ANNASTACIA (wattys 2019)

06

"how do you feel today? "

He asked her while massaging her feet to her toes. He was feeling light and happy to see her sat and leant her back by the pillow on the headboard.

"better, " Anna said in soft murmured.

She gained some weight even though her appetite didn't increase. But she ate regularly. She still couldn't stand because the accident. The fractured in her feet almost heal, so to make the first move he massaged her feet.

Her legs could move across and around, but still couldn't make her walk even stand up. So the move only worked when she was on bed.

If she need anything she had to ask Alex, and he insisted it even she wouldn't. But it did when he was around. So, Anna had to ask the maids while he was not around and the maids were told by him.

Anna couldn't change her outfit without Alex's help. Even he also insisted that he wanted to feed her. Anna just gave up to his behavior because she couldn't do anything by herself. And she enjoyed it actually. It's been forever she got the special treatment by him and she didn't want it ended quickly. But, what if she happened recorvery then? Would he still treat her like this or he would throw her again?

"na.. Anna?.." she zoned out, even when Alex called her she didn't notice. "Anna! "

Alex sat beside Anna, grabbed her cheeks made her snapped at him. She stared in confused as Alex worried.

"hey, baby. Why are you zone out? " then Alex traced his thumb to her cheek. "and what is the meaning of this tear? "

"what? " Anna whispered then traced her fingers to her cheek Alex traced before.

"you are crying! "

"no. I just-"

"what are you thinking, baby? "

Alex made Anna to look at him. She stared at his blue-ocean eyes and sank in it. Alex put her legs on top of his thighs so she almost straddled him.

"just tell me, Anna. "

"that.., " she averted her gaze couldn't stand to look at his eyes. " I'm scared. "

Alex furrowed his eyebrows in confused. "look at me. "

" I'm, " Anna slowly met his eyes again then sniffed. " I think.. If I'm back to normal.. If I fully recovery, you will throw me again. "

She lowered her tone in the last two words.

"sshhh! " he hugged her. "what nonsense are you talking about? Of course not, baby. It will never happen again. I told you, remember!" he felt she nodded. " I promise to you, don't I? And I'm sorry, I really am sorry to put you through the hardest time in your life. If I can turn back the time.. "

His hand roamed to her back, made a circle and the other was on her head, stroked her hair smoothly. He kissed her shoulder then buried his head in the crook of her neck.

After feeling her breathing not ragged, he kissed her neck, trace her jawline then chin with kisses. Then he found her lips already parted and placed soft kiss but passionate.

*

"come on! At least we can try! "

" I-"

"you just step on mine. "

Alex helped her to stand. He grabbed her hands to make her easy to feel her toes touched the floor. After Anna could keep her balance, Alex circled her waist, put her hands on his shoulder and faced her in the eye.

"move your foot on top mine, " he said in soft tone.

She cringed when she tried to move. It didn't hurt but she just couldn't imagine the pain would come. But it didn't. She grabbed his shoulders tightly and moved her right foot to his left and moved her left to his right. She circled his neck and met his eyes.

He just smiled at her. The love could seem in his eyes.

Anna bit her lower lip to hold her smile. She was shy suddenly.

"ready? "

She nodded. His arms held her and her hands hung on his shoulders. Just like dance, he moved to right and left but with her feet on him.

He suggested her to try to walk. She refused at first, but he made sure she could make it by learnt to stand just like he did and try to walk on his feet. She just stared in to his eyes and he did the same. She could feel her legs can move but not single pain appeared.

His smile turned to smirk. His eyes somehow turned mischief as she blushed hard. It was longing feeling she never had in her loneliness. With the love of her life.

She was just couldn't handle the feeling. She then smiled at him and leant to his body as he hugged her. His pace was slow then stopped. He just wanted to feel this moment.

In her light purple sundress, she looked beautiful just like the first time they together after marriage. She refused made any romantic gesture before married at the beginning because she was conservative.

Now, that feeling came in between make her heart fluttered and warmed. She like this feeling. In his embrace she felt save and comfort. Her happy memories came back and reminded her that the joy they felt at that moment.

"no pain? " he murmured softly. Anna shook her head. "now, try to walk. On your feet. "

The words made Anna looked at him in surprised. The joy in her eyes vanished. She frowned at him.

Alex stared at her confused because her reaction was changed. They were acted like stranger accidentally. Then he understood what she was thinking.

" I am here, remember? You can try! "

Slowly but sure he took step back, leaving her slowly until his hold to her hands was free. She just stood dumbfounded. Even she forgot how to breath.

"come on, baby, come to me. Here, come on! " Alex called her just few step away from her. He opened his arms as if she would walk and suddenly felt like one year old trying to freaking walk.

Anna stared at him long enough to make her back to reality that he didn't make any freaking joke. And she realized that she had to make first step at least it wouldn't reach him.