I huffed, looking at the laptop screen. I had been trying to finish a chronicle for at least half an hour, and I still had a couple more left to write. And I had to have it all done in less than three days. Lately I was having a much heavier workload than usual. I refused to complain, but my body and mind were starting to feel it. I was spending practically all my time working, working, and just working... I couldn't remember the last time I had gone out with my friends, or cuddled on the couch with my boyfriend while watching a movie... Hell, I couldn't even remember the last time I had been able to sleep for more than four hours at a time.
I got up from my chair and headed to the kitchen to prepare what would be my fourth coffee of the day. As soon as it was ready, I took a couple of sips as I walked back to my desk. The truth was that the coffee no longer had any effect on me, but that didn't stop me from drinking the whole cup in a matter of five minutes. I closed my eyes and huffed again. My head hurt like hell. I sighed heavily before returning my focus to my work.
I don't know how much time had passed when I heard the front door of the house open. " Hey!" I heard my boyfriend's voice from the foyer.
"I'm here!" I looked away from the computer and, even though I felt a pounding in my head and my vision was starting to go unfocused, I made an effort to smile as Kevin walked through the living room door, grinning. "How did it go?"
"Well, management really liked our proposals for the new album." I nodded slightly. I would have liked to be more effusive, but I didn't have the strength. His gaze softened as he moved a little closer to me. "How about you?"
"Well, you know, trying to finish all this. Little by little." I looked back at the laptop screen, and the letters went out of focus. I closed my eyes again, resting my forehead in my hands.
Kevin frowned, moving closer to me. "'Babe, are you alright?"
I nodded, but wasn't able to smile. "Yeah, just.... I'm just a little fed up."
Kevin looked at me with concern before gently resting his hand on my forehead. "My God, you're burning up." He reached his hand toward my laptop closing it. "Enough work for today. You need to lie down."
"No. I can't." I muttered as I opened the laptop again. He looked at me surprised at the blunt tone in my voice. "I have to finish this. It's very important."
Kevin sighed as he knelt down beside me, taking my hands in his and looking at me with such tenderness that I felt my heart melt. "My love, I know it's important. But your health is much more. You do nothing but work, and it's starting to take its toll on you." His hand came up to caress my cheek, flushed and hot with fever. "When was the last time you slept, or even rested, for more than five hours?"
I thought for a moment as my vision went unfocused again, this time by some tears that were forming for some reason unknown to me. "I don't know..."
"You're worn out. You have to rest. You need to rest. I know you don't like it, because you feel weak, but... would you let me take care of you?" He was right, I had never liked to be taken care of, I had always preferred to be the one taking care of the others. But that time I just nodded, without the strength to answer anything else. He got up from the floor and extended his hands. I took them and he helped me up. I held my balance for a few seconds before my knees buckled, being about to fall to the ground. Luckily, Kevin held me up. "Okay, I figured that. Don't worry." He gave me one of his boyish, gentle smiles before picking me up off the floor and carrying me into the bedroom.
He carefully sat me down on the bed before opening the closet and setting one of my pajamas on the bed. "I'm going to get some things downstairs. You meanwhile get yourself changed. You'll be more comfortable." She left the bedroom while I changed my clothes. Ten minutes or so later, she appeared with a blanket, a glass of milk and what looked like a bowl full of water and a rag. She left everything on the bedside table. He covered my legs with the blanket and handed me the glass of milk. "Drink it. It will do you good."
Indeed, that glass of milk made me feel better. It also helped that while I was drinking it, he put his arm around me and began to gently kiss my temple. When I had finished it, he told me to lie down on the bed. When I did, he wet the cloth in the water from the bowl and placed the damp cloth on my forehead. I sighed, feeling relieved. He spent at least ten more minutes holding the cloth over my head, while whispering sweetness and affection filled words.
"I think your fever is finally starting to come down." He whispered with relief as he placed his hand on my forehead and smiled. "It won't take you long to recover, but that doesn't mean you can go back to beating yourself up at work like you've been doing."
"I know. I have to be more careful from now on." I stroked his face with my hand. " Thanks for taking care of me."
"No need to give them." He smiled, taking my hand and kissing it gently. "And now, lie down and get some sleep. You'll feel much better tomorrow."
"Would you mind...staying with me? After all, I'm sure you've had a long day too." I said, lying down on one side of the bed, making room for him.
He smiled softly. "Yeah, I guess I could sleep for a while. Besides, this way I can make sure your fever doesn't rise again..." He lay down next to me, covering himself with the blanket and wrapping his strong, loving arms around me. He kissed my forehead repeatedly before reaching for my lips. "I love you..."
"I love you too..." I whispered against his lips before melting them to mine in a tender and delicate kiss. I sighed in pure joy before resting my head against his chest, falling asleep almost instantly.
