"Relax, go to sleep," whispered a voice in my ear. I felt another body next to mine and snuggled closer.
I felt an arm wrap around my shoulder, confusing me. The voice was hazy but the arm felt too muscular to be Margaret, unless she was working out now.
For the next few hours or days or years, who knew, I felt myself drift in and out of sleep. Sometimes I was greeted with voices, other times it was quiet, but there was always a presence next to me. And then I smelled my mother’s perfume.
Yep, no way was I going to open my eyes now. Don't do it, Ivory. Don't do it!
But all my eyes wanted to do was open. They needed the light they have been missing for a while now. They still felt heavy, though, and it was an effort to lift my eyelids.
"Don't," I heard my dad warn her. Thank you, dad.
"But she's missing the cocktail party."
Are you kidding me? I was like on my death bed!
Once again, my dad came to my rescue. "She's sick, hun. Let her skip this one."
I silently thanked my dad for being on my side always. My mum mumbled to herself. Who knew being sick could come in handy at times like this? I heard their footsteps fade away and another enter the room.
I let out a long sigh into the pillow and realised I was casually lying on the bed on my stomach with my arms and legs spread out, without a care in the world. I blinked and opened my eyes.
"How are you feeling?"
Darius.
"Don't talk to me."
"Why?"
"You made me sick," I said into the pillow, hating the way my nose felt. Urgh, I haven't felt this sick since, well, grade nine. That was eternities away.
I turned my head to the side when the bed dipped and saw him sitting on the edge and taking off his tie.
"Where did you go?"
He paused half way and raised an eyebrow. "Work."
Oh right, the rest of the world worked. I closed my eyes again, suddenly feeling lazy to get up. And then it hit me.
"Do I have hyperthemicia?"
"I doubt that."
"Well, I am sleepy, and tired, and I am sure my heart beats pretty slow. Symptoms of that." I rolled to my side. Sleeping on my stomach was weird. Not to mention how uncomfortable it was in the...upper chest area. How did girls do it?
"You can't even say it right. Hypothermia. And no, you look fine. I'm sure you're fine. Plus you’re talking again like a chatterbox. You’re fine."
I was not a chatterbox, was I?
No, I was not. It was his fault I was stuck in bed all day. Oh god, I needed to get out; my brain was about to eat me. All the thoughts going through my head were like an extremely fast train trying to get off the tracks. See what I mean? I don't even know what I was rambling about, but cookies do sound nice.
"Come on, get some fresh air," he said, standing up.
"Ew," I said, closing my eyes when he started unbuttoning his shirt.
"What?"
"Go change in a room."
"This is a room."
"Your face is a room," I replied, peeking through one eye. Thank god he stopped. He raised an eyebrow and then opened his mouth, then, probably thinking better of it, he grabbed his tie off the floor and walked toward the walk-in closet.
"Go get ready."
"Why?" I moaned, pulling the blanket higher. It was so cozy and warm in here, I never wanted to get out. Wait, didn't I just complain that I was getting too lazy in bed? Not in that way.
"My business partner is coming over."
"More people I don't know."
"You know him," said Darius, turning on the light in the walk-in closet. "You met him at the party. James," and with that, he disappeared inside, leaving me looking pale on the bed.
CHAPTER TWENTYTHREE
"Can I just go back to bed? I don't think I'm feeling too well," I was telling Darius as I walked out of the walk-in closet. Darius was on the bed trying to do his tie, his eyebrows knotted in confusion like it was the hardest task in the world.
"But you got ready," he pointed out, undoing the tie again. I muttered to myself as I fixed my dress. It was in blue colour and ended just above my knees. Neat and casual. There was no point getting dressed up for him.
"Nonsense. You can meet my business partner," he said. He chucked away his tie on the bed and left the room. I grumbled to myself, tying my hair up in a pony tail. You mean my ex? Oh yea, no need to meet him again.
I caught up quickly and went downstairs.
"Ah, James, pleasure to see you again," Darius was saying as I got down. They greeted each other with a handshake like businessmen do. I avoided James's stare. "Have a seat."
James took the seat on the opposite lounge. Thank god for that. I sat next to Darius, folding my hands in my lap like a lady. Ma came in serving the drinks and I grabbed a glass of champagne as well, using it to cover half my face. I pretended to be much more interested in the bubbles.
"Before I forget,” Darius was saying, “this is Al - Ivory, my wife."
James, who was drinking his champagne, spluttered suddenly. I almost burst out laughing. In my mind I was thanking Darius for his great timing. James held out his hand. Would it be too obvious if I didn't shake it?