Chapter 3 - Bed Rest of Love

Dariel squinted his eyes at the sudden bright environment he found himself. Everywhere seemed blurry at first while trying to open his eyes. His head ached so badly, it felt like there was some hard welding work going on there.

He saw himself on a big bed, three times the size of his own at home. The bedsheets were immaculate white and the room smelled of fresh rose flowers.

“This surely smells like heaven” he thought.

He tried so hard to remember how he got here and his head seemed to ache much more whenever he tried thinking.

Just then, he heard the door open and the person was headed in his direction. The footsteps were not heavy, like that of a woman or maybe he was overthinking.

“Good morning to you, how are you doing, I hope you're okay”, the voice said almost apologetically.

Dariel knew he had heard that voice before and he saw the face. It was the lady from the elevator, Geena, yes, her name was Geena.

“I am sorry Dariel, I know you have a lot of questions, and I will answer each and everyone of them” Geena said with pity laced with a smile.

Dariel was lost in her beauty, this certainly was heaven to him!! He couldn't remember how he got here but somehow he was glad he was here.

“What happened, how did I get here, ouch!!” He tried sitting up, and the pain got worse. He now realized he also had pains at his back and on his left arm. The pains were so discomforting.

“Well, once again I'm really sorry Dariel, while coming back from work yesterday, my driver accidentally knocked you down and you were unconscious, I had to bring you home to be attended to by my family doctor” Geena replied.

“Ohh, I remember now, I was on my earpiece and it was loud, that's why I didn't hear the car approaching. I'm sorry too, I love music and I love it loud, it was also my fault” Dariel said.

“My grandma has warned me that this bad habit of mine would certainly get me into trouble and it eventually did”, he said trying to smile.

“Please don't stress, relax yourself, I've made sure everything is put in place for your recovery. The doctor asserted that you're alright, no major damage was done” Geena assured.

“Okay ma'am, that's somewhat reassuring”.

“Here we go again with the ‘ma'am’ thing, I've already told you my name is Geena, let's stick with Geena”

“I know but I'm finding it hard to call you by that name, I mean, you're my boss.

“You didn't find it hard to call me Geena at the elevator”

“Well, that was different”, he said trying to avoid her eyes. Those eyes could definitely bring global warming. They seemed so hot but somehow inviting and receptive.

“Please call me Geena, it's the least I can do after putting you in such condition”.

“You didn't do anything, ma'am….ummm, sorry Geena”. While talking, the doctor stepped in, in a well tailored suit and a brief case with him.

“You're up already, that in itself is a miracle” the doctor said.

“Welcome Doc. Thank heavens for miracles” Geena added with a sigh of relief. The doctor gave a wide smile and went on to touch Dariel on his head, checked his pulse and put a thermometer into mouth to check the temperature.

“You're okay Sir. You'll just need at least 2 days bed rest for your body to heal up. I will give the home nurse some medications for you to take later on. Just rest and eat.” The doctor said “On that note Miss Geena, I beg to take my leave, I have a choked schedule today”.

“Thank you Doctor” Geena and Dariel said almost together and turned to look at each other. Geena knew Dariel was an emotional risk she had no business taking, yet her heart stubbornly refused to agree. Every moment spent with him only pulled her deeper into feelings she had sworn never to entertain again.

“Bed rest for two whole days?” Dariel exclaimed. “What then happens to my work?”

“You seem to forget that you're in your boss's house” Geena noted with a suppressed smile.

Dariel understanding her joke, added with a serious face, “Hope I don't loose my job, boss, I really do not have where else to go from there”. With that, they both shared a hearty laugh.

“Well, Dariel, you're stuck in my house for 2 days and I may as well not go to work for those 2 days. The best I can do will be to keep you company”. Geena said very seriously.

“And before you say anything, I'm not asking for your permission, it's what I'm gonna do” Geena added.

“Aye Captain Geena, I hope it will be worth the while”. Dariel stated.

“Trust me, by the end of your stay, you will not want to go. You may be tempted to be my housemate” Geena teased.

“With the size of this house, I think you'll need more than 1 house mate”, Dariel said with a little laugh. Geena loved the way he tried laughing even when he was obviously in pain. Now he was looking like the Dariel she met at the elevator - jovial and interesting.

