One Wild Night

Sonia raised both hands to her head as she sat up to sneeze. She moaned softly because her head which was still aching terribly, while Bryan, who had been cuddling her, also sat up to pat her back.

"Your body is still burning very much," Bryan complained as he pulled her close, but she pulled away from him as she sneezed two more times.

"I think it's flu. My throat is beginning to feel sore and itchy," Sonia complained weakly as she used the back of her hand to wipe the tears that stung her eyes.

"Whatever it is, stay still," Bryan said calmly as he gently pushed her back on the reclined chair.

"It won't help if we both fall sick," Sonia said weakly, and Bryan frowned.

"You are ill because of me, so it's only right that I look after you," Bryan said, voicing his guilt.

"That's nonsense. This has nothing to do with last night," Sonia said with disapproval, annoyed that he was only caring for her because he blamed himself for making her ill.

"If I hadn't made you skinnydip with me last night, you wouldn't have caught a cold," Bryan insisted just as Evelyn joined them with a bowl of water and a small towel.

"Move, Bryan. I need to keep her temperature down," Evelyn said, and Bryan shook his head.

"Hand it over. I'll take care of her myself," Bryan said stubbornly as he reached out a hand to take the bowl from Evelyn.

"Relax. I'm your mother, and I nursed you through different bouts of fever. I'll take care of her. Just move," Evelyn insisted, but Bryan was having none of it.

"It's not that I don't trust you, mom. I just want to take care of her myself," Bryan insisted, and Evelyn shared a look with her husband, who gave her a nod, silently asking her to let him have his way.

Evelyn handed the bowl and towel to Bryan and went to sit beside her husband while watching Bryan as he dipped the napkin into the water and squeezed it before placing it over Sonia's head.

Her face was pale, and she was unusually quiet as he held her hand. After a moment, she opened her eyes and looked at Bryan, "Are you only taking care of me because you feel guilty for taking me to the pool last night?" Sonia asked, and Bryan glared at her.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"That's what you implied a moment ago," Sonia pointed out.

"That is what you chose to understand. Of course, I feel terrible that I exposed you to whatever might have ever caused this, but I'm looking after you because you are mine to look after. Now stop trying to pick a fight and rest," Bryan ordered, and Sonia sighed in relief and shut her eyes.

Bryan watched her tired face, thinking about how fragile his crazy witch looked at the moment. He lay on his sides as he watched her face, and just when he started to believe that she was asleep, she opened her eyes.

"Do you remember how you made me stay up all night when you hurt your ankle?" She asked with a weak smile, and Bryan smiled as he played with her hair.

"How can I forget that?" He asked, knowing that she was bringing that up to make him worry less.

"I plan to repay you for that tonight," she promised, and Bryan smiled.

"I don't mind as long as it'll help you feel better," he assured her.

"Have you ever nursed a sick person before?" She asked, and Bryan shook his head.

"Only in movies. But don't worry, I can take care of you," Bryan assured her.

"Bryan, it's time you change the napkin. I'm sure it's hot and dry already," Evelyn scolded, and Sonia looked in Evelyn's direction. She smiled weakly at Evelyn when she met her worried eyes while Bryan quickly sat up and repeated the process of dipping the napkin into the bowl and squeezing it dry before placing it on Sonia's forehead again.

"Have you been nursed by a boyfriend before?" Bryan asked, and she shook her head.

"I barely fall ill, and whenever I feel ill for any reason, I try to overcome it myself," Sonia said, and Bryan reached out to pat her hair.

"You don't have to overcome it yourself anymore. I will always take care of you," Bryan promised, and Sonia smiled at him weakly as she gave him a nod.

"Bryan has become quite responsible," Desmond said casually as he followed his wife's line of vision to see Bryan squeezing the towel once again.

Evelyn sighed, "As much as I like to see him fuss over somebody else in this manner, I don't like to see Sonia looking that way either way. She looks too fragile," Evelyn complained with a frown, and Desmond patted her hand in reassurance.

"Even the strongest of persons have their moments of break down too. The way I see it, I think she has been trying to stay strong for too long, and now it is taking its toll on her," Desmond observed.

He had noticed how even though she was part of the room, she never really behaved as if she belonged there. At first, he had thought it was because she was shy around Andrew, but then he had realized that wasn't it. She just seemed to feel awkward around parents and was always in a rush to exit a room if she had to be there alone with them without either Bryan or Lucy.

He had particularly noticed how she had sat stiffly in her seat, looking so lost and unsure when Lucy and her parents had stood to leave for their private discussion the previous evening.

Her bold exterior was just a facade. Underneath that beautiful and seemingly bold young lady was actually a frightened and lonely young girl.

He wondered how things had been with her following her half-brother's death, her estrangement with her parents, and their subsequent death.

He could bet that she had locked all of that emotion somewhere inside her while trying to be there for Lucy. And nobody else had bothered to really find out how she was doing.

Knowing Sonia, he was certain that even if Lucy had asked, Sonia would probably never really tell her how she felt because she wouldn't want to put such a burden on her.

It was clear that what happened to Lucy had also broken Sonia in other ways. He was going to have to find the time to converse with her before leaving.

*************

Candace sat with her eyes closed as she thought about Jamal, who she had left behind. Even though it wasn't even up to twenty-four hours, and they were yet to arrive at their destination, she missed him sorely already.

She didn't know why, but she had a very strange feeling about all of this. Something told her that everything was going to change. What she didn't know yet was if it was going to be a good change or a bad change.

She opened her eyes when she felt Jade's hand cover hers and turned to look at Jade, who gave her a reassuring smile, "Your hands are trembling," Jade said calmly.

Candace glanced at their now joined hands without saying a word, and Jade squeezed softly, "Don't worry, everything will be fine."

"You don't know that," Candace said as she returned her eyes to meet Jade's.

"Why? You think something might go wrong?" Jade asked, and Candace smiled.

"How well do you know Jero? Do you think you know him better than I do?" Candace asked, and Jade frowned slightly.

"I don't know. You tell me," Jade said, and Candace sighed.

"Jero is erratic. I advise you to prepare yourself for worst-case scenarios," Candace said, and Jade nodded.

"Why did you agree to meet with him? I know you could have refused," Jade said, and Candace smiled.

"I want to put an end to this ill-fated relationship with him. If I don't meet with him, I will have to keep running with Jamal, scared that some how he might show up someday. That is not the way I want my son to live. That is not the way I want to live either," she said, thinking about Matt, who had not bothered to call her or show up since the last time they spoke.

She did not doubt that she lost his friendship along with whatever else he had felt for her. She deserved it. It was one of the prices she had to pay for making the bad decision of getting involved with a person like Jero and not doing everything she could to leave while she could.

"Just how do you intend to put an end to your ill-fated relationship with him?" Jade asked thoughtfully, and Candace looked at her square in the eyes.

"If he tries to do anything stupid with me, I'm going to kill him if I have to."