Esmee woke up from sleep when she heard banging on the restaurant door. She moaned softly as she tried to get up from her bed, then briefly massaged her dizzy head before she decided to get out of bed.
Just as she was about to leave the bed, her cell phone suddenly rang. Esmee instantly turned her attention to the phone on the table next to her bed.
"Yes, Marie," Esmee said as she answered Marie's call.
"I'm downstairs. Do you still have a fever?" Marie asked.
Esmee sighed and smiled. Suddenly, Esmee's eyes caught something on the floor. She lifted her head slightly to the floor. Her eyes widened when she saw William sleeping on the floor beside her bed.
"Hey, Esmee. Are you still there?"
Marie's voice startled Esmee out of her reverie when she saw William. "Oh, yeah. I feel much better this morning. But I think I'm gonna close the restaurant today."
"Yes, of course, you need to rest," Marie said.
Esmee chuckled. "You can take on holiday today."
"Before that, open your door first. I brought you some soup," said Marie.
"Hold on, I'm going downstairs." Esmee then switched off the phone with Marie.
She slowly got out of bed so she wouldn't wake William up. She looked at William for a while, who was curled up on the floor, while letting out a long sigh. Esmee then pulled the blanket and used it to cover William's body. After that, Esmee went downstairs to meet Marie.
***
Marie rushed into the restaurant when Esmee opened the door for her. After putting the soup she brought on the table in the kitchen, Marie approached Esmee and put the back of her hand on Esmee's forehead. Marie nodded her head after ensuring Esmee had no fever anymore.
"Seems all good here," Marie said.
Esmee nodded and gave Marie the best smile she had. The two of them then sat down at the dining table. Esmee opened the lid of the pot that Marie had brought. The aroma of garlic and basil filled the kitchen area when Esmee opened the lid.
Esmee's eyes rounded as she looked at Marie. "You made this pestou yourself?"
Marie let out a long sigh. "Do you think anyone else in my house can cook?"
Esmee shook his head at Marie's answer. She then smelled the soup while asking Marie, "Can I try it?"
"I made it for you so you can eat properly. Not for you to look at and smell," Marie said.
Esmee was about to rise to her feet to take the bowl when Marie's hand held her back. "You just sit down. Let me get the bowl."
Esmee finally sat back down and let Marie get the dishes for them. Moments later, Marie returned with two bowls and a spoon. After that, Marie spooned a bowl full of soup for Esmee.
"You have to eat a lot. Don't think about your weight. You're not a dancer anymore, and you look so thin than the last time I remember. Don't make people think you're malnutrition," teased Marie as she handed Esmee a bowl of soup.
"You don't have to remind me of that," Esmee said.
Marie glanced at Esmee. "Of course, I've to remind you to gain some weight. Your breast almost looks like a cutting board cause you're too thin."
"Oh, come on. I still have my breast."
"Let's eat. I make this soup special for you. I put a spell on it, so your breast will get bigger again." Marie chuckled after she finished her words.
"You crazy witch." Esmee punches Marie's hand softly. She then started to eat the soup in her bowl.
Esmee took a deep breath as she spooned the soup into her bowl. She briefly inhaled the aroma of the soup before putting it into her mouth. As soon as the soup entered her mouth, Esmee's eyes rounded, and she looked at Marie with an incredulous look.
"Wow! You should help me in the kitchen," Esmee said.
Marie chuckled. "Nope, I'd rather meet people than face a pot and stove every day."
Esmee laughed while enjoying Marie's soupe au pestou. Seeing Esmee eating her soup enthusiastically, Marie spooned some for herself and started enjoying it.
----
William stretched his body as soon as he opened his eyes. He growled as he felt his body that felt stiff after sleeping on the floor.
"What is this?" William muttered when he saw the blanket covering his body. William's eyes widened as he realized it was the blanket used by Esmee.
William immediately got up when he saw that Esmee was not in her bed. He then grabbed his cell phone and tried to call Esmee.
William paused for a moment when he heard a vibrating sound nearby. He looked for the source of the sound while waiting for Esmee to answer her phone. As soon as he saw the source of the vibrating sound was Esmee's cell phone, William turned off his cell phone while letting out a long sigh.
"Don't tell me she went grocery shopping," William muttered.
William chuckled again. "Why is she so stubborn?"
Grunting in annoyance, William hurriedly left Esmee's room. He walked quickly down the stairs to the restaurant.
***
"Esmee!"
Marie froze when she heard a man's voice calling Esmee outside the kitchen. She then looked at Esmee. "Isn't that William?"
Esmee nodded her head. She then shouted to William. "I'm in the kitchen."
A second later, the kitchen door opened, and William appeared at the door. Marie was surprised to see William looking disheveled. "You? Isn't the front door still locked? There's no way you could have broken through the wall."
"I'm spending the night here," William said as he walked over to Esmee, who was sitting at the dining table.
Marie's eyes rounded, and she looked at Esmee with an unbelieving look. "You and William?"
William seemed to ignore Marie's presence in the kitchen. He casually placed the back of his hand on Esmee's forehead.
"I'm fine," Esmee said.
William let out a long sigh. "I thought you went grocery shopping."
Esmee shook her head. "Today, I decided to close my restaurant."
Marie looked at William and Esmee who seemed to ignore her. "Hey, I'm still here."
Esmee immediately looked at Marie while laughing softly, while William sat on the chair beside Esmee. William then glanced at the pot on the dining table. Then he glanced at Marie. "Who made this soup? Did you or Esmee make it?"
Esmee answered William's question. "Marie made it. You must be hungry, right? Let me get you a bowl."
Esmee got up from her seat and walked towards the storage cabinet to get a bowl for William. Marie, who was with William at the dining table, looked at him with a questioning gaze.
"Are you staying here?" asked Marie.
William looked at Marie and nodded while massaging his neck. "She had a high fever last night. I couldn't leave her."
Marie nodded in understanding. "Thank goodness. I was worried that there was no one to look after her."
Esmee returned to the dining table, spooned the soup into the bowl she had brought, and then gave it to William. After that, she sat back in her chair and watched William.
Marie noticed Esmee who was looking at William. She cleared her throat softly and made Esmee turn to her.
"Since you get better, I could leave you with William," Marie said, glancing at William to tease Esmee. She hurried to tidy up her bowl. Then she said goodbye to Esmee and William.
Esmee escorted Marie to the back door. "Thank you for the soup."
Marie giggled while patting Esmee's arm. She glanced again at William, who was eating at the dining table. "Enjoy your day off."
***