Death Wish

16 | Doctor's Patience

Chapter 16

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The morning sun was out, shining in all its glory and giving life to the things beneath it. Raina walked into the living room with a slight frown, placing her purse down. Her eyes immediately trailed through the length of the massive staircase in worry. Roux Addington never came down for breakfast and she had no time to check up on him since the children were running late.

Coming back from dropping them off at school, she was surprised to see he still had not shown up. The events of last night still played in her memory, the ball, their meal under the moonlight, the dance, the freedom. She had not felt that way in a long time and she had Roux Addington to thank for that.

Taking a deep breath, she dared herself to go up the stairs, forcing her legs to move towards the direction of Rouxs' room. She just wanted to see if he was alright. Why was she so nervous? They were friends now, were they not?

With a sigh, Raina curled her fingers and gave three sharp knocks on the oakwood door, replied with an eerie silence. Raina frowned and knocked once again, " Roux? Are you alright? "

Her heartbeat spiked up in worry and she immediately twisted the knob and pushed open the door, walking into the dark room. She could hear grunts and shuffling coming from Roux Addington's bed and her feet immediately took her towards the curtains and she spread them open, letting the morning light seep into the room.

A groan left Rouxs' lips as he was blinded by the harsh sunlight, his weak hand reaching up to cover his eyes and shield them from the light as much as he could. Raina gasped at his appearance. His body was drenched in sweat, the strands of his hair sticking to his face as he rolled over. A box of tissue laid besides him with some crumpled pieces scattered all over. Her eyes widened in realization before she rushed towards him. Roux Addington was sick.

" Oh goodness! What happened to you? " Raina questioned in worry as she placed her hand on his forehead to feel his temperature. Roux Addington let out a groan as the feeling of her skin on his seemed to annex more heat to his body.

" A result of the junk I had last night " He rolled over and covered his face with a pillow, wrapping his large arms around the soft cushion to secure it. Raina glared at him for his words before snatching the pillow from his face.

" This has nothing to do with the hotdog, Roux. You have a fever " Raina got up from the bed and headed into his bathroom to find a health kit.

A moment later, she returned with the box (along with a small bucket filled with lukewarm water and a towel) and then pulled out a thermometer to place underneath his tongue. After sometime, she pulled it out and the digits showed he just had a minor fever. The scene reminded her of the time she had fallen ill. He had been there to aid her and now the roles had been reversed.

Dipping the towel into the water, Raina used it to repeatedly press down his body to reduce his temperature a bit. The dipping, squeezing and pressing method was over in no time and Raina tidied up the slightly scattered bedroom, disposing the crumpled tissue papers before she returned her appliances, walking back towards Roux.

He had been silent the whole time. Asides Meera Addington, no one else had ever taken care of him in such a way. Thea Addington would have immediately phoned his personal doctor and forced some medicine down his throat while he waited but Raina McCoy was different. He surprisingly liked being aided for by her, the feeling of her soft hand on his hard body. He wanted to bask in her presence.

" Just wait right here while I go make you some breakfast and soup for your fever. I will be back in no time " Raina told him and attempted walking away but he gripped onto her arm.