Nathan dropped the package on the dining table, Axel's call came on his phone and he hesitated before he picked up.
"You didn't yell at her right?" Axel asked.
"What are you talking about?" Nathan asked.
"You did....gosh why are you so hard to deal with? She didn't come on her own, I had to convince her so badly, like she's even scared to deliver to you.... "
"I didn't ask you to do it Axel, stop sounding like I did" Nathan scoffed.
"You can't continue living this way,just allow people in your life for once" Axel groaned.
"What happens next? No one can stay with anyone forever, it's just lies, stop dreaming" Nathan muttered.
"So you think I'm going to leave you one day? Meaning you don't even trust your best friend?" Axel asked.
"No I mean....." Axel hung up before he could finish.
Nathan dropped his phone and sighed out.
He sat down and opened the meals one after the other, he took the fork and had a little taste of the chicken first, he chewed slowly.
"Hmm" He nods slightly and dropped the fork, he took a spoon and had a taste of the hot beef stew.
"Whoa" He muttered, he had a taste of everything and then began eating since he was satisfied with the taste.
**
Ethel just left the island, the walk from Nathan's main building to the gate took a whole while, and plus the fact that she was walking so slow added to it.
She got to the street and continue walking while thinking about Nathan's outburst.
"Does he have anger issue?" She asked herself and took her lips in.
She was supposed to be mad and angry but instead she was worried about him, she wouldn't stop wondering why he hate the presence of people in his house, is he a loner? Does he live in that big house all alone??
If his friend could order him food, then that means he doesn't have maids either.
"Is he allergic to....no, I've never heard of that type of allergy" She shook her head and groaned.
The car horn beside her made her turn, Waylon smiled at her and Ethel's eyes widened.
"Waylon" She called.
"Going back to work?" Waylon asked and she nodded.
"Come in" Waylon smiled and immediately opened the front door for her.
Ethel entered and closed it back.
"Thank you" She mumbled when Waylon started driving.
"Why are you here?" Waylon asked.
"I came for delivery" Ethel replied.
"Oh" Waylon mouthed.
"I didn't know you work on weekends also" He added and Ethel smiled.
"I have to work to make money" She muttered.
"You shouldn't stress yourself too much tho, you're still young" Waylon said.
"I have no choice anyway" Ethel said and looked outside the window, the breeze scattered her hair.
"Oooh" She whined and quickly packed her hair into a ponytail.
"You look pretty" Waylon said and she faced him.
"Huh?"
"You look prettier in ponytail" He pointed at her hair and she smiled.
"Thank you" She uttered.
*****
LIVE MORE HOSPITAL
"Thank you so much nurse Hailey, you're amazing" The old woman said as Hailey walked her out of the hospital.
"You're welcome granny, please don't hesitate to call me anytime you feel weak, I will come over and check you up" Hailey said and the woman nodded with a smile.
"Taxi!" Hailey stopped a taxi for her.
"Bye nurse"
"Bye Granny" Hailey also waved back,watching the taxi till it was out of sight.
She turned to go back in but her eyes fell on Waylon's car that just stopped in front of the restaurant, Ethel came out of it and waved at him before he drove off.
"Seriously?" Hailey muttered and waved her hand at Ethel.
"Hailey!" Ethel ran to her.
"Where are you coming from little miss?" Hailey asked, arranging her hair properly.
"Delivery" Ethel smiled.
"Really? So how come Waylon dropped you?" Hailey asked, pressing her cheek.
"He found me walking...."
"Is your boss crazy? He should find scooters or bikers to help him deliver, why you? You have to take taxi to go deliver? This restaurant is not even that standard like I imagined" Hailey scoffed.
Ethel chuckled.
"Are you smiling? You know it's dangerous" Hailey said.
"I should tell him to buy me bike then..."
"Never, I can't allow you ride bike on that lousy and crowded highway" Hailey snapped and Ethel pouted.
"Why's your eyes red? Did you cry?" Hailey asked suddenly.
"No" Ethel immediately shook her head.
"You went to Nathan's place?" Hailey frowned.
