I don't remember how I cried myself to sleep, but when I woke up, the man was already up, dressed and waiting by my bedside.
He appeared calm and composed, without a trace of the anxiety and restlessness from last night when we poured our hearts out to each other. His composure reassured me. My racing heart settled down, and upon further thought, I realized there was nothing to fear.
With him here, I had nothing to fear.
There was a subtle ache in my lower abdomen, accompanied by a persistent low-grade fever. I also worried about my father, who was lying in the hospital room.
After freshening up, the man carefully helped me put on warm and thick clothing. My weak body leaned against his, and I heard him say, "I contacted a trustworthy doctor last night, and he's already here. Shall we go over now?"
I nodded in agreement and, when I smiled up at him, my lips lightly touched his jawline.