“Forgive my manners Dariel, you must be really hungry, considering that you've been asleep for hours. What can I offer my handsome patient?” Geena inquired.

“I'm not used to billionaire meals, but whatever you think is good, will be fine for me. I trust your judgement”.

Geena picked up the house phone beside Dariel's bed and called the kitchen telling them to serve bacon and eggs with a lot of fresh milk to Dariel's room.

“Your order’s coming right up”, she confirmed.

“Thank you, guess I didn't even realize I was hungry until you asked me”.

“Good thing I asked then”.

“Are you usually this nice or are you pacifying your conscience for the accident?”

“You have 2 days to spend with me, I will let you be the judge of that”. The words she said made her heart leap for joy. She'd have this sweet charming man to herself for two days and she was ready to make the best of it.

“I'm sorry if it felt rude but being a billionaire and being nice doesn't seem to mix well” Dariel asserted.

“I'm not offended, I understand you perfectly but I guess I'm different from others you may have met”, Geena responded.

Just then, the cook came in to the room with Dariel's breakfast and the aroma really had Dariel's stomach rumbling. He could really feel the hunger now.

The cook served the food and Geena thanked her “Thank you very much, I hope you've worked your magic?”

“Certainly ma'am, it's what I know how to do best”. With that, the cook walked out of the room. Before Geena turned to Dariel, he was already digging into the food.

“Dariel!!!!!” Geena echoed, “take it easy, you're gonna choke on the food”.

With a full mouth and smile hanging on his face, Dariel paused and apologized “I'm sorry, but I can't help it”.

The sight of him in that state got Geena laughing so hard. She loved the fact that he was so dramatic and real. He didn't act like who he wasn't but showed off his real self.

“If you laugh at me like that one more time, you're gonna make me feel shy and I may not be able to eat again” Dariel said this and made a baby face at Geena.

Trying so hard to suppress her laughter, she stated “I will try my best not to, if only you stop being dramatic”.

“I grew up with my grandma - the most dramatic woman I've ever known, guess her attitude has rubbed off on me”.

“You seem to love your grandma a lot, that's the second time you've mentioned her in less than no time”.

“Yes, my Grandma is the best thing that ever happened to me. I never knew my parents since I was born, she took care of me ever since I was a baby, I literally owe her my life”.

“She must be a very sweet woman then”.

“Yes she is. Talking about my Grandma, where's my phone? She must be worried sick, since I didn't come home yesterday”.

“Ummmmm, about that. Your phone was damaged during the accident, I thought of getting you a new one when you're okay”.

“That's not a problem, can I get a phone to call her, I know her number by memory”.

“Use mine then”, Geena urged. From the bedside where she sat, she could see his half naked body. The balance on his shoulders, his well packed stomach and his protruding chest, she surely knew she could pay in millions to run her hands through that body.

She passed her phone to him and he quickly dialed the number. He spoke to his Grandma for a while and returned the phone to her.

“Thank you, she was absolutely worried, said she even struggled to sleep at night”

“Hope she's okay now?”

“Having heard my voice, I can say she is”. Dariel still felt like it was a dream. Waking up in a billionaire’s mansion, having the best breakfast of his life and spending 2 days with an “angel who fell from heaven”. He didn't think there was anything better than this.

Dariel yawned a little too loudly, he informed Geena, “The doctor said I should eat and sleep, now that I'm done eating, guess the sleep part is here”

“Okay then, lemme let you sleep”. As Geena was about to stand up and head out, Dariel put his hands on hers and pleaded “Please stay, for some reason, I don't wanna be alone, stay”.

With joy bubbling in her heart at his request, she sat down and ensured she went nowhere. She wasn't sure of this feeling, but it sure felt really good.

*************************

Dariel woke up to find Geena fast asleep right beside him. He felt some relief from the pains in his body, seemed like the doctor's instructions on bed rest were already working.

He looked at Geena again, that curvy body lying besides him was out of this world. He didn't know how to explain it, but everything about Geena felt as though she had been crafted by the heavens rather than born of the earth. She surely came from God's right hand.

The only thing on his mind was to cuddle her, she looked like she wanted it too. Well, what was the worse that could happen, if she wasn't interested, she'd simply take his hands off her body.