"I will see you later Hailey" Ethel grinned sarcastically and ran off.
Hailey shook her head and also went in.
*****
A SALON
Vivian stepped down from the car stylishly, she removed her sunglasses and put it inside her bag, she proceeded and walked toward the entrance, the security immediately opened the door for her and she went inside.
👥 You're welcome ma'am.
👥 Miss Vivian!
The workers there greeted and she responded to all while she went straight into the hair stylist room. A lady was there getting her hair done.
The stylist turned and immediately smiled the moment she saw Vivian..
"You came"
"Yeah, I need something done to my hair" Vivian muttered and sat down.
Reagan looked into the mirror hearing the voice and she frowned the moment she saw Vivian.
"What is that bîtch doing here?" She asked.
Vivian looked at her and scoffed.
"See a bîtch calling another one bîtch"
Reagan slapped the stylist's hand from her hair and turned her seat around.
"Let her leave the room while I get my hair done,I can't stand being with her in the same enclosed space" Reagan said and Vivian chuckled.
"Why don't you just leave instead? I'm in a hurry anyway" She said.
"Why? You came to make your hair before you go and seduce Nathan?" Reagan asked and Vivian glared at her.
The hair stylist couldn't say a word, she was totally confused.
"What, are you surprised that I caught you?" Reagan smirked.
"You're going crazy,you must be one of those shameless girls obsessed with him" Vivian shook her head.
"Well I think I have more chance to be with him more than you" Reagan said.
"How? I can't get over the way he ignored you that night" Vivian said and Reagan scoffed angrily.
"Throw her out of this place or you will loose me forever!!" She yelled at the stylist.
"If I leave this room.....consider me gone for ever" Vivian glared at the stylist and she swallowed.
Both are are biggest customers and she can't possibly do what they are saying.
"Ma'am, I can just drop the curtains for now, I will finish up your hair and start hers..."
"Do that!" Reagan snapped and Vivian scoffed.
The stylist pleaded with Vivian before dropping the curtains to separate the room.
"Nice" Reagan rolled her eyes.
*****
SANTIAGO'S HOUSE
"What are you talking about? No money?! Arya school resumes next week!! We can't allow her stay home!!" Jenny yelled at her husband.
"What am I supposed to do then? I've tried so much and you know that" Santiago replied and sat down.
"What about Nathan? You told me you were going to him but you never returned any news to me" Jenny said.
"He wouldn't help.....he threw me out of his house" Santiago mumbled.
"I knew he was useless right from the moment you brought him into this house, so he forgot all we've done for him?! Or is he jealous that my daughter is going to college?" Jenny whined.
"He said he doesn't have a sister" Santiago muttered.
"That orphan" Jenny scoffed.
Arya who was eavesdropping on the staircase turned back slowly and went to her room. She sat down on the bed sadly and picked up her phone, she searched Nathan on her phone and everything popped up.
"He must.....really hate me alot" She muttered, caressing his face from the screen.
Even though she was still young back then, she could still remember a little bit of what happened when he was still with them.
"I will feel guilty if he decide to help....." She bite her lips and tears dropped from her eyes,she dropped her phone and fell on the bed.
*****
NIGHT ★ NATHAN'S ISLAND
It was rainy so heavily, even though the windows were closed and the curtains were down, he couldn't control the pains at all. He felt weak with each drop of the rain, he was sweating profusely and his body was shaking at the same time with cold and fear.
The flashback of what happened the night of the accident would come once in every minute giving him crazy headaches. It was as if he would die.
Nathan fell on the floor when he checked his pills and found out that the bottle of empty, it must have finished without him knowing.
His head hit the wall as hot tears rolled down his eyes, He's always like a kid when it comes to his phobia. He wanted to hold it in and try to ignore the pains but the rain doesn't seem to be reducing at all.
He took his phone and dialed Axel's number on that same spot, he answered at the fourth ring.
"What" Axel mumbled.
Nathan said nothing, he bite his lips as if he was too weak to talk.
"Hey, are you going to talk or what" Axel asked.
"It's....raining" Nathan muttered.
"Hey, are you okay?! Have you taken your pills?" Axel immediately asked in a worried voice.
