"Wow, this isn't like you," Jasper said.
Harold scowled at him.
"So you decided to run away from her?" Agatha asked. "Understandable, but that's not helpful, especially since it's affecting your work."
"I know, but what else do I have to do?"
"Talk to her." Agatha and Jasper said in unison.
Harold blinked at the pair. He had rarely seen the two of them agree on something as they rarely interacted with each other within work or outside of it.
However, they were right. He had to stop avoiding Rayne and speak to her eventually. In addition, he has not claimed his towel since that incident in the elevator.
"Okay, I will," Harold said, looking at the two in amusement. "You two managed to come to an understanding at my expense."
Agatha and Jasper stared at each other, then at him. "What are you talking about? We get along swimmingly."
Harold raised an eyebrow then they burst into laughter. The trio laughing was what Tracy and another faculty member saw when they entered the room. They stared at each other and shrugged.
* * *
Harold was puzzled when he saw an ambulance parked in front of the building. He wondered what was going on when he saw an ambulance. It meant that there was a severe emergency or, in today's climate, a patient tested positive for the virus and would be needed to be rushed to the hospital for confinement.
That meant a complete lockdown on the building for fourteen days. Fortunately for him, he would be conducting online classes during that time.
Once he got out of the elevator, he saw Mrs. Gonzales wearing a mask and a face shield, looking worried, and she was wringing her hands while two paramedics were on standby with a stretcher across the door next to his place.
Hold on… Harold thought as panic coursed through his veins. Dropping his things, he rushed to the building manager. "What happened to Rayne?!" He nearly shouted at the wide-eyed woman.
Harold was beyond panicked; he was terrified at the idea of something terrible happening to Rayne, and his body was trembling with fear. He tried to calm himself down, but he was unsuccessful. All kinds of scenarios played in his head, and he was so consumed with his thoughts that he nearly did not hear Mrs. Gonzales talking.
"She called the COVID hotline and reported herself as having the symptoms of the virus. She had been sick for three days and never told anyone until today." Mrs. Gonzales said. "If she was worried about me kicking her out because she was sick…what does she take me for?!"
"She's been sick since when?" Harold said hoarsely.
"Yes, since Wednesday. I saw her yesterday, and she looked pale and kept coughing."
That may explain why he hardly saw her these days. Her remote work had kept her indoors, but she made it a point to go out occasionally. Having her remain indoors for too long was unlike her.
The door opened, and Rayne came out carrying a backpack. She looked horrible. Her hair was messier than ever, she looked like she hastily got dressed, and even if the mask and face shield hid the lower half of her face, her eyes looked tired.
"Mrs. Gonzales, Harold, what are you guys…!" Rayne began, but she started coughing so severely that her body shook.
"Careful, ma'am." One of the paramedics said.
"A stretcher?" Rayne rasped. "I can still walk, you know. See?" She tried to take a step but nearly fell due to another round of coughing.
Instinctively, Harold went to her side and held her close while patting her back.
"Sir! You need to get away from her." The second paramedic said.
Harold glared at the paramedic. "She may have symptoms of the virus, but that doesn't mean she has it. Anyway, I'm at risk already from the moment I entered this building." He then turned to Rayne. "I'm coming with you, okay?"
"No, go away." She growled.
"Too bad for you; I'm not going anywhere." He said, giving her a boyish grin.
Rayne made a sound between hissing and growling as she glared at him.
"Sir, we might as well get going. Ms. Valera, are you sure you can walk?"
Before Rayne could answer, Harold gathered her in his arms. He barked at one of the paramedics to get the backpack from her. "Now is not the time to pick a fight. Go to that stretcher, or I will take you to the ambulance."
Rayne pressed her lips in a thin line, but she nodded, although her eyes promised retribution once she recovered.
"Yes, yes, you can kill me later. Now be a good girl and here you go, stay on that stretcher." Harold said as he gently placed her on the stretcher.
"Bubbles..." She said breathlessly.
"No worries, I'll keep an eye on your cat." Mrs. Gonzales said. "I'll feed him later at six pm."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome. Just recover."
The four of them left the floor via elevator, and Harold was now carrying Rayne's backpack eyeing her in worry.
"I'm not dead yet, prof," Rayne said dryly.
"Stop with the prof schtick already and stop talking; I can practically hear you chasing your breath."
Harold earned a scowl in return, but she remained silent, especially since the paramedic had removed her face shield and surgical mask, replacing them with an oxygen mask.
Once they were at the hospital, Rayne was seen by a doctor who ordered her to have a chest x-ray. Harold made it a point to accompany her every step of her check-up and even be the one who went to the hospital pharmacy and bought the needed medications.
"Bacterial pneumonia." The doctor said as he stared at the computerized x-ray of Rayne's lungs. "But per protocol, you would still need to undergo a swab test."
Rayne nodded while Harold asked the doctor where they should go for her swab test. The doctor provided them the directions, and the pair went to the hospital park, which served as a temporary outpatient clinic and testing center for patients who were suspected of having the virus.
Harold ignored how the female and gay nurses were eyeing him with interest as he focused his attention on Rayne. He ensured he was by her side so that if she needed him, he would be there immediately. He also witnessed firsthand how the RT-PCR testing worked, and he was not surprised at how Rayne was trying not to scream when it was time for the nurse to do the nasal swab. She was clenching her fists all the while, and Harold hated to see her in pain.
When it was over, Rayne was talking to the nurse, asking how long the results would take to come out.
"Three days, but if it comes out positive, you will be fetched by an ambulance for the next 24 hours." The nurse said.
"I see." She croaked and smiled at her. "Thanks." She added as she gestured for Harold to come to her.
Harold was immediately at her side. "What did she say?"
"Depending on the result, I might see that ambulance again."
Harold knew what she meant, and he began to worry in earnest. If she ended up positive, she would be in isolation for ten to fourteen days, and since he was with her, he would be required to be tested and quarantined. He did not mind the quarantine, but he was concerned about whether Rayne would get better or not.
"We better get back home and start with your medications." He said.
The ambulance to the hospital did not take them back home, so the pair ended up hailing a taxi back to their condominium. Rayne was practically falling asleep during the ride, and she leaned against the glass window of the passenger seat. Harold put an arm around her shoulders, gently pulled her to his side, and had her head leaning against his shoulder. Rayne feebly tried to move away, but he was insistent and that it was okay that he would be used as a bed.
Rayne was too tired and sick to argue and did what he said. She closed her eyes and slowly fell asleep.
Harold touched her forehead, and while it felt cooler, he knew she was not yet out of the woods. Bacterial pneumonia is manageable but could be deadly when not treated immediately. He would need to change his daily routine for the next two weeks. He fished out his phone from his pocket, unlocked it, and did a speed dial on Jasper's number.