The Only Way is Up

Part Ten

Chapter Ten

"Something smells nice."

Maxim was sat cross legged on the floor across the room from her, a magazine in his hands, "really?"

Nicole pulled herself into sitting with a groan, "I'm sorry, to put you out so much."

He put down the magazine and shook his head, "not at all. You look better."

Nodding, she ran a hand through her hair, then grimaced at the tangles, "hmm, was going to say I am, but not so sure."

He laughed, "you've been asleep for a couple of hours, you're not likely to wake up pristine. But you have colour, you look like yourself. You looked awful earlier."

"Thanks for staying though."

Shrugging he jumped to his feet, "no problems. Do you want a drink?"

She ran her tongue around her dry mouth and nodded, "would you mind getting me a glass of water?"

He shook his head, moving out to the kitchen to fill a glass, returning he handed it to her, "you hungry?"

Was she? It rumbled as if to command, but she also felt nauseous at the same time. "Not sure, stomach feels s a little sensitive."

"I've made soup..." Her suddenly wide eyes opened in shock, "what? I can cook."

"You MADE soup in my house?"

Maxim laughed, "yes. I ordered in some things...I truly have to speak to you about your diet, there was little other than potato chips and biscuits. Refined sugar and trans fats. You are undoing ALL your hard work if you eat these things."

Groaning, she slumped back against the sofa, "I hate salad; please don't take away my food heaven."

"You just need moderation, now I have made soup, it's nutritious and alkalising. Basically it's giving you lots of nutrients, no fat, and it stabilises the acidity of the stomach. You'll feel a lot better for it."

He returned a few moments later with a bowl of green soup.

"What's in it?"

He sat opposite her, watching her stir the bowl with a spoon, "spinach for iron, broccoli for vitamins, ginger settles the stomach, and turmeric is a natural antibiotic. All the things an ill body needs."

She sipped at it slowly, it wasn't horrible, and her body didn't protest too loudly, but halfway into the bowl she had to put the bowl to one side and lie back down.

"The room is spinning."

He'd come to kneel beside her, "you need a doctor?"

She shook her head, closing her eyes, "no. I'm fine, sleep and time. That's all I need. I'll deal with the mortification of you having to do this later."

Grinning he sat back on his heels, "mortification? Don't think like that. I'm glad that I could help."

"I don't like relying on people."

"But you're not. I'd like to think there's some friendship between us, and apparently this is what friends do."

It didn't sit well with her, but she wasn't strong enough to fight him. So she took a few deep breaths instead.

"What's the time?"

"Just before eleven."

Turning towards him she opened her eyes, "you must be wanting to leave."

Shrugging he said, "I'm not worried. If you want me to stay I will."

That made her blush, "I can't expect that. And I'm fine, honest."