Reacting out of fear, I hastily responded without considering my actions and hurried over. With the absence of a lock, I cautiously nudged the door open to gain entry. Upon my arrival, I discovered that May indeed reclining on the bed. As soon as my gaze met hers, the weight that had burdened my heart lifted instantaneously.
She was covered by a quilt that accentuated her slender body remarkably, despite it not being overly bulky. She was very graceful and elegant, though I did not desire to make any inappropriate advances towards her presently. I moved softly, taking care to make small strides in order not to disturb her sleep.
She appeared to be in a deep slumber, extremely calm, not exhibiting any sort of movement. As soon as I approached her, I noticed her flushed complexion and suspected that she might be unwell. Hastily, I placed my hand on her forehead and just as I had assumed, she was running a high fever, in fact, quite a serious one.
May appeared to be in a woeful state, as her eyes were shut, body curled up like an infant, and hands cradled in front of her chest. My countenance appeared heavily saddened as my perception of her continuously fluctuated. At present, I perceived her as a vulnerable and destitute little woman.
With a gentle push, I prompted her, who initially let out a sorrowful wail in a frail and sorrowful tone. Even after pushing her and calling her name, she remained asleep. However, when I called her name again, she gradually opened her eyes. I was horrified to see her red eyes that were bleeding. Nevertheless, she managed to give me a weak smile, "Only you would care for me now".
I could not explain the reason behind my sudden emotional reaction upon hearing her words. I was overcome with a desire to shed tears and embrace her, offering comfort and support. I gently removed her hair from her face and clasped her hand, which was quite warm and velvety.
Despite the pain in my nose, I managed to control my tears and put on a smile as I assured her that I would always be there for her, no matter how the world treated her. Although she seemed to find comfort in my words, she remained silent and shed a few tears, murmuring softly as she was saying "I can't, I can't...".
It was unclear to me why she said that. Could it be due to me not being my he, my youth, or the realization that our relationship would never progress?
I lifted her up and retrieved a damp cloth to place on her forehead, then ventured out to acquire sustenance for her and visited the pharmacy to procure medication. She was extremely calm, resembling a young child in need of my protection, albeit slightly bashful; her gaze constantly fixated on me, leaving me feeling uneasy.
I couldn't bear to meet her gaze and was at a loss for words, and hence, we both mutually agreed to remain silent. In an unexpected moment, an idea occurred to me, yet as it was about to be spoken, I retained it within my mind. Recently, I had the idea to phone Patrick, only to discover that he was in the company of a woman. This led me to believe that his wife held no significant place in his affections.
Despite having the intention to disclose the information to her, her distressed countenance held me back from doing so. Albeit my attempt to conceal my true feelings, it was evident that she had accurately perceived my thoughts as she gazed up at me and inquired, "Do you have anything to express to me?"
I faltered on two occasions, too intimidated to meet her gaze which appeared gentle, yet also assertive. I had the desire to express, yet lacked the courage to do so, as I was aware that uttering it would inevitably cause great distress for her. However, I refrained from speaking at last and kept quiet. If I knew that later then the level of intensity could be so high, I would rather express it in advance in order to minimize the potential pain for her.
During our discussion, I discovered that she had made a voyage to her maternal abode today, accompanied by her young niece. However, she had currently returned unaccompanied. I even felt a bit disoriented as my young niece had left and I wouldn't have the opportunity to witness her nursing...
Following the completion of her medication, she expressed a desire to rest, subsequent to which I switched off the lights and exited her chamber without causing any disturbance. Once again, I had a restless night, as my thoughts were consumed with the image of her, causing me to constantly shift and fidget.
May recovered from her cold by the third day and appeared to be in good spirits, as she didn't bring up the Patrick issue again. Time seemed to fly by swiftly. My little niece was not as burdensome as she and I remained at home, making my days delightful and fulfilling. To my surprise, I discovered that I had developed a fondness for her.
Half a month has zoomed by, denoting my he's absence of a month and a half, during which he has communicated with me three times. No communication with her at all. Over time, I became accustomed to the absence of Patrick, until the weekend arrived and I accompanied her on a grocery shopping trip where I witnessed the mentioned incident.
Over the last fifteen days, She has transformed into a consistently joyful person. I previously assumed that time had the power to erase all things, but today I find that belief to be incorrect. Some occurrences remained unfaltering due to their concealment, which was so profound that it could not be recognized with ease.
The present atmospheric conditions were unfavorable, devoid of sunshine and precipitation, yet breezy with a hint of chill. I have gone shopping for food with her several times before and each time, I found immense joy in witnessing her smile, making me particularly delirious.
I harbored an impudent notion that I was hesitant to express, that when accompanying May through the streets, I may surreptitiously picture us as a romantic duo.
To speak candidly, until very recently, I held the belief that my he would come back unanticipatedly and had a tendency to imagine bumping into him while strolling down the street. Recently, I haven't given much thought to it in a while. Life can be dramatic at times, catching you off guard with unexpected things that you never even considered.
It was I who witnessed Patrick first, who was accompanied by a woman!
Their physical closeness and the way she held onto his hand with tenderness, while leaning against him in a bird-like manner, were noticeable. It goes without saying that this individual was the mistress.
My he and I exchanged glances and although his initial reaction was to freeze, his subsequent facial expression revealed a profound sense of embarrassment and awkwardness. Without thinking, I glanced over at May and noticed she was beginning to turn her head. Suddenly, the grocery on her hand crashed to the floor.
This is going to be really bad.