He crossed his hand right over her body and she shifted herself closer to him, still unconscious. There was no space between them and he could smell her cologne better. She smelled like a perfect ‘combo of love'. He literally loved everything about her.

He lay still, watching her body react as she breathed in and out. Even asleep, he could still feel her warmth and presence. Geena turned her body, still in his arms and faced him. Their faces having literally one inch of space between them.

She opened her eyes slowly and met Dariel's sea blue eyes staring straight at her soul. He seemed to be looking way beyond her.

“You're up already?” she asked.

“Not too long, I was watching you sleep, you look so innocent while sleeping” he noted.

“I was never guilty of anything”, she said, with a smile.

“Well, my dear, you're guilty of knocking me out in the accident and also, stealing my fragile little heart”.

“Ohhhh”, she laughed. “Accident? yes. The heart? I have absolutely no idea about that”.

“Now you've been informed”, he stated.

Geena's heartbeat tripled. Being this close to Dariel gave her peace and chaos at the same time. How could one human being be this handsome, she thought.

They both stared at each other without saying anything. Dariel wanted to kiss those full lips of hers more than anything.

Dariel gathered the courage and asked “Geena, can I kiss you?”

“I can't see exactly what's stopping you” Geena responded with a wide grin.

That was all he needed to hear. Dariel took her lips in and took it slow, then he went deeper into it the same way he did with his breakfast.

With that kiss, Geena was lost, all her defense mechanisms crashed. She could feel a relaxed weakness take over her body. All she wanted was more of his lips, more and more and more and more.

Dariel paused and stared at her, she was certainly the most beautiful woman he had ever met in his life. He was sure of that now.

“Why did you stop?” Geena cried with a soft tap on his chest.

“I thought you weren't into it” Dariel teased. She lifted her left hand to his cheek and continued kissing him. She wanted to live in that fantasy forever!!

***************************

They spent the next day together, both not letting each other out of their sights. They had breakfast but this time on the dining table. They played games, had a tour of the mansion.

Towards evening, they took a stroll at the garden behind the mansion. Both their hands were locked in, Dariel plucked a flower and fixed it on the side of Geena's hair. He thought that her beauty made the flower look more beautiful and not the other way round.

“Geena, I feel something for you, it's beyond liking you, I feel like we were meant to happen” Dariel noted.

“The elevator meeting was a divine orchestration” Geena corresponded.

“I know it may sound too soon Geena, but I'm certain that I've fallen for you. Somewhere between that little laugh of yours and your receptive nature, you're very special to me” Dariel said, open heartedly.

“Dariel, aren't you tired of making me blush, my cheeks literally hurt” Geena started with a little laugh.

“But I'm serious, what I feel for you is something I have never felt before. The peace and safety I feel around you is nothing to be compared. The sight of you gladdens me”

“What then are you insinuating, Dariel”

He paused, turned to her “I love you Geena Stones. Yes, it may be too soon. Yes it may sound strange, but the heart certainly knows what it wants. It is what it is. I love you”.

Geena's heart skipped, it's been long since she heard those words. It wasn't just the words, it was how they made her feel and who it came from. Dariel was just perfect, that she couldn't deny.

“I think I love you too Dariel, but I'm not gonna say it”, she said that and broke loose from his grip and started running.

He ran after her, playfully, nothing else made sense to him, she was all that mattered now.

*****************************

Dariel's bed rest was over and it was time to head back to his home. Geena offered to drop him home and of course he obliged. He just wanted to be around her all the time.

They stepped into the car and drove straight for the midtown of the lovely Los Angeles City where Dariel lived. Geena loved the average and simple lifestyle of the people in the mid town. She kept staring at the window.

Dariel finally told the driver to stop at his home and on coming down, his Grandma was already out to see him. He ran towards her and gave her a big hug.

Geena stepped down too to come and greet his Grandma. His Grandma shifted Dariel to one side in order to take a better look at Geena.

As Geena was approaching the Grandma, the Grandma asked “Geena Stones?”

Geena feeling bewildered replied with a “Yes?”

“I knew it!!!! You're all grown up now” the Grandma added.

“I’m sincerely sorry ma'am, but I don't seem to remember you” Geena responded.

“Well, my dear, you were so little then, you may not remember me. I WAS YOUR NANNY”.