"No more" Nathan muttered.
"Are you crazy? Shouldn't you tell the Doctor to give you in excess?!" Axel shouted.
"Hey, I'm not even close right now, what about Vivian?"
"No, I don't want to. I will be fine" Nathan muttered.
"You're not fine, drop the act. You wouldn't call me if you're fine, your pride is too high than that, hold it for a while, okay?!" Axel hung up and Nathan held his head as the headache hit him again.
*****
ETHEL'S APARTMENT
Ethel was smiling widely while staring at the rain hitting the window of her room, it was such a cold night but she enjoyed every bit of it.
Her phone started ringing on the bed and she left the window to go check. It's an unknown number but also at the same time looks familiar. She answered the call and said nothing first.
"Ethel"
"Oh...Uncle Axel" She muttered.
"I need your help....Right now" Axel said.
"Help? How?" Ethel asked.
"Huh?! He's in danger?!" Her eyes widened after Axel finished explaining things to her.
"It might get worse if he doesn't take the pills or the rain doesn't stop" Axel replied.
"What should I do? I will do anything" Ethel immediately said.
"We have to get the pill no matter what" Axel replied.
"It's.....quite late" Ethel said, checking the time.
"But I'm going to try" She added.
"And hospital will do, the pill might be rare to get at a pharmacy or something, can you do that?" Axel asked.
"Yes I will"
"Thank you so much,send your account details, it's kinda expensive" Axel said.
Ethel immediately put on her shoes, she wore a hoodie and took an umbrella before running out of her room, she got to the living room and started walking slowly, she sneaked out making sure Olivia doesn't catch her then she ran out of the house.
****
10PM
Ethel groaned out when she entered the house, she dropped her umbrella and ran upstairs with the pill in her hand, she was so tired already. She got upstairs and ran straight to the last room as Axel had described for her.
She opened the door and entered, she passed the living room, she went more deeper and found the bedroom, Nathan was still sitting on the floor in the same position, Ethel's eye grew wide the moment she saw him, she ran to him immediately and fell in front of him.
It was the same as she saw him that night, he was sweating so much, Ethel touched his cheeks and it was so cold,his eyes were closed.
"Anaconda" She called and Nathan opened his eyes, even in his state, he made a surprised face seeing her.
"I brought your pill" Ethel raised it up for him.
She stood up and looked around, she saw a bottle of water on a stool and she immediately went to pick it up, she ran back to Nathan and took two pills from it bottle.
"Here" She said putting it in his mouth and then water, Nathan only stared at her after he digested the pill.
Ethel stood up again and found her way somehow into the restroom, she took a face towel and soaked it with water, she came back and wiped off his sweats.
"You will be fine" She muttered.
Nathan held her hand and she stopped.
"That's enough" He sighed and Ethel dropped the towel.
"I will help you get on the bed" She mumbled softly and Nathan allowed her, she helped him up and to the bed, Nathan lie down gently,his eyes still on her.
It was so silent, except the sound of the heavy rain falling outside.
"I.....should go back home" Ethel said and made to take a step.
Nathan grabbed her hand and she turned back.
"You should finish your work" he said.
"Huh?"
"I'm cold" Nathan muttered and pulled her closer, she fell on the bed beside him and a gasp escape her lips, she moved her face to Nathan's own.
"Don't leave....you can leave in the morning" He said.
Ethel swallowed.
"You will yell at me again" She mumbled, avoiding his eyes.
"You're going to yell at me in the morning....again" She said once more.
"I won't" Nathan said.
"Promise?" Ethel asked.
"I won't" Nathan repeated and she lay down gently beside him.
Nathan held her waist and Birdie froze, it was too sickly sweet that she might loose her mind if it takes too long, why the héll does he have so much effect on her?
Nathan pulled her closer and a loud gasp escape her lips before she could control it.
Her body hit his own perfectly,her palm touched his chest and she could inhale his perfect fragrance.
"I told you I'm cold" Nathan muttered with his eyes still closed.
He pulled the duvet over their heads and Ethel's heart stopped beating for a second.