nothing like that ever happened. I only turned into a heartless and unsocial person.

With Katrina, I knew what type of future, I would get and I wanted that the least.

But with this girl, Amelia around, I started feeling strangely content. She wasn’t supposed to be by my side even though I asked her to leave despite my wish but she didn’t. Though she was a maid here in this house, it was not in her job to do that. Not at that time of night. But still, she stayed with me when I needed someone.

My chain of thought got interrupted as I heard Mom uttering as she got entered into my room, “Nathan, baby. I am so excited about your engagement. It's just one week left. Listen, we are going to shift to our resort until you get married. Pack your stuff. We will celebrate your engagement and wedding so grandly and lavishly that the whole country will watch in wonder and remember that for a long time.”

I just smiled at that and she left my room. A thought got crossed my mind and I uttered under my breath “Then I won't be able to see her any next time till long.”

Maybe it would be good for both of us.

Leaving the thought, I got near the closet and taking my clothes, I entered the washroom.

I took a long cold shower and then got downstairs. Taking breakfast, I got back to my room.

~~

We reached the resort when it was late in the afternoon. Katrina’s family was already there. Getting settled and freshen up, we got in the living room.

Seeing me, Katrina spoke up turning to my Mom, “Aunty, can we go out for a while?”

I was about to refuse for that giving something as an excuse. But got interrupted as my Mom got uttering, “Sure, sweetheart. Nathan, take her out. There is a shopping mall at a little distance. You also can give it a look whether you like something.”

Katrina spoke up all smiling, “That’s great, Aunt. But I hate carrying shopping bags.”

Mom again spoke up, “Oh, no. I can't make you carry them, sweetheart. Wait a moment.”

With that Mom turned behind and uttered a little loudly, “Amelia...?”

To my utter surprise, she got in front of us where I thought I wouldn't see her for a while.

Mom got uttering turning to Katrina, “From now on she will be your personal maid.” finger pointing at Amelia, getting me even more shocked....