Chapter 350: The Warmth
* Caww * * Caww *
Crows were cawing loudly as the sun slowly dipped down in the sky, painting everything in soft orange and pink colors. It was already evening, around 6 o’clock.
I sat on a wooden bench in the park, feeling completely worn out. My shoulders slumped and my legs felt heavy after walking around the whole day.
"Ahhh... I am tired..." I said with a long sigh, rubbing my face with both hands.
I had spent hours searching for Sonny and his agency, but I couldn’t find anything useful. No matter how many times I searched online or asked around, nothing came up.
"I cannot find that motherfucker and his fucking agency," I said aloud, looking up at the darkening sky. "I should’ve asked for his agency name or at least taken his business card when we met... jeez..."
I shook my head at my own mistake. "But I was just too angry and pissed off at that moment. All I could do was give him a death stare."
I let out a sarcastic laugh at how stupid I had been. Now Aeri couldn’t even remember the man she had introduced me to. What else was I supposed to do? The whole situation felt messed up and confusing.
"It’s evening already," I said with another sigh. "I should head back to Aeri. She must’ve woken up by now."
I stood up from the bench, brushed off my pants, and slipped my phone back into my pocket. The park was starting to empty out as people headed home.
*Tap* *Tap*
My shoes made soft sounds on the hospital floor as I walked down the quiet corridor. I reached Aeri’s room, turned the handle, and pushed the door open.
*Clack*
I stepped inside. Aeri was sitting up in bed, holding her phone and looking at the screen. She seemed a bit better now. The tired, drained look on her face had lightened up a little.
"At least give me a call when you are all okay," I said with a sigh as I closed the door behind me.
"Ohh Ezra! I thought you must be at work. That’s why I didn’t call," she replied, giving me a small, gentle smile.
I pulled the chair closer to her bed and sat down. "Nah, I took my day off," I said, leaning back a little.
The room felt calmer now. The ECG machine was still beeping steadily in the background, but Aeri looked more relaxed than she had in the morning. I watched her for a moment, glad to see even a small improvement in her condition.
She kept holding her phone but looked at me instead of the screen. "You really took the whole day off for me?" she asked softly.
"Yeah," I answered, giving her a small nod. "I wanted to be here."
I sat quietly beside her bed, the weight of the day still sitting on my shoulders, but for now I was just happy to be back with her.
Aeri turned off her phone and gently placed it on the small table beside her bed. The screen went dark, and the room felt a little quieter. She adjusted the blanket on her lap and looked at me with tired but soft eyes.
"Are you hungry, Aeri?" I asked, reaching out and taking her hand in mine. Her fingers felt warm but a little weak.
"Yeah, a little..." she replied. Her cheeks turned a soft pink as soon as I held her hand. She looked down for a second, then back at me. "But the doctor said I should eat by 9, take my medicine, and then sleep."
"Alright, let’s eat together at that time, okay?" I said, giving her a comforting smile. I wanted her to know I was here for her, no matter what.
"If you are hungry right now, then you can—" she started to say, but before she could finish, I stood up from the chair. I leaned over the bed, cupped her face gently with one hand, and pressed my lips softly against hers in a slow kiss.
Her eyes widened in surprise and her cheeks turned even redder. I moved my lips gently on hers. They felt dry and tired from the long day and all the coughing, but I didn’t mind at all. The kiss felt warm and real, and right now that was all I needed.
After a few seconds, I slowly pulled back and looked straight into her eyes. "I will eat with you only..." I whispered.
"Ezra..." she muttered my name quietly. She gulped, clearly feeling shy. Her face was flushed and she looked a little embarrassed, but in a sweet way.
Our eyes stayed locked on each other for a long 10-15 seconds. The only sound in the room was the steady, soft beeping of the ECG machine in the corner. Neither of us said anything. It felt like time had slowed down.
"Hmmm..okay..."Finally, she tightened her lips and gave me a small, shy smile while nodding her head gently.
"How’s your health now?" I asked as I sat back down on the chair beside her bed. I kept holding her hand, not wanting to let go just yet. "Still coughing?"
"No, it’s alright now," she said, sounding a bit stronger than before. "I am feeling way better than I did in the morning."
"That’s good to know," I replied, nodding back at her with a relieved smile. I gently squeezed her hand and rubbed my thumb over her knuckles.
The evening light coming through the hospital window had turned softer and warmer. It made the white walls look less cold. Aeri looked much more relaxed now compared to how pale and drained she had been earlier. There was a little color back in her cheeks, and her eyes didn’t seem as heavy with tiredness. She still had the blanket wrapped around her shoulders, but she sat up straighter than before.
We sat there quietly for a moment, just holding hands. The worry from the whole day was still sitting in my chest, but being here with her made it feel a little lighter. I was glad she was improving, even if it was just a small step.
"Ezra..." she said again, her voice soft and gentle. "Thank you for being here with me."
I smiled warmly and gave her hand another light squeeze. "I’m not going anywhere."
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