Matthew carried her into one of the rooms and laid her on the bed. He couldn't wrap his head around how she had crashed so suddenly. What the hell had she done in the meantime to end up like this?
Or worse...had she taken something on purpose?
Diana stirred, clutching her stomach, and dragged herself up as another wave of nausea hit. She barely made it to the ensuite bathroom before vomiting again. There was nothing left, but the heaving wrenched her stomach and back so hard she cried out.
Matthew pulled her hair back gently.
+"The doctor will be here any minute. Do you want me to take you to the hospital instead?"
She shook her head, sobbing quietly, her weakness overwhelming her.
He lifted her again, guiding her to the sink to rinse her face before drying it with a towel and bringing her back to bed.
+"Don't lie flat, you'll feel worse."
She sat cross-legged on the mattress, though she could barely hold herself upright. Matthew noticed, leaned closer, and sat facing her.
+"Come on, lean forward. Rest on my shoulder."
Too drained to argue, Diana obeyed, pressing her forehead against his left shoulder as her tears slid silently down. His hands rubbed soothing circles over her back.
Every few moments, her sniffles broke the silence. Matthew handed her a tissue.
+"Here. Stop using my shirt as a napkin."
-"I wasn't." Her voice was thick and nasal.
+"Why are you crying? God, you're such a crybaby."
-"Because I'm sick… when people get sick and weak, they just cry. That's all."
+"Hmm. Then why don't I cry when I'm sick?"
-"Because… because you're not human."
+"Congratulations...you just earned yourself a punishment."
Diana hesitated.
-"What if… what if I throw up on your shirt instead?"
+"Then you'll earn another punishment on top of it."
-"Hey! Don't stress me out!"
+"I'm not. I'm just warning you about the consequences of your actions."
Matthew's brows drew together as he studied her.
+"You're not pregnant, are you?"
-"No… no! I've been taking the pills right on time. I even tested with a pregnancy kit, just to be sure."
+"Good. You know what that means then…"
-"Yeah, yeah. I know. I don't have the right to get pregnant. And if I ever do, I have to get rid of it."
+"Smart girl."
They bickered lightly until her exhaustion caught up and her eyelids drooped. That was when the doctor arrived.
Matthew pulled her gently back.
+"Wake up, little one… the doctor's here."
Still groggy, she blinked at him, then noticed the unfamiliar man in the room. Her body tensed, and she mumbled a faint greeting.
Nilson, Matthew's trusted physician, returned the greeting with surprise. As far as he remembered, aside from Marie, no other girl had ever lived in the mansion.
And Marie was… well.
Matthew caught Nilson's look and understood immediately. He laid Diana back against the bed.
+"Come here, Doctor."
Nilson snapped out of it and moved closer.
Matthew stepped aside as Nilson sat down at the edge of the bed, opening his case.
/"So, little lady, what seems to be the problem? Can you tell me?"
Diana drew a deep breath. Of course she could.
-"Yesterday morning, I had breakfast. After that, until around eight in the evening, I only had coffee. I was too tired to eat dinner, so I went to bed around midnight. Later, I had some strawberries and Nutella. Then… I slept until this morning. I woke up with stomach pain, took a painkiller on an empty stomach, and I'm sure that's what ruined me. Sometimes my stomach gets overly sensitive, that's all."
Nilson nodded.
/"Sounds like you know your body pretty well. But would you let me check you anyway?"
Diana politely agreed. He was so gentle, so kind.
He checked her temperature, heart rate, and pulse.
/"That back pain...was it because of your period?"
-"No… just… random."
/"You're not pregnant?"
-"No!"
Nilson noticed her discomfort and decided not to push further.
/"I'll set you up with an IV. For now, avoid heavy foods. Soup would be best. Since it's not poisoning, no need for more medication, we should just let your body rest. Try not to stress, or this stomach pain could become chronic, flaring up even with the smallest tension. Alright, sweetheart?"
He took off his glasses and continued.
/"Like I said, no heavy foods for a couple of days. In the worst case, this weakness might last until tonight, but I know you're a strong girl and you'll get through it quickly. Right?"
And suddenly Diana was pulled years back, to when she'd fallen sick as a child. Her father had placed a cool hand on her forehead and whispered, "I know you're my strong girl, and you'll get better soon. Right?"
She'd nod and swallow the bitter medicine her mother brought, then fall asleep to the sound of her father's violin.
Tears welled, a lump catching in her throat. She forced a smile and nodded.
Nilson blinked in surprise, then turned to Matthew.