Upon observing the countenance of May, I immediately discerned that there was a problem. As anticipated, her complexion turned ghostly as she fixated her gaze on the nearby Patrick and the woman. Moreover, his countenance bore an unpleasant and unappealing aspect, reminiscent of a piece of blue iron.
Of the four individuals present, the woman exhibited the greatest poise, though even she was slightly excited and clung more tightly onto Patrick's arm while gazing at his wife with a tilted head. Unbearable was the sight of that haughty woman; I was eagerly anticipating the opportunity to deliver a resounding slap to her.
There was a noticeable tension in the air as the four of us exchanged uncertain glances. Out of the group, Patrick and May's reactions were particularly strange. Nevertheless, following a brief moment of eye contact, he emitted a low sound of disapproval and promptly made a pivot to exit. The body of May exhibited a slight sway, but she quickly regained her composure and pursued him with a bitten lip.
Observing her running ahead, I refused to remain idle and quickly pursued her. He turned around and quickly fled, feeling thoroughly repulsed by his wife.
Despite holding groceries, May's pace was not sufficient to match that of her husband. She suddenly came to a halt and exclaimed, "Patrick! You jerk, stop now!"
Although she spoke, it appeared that her husband did not perceive her, as he continued to swiftly chase after his mistress. She was sprinting hastily when she stumbled and lost her balance, causing her to injure her knee and started bleeding. Without delay, I rushed to her aid and noticed the sorrowful expression on her visage.
My anger knew no bounds upon discovering my he's wrongdoing. Without any second thoughts, I hastily fetched May and relentlessly pursued my he.
Using all my strength, I sprinted ahead effortlessly as my he couldn't keep up, probably because I was an athlete in school. I called out to my he and pursued him hastily, exerting pressure on his clothing to halt his sprint.
As Patrick came to a halt, he gazed at me in desperation and uttered, "Finn, release me." I vehemently shook my head and declared, "I refuse!"
At that moment, the lady beside my he expressed disapproval towards me and admonished, "May I know who you were and if you possess any courtesy?"
Upon approaching, I discerned that this lady was exceptionally attractive and youthful, potentially even younger than my sis-in-law. Her physique was noteworthy and overall quite impressive. I failed to comprehend why, given her favorable circumstances, she desired to be a mistress. Could it be solely for the purpose of obtaining Patrick's wealth?
Despite her beauty, I harbored negative sentiments towards her and I even detested her. I shot her a fierce look and rebuked her, "None of your business, you whore!" As I spoke these words, her demeanor promptly shifted, causing not only her, but my he as well to become extremely uneasy.
Observing my he's saddened expression triggered a momentary fear within me, however, promptly I recalled May and swiftly replaced my fear with resentment. I stood upright with a confident gaze and looked courageously at my he.
With a hint of bitterness, he let out a sigh and remarked, "Finn, your youth blinds you. You'll grasp the reality of things as you grow older." On hearing this, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of irritation. Almost reaching the age of 18, how could it be that I still don't comprehend?
Right at the moment when I was about to reply, May approached me from behind and lightly touched my shoulder. As I looked behind me, I beheld her visage which was both striking and sorrowful, tears streaming down her cheeks, causing my heart to constrict with emotion.
Her gaze was fixed on Patrick, who remained composed in his presence without glancing my way. She asked, body trembled, "Patrick, who is she?"
Although the query was somewhat discerning, it seems that I had gained enlightenment and comprehended the temperament of May. Occasionally, one might be requested to do so intentionally. He frowned and remained silent, while the vixen audaciously introduced herself, "I'm Anna Marie. You are May Bristol, right? You need not bother himself with further thoughts."
May tightly clenched her lips, biting down with intensity and maintaining direct eye contact with Anna. Her biting was so intense and her body even showed signs of slight trembling in anger. Eventually, she spoke up and inquired, "Patrick, may I pose a query: Have you ever loved me?"
Although it may seem cliche, I personally did not feel that way. Often, women desire to know whether their partner other loves them or not. My he, who seemed uneasy and had a slight frown, remained silent in the presence of other people as he contemplated leaving the situation.
Unsurprisingly, he expressed his dissatisfaction with the statement, "You're out of your mind, and I don't have time for your illness!" before turning around and exiting the scene. However, she refused to release her husband and instead yelled out at the top of her voice, demanding a response from him, "Answering me, Patrick!".
My he was compelled to backtrack and gave me a suggestive glance indicating that I ought to convince her that there were excessive individuals present and we were attracting unwanted attention. Although my he gave a hint, I chose to side with her and ignored the hint while tilting my head to one side.
Even though he had a strong desire to proceed, May intervened. He maintained a composed demeanor despite his somber expression and refrained from causing a scene in public. He gazed at her and transitioned from an apathetic attitude to a supplicating one, saying, "Please, let's just go home."
Despite the her persistent stubbornness, she firmly shook her head and insisted, "Tell me now!"
The he persisted in pleading, yet she remained resolute. Consequently, he became enraged and let out an irritated snort before delivering an icy statement, "Very well, you're the one who pushed me. Hear me! I have never loved you."
Upon hearing those words, I immediately sensed the gravity of the situation. As expected, her countenance turned a ghostly shade of white, conveying intense feelings of despair, sadness and anguish. At this juncture, her physical form quivered and collapsed.
I quickly grasped her so that she would not give way under the weight of the collapse. I called out urgently to her, but she remained unresponsive and fixed her gaze on him. Yet, to our surprise, she pulled off an unexpected action in the following instant.
"You jerk! It is you who compelled me to this!" Shortly after, she turned towards me and clasped her arms around my neck, giving me a direct kiss on my lips!
My mind suddenly burst out!