Marcus Harrison's Paradise

A New Feeling

After I separated all the peas from the soup, Marcus slowly drank it. While he was drinking it – I fetched some medicines, a thermometer, and a towel for him. When I came back into the room, he was already done with the soup. His eyes were closed while the tray was still resting on his thighs.

"Mr. Harrison?" I called out his name. He slowly opened his eyes and looked straight at me – without uttering a single word. "Do you feel like throwing up?" I asked as I approached him. He weakly shook his head – I nodded my head and sat beside him. "I am going to check your fever, okay?" I said at which I got no response so, I simply look thermometer from its case and brought it closer to his closed mouth. He gave me a side-glance before sighing and taking the thermometer from my hand and putting it in his mouth.

While the thermometer was in his mouth – he closed his eyes. I looked at his face more closely this time. I never noticed the mole he has on the side of his nose and also a stitches scar just under his stubble. My eyes roamed from his closed thin lips – with a thermometer in between them, to his naturally brown hair, to the strong jawline, to his impressive cheekbones, to his milky chocolate eyes, to his wide forehead. My eyes widened and went back to his now opened eyes that were staring back at mine. I gulped as I noticed that he has already taken the thermometer out of his mouth and now it was resting in between his fingers. I averted my eyes from his face as I felt my face lose all the blood – he saw me staring at him. I hesitantly took the thermometer from his fingers and looked at it. "103°F" I whispered and then looked at him, "You need to see a doctor, Mr. Harrison," I said while handing him the thermometer to see it himself.

He shook his head, "It's nothing. Just give me the medicine – I will be okay." He said while he tried to get up.

I frowned, "What happened? Do you feel nausea?" I asked worriedly.

His browed knitted, "What? No. No – I am going to take a shower. I have to go to work. I am already very late." He said while standing up on his feet but, misbalanced. He was about to fall but, I held him by his arm. He closed his eyes tightly and put his hand over my shoulder to gain the balance, "Fuck." He cursed under his breath. He rubbed his forehead with his thumb while slowly sitting back on the bed with my help.

"Mr. Harrison, going to work in this condition doesn't seem like a good idea," I said and helped him lay on the bed.

"I have to be there." He mumbled, "Where is the medicine you bought?" he asked. I twirled around and took two pills and a glass full of water from the nightstand and handed it over to him. He sat up and put the pills in his mouth before gulping them down with water. "I will be okay in a bit. Thank you for helping me, Miss McGill – I appreciate it but, I think you should leave now." He said while handing me half-empty glass of water.

"Mr. Harrison, you need someone to take care of you," I said while putting the glass back on the nightstand and walking towards the bathroom with the towel in my hand. I wetted it with cool water and walked out of the bathroom.

Marcus looked at me, "What are you doing?" he asked as I walked near to him.

I didn't reply to him, sat beside him, and put the wet towel over his forehead. He jerked his head away. "What are you doing?" he asked again.

"I am putting these wet towels over your forehead. It will help in decreasing fever." I said and slowly put the towel back on his forehead. He looked unsure but, didn't say anything while I sat the towel over his forehead. After putting the towel on his forehead – I stood up and took the tray with an almost empty bowl of soup from the bed and put it on the side table. I look around the room and it was a complete mess. I sighed and bend down to pick the empty beer bottles from the floor.