Aftertaste (Sin #2)

VI.

I don't think, I just react.

"Oh, no," I mumble, pushing the blanket away and standing up. "Go back to the bed, I'll bring you the medicine," I tell him, going to the kitchen and take out the Advil from the cabinet.

When I walk back, I have to light my way with my phone so I don't fall over anything and injure myself in the darkness. I turn the phone light off when I get into the bedroom and I to Alexander's side, giving him the pills and a glass of water.

He takes it and then immediately lies back down, face down on the bed. I take his phone and put it on silent, turning the brightness down. I do the same with mine.

Alexander doesn't get migraines very often, but when he gets them, they put him in bed, sometimes even for days.

I crawl on the bed, careful to not make many movements to disturb him, though the minimum is still too much and he grunts. I don't talk to him when he's in this state because every noise causes him pain. Every light hurts him, too.

I hate when he's like this and I know there's nothing I can do to help him. And now I just feel bad for acting the way I did today, even though he deserved to know that what he said wasn't okay.

I lay beside him, completely still. I'm afraid to even breathe. I don't know if he's awake or he's sleeping. "Gabby," he whispers in the dark.

His hand searches for mine on the bed and he takes it, putting it on his head. He says it helps him when I massage his head. I turn to my side so I have better access and get closer to his body. As soon as I softly massage his head with my fingers, he grunts. We don't talk.

I lean closer to him, kissing the side of his head, hoping I could kiss away his pain.

It's true when they say you hurt when the person you love is hurting, too.

When I know for sure that he's asleep, I fall asleep, too, although I wake up constantly throughout the night, afraid that Alexander will need something and I won't hear him.

In the morning, when the sun barely starts rising, I just decide to get up. I have to go pee and I'm really hungry. Alexander is still asleep so I make sure I'm quiet.

I let him rest and go prepare myself a breakfast. I clean the kitchen afterward and also bring some food to Alexander and a glass of orange juice.

He has his eyes closed when I enter the room but I know he's awake just by the way he's breathing heavier than he would if he was asleep. He's in pain.

I softly bring my hand to the side of his face, but he doesn't open his eyes. His face scrunches. "I have food," I whisper.

"Nuh-uh," he mutters, not wanting it. I was expecting that.

"Drink something, then," I whisper softly.

He partly opens his eyes and he sits up. I help him drink half of the glass and he decides he has enough. He lays back down on the bed, shoving his face into the pillow.